Rumours Surface of Android Emulation On The Nintendo NX and Potential Deals With Amazon and Disney

Amazon and Disney? interesting combo...

but android emulation? so all in 1 device. Sounds cool...

Pikmin 4 rumor pls (I'd buy that, even if the rumor is fake, hahaha )

If the NX OS is based on Android I will NEVER buy it!

I rather stay in deep denial of this happening

Looks like my dream of the "amiibo game" like Infinity/Landmark/skylanders might come true. I really wanna create 3D levels with Nintendo franchise templates and models and play as my favorite characters (Samus, Lucina, Robin, Marth, Roy, Ike, Link, etc) and level up characters and stuff.

Nintendo has already denied that the NX will run Android. However, Amazon might be porting its Amazon Prime apps or something to it. This would cater to the music, film stuff that Nintendo doesn't do.
Xbox One has Xbox Video, Xbox Music. Amazon could be Nintendo partner for that sort of thing.
And I'd love for some Disney/Pixar films with Nintendo's IPs.

Ok the Andoird Apps part is just stupid

2 off the cuff comments from John Vignocchi plus 2 from Reggie makes 5 concrete facts!

Hey all when somebody's is done can they pass the salt this way please thanks!

@BLPs Yeah, same here. A Disney/Nintendo partnership could be really good but I'll believe it when I see it.

Ohhhhh Its gonna be a long 12 months (max) I can see it now. Lets see who can come up with the most crazy, random ideas for Nintendo's NX. Go...

Ugh these rumors

I'd be quite happy to see nintendo partner with Disney or further collaborate with skylanders.itd be a good way of maintaining the kids demographic while allowing them to put their own resources into other games.
Never mind android I just want comixology on nintendo hardware.

@FragRed The NX will run on the dreams of Dolphins. Originally this was the concept for the GameCube but the technology wasn't readily available. During late night gameplay segments, the dolphins will sense the exhaustion of the player and will activate the Project Café, a homebrew coffee expansion (sold separately). It will completely Revolutionize gameplay as we know it.

Sceptical on the Android emulation but Disney partnering up with Nintendo makes sense. We know little on what DeNA Nintendo apps would be like so i don't know what to say with that app store rumor

Android emulation?

Interesting, but it might fail. Some apps might need to be tinkered so they properly work.

The Disney ones seem pretty legit. The Amazon one seems vague.

@Samuel-Flutter hahaha, great one! Id write one myself but ill back yours instead!

The fact that Disney and Nintendo still largely fail to see their potential synergies is as baffling to me as it was 5 or even 10 years ago. It might have gotten more baffling as time went on, Disney struggling to make games out of their very succesful movie and tv franchises, and Nintendo struggling to expand beyond a core gamer audience (no, the Wii did not do that for THEM, at best temporarily and really more for the industry as a whole), but at some point, it became hard to tell ...

Disney one seems entirely possible plus Amazon and Nintendo have recently resolved their issues so it could happen.

Got a whole bucket of salt ready, so yeah.
Absolutely no point in "emulating" Android, in my mind. Would be better to use Android as a base for their OS and fork it. People act as if stock Android or Android with a skin is the only way of using it.
That Disney deal seems a bit more plausible, but I'm afraid for Nintendo if they're not careful. We don't have anybody in the Yamauchi family heading Nintendo anymore (afaik), so I'm cautious.

And the silliest commet of the year goes to Gold_Ranger for this:
"If the NX OS is based on Android I will NEVER buy it!".

What kind of OS the NX will be based on shouldn't really matter. Have you ever really considered what kind of underlying OS other Nintendo consoles was based on before you bought them?

The only thing that matter's is what great games and functionalities the new system will have.

If the Wii U OS had a forked Android underneath, but looked and felt the same, with all the same great games, would that really bother you? The only difference would have been better portability options for developers, and therefore even more games for the system.

People act like morons when they hear "Android". What building blocks Nintendo choses for their next OS should not play a role. What kind of hardware they choose is much more interesting.

@DarthNocturnal There is a new Looney Tunes game on Vita, released last month.

Android Emulation? Sounds good to me. I may be a ticket to emulators for older system. Nintendo could use some to offer future VC games.

Man you guys are slackin with the news stories.

This rumor popped up like a month ago, and Nintendo made a statement that NX is definitely NOT running on Android.

See for yourselves, and put this false rumor to rest.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-nx-will-not-run-on-android/1100-6427749/

wasn't the android stuff already debunked?

Sometimes I wish Disney would just buy Nintendo.

@JaxonH
Yeah, but you never really know if that statement is the truth either. With Nintendo you never know.

But as I wrote above, what kind of OS the NX is based upon shouldn't really bother anyone. Since when have this been important for consoles??? Being it build on pure UNIX, Linux, a forked Android version, or FreeBSD like on the PlayStation. It does not matter.

The amount of great games, graphics performance, and overall system functionalities are important. Nintendo can choose whatever foundation they whant for their OS.

Just how powerful must a computer/console be to emulate Android?

@dres
Well right it doesn't really matter. If they base it off this then so be it.

I just don't think they are because they came out point blank and said so

I dunno, a super cozy relationship between Disney and Nintendo would be weird considering Universal is doing the Nintendo theme park thing...

@JaxonH This is a new batch of rumors, though. They even point to the previous Android rumor (with a link to their old story reporting it) on the article itself.

@ricklongo @Spectra_Twilight

Yeah but that doesn't change the fact that they came out and said no this is not what we're doing.

Not to say companies never lie or mislead but I just don't think they would come out and point-blank tell us "No, this is wrong" if that wasn't the case.

@Moon
Not much. I have a little low end device under my TV called "Nexus Player" . It runs Android, and it does it very well and smooth. Here are the hardware stats:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nexus_Player

Many new TVs have build in Android, and the Wii U hardware whould easily run Android if the architecture would support it.

@belmont there was? I was just thinking of Loony Toons the other day and how PS1 had some fun games based on them and we haven't seen much of their IP of late.

Eh hem...
Dooooooooooooooooomed!!!!

@Mr_Zurkon basically a shovelware sports game.

Android is actually an very great OS compared to Windows. I mean I will admit I do not know much about it but the emulation scene and the "Steam box" makes me think about getting one.

I am not saying that Windows is going away. I am saying that Android has it's uses.

I love those rumors, because they are sooooooooo ridiculous. Nintendo WON'T jump in the bed with Google. Its as simple as that!

Blah blah click-bait.

Well, I'd believe the negotiations with Disney, but it seems like such an obvious fake rumor after the Skylanders amiibo. Still very plausible.

@Xenjamin What's crazy is that it was in front of our eyes the whole time. Now it all makes sense!

Tbh I personally don't believe there will be Android emulation though I know Nintendo has done stuff with Google before. The Google Maps Wii U app. I think Disney is possible, but Amazon? I really don't know. If there was Android emulation, Nintendo would probably place their own 'eshop' into it.

And so begin the freaking rumours. Don't know if I can handle 2-3 years of this.

Amazon. Propably videos and music but hopefully new games made by Double Helix. They did really great work with Strider and Killer Instinct.

None of this sounds implausible given the direction Nintendo is going in. I'd be pretty down with any of these partnerships coming true.

I doubt we'd even notice if it was using Android, the same way I can't tell what processor a system is using. There are radically different forms of Android out there.

Didn't they/Nintendo already debunk the Android rumor, whoever keeps writing these NX articles needs to stop.

I don't believe the Disney thing. Nintendo just made a deal with Universal.

I really hope that Nintendo and Disney get together and do something cool. I love both companies and I think that incorporating Nintendo characters into Disney Infinity could be cool. I also think that Disney Infinity characters are better quality than Skylanders and Disney could help Nintendo with amiibo production. A partnership like this is unlikely though because of the new deal with Skylanders. But I can dream right?

@LUIGITORNADO I don't think the Universal deal has anything to do with video games or character rights. Universal only got rights to build Nintendo themed rides.

What people here are not getting is that we are talking here about a console EMULATING Android and not a console BASED on Android. That means you can actually run all the Apps and Games of Android while not having to use Android as your base OS for the Console. With this you can have the best of both world. For example let's take the BlackBerry 10 OS, it emulates Android and it can run all the Apps and games from Android yet it doesn't run on an Android OS. Also this is where the Amazon deal comes into play, since Google would not allow the Play Store to be on a Nintendo Console since it will not be running Android OS natively, you would have access to the Android Apps and Games through Amazon's AppStore.Totally makes sense. This sounds logical and I don't see the problem with this move. I'm interested.

Well I do have an android now. People will be worried but Nintendo will do Nintendo; I'll just wait and see what happens.

Nintendo has already denied the Android rumor. And it also doesn't match up that NX would be some result of their crossover with DeNA running Android. The NX's existence was revealed because shareholders thought that the DeNA deal was Nintendo's way of bowing out of the console market. They let the NX cat out of the bag to let every know they had already been working on their next console.

@AVahne it would be easily modded then

Where is the benefit to Nintendo to emulate Android on their system? Gamers don't want mobile games on their gaming system and mobile users aren't buying dedicated gaming hardware to play games already available on their phone/tablet. What's the point?

Emulation of Android! Why not just go in with a straight Android based OS?

Nintendo can run hardware on Android OS and have it locked down completely. Just look at MS with the Xbox. Runs on windows OS but it is locked down.

Nintendo can do the same with Android.

@Kuhang @Politoed @Henmii

Nintendo does not need to have anything to do with Google if they decide to fork basic Android, and use it as a building block for the NX. They don't need Googles permission or partnership for that.

Anyone can use Android as they see fit, and modify it as they want. As long as they do not include Google Play services and Store, they do not need to follow Googles guidelines. Amazon did exactly that when they created their Kindle smart devices, and switched Google Play Store with their own App Store. Nintendo could just do the same, building a new unique OS for the NX with Android as foundation.

It would also be a ridicules move from Nintendo, if they decided to use Google play store or Amazon's AppStore in NX. How would Nintendo earn its money?

The only Store you will find on a Nintendo system is the e-shop, as we know it from Wii U and 3DS. Using Android would not change that. It would only provide developers an easier way to port their games to the e-shop, and make use of other game engines and tools like Unity, that is already available through Android.

@dres "Nintendo does not need to have anything to do with Google if they decide to fork basic Android, and use it as a building block for the NX. They don't need Googles permission or partnership for that"

Yes I know that for a fact but it has everything to do starting with Play Store and that is what I said and what is the use of emulating Android without an app store. Either Nintendo has to start with their own Android store or go with the established Amazon Appstore. Nintendo would definately benefit from the hardware sales or some kind of royanty could be arranged among the conpanies considering how Amazon Appstore has 100's of thousands of Apps already or probably could opt to implement Android Apps on Eshop but thats a lot of work. But yeah it will definately benifit Nintendo if they did that.

@dres
It matters if the OS is Android for Apple fanboys.

@Splatburst

Yes, I know, but it's so silly. It has nothing to do with Google vs. Apple.

You would probably not even notice if Android ran under the hood of the NX. It's totally irrelevant. NX will still be uniquely Nintendo, no matter what they choose to use as foundation.

Well, considering the huge success Ouya had, that makes perfect sense...

Nintendo already partnered up with Universal, so I think the disney-nintendo rumor is false...plus, disney would ruin nintendo even more by adding fairies and stupid stuff to the games...I don't think we need a Tinkerbell and the Great Mario Fairy movie or game. Other than that, with puns aside (disney fans will now bash me), nobody really knows what NX will do, and it's still 6 months or so away until we hear anything, but hopefully nintendo really busts heads with this console. What I don't get, is why nintendo didn't make a game (like Infinity or Skylanders), that just use amiibos throughout the whole adventure...just imagine a whole Mario Adventure like SKylanders, where you are swapping figures back and forth to beat the game 100%. With this system, the amiibos and the attractions at Universal Studios, nintendo could make a huge comeback in the game industry. Let's hope they start picking up some game companies and keep them...I could see them buying disney's game company, or even Sega to keep for themselves...Sonic games look better on nintendo platformers anyways!

@JLPick An amiibo game which is impossible to complete because of figure rarity

I would buy something like that. It opens the door to more interesting games, some of which are awful with touch control but would be perfect with a controller.

Knowing nintendo i bet NX wont be more powerful than ps4.

Sigh. A Disney Nintendo partnership scares me. I dont like Disney as a company. While they have produced some great films, (more recently only with the help of pixar) their values and leadership are extremely untrustworthy. I would never trust Disney with the Super Mario Universe. Maybe Pixar independently...

I'm not that bothered about Android emulation, but I also don't care about it either. There not been any time yet when I wanted to play an Android game on a console. However, there's no problem with giving players the choice to play Android games as long as it doesn't detract from anything else.

Kingdom Hearts 3 coming to NX possibly?

Did the Wii U/3DS get leaked before they got revealed? Be interesting if we see a NX leak.

@JaxonH - Did you read the article you linked to? Did you see who denied the Android on NX rumour? "Un-named spokesperson". Maybe that's the way they do things in Jaoan, the company is all powerful so the people who work there don't get named, they are just employees of Nintendo, but for me; if there's no name, there's no truth. Too much plausible deniability.

When Nintendo announces NX runs "on an OS based OFF of Android", and you call up corporate HQ and tell them, hey, you can't do that, you already denied that. And the person on the phone asks -Who denied it? - and then you answer them - the un-named spokesperson - well, I don't think that conversation ends well for you.

And if Reggie denies it, we'll he's a known liar. His body is ready, but his mouth and brain rarely are.

If Nintendo go Android. I'll go home. Seriously. I don't want an Outa 2.0. At this rate. They might aswell make thier own cell phone. 100% Android tbh

Agaisnt Android

@Grumblevolcano - I do comprehend flippant, but a game like Nintendo Land 2 could easily function well and be enjoyable to play w/o all, the amiibo. My kids have completed all 4 Skyland games w/ usually about half the figures. So Wii Fit, Villager, Little Mac would never be required and you could still have a lot of fun. Ever play Subspace Emmissary in SSBB? It would be like that. You would need Peach or Daisy, Mario or Luigi, DK or Diddy, Link or Toon Link, squid boy or girl. Yoshi or Kirby. Even as much as Nintendo has screwed up amiibo production there are still 10th of them out there, it could easily work. There are plenty of Skyland toys my kids wanted but never got, never interested w/ their enjoyment or completion of the game. Only Kaos trap was a severe nuisance going for $80 on eBay, but we waited it out and now it's in stock and the fame is done.

Sorry that was so long, it was only like 2 sentences in my head.

@rjejr Subspace Emissary is proof of how up until today, that approach wouldn't have worked. Remember the castle fortress area which mostly played Fire Emblem music, the characters there were Marth, Ike and Meta Knight all of which are rare amiibo though got proper restocks today at GAME and Smyths.

@Grumblevolcano - Maybe they could sell the castle area as DLC so only people w/ those amiibo would buy it. Skyalnders does that w/ some areas that are on the disc but you only see them when you put a portal on the portal. Yes, portal on the portal.

In a hypothetical Nintendo Land 2 the entire central hub could be empty and the attractions would only pop up when you place amiibo on the Gamepad. It would look like you were creating your own world. amiibo Tap sort of works like that. Disney Infinity works like that as well. There's a hub world and toy box mode, but if you didn't buy the Lone Ranger or Spiderman playset you would never know you were missing those parts of the game, there is a great big large area staring you in the face that you can't play.

It's all very doable really, even w/ stock issues. Mario, Peach, Zelda and Luigi would be starters. Only Nintneod knows which amiibo, if any, they continue to mass produce.

TBH I'm not sure how ACaf will work as it seems dependent on those AC figures and I see them disappearing mostly to people who have no interest in that board game.

Maybe Nintneod will just make cheap cards for all amiibo so if you can't find the figures you can still play the game? Pokemon cards are readily abundant.

Like it or not, all the signs are heading in that direction - ACaF, the Skylanders crossover, 3DS portal coming out some day, amiibo cards. I doubt it will be Subspace Emmissary, too much fun. Maybe Nitnedo Land 2 but not called that, Wii Sports Resort wasn't called Wii Sports 2. I've been calling it amiibo Land since amiibo launched, amiibo Kingdom probably works better but Disney may sue. I still think it's coming, maybe on NX.

Android OS, and the Android platform are two different things. Most Android Apps/Games use Java and run under a custom Virtual Machine called Davlik.

Android OS is a forked version of Linux with said VM, you can even make native applications for Android Phones outside of the VM if you jailbreak the phone.

Nintendo could very well port Dalvik to their NX OS. Or they might choose to run Linux and put Dalvik on it. PS2, PS3, and PS4 all run a custom linux kernel underneath AFAIK.

The biggest difference between and Android device and NX would be is that most games would be designed to run native, but if the NX had the Dalvik Virtual Machine to run Android games/apps on it... that is not really emulation.

DISNEY AND NINTENDO SHOULD MERGE lol anyway I like the idea of having Nintendo characters in Disney Infinity! More reasons for me to buy the third one.

This sounds pretty neat! Nintendo working with disney sounds like a dream come true! But I won't believe it until it's true.

Android is easier to pirate. Not saying from experience or anything...

I just don't see Nintendo working with such an open source platform.

My opinion is, if the rumors are true (any of them), as long as the partnerships are "fruitful" for us gamers, then I am all for it.

"Pass me the salt family!!!"

I'm getting a very Blackberry vibe here...

Rumors like these have a tendency to turn out to be true, to some degree. I certainly wouldn't be surprised if the NX uses Android or a compatibility layer to allow the use of Android apps. I'm not going to take any denials from Nintendo seriously until the machine is unveiled since corporations commonly deny things that ultimately turn out to be true. I find it funny how people already consider this debunked just because Nintendo apparently said so. Besides, the denial is that NX won't be Android based, but that doesn't mean they won't use something else with compatibility for Android apps.

@1wiierdguy There are a number of benefits if Nintendo went that route and they're not all gaming related. First, just because a game is on Android doesn't mean it's just a mobile game. Ducktales Remastered is not the most advanced game out there, but it is on consoles, PC and mobile platforms. Aside from games, having access to Android apps gives Nintendo a bunch of features to offer people from the moment the platform launches. There's no worry about whether a streaming music or video service will agree to support Nintendo's platform. While there are already devices that do that, such extra features seem essential for new game consoles these days.

I love the android thing. If they could emulate android on the Nx, they could potentially run almost all the games and apps from the play store. This is what the wii U was missing, it was missing the young audience. And since I'm a huge fan of Android, this just makes it all the better.