Topic: Nintendo NX

It's amazing how many replies this thread has considering all we know is that the thing exists and is codenamed NX.

Anyways, while I do encourage speculation, discussion, and healthy debating, let's please keep it civil. Insults don't add anything meaningful to the conversation.

TBH I kinda like the impression that an edit gave to my last post. Now instead of being about the same as every other post I've made it looks like I went full on postal. Which I guess is good, it lets us move on even if it makes me look like an ass. Nice save MorphMarron.

@Taceus
You actually managed to find something interesting in this thread? I'm impressed!

Here's a new thing we can talk about. It seems that everyone has forgotten about Nintendo's use of Sharp's free form displays. What do you think they could be used for?

@iKhan
Two things they could use it for. Either they're going for a curved display which I'm not particularly fond of. Also kinda boring and doesn't really change anything. Or they're experimenting with a device that actually has a flexible display. Thoughts immediately turn to a DS-like system where instead of two displays there's a single display that bends on the hinge.... removing entirely that space between the top and bottom screen....

which would actually be a pretty interesting idea if done well..... and would allow them to more easily move their content from mobile to portable. I think you might be onto something there, if they can get it to work.

well go back and start again. it's not "replacing" anything. i don't understand why people choose to absorb third, fourth, fifth hand information from people who didn't read it properly to begin with. when all this NX stuff came out it was clear as day to me what Nintendo were doing, but for some reason you people can't seem to understand.. it's a new frontier for Nintendo..

I thought they could just be cut free form, not that they were actually flexible. Though that would be cool too.

If it's just how it's cut, I have a feeling Nintendo might aim to build the buttons and sticks into the screen of their next handheld or controller. So instead of having a thick bezel where you find the analog sticks and buttons, there is spaced carved out of the screen where the physical buttons sit.

@martinskrtel37
Well here's the full paragraph of information we have on the NX

With this being the only slide that everyone is reading into:

Despite this slide from last year which says the same thing before the NX announcement:

I mean you could be right, it could be an entirely new type of system that will make us want to get a third device to play Nintendo games on. Although that's not the only way it could be read and other than being a PR thing I don't think it works. I don't think Nintendo wants to split their development further for a start. I've already said that I don't think a hybrid console is a good idea but the people who think that are onto something when they talk about a single platform for all Nintendo games. I don't think they would go the other way and split themselves between mobile, portable, console AND NX. That slide could have just as easily shown 3DS, DS and Wii in 2010 or 3DS, Wii and Wii U in 2011.

But the real killer for the third pillar idea is really quite simple. Whatever this thing is, if you can put it in your pocket or bag then why would you still buy a 3DS? If it's a portable (or a hybrid) with all the specs a modern portable would deliver and there's a Mario Kart NX? Mario Kart 7 is going to go back in its case and my 3DS will stay at home. If it's not portable, if it's something that lives under the TV? If it's not better than the Wii U then I don't care but if it is my Wii U will slowly move from the main TV, to the second TV and sadly eventually into a box.

Well that's interesting. I hadn't heard about it so I assumed you were talking about that flexible display tech. Maybe it has something more to do with that health product thing they've been talking about? If we're onto speculation though then a separate little display that sits under your analogue stick or circle-pad? Why I'd have no idea. Or for a portable maybe a small circular display that sits on the back for notifications. Whatever it is I'm sure none of us have any idea, they have a habit of coming up with something none of us would've though of.

Just to ram that point home even further, as I tend to be doing in this thread a lot:

"Nintendo going ahead with four pillar strategy confirmed!"

I think the idea of multiple pillars comes from Iwata's comments at the 2014 investor's briefing.

Answer to Q5:

Still, I am not sure if the form factor (the size and configuration of the hardware) will be integrated. In contrast, the number of form factors might increase. Currently, we can only provide two form factors because if we had three or four different architectures, we would face serious shortages of software on every platform. To cite a specific case, Apple is able to release smart devices with various form factors one after another because there is one way of programming adopted by all platforms. Apple has a common platform called iOS. Another example is Android. Though there are various models, Android does not face software shortages because there is one common way of programming on the Android platform that works with various models. The point is, Nintendo platforms should be like those two examples. Whether we will ultimately need just one device will be determined by what consumers demand in the future, and that is not something we know at the moment. However, we are hoping to change and correct the situation in which we develop games for different platforms individually and sometimes disappoint consumers with game shortages as we attempt to move from one platform to another, and we believe that we will be able to deliver tangible results in the future.

He's saying that the market will decide whether or not multiple form factors will really be necessary, but he is open to and appears to have a desire to increase the number once they have a unified OS for all platforms. I think citing Apple as an example is very deliberate. They also have a proprietary OS and software made to run exclusively on proprietary hardware of several different form factors. It just so happens that the market decided that we need about 20 form factors for iOS...

I think it's also important to keep in mind that even if you personally can't think of a reason to own more than 2 Nintendo devices (console + handheld), that's not really the point. The point is trying to have a product for everyone. Nobody but the most diehard Apple fans actually owns an iPod, an iPhone, an iPad, and a Macbook. Very few people would ever own more than 2 of those, but there is a market and demand for all of them. Maybe Nintendo does increase their form factors to 3 or 4 or 5, maybe they don't, but the idea isn't going to be that you need to buy all of them to play all Nintendo games. Having a unified OS will mean being able to pick the platform that best fits your needs.

@CaviarMeths
They're definitely going in that direction in the in the long run. I just don't think it necessarily means they're necessarily going for more than two platforms. More likely he's just ruling out going to just one piece of hardware by saying if anything they'd rather go in the other direction. Also the 3DS doesn't really fit into this whole thing. And this bit just before the start of where you quoted is pretty important I think:

In this perspective, while we are only going to be able to start this with the next system, it will become important for us to accurately take advantage of what we have done with the Wii U architecture. It of course does not mean that we are going to use exactly the same architecture as Wii U, but we are going to create a system that can absorb the Wii U architecture adequately. When this happens, home consoles and handheld devices will no longer be completely different, and they will become like brothers in a family of systems.

So here's what I'm speculating this whole thing adds up to:
1. The NX is a portable console that has been built to allow easy ports from the Wii U
2. All platforms from now on will be built with that sort of thing in mind, fixing the post-launch software issues
3. This whole DeNA deal will include cross-buy/cross-play and it'll really start to shine when the NX launches

@skywake I'd imagine the ports wouldn't be from Wii U, but rather that system's successor.

@IceClimbers
I think the point is that it'll be easier to make ports going "up" and "down" across all platforms. For example if they had this going for the 3DS launch they might have launched with DKCR, New SMB and Kirby's Epic Yarn. Or when the Wii U launched they might have been ready on day 1 with a port of Kid Icarus Uprising and Super Mario 3D Land. Maybe on these next platforms when they make a game like Luigi's Mansion 2 it'll come out on both at once.

They're kinda doing this already but I think they point is they're stretching themselves across multiple platforms. Having to make software for both. That in the long run the idea is that there'll be a large collection of games in the middle that are available on multiple platforms. But also quickly and with as little effort as possible.

If I understand you right, you are saying that the same games will be available for both portable and home console?
I think that would be great. The only problem would be to have enough power to actually make a portable handle the bigger games. Some games like Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars works on both consoles, but games like XCX would never work on the 3DS.

The Wii U is already close to being both home console and portable. If it wasn't for the ridiculous range on the gamepad.
Some sort of hybrid console wouldn't be impossible.

Where 3DS and Wii U will stand after they release NX is another question.
They have already taken a few steps unifying the systems and with the deal with DeNA it is possible for even more before NX comes out.

@LazerPan
Well obviously there would be some games on the non-portable that wouldn't be possible on the portable. That's always going to be the case. I'm thinking of something not unlike how Sony already does it with the Vita and PS4. Or kinda like how Nintendo does it already with some games just more often and quicker.

So their next portable comes out and because they built it to be easy to port you get some suitable Wii U titles at launch. Maybe ports of some more portable-friendly Nintendo titles like Wind Waker HD, DKC:TF, Captain Toad. And maybe because they are able to port games more easily they have a new Mario Kart out quicker because it's built on Mario Kart 8. Maybe all of this includes cross-buy or at least some healthy discounts for those who had the Wii U version. Throw in all of the VC titles I've already got including a decent VC at launch? That's a pretty decent product already.

Speculation obviously but... it would solve a lot of problems every console launch has had over the last few years

I'm glad I could get your knickers in a twist

Does anyone remember that weird 3d virtual reality thing that the Wii sensor bar could do that Nintendo copyrighted like a year ago or so? It probably hasn't been that long but do you think they would use it some way in the NX?

Eh, for all we know there might not be another dedicated portable or home console, as we tend to assume would be the case. Instead, the NX might be a portable console-style device that can be taken on the go, and could be used in conjunction with smartphones/tablets, or synced to an accompanying at-home unit for extra features/specs. I think it's pretty clear from the DeNA partnership, the documents on DeNA's website, and the general downward trend in the traditional console market that Nintendo intends to move in a completely different direction from their competitors and break down barriers of entry (again).

On the other hand, I think if this reveal has taught us anything, it's that we have a blind spot on Nintendo's future prospects. I've made a lot of posts in the news articles about the inevitable influence DeNA will hold over Nintendo's future operations. I don't think it was a bad idea to enlist someone else's aid, but I'm not sure if a capital alliance was really in Nintendo's best interests in the long-term. I'm a bit worried about how much DeNA will affect Nintendo's operations 5-10 years down the line. This will be the first time since their entry into the video gaming market in the 1970s that Nintendo will not have full control over their core operations.

I think the NX could be the next home console. I love the Wii U and all,but I don't think it could last a whole generation imo. November 2017 is my guess it will come out.

@Shy_Guy
Except November 2017 would be a whole generation. And what about the 3DS? Presumably the NX is the device that will come out first. If it is a Wii U successor and it comes out in November 2017 you'd assume the 3DS would be left alone until after then. How much longer after that will the 3DS' successor come out?

@PlywoodStick
But the thing is if it's a portable, which is likely, and it comes out sometime before the end of 2017? It won't be that powerful relative to other products in the home-console market. Especially if Nintendo want to continue their practice of being relatively wallet friendly. If Nintendo tried to do both then they'd have to really sacrifice the visuals. And not just a little bit.

And yes, I know. The old Nintendo fanboy mantra that the "graphics don't matter". But as much as I agree with that sentiment there are limits. Look at how difficult it has been for Nintendo to get people's attention with a supercharged 360 this gen. Look at how they lost the "core gamer" attention last gen when they brought an original XBox to a 360/PS3 fight. If they try to do this hybrid thing they'd be bringing a gimped 360 to a PS5 fight..... somehow I doubt it....

At this point it would be more of a surprise for them to just make competitive hardware and at least try to bring 3rd parties to the console. But it'll have some interesting control scheme just like the last 2 generations, and it will cost them alot, even if it is a fun way to play.