After all of the rumours, analyst reports and speculation, we do have some concrete information about the Nintendo 'NX' system - it'll launch globally in March 2017 and will not be at E3. It won't be revealed or shown before or during the LA extravaganza, with that event to be focused on The Legend of Zelda for Wii U - which is also coming to NX.
The NX 'delay', as it feels considering the anticipation around a Holiday release, is certainly important. It means that 2016 is left to the Wii U and 3DS, which is a tough task for the declining systems, but does mean the new Nintendo platform should avoid a direct clash with PlayStation VR and the strongly rumoured PS4K.
It's a major topic for fans of the company, so editor Thomas Whitehead, editorial director Damien McFerran, operations director Darren Calvert, managing director Anthony Dickens and YouTube man Alex Olney all share their personal opinions on it below. At the end you'll find polls and, of course, a chance to air your views in the comments.
Thomas
I'd been assuming for some time, mainly because of the decline of the Wii U and 3DS in terms of sales and game releases, that the NX would hit in the Holiday season. Of course, with the likelihood of PlayStation VR and PS4K both landing in that window it would have been a crowded period, yet I still thought it would happen. While it's not the biggest surprise that it's fallen back to March 2017 - I suspect there could be manufacturing and logistical issues at play here - it feels like a mighty blow to Nintendo's prospects for the rest of 2016.
While the 3DS is projected to fall away, albeit with some Pokemon-fuelled software sales, the Wii U's hardware estimate of just 800,000 sales in a year shows how far it's plummeted. Outside of Pokemon (considering the Zelda delay too) Nintendo will likely struggle to make much of an impact in stores, and the longer the company is on the periphery of the mainstream the harder it will be to regain momentum and achieve success in the future. Much pressure, surprisingly, will likely rest on smartphone releases rather than anything Wii U and 3DS will do this year.
The shift to early next year isn't fatal to NX, but I think it's a blow. Nintendo will be trying to generate hype and sales after the spending splurge of the Holidays, and the last time it launched a system in March (3DS, and New 3DS was February 2015) it had serious issues. The big N will need to pull out all of the stops to make this 2017 arrival a major success.
Still, we all know the Shigeru Miyamoto quote on the importance of giving development the time it needs. That applies to consoles as well as games.
Damien
I'm actually quite shocked that NX is being delayed until next year. All of the signs have been pointing to a Christmas release - Wii U and 3DS are winding down and Zelda and Pokemon aside, there are arguably no big AAA titles coming on either platform. Without NX, Nintendo is facing a bleak Christmas, and its own financial projections show that.
Missing the holiday season this year might not be a fatal mistake, but Nintendo will certainly struggle in the face of renewed competition from Sony and Microsoft. Christmas 2015 was bad enough - this year Nintendo could well cease to be a realistic option for many buyers, although a timely price cut on both Wii U and 3DS could help give the systems some momentum as they enter the final straight. This is making the best of a bad situation of course; I'd be shocked if this delay is all part of the plan, and I wonder if Nintendo has encountered production issues or software delays with NX.
Of course, the delay of NX could also be seen as Nintendo putting more emphasis on its mobile ventures; Miitomo has over 10 million registered users and Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem have both been confirmed for release on smartphones. I think Nintendo sees mobile as a way of steadying the ship somewhat while the Wii U and 3DS reach the end of their lifespans.
Nintendo is at least being realistic about the impact NX's delay is likely to have on its bottom line, and we always knew that this year would be one of transition - not only in terms of hardware, but also with mobile taking off and Kimishima trying to make his mark on the business. The delay is perhaps most annoying because the rumours seemed to indicate that we'd all have NX in our hands by the time Santa comes to visit this year - and sometimes having your personal expectations dashed hurts more than anything else.
Darren
When I heard the news that the Nintendo NX will be launched in March 2017, I can't say it was a massive surprise. It looks definite that Sony will be releasing their supercharged PS4K along with PlayStation VR for the all-important 2016 holiday season. With their marketing budget and clout it would be perhaps unwise to go toe to toe with them.
When the Wii U launched in November 2012, it didn't really have any system-selling titles to support it. Speaking to Polygon during E3 2015 Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime gave his take on why the Wii U failed to take off:
This industry is all about content, I can map out why the Wii took off at launch, it had two killer pieces at launch: Twilight Princess, Wii Sports. Look at our DS business. Our DS business was OK, but it was the launch of DS Lite, the launch of Nintendogs, the launch of the first New Super Mario Bros. where that system sort of dramatically took off.
So having those killer games ready for launch will be vital to the success of the NX platform. In addition to this, Nintendo has experience of launching hardware after the holiday season. The Nintendo 3DS launched in March 2011, of course that was a rocky launch and saw the handheld price slashed by ⅓ in July and the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Program brought in to appease early adopters. But Nintendo will have learnt from this, by the time it came to Christmas 2011 the 3DS had excellent sales, supported by killer games such as Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 which, crucially, were ready for the holiday season.
We've also learnt that The Legend of Zelda game will now be a simultaneous release for both Wii U and NX in 2017. Zelda will likely end up timed to be a day one NX launch title. It's my guess that Nintendo will simply be devoting all its time behind the scenes creating a killer launch line-up of games for the Nintendo NX along with a steady stream of regular releases to build that momentum as 2017 unfolds.
My gut feeling that the March 2017 launch will turn out to be a wise move for the success of Nintendo NX in the long run. Getting the right mix of games ready for launch is going to be crucial, so personally I am glad that it's not being rushed out for Christmas 2016 to fall flat on its face. While the Wii U isn't likely to get much new software support this year, it already has a very strong library of games, so I would expect Nintendo to discount it heavily with bundles of its best games and just muddle through the holiday season this time.
Anthony
Okay, so the cat is finally out of the bag and March 2017 is the current release window for NX. Like the others, I was hoping to see a Holiday 2016 release to make the most of the traditional console selling period - however I don't think it's all bad considering some people were predicting a Holiday 2017 release. It gives Nintendo some breathing room and extra time to really get the marketing right this time (sorry, Wii U) and frankly, if the NX software isn't ready then there's no point releasing the console until it is.
We still don't know exactly what NX is, but given the likelihood that it will replace both console and handheld the combined consumer investment for both devices could be upwards of £400/$500. With that figure in mind, releasing the "platform" away from the already-expensive-for-everyone holiday period should be welcome news for many. For me the only real downside to the "delay" is that the slate of games coming pre-NX is shockingly bare at this point. I'm not sure the shareholders would agree though.
Alex
Those are our thoughts - let us know where you stand in the poll and comments below.
Comments 188
@Dakt if Zelda is dual release on Wii U and NX, it's safe to say it's going to be at least a home console and very likely handheld too.
I like this launch window for the NX. At least I get to enjoy my Wii U and its games for a little bit longer before making the jump to the next system. I made it a personal goal to beat and 100% as many of my Wii U games as I could before the NX release, and this makes me feel a little better
March 2017 release is good. Especially for my wallet. If it released during the holiday season, I would've waited either way.
Delayed is probably the wrong term considering this is the 1st actual news of NX we have heard from Nintendo other then they were working on it.
Shame Zelda Wii U is delayed until then though. I think they could have released it then done a remaster of sorts like Sony did with the Last of Us. 3 months early wouldn't have hurt NX sales and would have been a nice fairwell to Wii U owners.
I have a feeling we will get 1 or 2 HD re-releases for Wii U for the Holiday just to get something on the shelves for December/November but this pretty much confirms a lot of the rumors about multuple projects being moved to NX.....should be a loaded release schedule next year
It worries me that Tokyo sessions might be my last Wii U purchase (kinda ironic how it was one of the first announced projects), No Zelda this year and apparently it being the sole focus of E3 seems rather concerning.
I suspect we'll hear filler stuff like GameCube VC but with out confirmation of backwards compatabilty (even if it was limited to VC titles) I'll be hard pressed to consider it. man 12 hours ago I was looking forward to e3 and nintendos 2016... now a murky sense of dread.
All I need now is the NEO to be true and MS to release some xbox pc thing and I can quietly watch console gaming begin to fold in.
I don't know what Nintendo are thinking. I don't think they even know fully what they're doing at this stage. They're wandering around punch drunk from one disaster to another. Wake up! Wake up before it's too late!
Like Zelda U was supposed to be out before Christmas, it's since had a 15 month delay. And God knows if it'll be delayed again. How is that good planning?
Missing Christmas this year with NX is a big deal and gives the competition a free run. I did hear a while back that they'd run into manufacturing difficulties. So again, poor planning.
I actually agree with the 2017 release, for all accounts I think it is the best move for Nintendo. Move it away from this year's (few) game releases.
What I don't get is the E3 absence and focus on LoZ, I love Zelda, but... something is... weird. Especially if you consider Loz is also coming for the NX.
We are missing something here, guys.
The PS3 also launched in March.
@HeCaster101 yeah that certainly seems to be my goal going forward. mostly out of a sense of completion but also will help pad out the "quiet times" that are apparently ahead of us
please let there be something for that july to march gap.
A lot of people was expecting 2016 release. Since Nintendo failed to meet this expectation, then there's going to be plenty of negativity for a while. Plus, they'll miss out on the 2016 holiday sales.
what if they decided to see what Sony and MS are doing with their possible higher spec consoles before they released the NX
@Flauber has it actually be confirmed that the NX wont be there yet? I only saw that analyst saying it wont be there and he said before the NX was launching this year and that the NX wont even be mentioned today
Zelda isn't being delayed because it needs more time. It's being delayed so they can put it on the NX. I believe this decision came in 2014 tbh. Highly disappointed in Nintendo today for multiple reasons.
@FullbringIchigo yeah outside of getting games ready, the only reason to launch next year would be to see the truth behind this "upgrade" rumours and probably see how VR is doing
The one upside for the NX release in March for the United States is that it is the tax refund season.
@abe_hikura I want to know that as well.. The only info I've seen about this is from that guy, the rest of the articles all just self-reference
So much for my hopes of FFXV hitting the NX... Maybe KH3 is still a possibility... I know I'm looking more closely at PS4k now since this holiday will be game lite for me
@Dakt I'm expecting NX to be only slightly more powerful than Wii U, to compensate for the handheld version. I also think we'll see different specs for the two units, so 1080p on console and 720p on handheld.
I'm not complaining that it isn't coming in Holiday 2016! They need to get the console and its games ready, not rush it!
2D Mario has always been one of Nintendo's best sellers and the Wii U released with that. The 3rd parties at launch were actually fairly good. Pikmin 3 came quick and all big Nintendo titles are out now except Zelda and Metroid. This didn't move the Wii U and I don't think more Nintendo games at launch will move the NX.
What bothers me is not so much Nintendo releasing the NX in March 2017. That makes some degree of sense timing-wise in terms of spacing out console releases and not trying to be too early, or too late, in comparison with the next generation of consoles.
What DOES bother me is the fact that Nintendo has made no effort to really generate and maintain hype for the NX. We still know nothing about it and, in the current Nintendo market context, have no reason to get excited without further information. Many Nintendo fans are skeptical given the Wii U's track record, and SOME tidbit of information would have helped generate and maintain excitement. Modern advertising methods are all about generating hype now.
I don't think the reason for the delay is a production issue. I think it's a combination of what Darren stated about avoiding a crowded market, and also a desire to protect trade secrets in the NX. I think the NX is going to be doing something really really new, and the more that is revealed about it in advance, the more competitors can do to try and remove that edge and/or learn about them through reverse engineering.
The longer the wait, the better for me, for I have too many games to play, you see.
I'm less concerned about the timing than I am on 2 key points.
1. Why isn't NX at E3? Nintendo needs to start marketing the crap out of this console to build up demand.
2. Most people won't buy in March but will wait until holiday 2017 to buy. This means it is imperative that Nintendo fill the schedule for the first year or people will forget about it as an option when holidays roll around.
@Flauber Its a little odd that everyone is taking that as gospel (if there is no official sources) seeing as he's been super wrong about the NX
I'm a bit disappointed for the delay, but hey... We have more time to save some money XD also, lately I've been buying all the games for PS3 and Wii U/3DS missing from my collection, so I suppose I'll keep up with that...
So here is the deal. When they launched Twilight Princess, I skipped it since I didn't want a Wii U right now but didn't want the GC version. That being said, I don't think the game itself suffered from it (having played it since then).
I am very anxious to see the NX, but not showing it at E3 is the most stupid decision ever. This means the NX will NEVER be at E3 before being launched. Even if the console is good, they will loose a lot of customers.
Also, personally, I will wait for the NX. I love my Wii U games but always said the console is really smelly. Long loading times (even for settings menu), lack of CURRENT tech/software (damn it Nintendo, I don't want to manually change the timezone on my console, I have 20$ clocks that can handle that).
TLDR, and conslusion: I hope the NX is as good as we hope. But not showing at E3 is a bad decision. Will Zelda suffer from it? I think not. But I expect a lot of people to do like me and skip anything on the Wii U until March 2017.
Short short version: Nintendo, get your head out of your arshes and wake up. NX was looking to a great start, but I feel more and more that it will fail due to a lack of brains in your ranks.
@Flauber looks like the announce article has been updated with an official confirmation of NO NX AT E3
@abe_hikura Just saw that as well.
Why does everyone act like just because a game isn't announced now, it won't appear by Christmas 2016? Super Mario 3D World was announced and released within the same year, and it became the highest rated game on the Wii U. I'm sure there are plenty of unannounced games on the way that are releasing this year.
"Killing" the Wii U after only 4 years is the big issue here. It's a shame the console is underpowered when compared to the competition, but that didn't stop them from making/releasing games like 3D World, MK8, Smash Bros, Bayonetta 2... These games are AMAZING, regardless of their resolution, tech specs, bla bla bla. I'm really disappointed, and I really think the Wii U will be left behind way too early. Unless the NX is backwards compatible, I won't be getting one any time soon.
@abbyhitter Because Zelda U is the only game available to play at E3.
I think the Nx missing the holiday season is not that bad - I doubt it would be on many peoples wishlist anyway - not talking die-hard nintendo fans here. Its better if it launches in march with lets say Zelda as a launch title (wonder if Zelda is the culprit for the delay). A holiday release would only make sense if killer apps were available otherwise it would repeat the Wii U launch which wasnt a good thing
the game right now is being lost. these decisions just guarantee the game stays the same.
@123akis once I would have agreed with you, but time is no longer on Nintendo's side. Now they don't have the luxury of taking their time to get it right, they need to get it right and right now!
I do not believe that there is any chance NX will be released in March, it will be delayed till the holidays with a full blowout at E3 2017. If it's ready for launch in March then the games will be far enough into development that they can be shown and demoed this E3.
SCENARIO TIME! What happens if PS4k + PSVR is understocked on shelves at xmas - therefore leading to a Scalping scenario? This may not recover before March .
VR may be Vilified and in this time
Nintendo then launches a STELLAR Launch line up of games on the revolutionary NX - yes - I say revolutionary. . .. ?
What if?
@Clownshoes that quote has been garbage for years, its from a completely different time when Nintendo could tell people what they want.
Now the customers shape what we want- hence the massive changes to Xbox One's initial direction, the upcoming mid-point console revisions etc.
I'm not a fan of the extreme approaches of knowingly releasing a broken game to patch later, or early access for half finished messes that trade on promises of improvements to come, but people are not the patient masses we were back in the 80's and 90's, we're now spoiled with options and if Nintendo doesn't deliver, and in a timely fashion, their market will continue to go elsewhere.
It should have released this holiday because the wii u has nothing going for it this holiday. Zelda was delayed so it could be a launch title fo the nx.
I think this is a smart move. It felt like March was when the Wii U started hitting a software scarcity after launch, and this way, the entire first year should involve growing momentum with the right titles heading into the holiday season. That way it won't be the usual, with a massive launch during the holiday, then nothing for months and months, as is the case in the industry every year. The first 9 months after launch will be jam-packed with launch titles, and holiday blockbusters as well. I think this is a smart move. A weird one, but a smart one. Hopefully it also means I won't need to download a 1-2GB say one patch to play the system like I did on the Wii U's launch day.
May I raise the point that its not a delay on the release of the NX. They have always said its not 2016. Although they also did say Zelda was definitely not going to be on NX so.... I duno what to think anymore!
I hope the launch titles are excellent. Zelda is enough to sell systems but that will mainly be loyal fans. I'm hoping to see 2-3 more games (some first party, some third party) that makes the system look appealing and supported. If the console didn't have the games, there would be no point to launch. I'm disappointed but that's just a personal emotion. This console cycle is so important for Nintendo. If they have another flop, they could end up a software only company and that would suck. In the meantime, do you think they pump out some quick titles on 3DS or Wii U? I hope so, nothing is scheduled after this summer lol
I have mixed feelings. It is obvious that the Wii U has been all but discarded for the NX in terms of development, especially considering there is only four projects on the board for a year span (and one of those is the swan song dual release of Zelda). This isn't like the Gamecube where I felt there was a very strong library of first and second party titles that held up well on the console, but more like a whimper.
I also do not see strong evidence that Nintendo has solved the core problem of their model. They have two systems that they are trying to simultaneously support and constantly are focusing on one to the detriment of the other. Even with the release of the NX, the 3DS is still being developed for and will still pull needed resources away. But who knows, maybe they will double down on the Virtual Console and get the missing gems to show up (unlikely), but I don't see the eShop stuff carrying them through the year.
At least I will have plenty of time to save up for the console launch.
@Clownshoes
It's also garbage becausee Too Human (the most delayed game ever) wasn't very good. And games with high development costs (GTA5, Destiny, Max Payne) are not definitively better than Nintendo games with lower development costs.
@Dakt
I'd be all for it. Suped up handheld working as a successor for WiiU as well? Where do I sign?
Quite simply: People's attention will be even more drawn to the new Sony and Microsoft devices. Nintendo could have convinced people to keep their hands on their purse untill the NX arrives (if they tried really hard) but they chose not too. People will splash all their cash on those devices and their games, and come March not a soul has any interest in the NX. Not to mention they may be still short on cash to buy many games. So in short: A huge failure from Nintendo. They already have left earth, so to speak...
It's obvious that Zelda and the other 1st party launch games aren't going to be ready for Christmas, so you can understand they can't release a console without any exclusives. But at the same time we all know that most of games are sold at Christmas, and most of the big 3rd party games are released just before the Christmas period. the NX is going to be playing catch up with 3rd party games that are going to be released 6 months before on the PS4 and XB1.
It does not bode well.
I'm glad it 2017 as, like the Wii U I wouldn't be buying it before XMAS. I'm expecting Mario Kart NX or Mario NX to appear in the 1st year of release too... NX isn't delayed -it was never coming out in 2016 and by announcing this now it makes it more clear for public. Maybe Nintendo SpaceWorld 2016 will be relaunched this year.
Knowing Nintendo, you can never trust what they said. Remember E3 2012? They said they are not releasing any new 3DS, 1 month later they launched the 3DS XL. That pissed a lot of people, but Nintendo didn't cared.
This could be another lie to fool their competitors, and they will go ahead and launched NX before Xmas.
I'm certainly disappointed, but I don't mind it too much. Between the slow release schedule this year, and the delayed NX and Zelda, I'll have plenty of time to work on my ridiculous backlog of games.
The biggest issue is for Nintendo themselves. They'll be missing out on all of those sweet, sweet Christmas sales. After the 3DS and Wii U both had poor launch line-ups, though, it is crucial that Nintendo release the NX with plenty of enticing games. If they aren't ready, a delay is necessary. It's more important that the line-up, and the system itself (I'd prefer not having a multi-hour update on launch day), be ready for launch than that they be released in November. Let's not forget that the Wii U was released in the holidays, and ultimately that didn't help it much.
It's certainly good for my wallet. I probably wouldn't have been able to afford NX this year anyway.
Why would anyone release a console in March? That worked out poorly for the 3DS. Shouldn't the holidays be the target date for the highest opening sales?
But whatever, it's the first concrete information we have, and that's nice. The lack of an E3 reveal is disappointing, but maybe that's to not compete with Sony and Microsoft.
I not too disappointed about the NX, since March is my birthday and if there is a lot of good software for it then that's OK. I'm more worried that it will arrive too late to compete with Sony and Microsoft, and Nintendo, without Zelda U, is facing a Holiday season potentially worse than last year if they have barely anything to show at E3 (not saying they won't, but Nintendo better have some good games ready this holiday!) Speaking of Zelda U, delaying it again was a crucial mistake. Unless it somehow steals E3 (and as hyped as I am about it, I don't think it could,) then the hype for it may be gone by March. We're all tired of the constant delays!
Hmm...this launch date...maybe the parts won't be ready for Holiday 2016? As in, the high-spec parts that exceed what's going into PS4 NEO?
Hey, it's a possibility.
A major new console getting release in spring is... interesting. I can't say if it will help or hinder.
I have to completey agree with what Darren said.This is what you get when people who take in rumour's and so called verified ones,Nintendo didn't say nothing about NX these's rumor can do SO MUCH harm in my opinion & the reactions from the online forum's ec is why.With PS4 Neo probably coming out and PSation VR and I expect probably New redesigned XBox one or more,icoming out,it would be absolutely daft for Nintendo to go head to head with them.Whatever nintendo has in store for use just remember it's Games that sell it and there quality ,not other way round.3DS has lot games coming out and what with mobile ones .Happy gaming to All.And smile
How can it legitimately be called a delay when this is the FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT of its release from Nintendo? Please unwad your panties.
Though it may have worked as a holiday launch, I think early March was a good choice.
I think that it's a major blow, we are basically talking a full year till the nx lands, the release calendar looks embarrassingly thin between now and then. On the 3ds we have fire emblem (in europe which is only a few weeks away), pokemon, monster hunter, rhythm paradise and federation force. On the Wii U we basically have Tokyo Mirage Sessions and Paper Mario, that's pathetic.
The 3ds has had a decent run and the games coming this year will appeal to many (not me once fire emblem is out) so you can't really complain but while I've enjoyed my Wii U and I can understand why nintendo are moving away from it, they badly need to reward those Wii U owners with something, either a couple of free games or a reduced price for purchasing an NX because I feel Nintendo have let us down this time around.
I have a suspicion that the new console may not even be a full console. I am starting to lean toward the idea that it will be a unit that allows cross play on a PS4, X box and PC with some form of mobile device for on the go gaming.
I think releasing on 2017 may be okay but by then they will be so far behind the competition they have no chance of catching up.
The only way they can even begin to be part of the generation is to somehow join in rather than being a fully stand alone competitor.
By being a cross play device that can allow play on I pads for example, Nintendo can make money and if it means those with PS4 and X Box One's have to buy the unit to get Nintendo games, then it is possible that Nintendo may turn a profit.
Missing E3 though is a bad move. The biggest show on Earth and they want to talk about one game?! Commercial suicide.
I don't think the NX will be anything huge, merely a way in to the game.
If you can't beat em, join em. And there is no way that Nintendo can beat 'em.
If I have to see that Miyamoto quote one more time... Stupid NL.
Also 2 things that dissapoint me about the zelda news:
1: It's unlikely the game will use the NX hardware to its fullest capabilities if it is also being released on Wii U, unless they have two teams working on it given the NX's supposedly different hardware archtecture.
2. I think we could all see it coming an absolute mile off, Nintendo should have just been up front about this a long time ago. They have history for this sort of thing and this is history repeating itself.
I actually think that March 2017 will not happen. I know the writers cited other Nintendo hardware launches that fell outside of the normal Fall season, but almost no hardware manufacturers release consoles early in the year. None. Nintendo is simply trying to project stability to the investors by plunking that launch in the FY-2017 window but I can all but guarantee that by early next year the NX will be delayed until Fall 2017. I've seen them do it too many times to count.
And anyone that is relying on Kimishima to pull Nintendo through all of this is smoking something. The man was quickly yanked back to Japan from Nintendo of America, where he briefly served as President after Minoru Arakawa returned to NOJ, as soon as NOA could replace him with Reggie. He's a lifer who has no big ideas but who can simply keep the ball rolling while the rest of NOJ tries to figure out what to do.
I fear that Nintendo might just be putting the nail in the coffin for its home consoles with these moves. I am fearful that Nintendo will no longer be seen as a credible hardware manufacturer and will resort to Mobile games and 3rd party releases on other systems.
Announcing a new console and then just saying that we will hear about it later in the year is a sign that Nintendo have learnt nothing since the Wii U!
By the time they start revealing what the console is, most gamers will already be deep into VR and will have long forgotten about Nintendo and its NX console.
They need to reveal as much as they can now to generate hype and exiltement.
You only have to read Social media today and consumers are mainly resigned to another Nintendo failure.
It is amazing to me that a company so big as Nintendo, with so many massive games can keep getting it wrong in the console market.
The only way I see thus working out is the NX launching pikmin 4, zelda and more. If there at it why not bundle it with the console.
@abbyhitter I agree with you. However, I had this same argument last year and the results were much different. Star Fox was officially unveiled but missed its expected launch. The only others that were announced and released in the same period were the disappointments like Animal Crossing: AF and Mario Tennis.
We'll more than likely get a new Metroid or something from Retro! You just know they've been working on something all this time. I bet there's probably even a new Mario Galaxy or something at launch too! There hasn't been one in awhile. This should be shweet!
@jarvismp Not everyone. Personally I could care less for VR. May consider the PS4K but I GoT's to get me a new Nintendo system.
@jarvismp so, are you saying Nintendo is willing to share profits with their competitors? I don't see how making a device work with your competitors will earn you massive income without rights and licensing issues.
let's be completely honest. huge fanboy here. But even I have to admit they're run poorly. A December 2016 release with Zelda gives them the buzz of the holiday season when most consoles are sold. Waiting till March 2017 just allows Sony and Microsoft to counter via price gouging or new now more powerful than NX iterations. The whole reason behind the NX was to make it easier to support it because it'll be just one platform instead of the two separate handheld/console model they have had. The fact they couldn't even get games out quick enough to support it at launch means that concept is flawed. Since it's pretty apparent they won't be able to support it by themselves since their games just take too long to make, the NX will fail unless it gets 3rd party support. I just don't see Nintendo making a dent with PS4k coming and whatever Xbox does in response. It's time we seriously start getting used to the idea that Nintendo will most likely be strictly a 3rd party software company within 5 years. That's okay though because making games is what they are best at and they'd be able to work with competent hardware for a change. Stock holders like myself are not happy at all with this turn of events. No wonder the share price has cratered. The company has poor leadership and direction. It's the board's fault. They are completely out of touch and a full generation behind the times. I have zero faith that the NX will succeed.
I'm not trying to be cocky but this is my second correct prediction in two weeks, first was Star Fox Zero getting around 70% on metascore websites ( 70% on Metacritic at the moment). My second prediction was NX and Zelda U both being released next year, Zelda U because of the dual launch ONLY. The only difference is I don't say I know somebody working in Nintendo, like some people do on Twitter.
Now I was wrong about one thing. I though that NX was going to be showed this year at E3! I suppose Nintendo wants everybody to focus on whatever is left of 3DS and Wii U. Just like when New 3DS was already available in Australia but it did not exist on the European official Nintendo websites, because Nintendo wanted Europeans buying dated 3DS and 3DS XL for Christmas (even though the Australian one is "PAL", too).
March 2017 for the NX isn't the end of the world, but for the Wii U version of Zelda it's terrible!
Do they have anything for Wii U this Holiday, other than possibly Paper Mario? I hope they announce something, be it a remake or whatevz.
Smart cause there's too much happening in this holiday season. The PS4 Neo,VR and what ever Microsoft is cooking up to counter Neo. But still the NX is DOA.
@MrGawain Yea, that's my biggest worry too. With Wii U, I was fine with waiting a couple of weeks for AC3 or even a month or so for Darksiders 2, but that was clearly not true for most other people as most of those late ports were not well received at all. With this launch timing, some of this year's games if ported would be late by 3-6 months. I feel like it will be the same situation for 3rd parties all over again, except maybe the fact that the investment for porting is not that high this time if rumors are to be remotely believed.
Also, isn't is sad that Nintendo is focusing on one game only at the yearly E3, when they have two gaming platforms in the market? Don't read me wrong, I love Zelda and I'll buy it day one. For Wii U, mind you.
My E3 hype went down the toilet with the "No NX" news, this year E3 direct will be like 5 minutes long and the line up for the Holiday season will be awful. I'm ok with the NX being release in March, but i think Zelda on the Wii U should be out this year even if they release it with the NX too, kind of like a gift for us Wii U owners.
This will give me a few more months to save my nickels so it's all good.
It's evident that most people haven't been following AMD and SHARP.
AMD is behind in their new GPU production.
They are literally almost year behind production.
They are also delayed with their new CPUs as well.
Sharp who provides screens and stuff to Nintendo has been having an output issue as it is literally frozen due to the takeover fight by it's two main competitors.
Foxconn is also have issues with parts too.
I easily think this delay is due to part suppliers having trouble.
This stuff is also effecting other companies as well.
No NX news at E3? I THOUGHT THEY WERE DOING IT CORRECTLY THIS TIME
So I can deal with NX not making holiday 2016. That's fine. I would rather Nintendo have a good launch lineup with good software to buy when the new system launches. This whole Zelda being delayed till 2017 to coincide with the launch of NX? Well that was the straw that broke the camel's back. Screw you Nintendo. I'm not going to continue to give you my money when you make the same plays over and over again. People who bought your WiiU with the intent to be playing a new Zelda game shouldn't be continually screwed because you want the game to be a launch title for your new system....you did the same thing with Twilight Princess on GameCube. You realize the people who buy your hardware/software are the ones that keep you alive right? Well Wii U owners have continuously gotten the shaft. We have been patient. We have made due with remakes of games we have already played and promises for too long. Enough is enough. This time I'm voting with my wallet and not making the same mistake again. At least one of us can learn from our past then .
Sincerely,
An Enraged Zelda fan.
It doesn't really matter to me, personally, as I'm probably going to pass on the NX for some time unless it turns out to be something really spectacular and/or gets several really amazing games in its first couple of years on the market, but I really hope Nintendo doesn't drop the ball on marketing this thing like they did with the Wii U.
@Terrornaught yep. Early 2017 they'll announce that the NX will be revealed at E3 and definitely will be available Holiday 2017. The fact that they aren't even talking about the NX at E3 2016 means they simply will not have a viable way to market it to the masses correctly. E3 reaches the whole entire world and is THE place to hear gaming news and announcements. Do they really think a Nintendo Direct in the fall announcing the NX will suffice? Of course not, we'll be getting a full blown 2017 E3 reveal. Yes, that means Zelda U will be delayed until then as well. This company is run by morons.
Let's assume that the March 2017 is how written in stone and NX will be released everywhere at the same time.
Nintendo will have to keep us happy for the next 11 months. The question is can they?
This is an ideal time for anyone wanting to trade their Wii U in for an Xbox or Ps4 and have some gaming fun for the next year or so. Maybe you will return at a later date to Nintendo or maybe the grass in greener with a PS4.
So has Nintendo got some games that have been given an HD makeover ready to announce, that will keep us happy. Wave race, 1080°, etc. and some more Select Wii U titles.
If I was CO at Nintendo my strategy would be to start feeding gamers news about the NX to keep us interested and wanting. At the moment a PlayStation seems the better option.
A year is a long time to wait and IF therethird party developers on board with the NX a good portion of games will already be out on the PS or Xbox anyway.
Let's assume that the March 2017 is how written in stone and NX will be released everywhere at the same time.
Nintendo will have to keep us happy for the next 11 months. The question is can they?
This is an ideal time for anyone wanting to trade their Wii U in for an Xbox or Ps4 and have some gaming fun for the next year or so. Maybe you will return at a later date to Nintendo or maybe the grass in greener with a PS4.
So has Nintendo got some games that have been given an HD makeover ready to announce, that will keep us happy. Wave race, 1080°, etc. and some more Select Wii U titles.
If I was CO at Nintendo my strategy would be to start feeding gamers news about the NX to keep us interested and wanting. At the moment a PlayStation seems the better option.
A year is a long time to wait and IF there are third party developers on board with the NX, a good percent of games will already be out on the PS or Xbox anyway.
I'm not sure why this is considered a 'delay'.
As far as I'm aware, Nintendo have not previously said that NX was going to release any earlier.
I for one, am looking forward to it anyway.
Launching in March 2017 is a marketing disaster. PS4.5 and PSVR will sell out at Xmas and people will still be picking them up as the new stock hits the shelves.
Add to that the fact that a lot of people will get a Xbox One or PS4 for Xmas and only a fool would say that launching a new console 3 months afteis a great idea.
Sure we as Ninty fans will buy the console, barring any crazy Nintendo gimmicks, but PlayStation & Xbox fans won't jump ship to Nintendo. Not unless Nintendo roll out a specs busting power house of a console with 3rd party exclusive that no gamer can be without.
I hope Nintendo blow us away with the NX but even if they do, a post Xmas launch could be more damaging than delaying it until November or December 2017.
We live in a world of rumers, spin and hype. The media live off rumers then hype up these rumers with speculation, and then play down the speculation. A little bit more spin from Nintendo and we are back with the rumers again, and so on and on it goes.
The latest spin is March 2017. I doubt the NX has left the prototype stage yet.
Think positive it gives us something to moan about, other wise we would just be wasting our time playing games.
Awww... I understand but, aww...
Maybe TGS we'll see/hear something NX related
A console that can output at 4K? Isn't that a bit like putting a turbocharger on a minivan? Sorry, I can't understand any excitement around the PS4K.
@jrob23 I honestly think this decision could be the final nail in the coffin.
if anything, it's too early. it's sad to have the Wii U sent to his death. They could have made some amazing games to it and carry it to the future, 2018...
@Dr_Corndog it's exactly like that, but that's what the dudebro consoles have been from day one - very cheap PC's (with as much as they can imitate from Nintendo to complement). I eventually went the other way and bought a laptop - more expensive than the console, still cheaper than a desktop pc with a monitor etc., it's weaker compared to a PC with non laptop graphic card, comparable to the consoles and better in many respects, and has vastly more games to play. Consoles in my house will stay purely Nintendo for some time...
@Yorumi point taken. I did hold off on the WiiU but I finally gave in.
@Dr_Corndog it's more to do with the way consumers are now used to upgrading their tech every year or 2. Phones, tablets even some TV's. It's sad but it's the way it is.
@Monkeyofthefunk I don't necessarily disagree with you, but it's still not something I can relate to.
@Dr_Corndog it's not for more either. I'm not interested in a new PS4 but we could be in the minority or Sony could have pissed off a lot of fans.
Woo... I been so busy with allot of work and family for 30 years...
So... What have i missed after "Super Mario Bros." released?
I was mainly in the 2017 camp. If they released this year there is a very high chance the NX could end up suffering from Saturn Syndrome. Plus I wouldnt be surprised if they wanted to avoid clashing with PS Neo and perhaps Xbox 1.5 James Cameron delayed the Avatar sequels for a similar reason because he didnt want to conflict with Star Wars Episode 8. Plus releasing next year gives them more time to refine and develop the system and features
@Dr_Corndog PS4Neo is not mandatory, every new PS4 game will be available for both consoles. There is not such a huge hype about Neo really. Many people won't upgrade (including myself).
@HeCaster101 I feel the exact same way! I also don't feel anything is being delayed now that we have an official timeframe that's what it is now. No more of these here say speculations.
It means more games will be ready for launch, and it's releasing closer to the 5-year cycle limit, so in either case I'd say Nintendo made a good move by launching next year.
My only concern is whether or not third parties will have their heads pulled out of their butts in time to deliver something meaningful for the system, instead of just more bad ports like they did on the Wii and Wii U.
My interpretation, Zelda got delayed again and they didn't want to launch NX without Zelda
@Yorumi I'm still banking on a good marketing campaign. If smartphone companies can make people think they need a new phone every year then Nintendo should be able to convince people that they need this new system. At this point I'm cautiously optimistic...I'm not lining up yet...but I would hope that they know how polarizing this is going to be and don't take the "well you asked for a new system and we gave it to you...why are you mad?" approach. I'm also hoping with all the executive restructuring that points to somebody kicking Marketing in the butt.
@jrob23 "It's time we seriously start getting used to the idea that Nintendo will most likely be strictly a 3rd party software company within 5 years. That's okay though because making games is what they are best at and they'd be able to work with competent hardware for a change"
I agree, Nintendo should focus on what they are best at: games. The hardware plus software combo is more than they can handle, and they have been out of focus lately.
@Xenocity "I easily think this delay is due to part suppliers having trouble. This stuff is also effecting other companies as well."
That would explain a lot, if what you're saying is correct.
Delaying the Wii U version of Zelda to coincide with Nx is lame though.
This is a calculated move from Nintendo.
1. A March release means little to no competition for the NX: this is a historically sluggish time for game sales, by virtue of the fact that not many devs release games during the spring (everyone releases for the holidays).
2. The USA tax return season is a great time to hit people with a new console. It's just far enough removed from the holiday blockbusters and summer sales to carve out its own niche.
3. Nintendo knows its loyal fans will pick up the NX in the months leading up to the holidays (don't kid yourselves) - and launching Zelda alongside the console is nothing more than a guarantee that this will happen.
4. A 9 month window gives 3rd party devs ample time to port their holiday releases over to the Nintendo NX. I'm sure this is Nintendo's biggest strategy. If they can lock down another console that has all of the AAA games as well as their own exclusive software, they will see a huge bump in sales.
But, none of this matters if they don't get their sticklebrix together and offer a competitive online environment.
@TobieOBrown - it was all going so well until the final sentence. Please stick to the community rules and avoid the profanity. Thanks muchly
@Yorumi Last year was Nintendo's worst E3 that I can remember. This year I'll skip it because I'm pretty sure that there are going to be TONS of spoilers exposed. I was going to see Nintendo's show for NX information, but if it's all about Zelda U then it's not necessary as I will get the game anyway. For Wii U, mind you.
@Yorumi At this point I'm tying to look at this from business perspective. As a customer I'm very confused right now, unless Nintendo is preparing to enter the mobile market as their money maker. They are an entertainment company and will go where the profits are. However from a business standpoint if this system is a new concept (hybrid) they benefit from no sony competition and a very large handheld install base as well as dev install base. If it is a pure console I would think they wouldn't send it out at such an odd time (even with US tax return season) unless they are going to market and take advantage of the fact that ms and sony will have released their revisions. Nintendo tends to make major changes in focus each console generation so that at least convinces me that they won't send the system out to die like they did the wiiu. What worries me is that third parties still aren't talking about this thing. Even just to say they are excited about it.
Maybe the NX will be playable at CES 2017? Aiming for a non-traditional market? E3 is really preaching to the converted gamer, who for the most part is not interested in Nintendo.
Just sad to see Nintendo out of sorts with their customers. And those customers may be the most loyal of any, and most of those will turn away. I did. My xbox one has reinvigorated my gaming appetite. Playing games I only imagined on a Nintendo platform like Dark Souls, NBA 2K, Tomb Raider has been amazing. I'll probably play Monster Hunter on Wii U until they shut down the servers, but I'll never give them my money again. It's a disgrace the way they've treated their customers.
Delaying it because of the Sony release's I would have challenged them myself n released the NX in November this year but not upset the NX is coming out next year just what has the Wii U got too keep us going till then.
Perhaps the only positive side to this will be that more New 3ds virtual console games could quickly/easily come out (SNES, who knows, maybe even the GBA games will make an appearance) to pad out the schedule. At this point, it's my only hope...
To me the non-appearance at e3 reeks of a change in the console either physically, component wise or ability wise from what it currently is. Thats the only reason to not advertise your product at the biggest audience around
Either its not going to be in a presentable position (ie no working prototype) or the prototype isn't representative of what they plan to bring to market.
Annoyed
Would have loved it at xmas really
I'm very mixed. On one hand, it would be better to put it out in 2017, rather than rush it out to 2016. That way they can get decent launch titles. Plus, the Wii U can't supply people up until Holiday 2017 considering how poor its future looks.
On the other hand, missing Holiday 2017 is very risky since most gamers buy video games during that time period, and by the time Holiday 2016 ends, people will be drained out of money. Plus people don't know anything about the NX. How can be excited?
In the end, we'll have to wait and see what Nintendo does. If its a hybrid, then it would make sense for the handheld version to come out in March, and a home console version later in the holiday season.
I'd be happy to wait for NX, as I still love my Wii U, but there are no more games coming out for Wii U? Until zelda, next year... which is also coming to NX? Well, this is awkward, what am I supposed to do between now and then?
@luke88 Buy PS4/Neo/XboxOne LOL (joke)
I'm scared, I cry for Nintendo every night...
Please let the NX be a success!
E3...2017...none of that is nearly as important as the launch titles. Wii U got bad press because of the lack of quality launch titles, so no one bought it, so no one made games for it, so no one bought it. Put Zelda there on day one, new Mario, maybe even a new Metroid, Pikmin and (God willing) Fire Emblem, and now you're moving consoles, so more developers will find the unit attractive. I'm happy to wait (and it doesn't hurt that my and my son's birthdays are in March).
Nintendo don't need to launch at Christmas to do well. The Wii U was a huge flop yet it still had a very good launch. No matter if a console ends up as the next Wii or Wii U, there will be 3.5 to 4 million hardcore Nintendo fans that will buy up whatever they put out. That's a great launch. What they put out over the 12 months that follow is what is important, to convince the next set of customers to buy it.
@GH05T It's up to them. Nintendo was king when they did things right. I don't pity them if they do not now.
Give people a 2D Mario like Super Mario World and not like watered down New Super Mario Bros. series, a 3D Mario like Super Mario 64 and not like Super Mario 3D Land/World, a Metroid like Prime and not like Federation Force, an Animal Crossing like New Leaf and not like Amiibo Festival, a Mario Party like the classics and not like 9 and 10, a new Paper Mario like The Thousand-year Door and not like Sticker Star, a Mario Tennis like Power and not like Open, a Zelda like the E3 2011 demo. Also, 21st century features like user account, online possibilities, you know, what everybody do these days. Last but not least, decent hardware and not one generation old hardware. Gamers and third parties appreciate that a lot.
In short, give gamers something more than milking Mario and gimmicks!
It's pretty much the worst time of year for Nintendo to release a system, since it's the sort of thing parents buy for their kids for x-mas. I fear by the time x-mas 2017 hits it will be old news and struggling rather than the hottest new thing all the kids want.
As of right now I am absolutely certain that the Wii U is my last nintendo home console. I will not buy the NX and I seriously hope that they go the SEGA way and become a software company first.
Release date isn't bother me. I'm disheartened there is no E3 showing for the console of any degree aside from learning Zelda is on both.
PS4K, PSVR, XB1.5, typical time for new smartphones to be released and new GPUs from AMD/Nvidia, etc... and you guys think nintendo is wrong for delaying the release ????????????
March 2017 seems like a great time to avoid being left in the dust by all the stuff thats being released that window, remember that Nintendo its playing catch up in the console department, seriously you guys think anyone thats buying a PS4K or a PSVR or whatever else would change their mind for a NX nowadays ? especially after the WiiU ?
And btw, E3 has been long dead.
If I were part of the management of Nintendo in the United States, I would suggest that retailers have all of their unsold Wii U systems (including those bundled with certain games) priced at $99.99 by this summer or autumn.
My initial reaction off of this was negative, but that had more to do with me wanting the system than anything else. With this said, I think the NX is going to be different than what we think in a traditional Nintendo console or handheld.
It may be smart to move this to March launch. By then, mobile should be where it's going to be. They will have the opportunity to tie in their IP to more media (TV and movies). Maybe that is what they are going for.
I think the big deal this holiday season will be a price cut to at least the Wii U and most likely the 3DS.
@Yorumi Its a marathon not a sprint, im not saying March 2017 its the best release date ever (because its not) but its actually the best that nintendo can do right now... i just dont see them trying to go toe to toe with stuff like that, especially when most of them are being already advertised.
btw the WiiU released new christmass and it had a great launch, it died after that
if they are alsopushing the system back to have more games ready and a better launch window then its the right thing to do, or you want a WiiU 2.0?
https://mynintendonews.com/2016/04/27/nintendo-president-kimishima-says-nx-isnt-coming-this-holiday-as-they-wanted-games-to-be-ready/
This makes a good amount of sense. Its not a good idea to launch a system up against a bunch of other competitors especially if you dont have a decent stable of games ready to go
I also find the bit that mentions he wants to talk about specs interesting
I think Nintendo is doing 2 things. They're trying to build a decent collection of launch games to go with NX, and they're waiting to see if Sony and MS shoot themselves in the foot with their half-step console upgrades.
Also, maybe they're waiting to see how powerful the Neo and Xb1nextgen are going to be so they don't deliver an underpowered console again.
But the Wii U is practically dead right now. The only thing I can think of for Nintendo to do is push out a few remasters to tide fans over, but Wii U AAA games are over.
All I know from all of this news is that I will not be picking up an NX for a LONG time. I was considering picking up one over a PS4 this holiday season depending on the games announced, but since it will not be released this year and not know any games available on it, it seems quite obvious for me to just buy a PS4. I might pick up an NX eventually down the road, but seeing how I'm a poor college student at the moment, that won't be for some time.
@Yorumi I completely agree. In fact, missing the holiday season rush not only turns off Nintendo fans, but also forces the NX to lose the competition to the PS4 and XBOX ONE. The PS4 and XBOX ONE have finally built up there game library, and this holiday season will be one of their biggest yet. The average consumer is going to pick up one of those systems this holiday and see no reason to buy an NX next holiday season.
Anthony, I think that if it has a 500$ price tag it will be doomed from the beginning. Would anybody here disagree?
With the launch month on the NX announced that's the nail in the coffin for me for the WiiU so no more game purchases for me.
I'm just going to enjoy the game library I have.
Not sure I'll even get the NX as I took the gamble with preorder of the WiiU and had it on day one and it's been both good and disappointing.
Until I know more about the NX and guarantees from publishers on who is and isn't going to publish on it, I'll keep my money in my pocket.. Once bitten twice shy..
What the hell is Nintendo Life going to write about for the next 10 months?
@YoshiTails Good one! Hundreds of articles about the same things?
I don't think NX should be avoiding the PS4K head-on. In fact I think it might be good if it can appeal to PS4 users who feel a bit burned on the who mid-cycle upgrade idea but are consigning themselves to spending money on a new console.
Honestly I think it would have been stupid to release NX this holiday season. It would have just fallen in the middle of the VR/PSNEO craze and gotten crowded out. Releasing next March lets them give Wii U just over a four-year lifespan and show they have a commitment to their systems even when they're failing, and it gives them a solitary window to build hype without outside competition. It also gives them a few months to position the NX for E3 2017, which can now be focused entirely on NX games that can still technically be considered launch-window games, and hopefully the extra wait means that they'll be nearly completed and ready to launch by then, as opposed to showing them off at E3 this year and then having to wait until well into next year for them to release.
Miyamoto is right and I hope Nintendo is following his advice, to launch a superb NX. Release it when it is ready. That's my hope at least.
This was all within my predicted timeframe over the last year: Zelda will be on NX and the NX would launch in the current fiscal year. I expected November, but allowed for March.
March, though, is kind of a stupid time to launch new hardware, particularly as it misses the important holiday season. If Nintendo is really trying to just avoid competition with Sony and Microsoft during that time, that is very telling that they lack confidence in the NX already. Which makes sense. I have no confidence in the poor thing either.
I don't see how Nintendo fans can continue to be optimistic at this point. Every time Nintendo is set to announce things they go full-on damage control, this isn't a sign of a healthy console lifespan if this crap happens all the time. In addition, the announcements tend to be somehow worse than originally expected, even by jaded pessimists. It's almost comical how Nintendo has been doing just about everything wrong since the Wii U started production. They've bungled up the 3ds more times than I care to count but at least the 3ds, up until this year, had decent wealth of game releases.
Honestly I'd like the NX to be a whole new branding for Nintendo, they need to get the hell away from the Wii line pronto. Like "Experience the NX generation of gaming," or something. Basically, have the specs to entice third parties but keep that Nintendo magic and for the love of it all do NOT tack something on that cannot be duplicated with a button press. The touchscreen gamepad has been a failure more often than not and a traditional controller, while not sexy from a tech perspective, ****ing works just fine.
I like the date, it gives me some time to try and get the money for it. I hope I can find a part-time job by the 2nd semester...
I think they can have a good launch in spring if they play their cards right. I think its better that they take their time to ensure a good launch lineup and that the console launches with no problems rather than simply rushing it out for the holidays. I am also inclined to agree that releasing in the face of PS Neo/OculusRift might be a bad move. Also by March most have recovered from their Christmas spending
@-DEMISE- While I sort of agree with what you're saying - comittment to their systems? What's this year's Wii U holiday lineup? There's been nothing in the hopper since StarFox, that was made pretty clear since last e3. Nintendo consoles have been left to die a slow 18 month death since the SNES bro. This is hardly a 4 year cycle.
I'm racking through my brain and I honestly can't think of a single major retail title this fall/holiday that will TRULY get people to buy a Wii U. My prediction is that they will go through with the 2nd wave of nintendo selects for the Wii U that got leaked earlier this year and try to market a value proposition (now that their best titles are discounted). Do I think it'll work. Nah. I honestly think that they needed a price cut a long freaking time ago for this strategy to work. Not really looking forward to the long drawn out death of the Wii U. It's like watching a starving animal slowly pass away
As I said before: NOT RELEASED IN 2016.
@Ryu_Niiyama
"Nintendo is preparing to enter the mobile market as their money maker". I'm increasingly convinced that's the way Nintendo is going.
I'm also not convinced we'll see NX in March.
My guesses for why the NX is releasing in March 2017 are as follows.
1. The NX isn't ready to be released by Holiday 2016, where it would have gotten the most sales.
2. Nintendo wants to see where Sony is going with the PS4 1.5 and adjust the NX accordingly.
3. Nintendo does not consider core gamers to be their target audience for the NX and has no interest in competing with Sony (and Microsoft too I guess) in that field.
The word "delay" was used way too many times in this article, especially in Damien's section. Zelda was delayed. The NX release date was ANNOUNCED, not delayed. This is what happens when you start to treat rumors as fact. The truth gets distorted and the internet spreads it like it was fact. I have no doubt now that I'll be reading comments on this website for the next 11 months complaining about the NX's "delay".
Is March really that bad of an idea? Personally I think it's great idea. E3 is crowded. Let Zelda have the spotlight. The Holiday is crowded. Let Sony/MS have that. Everyone talks about how everyone spent their Christmas money, but Nintendo is releasing the NX during income tax season, where arguably folks have more money to burn then during Christmas. Who's competing for that income tax refund? Car dealerships, electronic stores trying to sell you TVs and furniture places. Not much in the video game sector.
I wonder if maybe Nintendo will take a page out of the Sony/MS book and hold their own event for the NX and call it the "Nintendo Xperience" or something like that (see what I did there? ) If not there's other events before launch like PAX and whatnot they could show it off at. Heck depending on how crazy the concept is, they could even reveal it at CES. Make a run at the non-gaming community. Just my two cents.
I want to address the delayed game is eventually good quote, that only really applies if the game was designed well and had the right intentions from the planning stages (or were changed drastically during development before it was too late) and only needed more time to be realized, games like Sticker Star and Star Fox Zero turned out exactly how they were intended by Miyamoto, and that was the problem, because his intentions for those games were not seen as desirable by arguably most people.
@Yorumi mentally deficient? That's a little heavy handed. I mean it's one of those things that is what it is... Folks work hard for their check, the government takes it off the top and folks get excited to see some of that come back to them.
Alternatively, there are folks who apparently didn't pay enough and are seethed they have to pay the government back, so there's that
Yay, more damage control articles. Can't wait for the "why launching Zelda for both platforms is a brilliant strategy".
None of this bothers me in the slightest. I was looking forward to Zelda but they're always late so when it comes it comes. The thing is nothing even remotely interests me on the other 2 machines and Nintendo owes me nothing so I have no reason to get mad.
Don't mind about the console. Annoyed about Zelda. I bet that'll be finished by christmas and they're just delaying it for the sake of launch.
@Spiders Is that really the main thing you got from my comment? Weird. Anyway, Wii U is not Nintendo's only system, hence my using the plural term "systems". Between Wii U and 3DS there are still a handful of games coming, including a new Paper Mario and a new Pokemon. And even if the pipeline looks bleak right now, it's safe to assume that Nintendo will show at least a few new games for both systems during or around E3. The fact that Zelda will be their main focus doesn't mean that they won't be showing anything else, either through a pre-recorded E3 video, or through a Nintendo Direct around that time.
So yeah, the fact that Nintendo is still releasing ANY games for their outgoing systems, especially for a failure like Wii U, instead of just killing them off right now and launching a new system as soon as possible, shows that they are doing everything they can to support their systems in the absence of third-party support. But I wasn't talking about just this year anyway. I was specifically talking about the amount of first-party software Wii U will have received over a 4+-year lifespan in proportion to how badly the system has sold, which has been pretty admirable, as is the fact that they're honoring their promise to bring Zelda to Wii U instead of just shifting it completely over to NX, like they've obviously done with almost everything else they were working on for Wii U.
But really, that was about the least significant part of my comment, bro.
@VanillaLake ha, yep I took it as such! 😊 Have actually been thinking about getting a ps4 though.
I couldn't be saltier about Zelda being delayed again. I can handle the NX stuff but it's such a poor choice to do this with Zelda, the Wii U version is now obsolete before it's even launched.
Not releasing the NX till 2017 is probably a smart move. Holding back Zelda to launch with the NX is also a smart move.
Having Zelda be the main game at E3 (and the only demo) and not showing the NX at all? Very, very bad move Nintendo.
@electrolite77 please don't partial quote me like that. I'm not saying that is what they are doing; only that based upon what news they are giving us its a possibility. I want them to stay in the home and portable gaming business.
@Yorumi ...Not an American I see. We don't choose to overpay. The taxes are removed from our check before we are paid based upon our tax bracket status. Unless you live in Delaware. Tax return season allows you to potentially recoup some money back based upon changes in your employment/life (new job, no job, kids, marriage..etc) and items that you can write off that you paid for up front (internet for at home job, driving from one job to a second job...etc). Most people don't over pay unless they have a status change that might result in them owing the government money later. So if you get a return its unexpected money...only idiots bank their budget on getting something back. You aren't guaranteed a refund... heck mine shrunk by 50 percent this year...
Edit: Ok your profiles says American yet you make it sound like you don't get how tax season works. Did I miss something?
@Ryu_Niiyama I was like:
I mean if I had the choice to not pay, overpay or otherwise in my almost 20 years of working I surely would've taken up on that. Ha. But yea, I personally wouldn't bank my budget on getting a return, but my overall pointwad that it could be advantageous to have a console launch during tax season.
Fine with me as long as they get it right this time: 1) plenty of third party support both with retail and the eshop! 2) can we finally fix the cross buy problem so we're not forced to buy the same game twice? 3) fix the damn virtual console problem!! Add GameCube, Atari 2600, Saturn, dreamcast, bring back Genesis, turbo 16, Neo geo, virtual console arcade, sega master system, etc and us gamers not be so limited to one vc game a week?? It's torturous!! And let's see if our current vc library from Wii u can be carried forward to NX?? That would be nice!! 4) let's fix and remove the online gaming problems Nintendo
5) a little bit more love with demos and DLC??
Now having said all this, waiting till March could backfire somewhat as many many ps4 and xone systems will be sold during Xmas time. So many parents will NOT be in a hurry to grab their kids and NX a mere 3 months later on March! Us older gamers don't have to worry about these things but this theory could have a negative impact on NX sales come March....hmm tough to call...Nintendo needs to blow everyone's doors off! Yep this is do or die for them!!
We will see...I'm rooting for them though!😉
I called this when they announced a new console. I new this, but the media will be what the media will be and 2017 is fine. They need their ducks in a row. Zelda would have been great for Xmas. I am burning my fingers on the 3DS this year. It Is ok. I have been playing Stella glow, Final fantasy explorers, Fire emblem fates, Bravery second, Trail of the sky 2 (Vita title), Star fox (Wii U) and I'm still waiting for so many other titles like: Tokyo Mirage # FE, Dragon quest 7, Dragon quest 8, Pokémon moon and I know there's more. I just don't remember them off hand. The truth is, March 2017 is perfect.
Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Reggie Fils-Aime say last year that Nintendo only shows games that will be coming out in the next 6 months at E3...
Now they've decided to showcase one of their biggest properties in a playable format to the world on a dead console.. Why wouldn't they just wait. No one wants to play Zelda on a WiiU. It's going to look like crap compared to the NX. Show your product at it's best. Not it's worst.
It's arrogant of Nintendo to think they can launch their system any month of the year if the software is good and it will take off.
As much as I would like to support that notion, it simply isn't true. PS4K will have a big jump on the NX (and for those of you who never look across the fence - the PS4 has a stellar catalog of games). Simply put, the NX will be playing catchup with no immediate holiday period to boost sales.
In my opinion it doesn't matter when they release NX, if they want it to be a mass market commercial success then they need the full support of EA and Activision (amongst other third parties, but these two are key)
Nintendo hit the big time with the Wii, but ultimately it was a global craze, and global crazes come and go (how many Wii consoles sold have probably seen <6 months usage???)
Casual gamers have moved to mobile. Sports games (EA) and Call of Duty drive console sales amongst a massive proportion of gamers, without these games the NX is highly likely to become a business failure.
I understand there are lots of gamers that never play these titles (I like sport but hate sports games, and play COD single player only), but there are far more around the world that play these types of games. Also the online infrastructure needs improving, this is a core part of gaming these days, and Nintendo is way behind the times, particularly with their draconian store account policies.
I also hope they will use the x86 architecture in the NX, the power is less significant than the architecture used in my opinion, but using the same architecture as the rest of the industry is key. Third party developers will not waste large amounts of their budgets porting games primarily developed with x86 (PS4/XBO/PC) to another system with a different architecture. It just won't happen, re-coding on that scale would not be financially viable.
I want Nintendo to succeed, their games are iconic, and as much of a business failure the Wii U was, it's definitely one of my favourite consoles in relation to the first party games they've released for it. I've played Nintendo games since 1989 when I first got a NES, I wouldn't like to see them suffer the same fate as SEGA.
With the NX they have to appeal to the mass market, as well as the "hardcore" gamers. I really hope they had both their creative heads, and their business heads on during development of the system.
Why are we fanning the flames on the completely fan made up "holiday release"? Give it a rest Rumorlife.
I completely agree with Damien on this one. Pretty much all of Nintendo's home consoles throughout their history have launched in time for the Holiday season. Pushing it to March is an enormous missed opportunity, and I suspect it's going to bite them hard. It's not as big of a deal for their portable systems historically, since they've launched during different seasons throughout Nintendo's history. However, this is definitely going to deal a huge blow to NX's launch. It could have been Nintendo's big comeback, with a huge marketing blitz during the Holidays... Well, so much for that. I guess Nintendo has forgotten their own history, and think they can defy it somehow. I doubt it will work out well.
@Sir_JBizzle Agreed. Its just Yorumi's replies made it sound like Americans overpay like its a savings account or something. I hadn't checked his nationality because this is a UK site and any American that works and isn't from Delaware knows how this goes. Only for me to find out his profile says he is American so I was really wondering how the heck he said what he said when he should know how taxes and tax refund season works over here.
It'll make more sense to launch next year instead of rush it out by Christmas 2016. I can imagine all the confusion it would cause for regular consumers seeing 3 Nintendo systems on shelves during the holidays. I won't lie though, I'm a bit let down regardless; as the Wii U really seems like its on its last leg.
I think this might have something to do with AMD also making parts for 2 other consoles being released in 2016, according to their recent press release. I think Nintendo might have got a better price for their NX parts from AMD by delaying until 2017. Plus it gives them time to make sure they have the software ready for the NX release too.
I don't care that it's being launched in 2017, I just wanted to know what it WAS at E3. Now I have pretty much nothing to anticipate for E3, not even an official name. Hope Ninty doesn't shoot themselves in the foot by unveiling it later without giving the hype time to grow.
@Quorthon In an interview with the Nikkei, Kimishima was asked why NX is missing the holiday season. His reasoning was basically "well, we'd like for there to be games to go with NX."
So the games weren't ready, or at least enough of them. Avoiding the competition from PS4 Neo and Xbox One II I guess helps though (except for the fact that neither are confirmed for a 2016 release, with Neo having been rumored for March 2017 for a while now).
@Yorumi Have you ever heard of tax credits and deductions?
I have to think that they will at least tease and give us some glimpses of NX during E3. Otherwise it seems really boneheaded not to advertise at E3 and have a holiday 2016 release--it shocks me that they really need three more months after the holidays to launch it in march 2017. At that point what's going to stop them from delaying it to summer 2017 or winter 2017 or spring of 2042? YARG!
from september to febuary people will be only talking about PlastationVR, is PSVR works it will shadows NX release if not NX will have an open field
When Wii U launched, it had a very good start, and then stopped selling. I remember that all preorders were sold. I knew this did not mean anything at all, because there are always eager fans that can't wait. I asked everybody to wait a few months, Nintendo enthusiastic fans were so optimistic that they did not listen to me. Somebody said, "This is an awesome launch with third party support", but those third party games were last generation ports (not remakes or remasters).
Even in a month like March, NX preorders will be sold and NX will have a very good start. There will be victory headlines again. The problem is, for how long and how many people in total? Only the less sensationalist news will care about that.
I never thought that Nintendo stalwarts were such a small number, but Wii U has taught us that. And it makes a lot of sense, Nintendo doesn't really care about us but about our money. After all, they are just a company and not our friend or family. It makes sense that if they don't give us what we deserve, we stop buying them. And that's what exactly happened with Wii U.
Definitely the right call there. My poor wallet is saved from paying both, PSVR and NX releasing around the same time and Nintendo potentially has more games to launch NX with. But I'm worried about their plans for christmas. Sure, there's Pokemon and some kids may be happy with Color Splash, too, Federation Force looks... meh ... but that can't be all! Color Splash can't be the last game for WiiU this year! I mean, not I'm complaining about having nothing to play but it just seems a bit stupid to let WiiU die like that.
Yeah Nintendo done goofed here. Nintendo will have an abysmal launch, as always.
People aren't going to be interested in buying another console when they've literally just spent their money on a PS4K. Nintendo should have gone head-to-head with PS4K, as now they have lost valuable ground to it. A sort of generational 'reboot' is happening in the industry, with Microsoft also rumoured to launching a slimmed down X1.
This would have been the perfect time for Nintendo to get in on the action. People talk of NX being 'overshadowed' if it had launched this holiday, but I'm afraid that line of thinking is what got Nintendo into this position in the first place. They should be matching, if not surpassing, every single advertising dollar that Sony/MS throw out. NX wouldn't be 'overshadowed' if Nintendo had any interest in advertising.
But they don't, and unfortunately advertising is what sells things. Always has been, always will. Nintendo needs some real-world advertisements too, not just digital. Instead of being seen as competition ("dude are you getting the PS4K?" "nah bro did you see that console Nintendo is bringing out? I'm asking my mom for that instead as I already have a PS4!") NX will release with little fanfare and thus history repeats itself.
If Nintendo misses the boat on that 'reboot', not even our mightly Lord Arceus can help them.
@3MonthBeef So basically, you're saying that Nintendo is incapable of competing with Sony at this point? That Nintendo is in such a weak position that they have to delay their releases to avoid competition, and to account for the delayed software all around, like Zelda? Whatever happened to the philosophy of Play It Loud, and Nintendo's fearlessness against their competition back in the day?
I guess that's all consistent with Nintendo's abysmal plans for E3 laid out here, but it's still a very sorry state of affairs. That's supposed to be the whole point of E3 and the months leading up to the holidays- to create a renewed marketing blitz to inform potential customers and get them excited for a rebirth of Nintendo as we know it. So much for that...
@-DEMISE- maybe it was insignificant but it's what caught my eye. It's disingenuous to say Nintendo is supporting this system given it's history and abysmal showing at last year's e3. I don't expect that to change in June.
@Spiders I think you're somehow not understanding the meaning of the term 'relative' in this context. I don't think a single person with even a cursory knowledge of the Wii U's history and library would say that Nintendo has failed to support the system in proportion to the anemic sales of the system. They've done just about everything they could to give Wii U a compelling collection of first and second-party software and keep the thing alive for more than three years, which is about three years longer than a lot of companies would have supported a stillborn console like Wii U.
I think that the Miyamoto quote sums up everything about this.
@wjs700 Except for when that game is delayed for years at a time... Having some delays are okay, but there is such a thing as being TOO delayed. Seriously, they originally projected a 2015 release, and now it's not coming until 2017, when the Wii U will already be virtually dead... And maybe not even by March!
I'm pretty surprised by this, but I am kind of glad being a Wii U and Flame Red Old 3DS owner about this since I guess we have another 11 months of official support. I doubt we will get anything meaningful though other than the new Zelda which I haven't been able to get into as a franchise yet. I'm really more surprised though that it wouldn't be coming earlier because of the 3DS. Even though the New 3DSes/XLs and 3DS carts are still selling significantly in a smartphone heavy world, I'm surprised that Nintendo isn't trying to push the NX out the door for the sake of the 3DS, especially because the newer iteration of the 3DS kind of created permanent cryptosystem issues that if people knew about them, it would be an R4 scale disaster for Nintendo all over again. This time, with a softmod due to the fact that Nintendo themselves added some random file into the chain of trust to attempt to "make it more secure" that ended up breaking the entire cryptosystem for any past, present, and/or future 3DS. Needless to say, the 3DS is on its last threads in terms of security, and introducing a new (hybrid) system at the time that Nintendo themselves somewhat held themselves to would probably alleviate this. But I guess not. Hmmm...
@SLIGEACH_EIRE waiting 2 years for zelda and realize that witcher 3 is far more better. all false promises but it not real its 2016 and no racing no shooters no fifa 14 its all big joke only expensive remakes.
@luke88 thats what i did remember my words you will be soooo pissed that didnt do that earlier ..imagine friend comparisson
zelda vs witcher
mario kart vs dirt rally or driveclub
fifa 13 vs fifaa ....
call of duty ghosts vs cod ... i was big nintendo fan but i couldnt wait for 1 good game thru all year period... i was i little bit tired of bad graphics and remakes for 60 bucks.. friendly advice just do it brother
To respond to Damien, I strongly believe that the WiiU has not been a valid option for buyers since late 2015. If Super Mario Maker did tip the scales for a potential owner then the prospect of 2 games and a remake in 2016 was unlikely to do it.
If Nintendo intended to release the NX in late 2016 / early 2017 I am shocked that the WiiU price was not slashed when Super Mario maker released. A £150ish Super Mario Maker bundle would have lead the charge on 18 months of stock clearance leading up to the NX.
I'm surprised that with only 800,000 predicted sales that they have confirmed manufacturing is still ongoing.
I kinda agree with everything/everyone else and Alex's video reflects my feeling of "errr Meh?"
@nikolcho2 sorry, are you suggesting that The Witcher is better than Zelda? Or that Dirt Rally and Driveclub are better than Mario Kart? A PS4 is certainly something to consider at this point in time but let's not lose our heads - Nintendo still makes the best games. 😉
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