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Back in early May the Nintendo NX rumour mill produced an interesting bit of chatter, with suggestions that the new system could utilise cartridges as media for its games, likely instead of discs. Like all rumours it was treated with a healthy dose of scepticism, but it wasn't entirely illogical - cartridge and memory card media is cheaper, smaller and has more storage than in the past (as seen with 3DS and Vita), and would suit hardware that potentially has both home and portable components.

Well, now there's extra fuel to the fire. Eagle-eyed NeoGAF user Atheerios noticed interesting wording in the US trademark filing for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. In the goods and services category it lists 'video game cartridges' and 'video game memory cards':

Downloadable electronic game programs; downloadable electronic video game software; electronic game programs; electronic game software; video game cartridges; video game discs; video game memory cards; video game programs; video game software

This is interesting as, of course, it's a dual release on Wii U and NX. We checked multiple listings for Wii U games, and they only list discs and downloadable methods, while 3DS games naturally reference cartridges as a core category. As a note of caution some of these listings do try to cover bases for the future - in some cases 3DS games only list cartridge media and variations, while others (like for Ever Oasis and Monster Hunter Generations) also reference other media types.

With that cautionary note acknowledged, this is nevertheless an interesting spot. With Wii U and 3DS listings typically distinct in this area, the fact Breath of the Wild includes cartridges and memory cards does add an extra dynamic to the conversation over the distribution methods Nintendo will use with its NX hardware. With media such as cartridges and cards now supporting plenty of space and dropping in price, it's not an outlandish idea.

Let us know what you think below. Do you think it's feasible that we'll play the likes of Breath of the Wild off a small cartridge or card-based media on NX?

[source neogaf.com, via tmsearch.uspto.gov]