Topic: NX aparantly not as powerful as PS4 rumour. Discussion on good/bad things this could mean.

Those we my thoughts. By the time it's out, the parts to make a console equivalent to a PS4 would probably be much cheaper than they are now. And the fact that PS4's make profit on every unit sold means it was never even that expensive to begin with. If Nintendo can't even reach PS4 power when it releases, then that's just sad.

@Operative: Totally agreed. It's basically 2013 tech (and not even cutting edge at THAT time) that Nintendo needs to meet in 2016. Piece of cake. I could go on Newegg and probably score an AMD R7 for like 100 bucks (70 or so if I wait for a sale). That's a 2013-era GPU. Hard drives are becoming less and less expensive... it would be quite easy to meet and beat PS4-level power for a bargain price, barring a crazy controller.

@rallydefault: If they somehow manage to not even match the PS4 but still drive up the price with some ridiculous controller, it better be able to produce 3D holograms and cook personalized meals for me.

@Operative: I'm totally with you on that.

I just don't get this whole recent marching order of "Nintendo is ALL about crazy controllers." That's just wrong. The Gamepad and Wiimote were crazy controllers, with one of them being successful at first (and really, for most people, only for 1 or 2 games)...but now look where we are.

Those controllers are NOT what Nintendo has been about, it's only what they've tried in most recent history after a failed Gamecube to get back into competition. It worked at first, and they tried to iterate with Wii U, but it didn't work. Nintendo managed to innovate long ago by tinkering and introducing small bits of controllers like the analog stick and shoulder buttons while retaining the "comfy," traditional controller feel still proving to be so successful on PS4/X1. NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube... those were traditional controllers, of varying shapes, that allowed Nintendo to innovate parts of the controller while retaining what most gamers love about console gaming: kicking back on the sofa alone or with friends and having fun, NOT being forced to stand up, swing your arms around, blow into the controller, tap screens...

Sigh. I just may be getting old, but if Nintendo continues down this "crazy" controller path, I think they'll solidify an eventual withdrawal from hardware. They're so out of touch with home console gamers, and another whacky controller will just further drive away all but the Nintendo faithful.

Oh, and the "But the old light gun! The track pad for NES! The Super Scope! ROB the Robot!" Yes, I've heard that argument before. And all of those "controllers" were made for a SPECIFIC game or two - NOT as the default controller for an entire system. Also, please note NONE of this has to do with handheld gaming - thanks.

@rallydefault I'm a little lost on your stance. You said in another post that you think exclusives are a dying breed. And I'm inclined to agree, with the only real purpose of an exclusive in this day and age is anti-consumer, unless there is some special feature that requires it be on a hardware platform.

But if that is the case, why should Nintendo bother making hardware at all? Everyone would just be releasing games on all platforms anyway, so why not just put games on Sont or Microsoft platforms?

Anyway, the more I think about it, the more I doubt Reggie's comments on the NX and think the NX is a handheld. For a handheld, and this has been proven since they heyday of the gameboy, more powe isn't always good. What is important is size, battery life, and the simplicity of making games. So something significantly weaker than PS4 would be a great handheld.

While I would love an HDS, something around the power of the Vita (for multitasking purposes aside from graphics) would be pretty awesome. Oh, and sticks, or two circle pads. I think that's something Nintendo handhelds should be ready to adopt by now. I tried the little nub on the New 3DS, and it doesn't feel very intuitive for anything other than camera adjustment.

I'd love a resolution screen with that gorgeous 3d they have. That would be so awesome.

@iKhan: I think you're overthinking my thinking - which, in turn, is making me overthink my thinking.

So let's try to simplify: I don't know if many people can argue that Xbox/PS have very few third-party exclusives these days, right? Tomb Raider, No Man's Sky, CoD...they all have elements of exclusivity, but will all eventually be on both consoles.

Moving on.

Nintendo isn't a third-party...
So...
I don't see how that corresponds to the third-party exclusivity stuff at all? In other words, I was only talking about third-party exclusivity. Like Tomb Raider ONLY being on X1. Sorry for any confusion.

I don't get this power argument, putting it bluntly. I remember studying Computing in 2012, and got told by 2014 when the course ends, everything will be different in terms of tech, hence why the course is so generalised. And they were right. Something comes out one week, outdated the next. That's just how tech moves. The PS4 was underpowered just months after launch. So the hell is the point arguing over it?

Well, it gives perspective. Since it's already so outdated, the thought that Nintendo might not even match it for their next console just seems absolutely ridiculous. Hence, arguments.

For the NX, I feel that this baby will be something Nintendo will use. Its cheap and they would most likely modify it to make it HD assuming that they make it for the handheld.

There is no way that they will use the same core power that the PS3 or even PS4.

Was just watching this video on youtube (https://youtu.be/CGuL8Q5o3p0) and this guy says that releasing the NX in the next few years would be a big mistake, even if it has specs matching or even better than the PS4/XB1. This because it will be an awkward mid-cycle release and it will have to compete with the second half of PS4/XB1 lifetime which is generally the most productive. What do you guys think? I mean, I really hope the NX is more powerful than PS4 but maybe a mid-cycle release would not work no matter what the power is?

That's why it's so important that they make the NX more powerful than the PS4. They need to draw Sonysoft out, and make them keep the PS4/XB1 on a 5-6 year cycle.

@nintykid I'm never watching another of that guy's videos again. He says his points are based in facts, but in fact they are based in assumptions and shallow logical failures of correlation=causation. He doesn't do his research, and he speaks incredibly hyperbolically.

So, a little update on this matter.

The way I see it, this puts things a lot more in the air. Knowing the way Nintendo tends to talk about things, it's very possible that the employee meant that the NX won't rely SOLELY on power. Whether or not it's more powerful than the PS4 is still unknown.

It’s a new controller for iOS. It’s a nintendo one that is required to play the nintendo games on it. It’ll work with the new apple tv apps too.

@iKhan: See, that makes a whole lot more sense to me. Basically, Nintendo isn't looking at their competition, like they've never done in the first place. It doesn't necessarily mean that they're not going to upgrade their specs. It might, but I don't think that was really the point of the conversation. Basically, they're saying that the priority is to focus on their gimmick, and their marketers will weigh the costs and tell them what kind of specs are profitable after the fact.

it is in line with previous nintendo statements. They have said they want to offer an affordable console.

By the time the NX comes out the cost it would take to match a PS4 on power would be even less than it is now. If they somehow have a gimmick that requires them to use really weak hardware it better be something legitimately game changing because that would be just sad.

Should the NX be late to the current generation or early for the next? That is going to play a big part in how powerful it should be. Late to this generation means they could be less powerful that the PS4, but not by much. Early for next generation means they need to be more powerful. Personally I hope for early next generation and Nintendo could continue to be the mid-generation release. It could add a breath of fresh air in the middle of generations.

If it came less powerful than the PS4...I'd be good. With one exception. And that revolves around a unified account system and transfer of all digital purchases from the Wii U and 3DS over to the new hardware. That's how you keep and add customers.