IBM Microprocessors to Power the New Wii U System from Nintendo

IBM Microprocessors to Power the New Wii U System from Nintendo

ARMONK, N.Y., June 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today
announced that it will provide the microprocessors that will serve as
the heart of the new Wii U™ system from Nintendo. Unveiled today at
the E3 trade show, Nintendo plans for its new console to hit store
shelves in 2012.

The all-new, Power-based microprocessor will pack some of IBM's most
advanced technology into an energy-saving silicon package that will
power Nintendo's brand new entertainment experience for consumers
worldwide. IBM's unique embedded DRAM, for example, is capable of
feeding the multi-core processor large chunks of data to make for a
smooth entertainment experience.

IBM plans to produce millions of chips for Nintendo featuring IBM
Silicon on Insulator (SOI) technology at 45 nanometers (45 billionths
of a meter). The custom-designed chips will be made at IBM's state-of-
the-art 300mm semiconductor development and manufacturing facility in
East Fishkill, N.Y.

The relationship between IBM and Nintendo dates to May 1999, when IBM
was selected to design and manufacture the central microprocessor for
the Nintendo GameCube™ system. Since 2006, IBM has shipped more than
90 million chips for Nintendo Wii systems.

"IBM has been a terrific partner for many years. We truly value IBM's
commitment to support Nintendo in delivering an entirely new kind of
gaming and entertainment experience for consumers around the world,"
said Genyo Takeda, Senior Managing Director, Integrated Research and
Development, at Nintendo Co., Ltd.

"We're very proud to have delivered to Nintendo consistent technology
advancements for three generations of entertainment consoles," said
Elmer Corbin, director, IBM's custom chip business. "Our relationship
with Nintendo underscores our unique position in the industry -- how
we work together with clients to help them leverage IBM technology,
intellectual property and research to drive innovation into their own
core products."

Built on the open, scalable Power Architecture base, IBM custom
processors exploit the performance and power advantages of proven
silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. The inherent advantages of the
technology make it a superior choice for performance-driven
applications that demand exceptional, power-efficient processing
capability – from entertainment consoles to supercomputers.


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