Is Nintendo next?

In truth, any official cut is more likely to come when the competing motion-sensor tech from Sony and Microsoft rolls around (both are expected next year) or if Nintendo bites the bullet on that ‘Wii HD’ upgrade some are expecting.

But that won’t stop speculation in the meantime.

Nintendo has done a great job digging its heels in during this generation to resist the high-end – and expensive – HD future that 360 and PS3 have flaunted since their arrival. It was right: Super-beautiful gaming wasn’t something the masses wanted a few years back, and the mainstream settled for a cheaper console with a quirky controller.

But with Sony and Microsoft dropping the price and working on their own new input devices, the playing field is levelling out.

Nintendo’s rivals have made it clear that the new battleground for gaming is the very audience that has made Wii what it is – and made Nintendo so closely watched. So you can see why some are predicting nervous, sweaty collars in Kyoto.

But Nintendo isn’t one for knee-jerk reactions. And it’s unlikely that Iwata and co. are eyeing any opportunities they can find to shave 10 of the Wii price: This isn’t the GameCube we’re talking about.

Anything the company does will be carefully planned and thought out – so even if the industry is watching it expectantly, those spectators might have a wait on their hands.