Topic: Nintendo NX

They want to release content on smartphones while maintaining the value of their software. Therefore it makes sense to come out with new portable hardware so that the mobile content doesn't outshine the content they're producing for their portable hardware. The Wii U still looks fine in terms of content, there's little reason to cut its life short.

Also my guess is that the first lot of content will be stuff along the lines of Pokemon Shuffle. Maybe a new Brain Training type game or that touch version of Dr Mario that they have. Or maybe when the next Pokemon comes out on 3DS they release a companion app that allows you to battle people online with a team you save to the cloud. People are thinking very, very one dimensional. It's almost 100% guaranteed not to be "they're doing mobile now, 3DS is dead, Wii U is replaced, Animal Crossing on iOS for $1 plus micro-transactions".

Don't call the Wii U a disaster. It deserves much more than that.

The DSi launched in early '09 and the 3DS came out in '11. How is this different?

Well it is sales and third party support wise. Everything Nintendo has tried so far has failed to make it a success. Its going to have an awesome 2015 regarding games, but sadly you can't save a sinking ship that's already half-sunken.

If they created a Wii U successor next year and it wasn't priced well out of the range of its competitors then it wouldn't be that much more powerful. Sure it might gain some third party support again but nobody will care because their PS4s and XBOnes would be mid-generation. Also the Wii U, despite the whine, is capable enough to support the games that Nintendo are wanting to create for it. Perhaps worst of all cutting the cycle that short would burn customers, particularly the ones who were waiting for games like Zelda and Xenoblade before they'd bit the bullet. The Wii U is not a huge success but replacing it this early is still pretty dumb.

The 3DS on the other hand, I reckon it would be a move that customers would respond to better. Even the people who jumped on the New 3DS bandwagon knew that the 3DS was already pretty old hardware and we aren't exactly swimming in New 3DS exclusives. Also I reckon at this point Nintendo would have some ideas they want to implement on the 3DS that they can't because of its limitations. And like it or not the 3DS is being shunned by third parties almost as much as the Wii U is. There are quite a few third party games, particularity downloadable titles, that are on Vita but not the 3DS. The argument for a 3DS successor is a lot stronger.

Made some good points here. And no doubt there's probably a project or two that's been moved to NX. Be it console or handheld, its clear that Nintendo is getting ready to move on for their next idea.

If its a console I hope Nintendo has truly learned and makes an awesome console that hits the right notes. Prove that there's still a place for Nintendo consoles and Wii wasn't just a fluke.

It's almost definitely going to be a portable system. I think they will make a tablet, Probably something similar to the Wii U design. If they're smart, they'll make it with an Android OS with their own design akin to the Amazon Fire. Most gamers hate tablets, but that's where the market is heading.

This is always the biggest hint about which platform is going to get a successor. As of right now the Wii U's library looks pretty strong for the next year and the 3DS looks pretty weak. If at E3 we don't get an avalanche of 3DS games then the writing's on the wall. Especially if they find space to talk about ambitious Wii U titles in 2016.

Yeah the reveals at E3 should give us a big clue.

If handheld though, not sure if they'll go tablet or not. I don't think Nintendo is getting rid of DS until they find a new interface that's actually more beneficial to gameplay.

NX may not be out until 2017 though. I'd say there's decent arguments for console, handheld, and hybrid.

I think it is not a coincidence they talk about NX the same day they announce a partnership with DeNA. Does not sound at all like a home console.

Nintendo has had trouble supplying content to both a handheld and a home console. Make that 1 thing, and use some resources towards other platforms and get the most out of it. The nintendo nx use would probably be portable anywhere, but something extra hooked on the television at home. Same device, perhaps deciding which games you would want to take with you (in terms of game size) and which stay at home on the hard drive/tv content pusher.

Big games, in your pocket, no more dilemma which system to buy, easy to market in every region of the world - this is just a muddy wording for nintendo doing only handheld but that doesn't matter as it extends it when it's home, making consoles feel obsolete and archaic.

I'm hoping for that fusion thing to come true. I would love to play an HD pokemon game! Plus we wouldn't have to decide what to buy games for, because we would only need one system!

Don't be disingenuous. We've known about Quality of Life for over a year. We've known that they've been planning to expand on form factors for over a year. We've known that they've planned to utilized mobile in some fashion for over a year. Everything revealed today was first mentioned in an investor's meeting from early 2014.

Nintendo is moving to be more than just a video game company. That much has been pretty obvious since Iwata took over as CEO. Hell, before that even. Nintendo bought the Seattle Mariners in 1992 for $100 million! Today that team is worth $710 million. Good business venture, if you ask me.

After the merging of the two hardware departments, something like this seems all the more likely. Nintendo has a few hurdles to overcome though: to be able to play all the games on the road means that CPU+GPU and all the other necessary hardware must be integrated into the portable unit — will this seriously limit how powerful the system will be, especially when they have to take weight, battery power, heat and price into account? And what will be the role of the home unit in this case. Maybe just a simple streaming stick a'la Chromecast? Or could the games themselves be streamed to the portable unit wirelessly via home unit or straight from server? This would be so cool, since the portable wouldn't need much hardware, but is seriously hindered by the constant need of a stable connection not many have access to.

There's much that's still unclear (well, almost everything to be honest), but I trust Nintendo will arrive in a sensible solution.

But the same benefit with far more potential for hardware innovation and far less cost could be achieved by maintains parity between the two OSs. When the platforms are one and the same, you run into uncompetitive performance (and weak 3rd party support) and far greater difficulty presenting innovations like 2nd screen gaming or motion controls.

It is just happy speculation and best guesses, but looking at what a vita can do today technology shouldn't be an issue. I also believe it could be a way for nintendo to be different, as they rarely get into a technological power struggle with the competition. In fact, that very fact might just enable them to get ahead.

Parity between OS is also possible. But if the mobile strategy is anything to go by, would nintendo really want to have two systems to try and get users to buy for the premium gaming fun? I doubt it.

And technically, they mastered streaming to the gamepad and back so I guess they have their own proof of concept right there.

If it's a hybrid in the sense that some are describing then it's basically just a portable that happens to have Mini-HDMI out. Or some sort of wireless equivalent. I don't think this idea is as revolutionary as you think it is....

lol it's not about the way it plugs in, but about the way it does things seamlessly. The gamepad is also just a controller with an hdmi out that works, oh but a bit of wireless. Point being, the way you execute technology you seem to know is the only way to add value - make it seamless, flawless and easy and it works. Make the connection and, well, it doesn't necessarily work.

There's some fun to be had on whether or not the tv client side would be optional though. Remember, this is all fun and games and major speculation

Indeed. Chromecast, Nvidia SHIELD (OG and tablet), Apple's lightning-connector, mobile devices which can use a TV as a display are nothing new.
The other way around, as some people are suggesting, also wouldn't work. Streaming console games to a handheld might sound nice, but it'd make the handheld dependent on a stable, fast and lagless internet connection, which goes against the entire purpose of a handheld as a device you can play games with anywhere. In a few more years maybe wireless technologies will be up to it, but in 2016? Nope.
So if there's one conclusion we can draw, it's that a hybrid is still as unlikely as the last time I explained this. Two letters aren't going to change that:)

It would be stupid to shift focus on the NX immediately because like I said, Nintendo always makes it somehow backwards compatible. So if they remove Dual screen gaming, they need to make it so that its better than dual screen gaming.

But as Iwata-san said earlier, this new system is not the next gen console they are working on but rather something that widens the demographic. I believe lots of articles from Nintendolife even prove this fact.

I'm glad Nintendo isn't stupid enough to port their system games to the smartphone because that would remove their hardware sales a LOT!

But I want to be clear here......Is NX the smartphone system or is it the 3DS successor?