According to Nintendo officials at E3 in Los Angeles, Nintendo is unlikely to have a working Revolution to show off to the public until E3 next year, putting its plans for gaming domination way into the future.

"Nintendo doesn't want to get into a specification shouting match," said Jim Merrick, the company's European Marketing Director said to the BBC. "I just don't think that it is relevant."

This would explain why details including the main processor and graphics chip to be used in the console are so sparse.

Mr Merrick went on to say "Just ramping up the specs does not guarantee success."

Microsoft is likely to be the first to market with a worldwide launch planned for November, a feat yet attained by any of the console manufacturers to date. Sony is so far slating an early 2006 launch however it has yet to decide which territory in will launch in first. It was planning on an joint American / Europe launch for the PSP earlier this year, however stock fears meant a six month delay between the two.

>> Nintendo - Official website of Nintendo