Joystiq is reporting that IBM has announced that Nintendo has had in their possession a large amount of final Broadway chips (That is, the chip that powers the Wii and that has been custom-designed for it from the ground up) since July. And Nintendo subsequently confirmed having the chips in their possession, saying, “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.”
This means that it is feasible that the Wii console could launch THIS MONTH. Although that is still speculation obviously, and it’s probably doubtful, but Joystiq is reporting that they are assuming, given the revealing of the information, that Nintendo is far closer to release than projected.
When asked about the power behind the Broadway chip, IBM compared it to the GameCube chip, saying, “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.”
Nintendo has also confirmed that it plans to ship “6 million Wii 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,”. Joystiq says they fully expect Nintendo to make an official announcement with more information at an event in New York City next week. – via Joystiq.com