IBM has announced that their Broadway chip custom-designed for Nintendo's Wii console is not only already in Nintendo's hands but has been since July. "We have been shipping well within this quarter (July)," said Ron Martino, director of IBM Technology Collaboration Solutions. "In fact, we have shipped a significant volume in this quarter."
So what does this news mean to gamers who have been waiting patiently for a release date from Nintendo? Well, considering that Nintendo has had their hands on a large amount of the final Broadway chips since July, we can easily speculate that the Wii could feasibly be released within the next few weeks. Perhaps by the end of the month.
Nintendo has also confirmed their reception of IBM's chip: "The first chips are in our possession," said Genyo Takeda, Senior Managing Director/General Manager, Integrated Research & Development Division, Nintendo Co., Ltd. "Today's milestone marks the final stage of our drive to reach both core and nontraditional gamers with an inviting, inclusive and remarkable gaming experience."
When I asked Martino about the power behind the Broadway chip, all he could do was compare it to the Wii's predecessor, the GameCube. "Compared to the Gekko in the GameCube, it's 20 percent more power efficient. It also performs significantly better. The key point is that it is Power Architecture-based and custom-made and optimized for Nintendo," he said. "This is a critical milestone for us at IBM. We have been very pleased with the entire development project."
I pressed Martino to compare Broadway to the other consoles they've had an integral part in developing for and he wouldn't budge, only commenting on what Nintendo was able to offer. With this news and Nintendo confirming the shipment of "6 million systems to retailers around the world between its launch in the fourth quarter of 2006 and the end of its fiscal year on March 31, 2007," we fully expect Nintendo to make an official announcement next week during their event in New York City. And as previously mentioned, we expect a release date far sooner than what has been projected.
