There have been lots of Nintendo NX rumours from individuals and their sources over the past few months, but now our colleagues at Eurogamer have stuck their necks out with their own assessment of Nintendo's next-generation system. Citing multiple sources, it's sketched out a number of key details it believes represent the upcoming Nintendo NX.
First of all, a point-by-point summary of Eurogamer's claims that are based on 'a number of sources'.
- The NX is primarily a "high-powered handheld console with its own display", with the key twist that "the screen is bookended by two controller sections on either side, which can be attached or detached as required".
- At home you can connect the portable (which houses the power as a standalone device) to a base station that displays the system on the TV. This dual approach is to ensure that all games are fully functional 'on the go' or at home.
- It'll apparently use Nvidia Tegra technology, with the expected tech in use considered beyond the abilities of PS3 / Xbox 360, but potentially not up to current-gen home console levels in terms of graphical power, unsurprising as this concept is essentially a dedicated portable. It all depends, ultimately, on which Tegra chip is at the core of the system - the upcoming X2 could get near PS4 / Xbox One levels - which is not quite clear. We've covered this further in a separate article.
- NX will use cartridges, as previously speculated. They may be limited to 32GB in size, though downloads can naturally get around that.
- There are apparently no plans for backward compatibility, as a result of the different architecture being used.
- Nintendo is apparently using a new operating system of its own, not Android as rumoured.
- The system is likely to be revealed in September, with a core marketing pitch to keep things simple and emphasize gaming on the go.
Nintendo gave Eurogamer a boilerplate statement around this - "Nintendo has not made any new official announcements regarding NX which is due to launch in March 2017. As such [we're] unable to comment on the various rumours and speculations circulating."
Eurogamer states that its report is drawing together information from multiple sources, some of which is familiar from older rumours and some that are a little different. In any case it's all conceivably true, and we certainly place value in Eurogamer's practices with sources, yet it's important to still note that none of this is confirmed.
What do you think - could this be the shape of NX, and if so would you be happy about the system?
[source eurogamer.net]
Comments 383
I'd rather have a "Wii U 2", a successor to their best console in a long time.
I love the Wii U GamePad's touch screen and motion controls, and it could only get better with GameCube's analogue triggers.
Can't tell you how happy I am if this turns out to be true. This pseudo-hybrid model is what I've wanted from a Nintendo console for a while now.
I'd be happy with this! It's everything I want, a portable that I can connect to my TV thats not aiming too high in terms of power so that there is a chance it will be in someway affordable. Hope its all true!
I think 32 GB carts is plenty big.
So its basically a handheld...that can be connected to the tv. So this replaces the 3DS...but also the Wii u?! If it also replaces Wii u we go backwards in power-size (Its just beyond PS3, please no)!
no word on the screen or if it has dual screens or if one is in 3d. nintendo finally got 3d gaming right. they shouldn't let it die! and no backward compatibility?!
If that's just the handheld then I'll be happy but not as a handheld comes home console hybrid, I won't a standard powerful Nintendo home console.
Handheld is Nintendo biggest strength so this makes sense.
Wonder what the screen resolution will be?
@rjejr you seeing this? It's madness! Madness I tell you! I want power, but instead Nintendo might be listening to you!
Playing Breath of the Wild at home and in the real wild! Me likey!
sounds interesting actually but i'll still take all these with a pinch of salt until Nintendo themselves shows off the system
Wait, sorry if I'm missing something here:
Breath of the Wild on the NX has been said to have "improved graphics" from the Wii U version. But of the NX really is a portable with PS3 level power, is that really possible? I know Nintendo often work really well with older hardware, but this seems a little unusual to me.
It could be plausible. Only one question. How are the Amiibo used? That's the massive hole I see in this "leak"
@Grandpa_Pixel I'm guessing they are probably used the same way they are on the New 3DS? As in the same way they are used on the GamePad. What's the issue?
Battery life and power is a worry. If it is same as Wii U then as a handheld that is amazing but as a console it's not great for third parties.
This is Nintendo getting itself out of the home console market though. People should accept that reality.
They had me until cartridges. I love cartridges (and their boxes and manuals), but it will be a cold day in a very warm place before developers go back to cartridges. Too limited, too expense, and too ancient a technology.
@kobashi100 If it turns out to use a Tegra X1 processor, as Eurogamer mentions, probably 720p. It will be upscaled to 1080p when plugged to the "base" NX. The site has run an in-depth article about it, you should read it. Also, keep in mind that the Vita has a 540p screen. I'd say it's enough for a portable.
@hoshiZora I don't think they ever said that, just that the graphics or artstyle might be different, if I remember correctly.
@bluedogrulez
Who's "going back?" It's just continuing what they already do. :/
I Hope this isn't true..
I wouldn't mind if this turned out to be true.
Now this is a cool concept! The one who can rock the boundaries between portable and living room gaming!
Of course, if this rumor is true and the NX can maintain the quality and feel Nintendo offers as well the playing together with a new twist: playing together ANYWHERE you want, whatever game you have!
Probably the next month will be full of new rumors from day to day and, fortunately, some will get solid with multiple sources confirming them.
The time of reveal is drawing near!!!
Embarking the hype train! o/
@aaronsullivan No issue, but you need to poke holes in the claim to find out if it is true. Like how Rayman was "leaked" for Smash. Good analysing managed to disprove it in an hour.
@aaronsullivan Also how are cartridges any different nowadays to CDs? Only size and memory capacity I'd say
@aaronsullivan Exactly. Both current gen portables use cartridges.
I really like portables, so we'll see where this goes.
So yet another system lagging behind in tech.
And with a Tegra GPU, we can expect Nintendos own "Shield Store" which means watered down "mobile" ports od PC games.
I'm sorry, but for a company that drove in massive amounts of losses, because companies pulled their support due to "low tech", this isn't going to help in the slightest.
It cant support major releases that way and will probably see their mobile ports only.
So yeah...not planning on a day one purchase. I need to see how this whole thing plays out a bit.
@bluedogrulez Not quite. Just look what insane leaps flashdrives have made over the last few years.
Capacity wont be an issue, 64gig will me more than enough for a single game. Quick access times, low production costs, no costly and fragile disc drives etc.
On paper its a brilliant plan. Distribution however...
Jesus, I really hope this isn't true.
@hoshiZora More than the PS3. How much more can't be much more than the Wii U however.
"It'll apparently use Nvidia Tegra technology, with the expected tech in use considered beyond the abilities of PS3 / Xbox 360, but potentially not up to current-gen home console levels in terms of graphical power, unsurprising as this concept is essentially a dedicated portable. It all depends, ultimately, on which Tegra chip is at the core of the system, something that's not quite clear. We'll be covering this aspect in more detail in a separate article."
IF THIS IS TRUE (there's my qualifier), I don't see how it would be able to run something like Breath of the Wild or other current gen games that are being ported to NX.
@bluedogrulez it could be cartridge shaped, but be basically SD in disguise.
People were talking "too limited, too expensive" about blu-ray and how stupid Sony is... I wonder where are those people today.
Nintendo needs a gimmick. Consoles' original raison d'etre vanished long ago when game-worthy PCs became affordable, so consoles today need some unique features of their own to keep them from being redundant.
The problem with Nintendo's past gimmicks--motion controls and the Wii U gamepad--is that they required developers to tailor their games to the features. Thus, they ended up being extremely underutilized. A hybrid portable/home console, though, could have its selling feature utilized by every piece of software with only minimal modifications. It's an exciting prospect, if true, and I hope it is.
@aaronsullivan Thanks for not making me type in your name.
Yeah, it's my Tesseract, isn't it. Or a tablet if it has a screen w/ detachable controllers on the side. And an underpowered one at that. I'm calling it the Nintendo Tesseract anyway.
@Captain_Gonru Get in here you.
@Thanos_ReXXX Are we dismissing this as Rodgers nonsense yet? You do a much better job at vetting and debunking than news starved NL does. If it's a portable with a docking station with PS3 power is it still a PS4/X1 competitor?
Man I started typing I was comment 15, now I'm 37, need more caffeine. We are all beholden to the NX rumour mill, are we not? Can't wait to see what it's like when Nintendo descends from the mountaintop.
So, you detach the screen portion to use it as a console which means no second screen gaming. I wonder if the "base station" does anything besides connect to a TV? Hopefully a hardline for internet, maybe takes some of the processing load for connecting multiple handhelds?
Hard to get excited about this. It means Zelda will perform about the same. Another 5 years of the same level of performance.
If this watered down nvidia shield nx rumour will turn out to be true, makes you wonder what is that "new" part that competition could copy from them.
I really hope this isn't true. If the specs are between last gen and PS4/X1, then it won't be getting any of the big AAA releases. Developers would need to put in a lot of effort to downgrade games or develop exclusives, which is the same situation as the Wii U. And we all know how that turned out...
Is the 'base station' more powerful, though? Perhaps it's a 'supplemental computing device' that adds more power. This could be in line with the rumours that we've been hearing for a while now.
Just think about it though, if the portable is about as powerful as a 360 - it could have LOADS of last gen games ported to it. I'm up for that.
I am feeling a bit nervous about it all though, wish Ninty would just reveal the thing.
For those complaining about power, you should see this as a portable console first and foremost. That's clearly how Nintendo'd want to promote it if the device is indeed real.
@Ralizah Downgrades can happen.
@Moon This too. Eurogamer has mentioned nothing about the thing. I doubt it brings a lot to the equation, though.
There is one aspect of this that I don't fully understand, and please call me an idiot on account of that.
What is the function of the base station, besides displaying the content on a larger screen? Does it boost the performance of whatever the handheld component can handle, in addition to powering it? If so, how does that work, and if not, what is the point, as the base station then doesn't seem like much more than a mere TV connector and power supply?
Again, I'm probably just an ignorant idiot when it comes to tech, but it's more of an honest question than a rant.
@hoshiZora it says "beyond the abilities of the PS360" plus Rodgers has said it's closer to XB1 but that might be a stretch - so i'd expect it to be half way between Wii U and XB1 at the very least.
@kobashi100 720p at most, probably.
NX seems to be at least on par with, or slightly more powerful than, Wii U.
It makes sense, since:
GBA is slightly more powerful than SNES/SFC
NDS is slightly more powerful than N64
3DS is slightly more powerful than GCN
n3DS is slightly more powerful than Wii
I have mixed feelings on this. On one hand, it would be a hybrid like we've always dreamed, but I am also of the opinion that the Wii U's successor should be at least as powerful as the PlayStation 4 in order to compete and be able to get multi-plats.
Ideally, the home console component would have PS4 levels of power and be sold separately from the handheld component, which should circumvent the issue of price. I also think that a lot of people who have an interest in home consoles, don't care very much about handhelds and vice-versa. Just look at the sales of the PS3/PS4 versus the Vita, and then look at the Japanese markets infatuation with handheld/mobile games.
@aaronsullivan Oh, and don't think that italicized "you" was lost on me. They all laughed at my "madhouse" avatar, but now, the night begins to shine!
Here's the thing:
If this is true, it's a huge boon for people who love Nintendo through the 3DS. That market, those people, those devs and publishers will love this.
Also, Nintendo console gaming is dead to the world.
@Marce2240 I'd be happy if there was a separate home console that was about power but from the sounds of things, this is it. This is all the NX is and there's no way this thing is going to attract any third party support. It seems too much work to downgrade and no one wants watered down ports.
@BiasedSonyFan Which is the same issue they had since the Wii.
Games get more expansive, devs cant afford multiple versions, and thus, the system with insufficient hardware specs is the odd one out.
@HerroThar That would be the 'point' of the base station though would it not? To allow you to play your portable games on the TV and to (potentially - as has been rumoured by some) to scale them further for improved visuals and performance.
This sounds cool and all but how would this work with local multi-player is my biggest hangup. As a dad of 2 young boys local mp is essential. Would I have to buy 2 of these things? Would there be a separate "player 2" controller that doesn't have the screen like the wii u? Ugh just want some real info already!
"the screen is bookended by two controller sections on either side, which can be attached or detached as required"
that's the part i really dont understand. just cant imagine that in my head and i dont see what use this has :/
Battery life is my main concern, apart from the obvious no stereoscopic 3D and lack of backwards compatibility with 3DS.
Oddly enough, assuming an ARM architecture is used, 3DS emulation should be more than possible if the specs are in line with the Wii U.
@redd214 Keyword: "Detachable Controlles". So there is a high chance of the system having either multiple controller ports or is able to bluetooth pair controllers.
if it's a portable I'll actually get it pretty quick as I'm partial to portable games over home console ones.
that being said, I dont think it's a great idea to be behind or under-powered graphically as it'll make 3rd Party ports a hassle (see the entire 3rd party support of the WiiU after it's launch year)
@BensonUii Every thread needs more rjejr, rjejr just needs to learn to type faster. Oh great, now you've got me referring to myself in 3rd person, a true sign of madness.
So, um, that's 3 posts and I still haven't actually addressed the topic, maybe after breakfast.
So this replaces my 3ds?!?! Otherwise I have to carry two consoles around?!? I want my streetpass !!! This doesn't sound right at all - the Gita was essentially a handheld PS3 and that failed... two handhelds doesn't work
This might be great, as long as the "base station" supplements the power to PS4 specs... and as long as 64GB cartridges are an option for devs.
If I can play Mario Kart/Smash/Mario Maker/FIFA/Madden/etc. off-TV and on-the-go... 720p for handheld and true 1080p on the TV is fine.
No. Where is the new way to play in this?
@6ch6ris6 Look up a "Wonderswan Color". Probably kinda ike that.
That system was designed to be held both and vertical and portrait. Id picture the NX in the same way, just with detachable sides (and two sets of controls on either side)
@Dr_Corndog game worthy PCs were affordable since near the end of the 90s. And yet we got 3 gens of consoles.
Still, for the price of new PS4, you won't build PC more powerful than the console, but could end up with something slightly weaker.
Selling point of consoles were always games.
@rjejr
All the reasons I've naysayed this possibility are the reasons I worry now. If this is true all the hope about performance on par with XB1 and PS4 is gone as is all the hope for some parity with big 3rd party console releases.
Unless the magical power-boosting base station can cheaply insta-blast the GPU power.
I guess we'll see. I always thought the portable should come first and then the console should work with it. Maybe there is still a console on the way in this scenario.
So, then my mind goes to games like that new Sonic. Really going to work on Wii U level performance? SEGA's plan is to do a port like that and not just hit the higher end target? Feels off to me.
So, let me get this straight... I could potentially play Breath of the Wild outdoors?
Sign me up!
@kobashi100 @Henmii Nintendo has said several times that the Nx won't replace either the Wii U, or the 3DS, but will become a new pillar. Also, nintendo usually starts each generation with a portable with a console soon to come.
Another big question now is: Backwards Compatibility.
Home consoles are out of the question, at least physical discs. This would, however, explain why Nintendo was so eager to drive people to mobile gaming (and kicks owners of physical games right in the face).
Also, DS / 3DS support. Does it replace the system or do they coexist ?
@bluedogrulez about cartridge you are completly WRONG!
actually nowadays cartridges are finnest technology look from latest sandisk/kingstone micro sd card, they have better data velocity than disc, they are near indestrucible , no need anymore to blow them anymore, contact scheme have been drasticly improved.
somone is talking about here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOglgyZpJms
@STAGGLY 3DS is due for replacement isn't it? Over due, I'd say.
@FragRed I doubt it will matter if their overall strategy pays off.
People say again and again that Nintendo cannot support a console by themselves, but they don't realize that, until now, they haven't had to support one console, they've had to support two.
Take a look at Nintendo's first-party output for the 3DS. Lots of original titles and some ports. Some rushed, a few of AAA quality. The same thing on Wii U, only in smaller numbers. Put all those games together under one single device, add a couple of exclusivity deals and yes, third-party support (when has a Nintendo portable lacked that?), and you have one hell of a catalog.
Nintendo is not winning Western support back outside of indie titles. They have no interest in making a "traditional" home console or competing head-to-head with Sony and Microsoft, that much is clear by now. I'd rather see them try to grab the whole portable market by storm while focusing on Japanese devs. Monster Hunter alone will be huge on this thing.
@aaronsullivan B..b..but the NEW 3DS D:
@rjejr
After breakfast? You mean after the nursing home assistant takes the IV out of your arm.
@6ch6ris6 Google Wikipad. There are also pics of tablets with 2 attachements. The original Game pad was a screen with a Wiimote on each side. Is @Kirk in here, I still think his magnet attachment is the way to go, 1 piece, not 2, but maybe Nintendo found it too sexual?
Anyway, 1 piece or 2, think of the 3DS as just a screen, better yet the 2DS without buttons, and the attachment(s) is the Circle Pad Pro.
tldr Google it
@amiiboacid Kimishima said it "won't simply replace" Wii U or 3DS. This is more complicated than "simply" replacing one or the other. It replaces both. It's not just a console. It's not just a portable. Fits what he says well enough.
@Marce2240 He's right, we only define handhelds and consoles as a way to determine the difference. Deep down, they are both gaming devices. Nintendo has had to deal with two markets. By making them one, they are in for a winner
@Folkloner Yeah, I guess. I'm probably just a little disappointed that's it for the whole hybrid idea. It's definitely neat, and the power of the NX seems very fit for the handheld part. But a concern on my part if that's true is just the lack of any real 'hybridity', that is, any real handheld + home system. It's a TV connector for a (decently powered) handheld system - a standalone GameBoy Player for the current gen, if you will. Hopefully, the rumors of the base station having additional power will prove to be true. I'll try not to worry too much, though, as these things are uncomfirmed.
Keep the 3d, please. That stuff is legend.
@NintendoFan4Lyf
Just Dance will work great with the removable controllers that likely have the accelerometer/gyro in at least one side. Plus, it sounds like the base is a simple thing you leave by your TV. No extra peripherals needed. Works fine.
Go ahead and keep trying to find reasons to be skeptical, because i'm not loving the implications, myself.
@amiiboacid yeah I have said it will be a portable from day 1 as that's Nintendo does.
I don't think we will see a home console soon after though. Think Nintendo are gonna stay out of the home console market for a while.
Have they not learned anything from the backlash of the XBONE and PS4 not having backwards compatibility?!?
@Einherjar Heh, yes. It was always another DSi, of course. Just a life extension. It would have 2 and a half years of extension by the time March roles around. Not too shabby.
@Dave24 absolutely there are a lot of things here that don't fit with what Nintendo have said about nx.
@JWesCampbell Yeah, the PS4 is dominating and setting records. They learned well if this is true.
@NintendoFan4Lyf do you really think Eurogamer would have run this story with no credible sources.
Not a chance, i have no doubt that it is true.
@Grandpa_Pixel Exactly. They're basically going after the 3DS audience on full with this, only with their console games as extra ammo.
@Marce2240 All very logical and I agree with all of it, but I still wants me powerful console.
@NintendoFan4Lyf From what ive gathered, they are the units main ( and only) controls. Not including them would be....ironic.
@aaronsullivan That's the great thing. You can buy a PlayStation device with the money you're saving out of the Wii U's successor
I don't like the sound of controllers that 'snap' off. How is it a portable if you have to plug a controller in? Is it like a tablet? I really hope not.
I'm obviously not quite understanding this.
And if this is going for the 3DS crowd, I think it fails. A 'replacement' to the 3DS that doesn't flip closed, and one for which you have to CLIP your controller on, doesn't sound good!
Eugh, I'm not sure about this...
If this is true (and cheap), it will be a winning idea. Handheld is Nintendo turf, and they can count on:
>at least 3 decades of Nintendo dominance in the sector, with the huge library that comes with. If all the people that have been developing for DS/3DS jump on NX, it will be huge
>their own franchises, not divided anymore. People this is huge, because all NX game will be on NX. This means Mario, Pokemon and Zelda all on the same hardware, plus Animal Crossing, Metroid, Fire Emblem..
>they place themselves as a niche and not in competition with Sony/Microsoft
The Eurogamer original article says "Sources say" in the beginning then all the rest is like "the NX does this or that" with no source at all.
Smells like clickbait
@aaronsullivan Well for one, as much as I might like to gloat if this comes true, I'm not sure I believe it. You need a base station for multiplayer. Yes, the Tesseract has to plug into it to play on tv, but you still need one. (Just realized I like "base station" b/c it sounds like space station and Tesseract makes me think GotG.) Base station will be sold seperately, and it will have horsepower built in. Handheld only needs to do 520p and stereo, tv needs 720p and 5.1 surround. Would Nintendo be insane enough to make a $100 base that didn't play games, just upres the $200 tablet onto a TV and allow for TV multiplayer? Who would buy it?
But there is no AAA 3rd party support coming. There has never been any home console game 3rd party support coming. 3DS gets enough though. Remember that DQ on PS4, X1, 3DS and NX announement? NX was always getting the 3DS version.
Ok, it's after 10, I really need to go have breakfast, and get off my tablet onto my PC, can't keep up like this, and you seem like you need help defending my madness. You ever read Shade the Changing Man? Highly recommend.
@Dave24 All this could be true with a focus on making it do both portable and console and that's new in the dedicated gaming segment. I don't think Shield counts in Nintendo's mind. It's not like it has had any impact. Even so, this isn't all the information. There are still other components we don't know of that could also qualify as "new". This is the company that calls the New 3DS new remember.
@Vegaphil Please list all the things that don't line up because I want you to be right, but so far this falls nicely in line with most things officially stated by Nintendo (which isn't much.)
@rjejr wikipad okay...wtf
so if you detach the left and the right side you have two incomplete controllers and a loose screen. i dont get it. wtf am i gonna do with a controller that only has either one analog stick + d-pad + 2 shoulder buttons or one analog stick + 4 facebuttons + 2 shoulder buttons????
@6ch6ris6 Stick them together ?
@6ch6ris6 So... a wiimote and a nunchuk?
I wonder if they will potentially fade out the 3DS and this will be the only thing they run with in the future. It makes sense as to why they merged their console and handheld divisions now. This could lead to more game releases, being that both handheld and console teams would be developing for the same systems instead of having to make 2 copies of one game.
@NintendoFan4Lyf Not even "multiple sources" simply "a number of sources"... zero is a number
It wouldn't bother me if they go with cartridges faster loading times and easy to take care of. Looking forward to the September reveal before it judge the NX.
What is also kind of weird is Nvidia, because they flat out said the don't give a single solitary crap about console market, because it's not worth it for them.
Also, if rumour is true, NX would compete with their very own Shield.
It's weird to say the least.
Sorry Ninty, you should have competed with mobile about a year or two ago. This will end badly.
processor going to be less powered? that doesn't sound good... that's one of the reasons why the Wii U didn't sell well!
@MrGuinea Their output is largely redundant, especially when it comes to Mario spin-offs. Two Mario Kart games? Two tennis games? Three Mario Parties? Not to mention Yoshi titles, Kirby's, both versions of Smash and other titles that arguably should have been on Wii U too, like Kid Icarus or Federation Force. They're aware of this, and such a device would be the best way to solve that situation.
Just so you guys know: the tegra x1 beats the wii u, and is closer to the ps4 in terms of power than the Wii U.
Check this tech demo comparison right here:
https://youtu.be/w7ZHu3wHecM
@Einherjar why? what is the point of detachable half controllers if i need to put them together to control most modern games anyway??
@Einherjar you are only seeing the home aspect of this device. It may be low powered for home but it will be a very high powered portable.
@Marce2240 That's precisely it. Also explains why Nintendo merged their home and handheld development sectiond a while ago.
I for one think Nintendo should absolutely focus on one machine instead of two, and this is perfect for that. Count me as very hyped (if still a bit apprehensive about specs).
I actually thought a dedicated handheld was a bad idea given the market but if Nintendo makes a singular system third party support won't necessarily matter as much because they now can make games for just one system instead of two. Clearly they couldn't support both the 3ds and the Wii U last gen and now they will just have the one console. Animal Crossing, Mario, Kid Icarus (hopefully), Zelda, and more all on one system. It's actually a pretty good idea.
@123akis look at it as a high powered portable.
PLEASE!!!!
@Marce2240 And it would work. Smash, Fire Emblem, Splatoon, Pokémon, Zelda, Mario, etc. All on one device!
@whanvee let's say they can only do as well as the wiiu and 3ds combined. This should be very possible do to low seeking wiiu.
That is about 70 million units.
@mikegamer
Imagine Animal Crossing NX with nearly 32 GB size...
Wow...!
@Dave24 It's not competition with the shield it is a way to make way more money on the mostly failed project. The shield isn't really a blip on the radar of gaming, but selling chips for a potentially massive amount of Nintendo devices could be a great gig.
Also, Nvidia may not like the "console" market but that's not really what this is right? I mean, like you said, they make the Shield. It's a portable market.
@6ch6ris6 Honest question, do you really not get this or are you trolling for fun? "most modern games" do not use any controllers, most modern games are made for touchscreens, Pokémon Go is like the biggest game ever, except for maybe tetris, which I'm sure would work fine on a touch screen. NX is a tablet at heart, the controller parts are for gamers who can't except touchscreens yet and willet probably just leave them on all the time, base station may work with them on but you will probably use them as controllers while the tablet is in the base.
@Marce2240 The sheer brevity and simplicity of your Wiimote and Nunchuck reply along with its quickness earns it my post of the Day award. Well done sir.
@aaronsullivan but is there a demand for something like that? Shield showed that it's not big.
I guess only thing that could make it worth it for Nintendo is that they could support both portable and home console at the same time.
@6ch6ris6 Are you trying to argue there's no way to make it work? You can't have two separate devices used as controls in any configuration imaginable? It's not a big stretch or anything. Seems like a fun problem to solve in any variety of ways.
@aaronsullivan well, NX looks like would be both. But still their change of heart is little weird.
@Dave24 There is demand for portable Nintendo devices that's for sure. The boost in performance and ability to hook to TV for multiplayer is at worst yummy gravy on top.
Hmm, still rumors since it's not from Nintendo themselves. An interesting rumor nonetheless. But as I commented before, "The NX will have a lot to do with mobile gaming." It's very obvious (positively speaking), and I'm ok with that. After Nintendo's official confirmation soon, I'll be looking forward to buying it. I don't play mobile games on a phone or any other device, but if Nintendo has made a console/device that is appealing, with great support for variety reasons, then I'm all for it.
Sounds very complicated! But not in a bad way.
@Dave24 look at how many wiiu,s and 3ds sold combined. I'm pretty sure they will do better than the shield.
@Grandpa_Pixel The second coming of the GBA and DS!
@rjejr Why thank you. I just thought it funny that a Nintendo fan of all people would ask such a thing.
@Marce2240 It could be something huge!
My only red flag is Nvidia, given their...ahem....response to gaming on specialist machines designed for that one and only purpose, and their lovely slogan of "The Way its meant to be Played", which just reeeeeeks some good PC Mustard Race.
It's important to note that the article posits that the Tegra X1 is what Nintendo has given out in dev kits and will probably go with. That is less powerful than a Wii U. LESS powerful than the Wii U.
My hope is that their single source that says it will be a new iteration of the Tegra is speaking from some authority because all those ports of Wii U games mentioned in earlier rumors like Splatoon, Mario Kart, and Pikmin 4 could genuinely be downgrades to make it work on the NX.
That's a shift I don't want to get my head around.
@6ch6ris6 This is where the TV setup comes into play. You detach it when the main system is plugged into the docking station.
At least in terms of the NX, not sure about the use on that other pad thing though.
@faint Sure, but that also means that Nintendo is pretty much exiting the console market entirely with this thing.
Most major releases on consoles will probably not be downscaled to this system, thus creating the often mentioned "lack in 3rd party support" all over again.
All in all, the "TV mode" is more a gimmick than anything else, since it simply doesnt hold a candle to current and future (announced) home consoles.
It is "just" a handheld with a TV out (or a combination of Vita and PSTV for that matter).
Its just an entire market that is breaking away, leaving them with a "not quite so powerful" handheld and the same issues as before: Lack of support from everyone but themselves.
The only good thing is, that they dont have to split their workforce anymore.
I think people should stop fussing over specs so much. For a handheld its perfectly fine. Also I can easily see the base station containing its own processor which allows the handheld to benefit from increased power and resolution which falls in line with the rumor and patents of a supplemental computing device
A lot to take in here and to process (if it ends up being mostly true). It is smart to "merge" platforms. As we all know, Nintendo has done a terrible job trying to sustain games for a portable and home console.
We can hope for the newest chips, but I'd say, more likely than not, it will be the older chips. We all know how Nintendo thinks in this regard. But no matter what happens, if they go this route, it needs to be affordable. They need to avoid the mistake of the Wii U and 3DS launch prices.
The biggest question though, is how easy will it be for third parties?
They can't abandon their handheld domination, and they can't keep supporting two consoles. So this is pretty much their only option. Other than complete ruin, that is.
@aaronsullivan Am i the only one smelling smartphone app store in here ?
@Einherjar You are right, except don't forget the third parties supporting 3DS as they would likely go along for the ride. Capcom being a big one with Monster Hunter, for instance.
I'm hoping for a minor miracle in the performance department if this is mostly true. Maybe when you dock in the base station the fans and active cooling kick on and the procs inside are free to run much faster. I don't know. I did say minor miracle.
@aaronsullivan well I guess it would mainly be when they said this is a new way to play and that they worried about other companies stealing their idea. This is not a new way to play as it is simply a handheld that can connect to a tv, which has been done before. This does nothing special or new so does not have any value to their competitors. I can see nothing in this rumour that fits with those two statements.
I would be totally amazed if there's no backwards compatibility. I really hope that part isn't true.
As long as this actually has some bit of power and decent storage, I'll be happy. (Also, since this seems to mainly be a handheld, it seems likely that Pokemon Gen 8 will be on the NX in a few years!)
@Wolfgabe I hope you'e right about the extra processor in the base station. However, if it doesn't, we're left with a pretty good handheld with a built in home console emulator. How will that improve Nintendo's home console situation?
@Wolfgabe Only, once you add new chips for processing and GPU in the base station... it's now an expensive console.
No idea if this will turn out to be true but I have suspected for a long time that the NX will be primarily a handheld. I love handheld gaming so can't say I would be displeased, especially if it is powered by Tegra. For a handheld device that is amazing, but it would be unimpressive to have another TV console around Wii U levels of power.
I believe that Nintendo's problem this gen - more than their struggles supporting two systems at once - is that the 3DS has effectively cannibalised the Wii U. Nintendo has many millions of fans but for most they surely got their "Nintendo fix" from the cheaper 3DS with its vastly superior library. 60 million 3DS sales did not translate into Wii U sales. The NX being a single device solves this split market problem, and by focusing on a handheld will enable it to both play to Nintendo's strengths and be as cheap as possible. Unfortunately it would mean no real prospect of receiving multiplats alongside the PS4 or Xbox One, but I suspect for many people Nintendo consoles have long been "second consoles".
@NintendoFan4Lyf Well, if it's before the Shield sort of bombed I can see additional factors making them change their mind (no I didn't look at the article this comment section is going to fast for this old man).
Just think you spend millions on research and development into a brand new category of product and marketing and it all goes nowhere. Then, Nintendo comes along and says they can help you get a return on your investment.
@aaronsullivan Sure, 3DS support has been quite stellar overall.
But you also have to keep in mind: It IS more powerful than a 3DS, thus increasing development costs for it.
Will support still be this strong if devs cant produce "SD Games" for it ?
Thats the question i have. Was support so strong because devs just love handhelds or was it so strong because making games for it was cheap and easy ?
So basically, it would be a suped up Vita (very suped up if it approaches PS4 power) that can connect to and play on the TV. Not really a new home console, but playable as a home console. Based on past Nintendo patents, it could also feature a power booster for home use (remember that patent for attachable processing boosters?). If done well, this could offer an amazing experience. You could be playing a game on the portable, go to the main TV, push a button, and seamlessly be on the big screen. This could also extend to apps like Netflix, or a music app. Regardless, this would mean Breath of the Wild on the road.
@aaronsullivan It wouldnt be much of a problem if you can buy the base station either separately or in a bundle
@faint look how many bikes and motorbikes sold combined. Now look at minibikes and the sales for it are not even half of the combined sales.
Combined market doesn't mean the sales will be the same.
@Dave24 Well, think of it like this: the nVidia Shield is Ingress, while the NX could be Pokemon Go.
This is most likely true given all the rumors and what we know and if it is it is genius. Now Nintendo would both not be competing in the console market while at the same time having a device capability neither of the other systems do.
I would buy all my games on the NX if it means I just pick it up and take all my games with me when I go.
I'd be both surprised and disappointed if this was NOT the case. With all the arguments about gaming consoles and handhelds becoming obsolete to PCs and mobile phones, to me having one that is both is the best way to go where neither of the options can.
@ricklongo if they will handle it like U, it will be Gizmondo.
So Nintendo are making a fisher price toy?
@aaronsullivan I'm not sure - I actually like the 3D and streetpass which will almost certainly not carry over and if it's not backwards compatible....? What of all the massive titles still coming out soon? And what's the upgrade? Just making it into a vita? The NX is supposed to call casual gamers back with whatever gimmick/innovation it has - this split console/handheld will not do that so hopefully it's still just rumours...
@Dave24 this is apples and oranges. We are talking about dedicated Nintendo consoles. People will buy them to play Pokemon, Mario, ect. Now they will only need one console to play them all. If this info is true it will fly off shelves.
@Wolfgabe Yeah, but... then it's a console. Why not put a cartridge slot on it and make it its own thing. I mean I get that there is a middle ground I'm not trying to be obtuse. I just think it only pays off if the base station is part of the package from the start. That's what makes this idea stand out.
I'd previously imagined a console that integrates well with the portable and maybe even relies on it as a controller all boxed together, but the cost is just too high.
If the base station is $200 to cover the powerful chips and does nothing on its own. :/ I feel like we have Wii U numbers again.
I think the base station becomes a way to bring multiple NX devices together and as stated in the original article it means two people can play on one game for local multiplayer. That's a tangible benefit over, say, a 3DS.
I want a powerful console and was getting my hopes up for it, but this may be a much smarter business strategy for Nintendo.
I hope these rumors are true because this is the direction that Nintendo needs to go in. Portables are their strength so making NX portable is a must. If they tried to release another console that can only be played at home it would struggle. Making a portable that can also be played on a TV means that Nintendo fans can have the best of both worlds.
I am a bit concerned with the whole "detachable" controllers thing though. Supposedly that would allow the main unit to be plugged into the base while the controller part is used to play the game on the TV. However, it sounds complicated and possibly prone to breaking if it is attached and detached often. Hopefully there will be an option buy separate controllers to use with the base.
I am looking forward to seeing what the NX actually is.
@Einherjar if it sells they will put games on it. Take Two for example put 33 games on the Wii a tecnicaly inferior console.
@DarthNocturnal I've been comparing NX to Shield for about a week now, thinking it was basically the shield "platform" w/ Nintendo written on all the pieces, base, controller, tablet. I've been hung up on Ninteod saying "platform" in their financial report.
Considering that sonic 2017 has just been confirmed for NX and has been very much shown as a next gen game I feel like a console only just better than a ps3 is unlikely, unless they are getting dimps to make a separate version again...please no.
@STAGGLY
As far as casuals: I think the 3DS crowd will actually eat this up and if you can easily plug it into a TV and have essentially two Wii remotes for playing competitive games (remember Wii Sports and Tennis?) you can get that crowd with this device. In the meantime, it will also have Monster Hunter and probably the Nintendo mobile games?
@aaronsullivan the fact that it will take carts will actually make the machine cheaper to produce. Less moving parts.
I think as long as people realize that this is a handheld, and not primarily a home console, the power won't be an issue. I'm happy because Pokemon and Mon Hun will finally be in HD and also playable on a TV
@faint You heard all the circle arguments with the WiiU:
"It doesn't sell, we wont put games on it - It has no games, it wont sell" ad infinitum.
@chesse118 If the Integra X1 part is true, as pointed out by @aaronsullivan then yes, you can expect an "NX version" instead of a straight port.
This is exactly what I wanted. A powerful handheld that connects to the tv.
If this is the successor to 3DS then I'm fine with it. However, if this also replaces the Wii U then I have a problem with it.
@aaronsullivan throw an all new Monster Hunter on this thing at launch and see the NX sell 4 million Japanese units out the gate.
If it IS Tegra X2 and IF the X2 can meet PS4 performance then slapping CoD/Battlefield on it will help it shift units in the west. (people was so desperate for portable CoD they bought the poor DS games and the APPAULING Vita titles)
Hmm...
I don't know what to say. I mean so many thoughts in my head.
The wait is getting more and more tedious. Can Nintendo just stop being so secretive?
@aaronsullivan @Grandpa_Pixel The amiibo question is a bit trickier than that though. If the tablet is the handheld, you can use amiibo on that, but if the tablet has to be plugged into the base station to play on TV then you no longer have the NFC in the tablet. But if you put the NFC reader in the 2 side attachments (OK maybe 1 big U isn't the way to go) then people using it as just a tablet won't have NFC. So how many NFC readers will this thing have? Maybe the base station comes w/ a controller that has it, tablet in the tablet? That could work.
If the tablet needs to be IN the dock to play on TV, not wireless or wired, that does rule out dual screen play. Unless they sell separate Gamepad controllers? @JaxonH wanted a small screen in a standard size controller, like PS4 but a screen, not touchpad. I really need to reply less, think this thru more.
@NintendoFan4Lyf
It's not impossible to have "extra power" in a base station, but once you start having an extra expensive booster, it just feels like most people wouldn't go for it.
If this is all true and the performance is about Wii U level or lower, (Man, I hope the small possibility of a next-generation Tegra chip becomes a reality) AND the sales of this are huge, I think it's more likely we'd see an actual home console that is entirely 100% compatible with all of this portable NX games. A console with an instant library in other words. Then the console can be the big performer at the same time building off the back of this thing. And of course you could use them as extra controllers and maybe even screens, I don't know. Two years out, to compete with the next upgrades of XB and PS
As my username suggests, all the NX needs to be for me to be satisfied is a portable unit or component. I saw this comment over on Eurogamer and I think this sums up the situation Nintendo finds themselves in.
"I expect this is Nintendo hunkering down around their proven ~50 million portable loyalists in the medium term, rather than betting on being able to expand on the 12 million or so home console loyalists and compete against two home systems that are deeply entrenched. I've asked the question before: why would Nintendo want to go head to head with a resurgent PlayStation?" -Mr.Spo
As some of the above people have said, and as the post I shared states, Nintendo's strength is handhelds. Every generation since the Gameboy, their handhelds have out sold their console counterpart. Some key examples; SNES 49.10 million to the Game Boy/Game Boy Color's 118.69 million (couldn't find the separate numbers and I didn't want to make anything up.) The Gamecube 21.74 million to the Game Boy Advance's 81.51 million, the GBA to 'Cube is a very similar scenario to 'U to 3DS. A handheld that didn't sell as well as it's predecessor (sorta...as I mentioned in the numbers above) and a console that for all intensive purposes was a failure. This path forward makes the most sense. Nintendo has proven that a dedicated handheld can not only survive, but thrive in this mobile driven world!! Sony is done, the Vita will be their last handheld (and what a great handheld, a damn shame they didn't care about it). Nintendo's only competitor, in theory, is mobile games. Despite that the 3DS hasn't tried to compete with mobile head on. Rather, carve their own niche and survive. If the NX is half of what this rumor suggests, then I think...we have a winner.
Still, we only have rumors and whisperings of what this unit is, and until the word comes from the horses mouth, I'll reserve judgement.
If this is true then I would expect Nintendo to offer different packages. The NX would be offered as a stand-alone for people who only want to play on the go (although the base could be purchased separately as well). I would expect that to be priced around $300 at launch. There would also be a combo package that included both the NX and the base for $400.
The NX would have all of the hardware required to play games. The base would only need to contain hardware for upscaling the image for HD TVs (hopefully with 4K support) and connecting to the internet. Thus it would not be too expensive.
Those of us who have primarily played on handhelds for the past few years need to be prepared for NX games to be more expensive. Depending on the game they could range from $50 to $60US.
@Einherjar the thing is it will sell. It will have the 3ds and wiiu crowd backing it. If it launches with a Mario and an animal crossing you have at least 5 mill right there. You won't have to go 3ds or wiiu anymore. It will pull from both.
The issue here for me is that this isn't Eurogamer getting a hold of one piece of information from multiple sources this seems to be them hoarding all the rumours and anything that got mentioned twice they slapped in an article.
I wonder if Rodgers will claim this, She claimed big NX news was coming via a big site IGN or Kotaku. If this is it she was reporting an report @_@
@faint That's all I wanted from the NX a single library to free up Nintendo's development teams and IP (no more two Mario Karts)
@faint Thats still a big "IF" there, especially if they keep neglecting demand like that (Looking at the Animal Crossing board game nonsense).
Also, price plays a big role, as most of the "3DS crowd" will probably not invest console prices (400+ bucks) for a replacement for their handheld, as it still holds up well enough.
Most of the WiiU crowd has been shunned away due to a crippling lack of support for the system and probably already invested in a competitor system.
It wont be that easy i fear.
@jimi they gave the difinitave version of bully, a very good version of manhunt two, a great tennis title built from the ground up ect. Everyone put shovel ware on the Wii. This doesn't mean the good games didn't happen.
I'm actually quite shocked at how most people seem to be happy about this
It being a powerful handheld would be great. I've wanted Nintendo to try this for a while now. If they get at minimum Wii U quality graphics on the go I'm sold.
@Einherjar I think it will be cheaper if it takes carts. Less moving internal parts. Amiibo festival was made only to launch the amiibo line. I will bet you a new animal crossing main line is in the works.
@aaronsullivan no one wants wiimotes anymore or motion control.... the 3ds crowd are not casuals .... each handheld has been backwards compatible - to change that would be a bad decision.
By now Nintendo knows that they cannot succeed with a dedicated home console. The Wii was a brief break from the otherwise steady decline of their home console business. With the Wii they had a revolutionary idea that captured the attention of the public. However, that fad ended quickly and Wii U was back to selling worse than the GameCube did. I seriously doubt that Nintendo will ever again produce a machine that can only be played at home attached to a TV (except for classic hardware re-releases like the mini NES). If a portable NX sold huge it won't only prove that portable systems are the way for them to go.
@aaronsullivan oops, sorry, hadn't read #38 when I posted #177, you already covered most of that. I do think a 2nd screen is still a small possibility though, but yeah base station needs HDMI, probably it's own WiFi - the new fast one, not the old slow one (I don't know the technical terms, but having just received a new router and tablet it's about 10x faster, my kids new PC doens't even need a wire it seems.) Several USB ports for external HDD. It's a Gamecube Gameboy Player, Nintendo wrote the book on portable docking stations years ago.
Still really makes me wonder though if they would build such a thing and not have it play games on it's own. $99 most. Do you think they'll bundle the entire package for $399 - base, tablet, controller attachments? Sell separate controllers, w/ or w/o 2nd screen. I like a tiny 2nd screen myself.
@BiasedSonyFan I am a traditional gamer and I will be buying one. Biased on your comment I've probably been gaming longer than you've been alive.
@RatKing64 I personally don't think this works if you split it out into those who want a console and those who want a handheld. I think it comes with the base station or it's missing the whole point of why it will be special. Nintendo needs to consolidate at this point and keep the marketing straightforward. If some people can play on the TV and others not...
I won't believe anything until Nintendo reveals the unit. It makes sense that it's a hybrid (since they merged those departments) but the rumor of it's processing power here seems questionable. If the NX can run Breath of the Wild and potentionally done Square titles (if those rumors are true) it's gotta have some adequate horsepower under the hood.
@rjejr I'm really thinking that it needs to be packed together in one package to be the most effective see #195
Remember, the main device will have the Wifi already and an a/v connector for the base. The base could be quite simple and cheap.
I'd like it to do more, but maybe the devices can communicate with each other just fine without any help from the base, right? Maybe the thing has a fan or a cheap little wii remote IR bar again. And probably any boost in power is a pipe-dream.
I'm thinking cheap and in every box.
@NintendoFan4Lyf
Yeah, I don't see a full-on console follow-up being advertised even to devs and I don't see it happening at all (even in 5 years) unless this (besides being true) is very, very successful. If the thing is selling like mad, devs and pubs will get on board anything.
What I read: "Nintendo wants to be different again for the sake of it, trying to combine handheld with home consoles despite the wii u trying the same and resulting in the lowest selling console in their history"
I don't have much hope for this.
Sounds good to me, I've got a ps4 and I'd love a dedicated high end portable as half my gaming is that way.
@Operative
You are looking at it from the console angle. The least successful part of Nintendo right now. Look at it from the 3DS fan angle and it looks much better.
@aaronsullivan Project Sonic was my first thought. Sega obviously has a dev kit and have announced the game for NX. The system is not going to be underpowered.
There are plot holes within this thing. Since the NX sounds to be barely more powerful or the same level of power on the Wii Us level then how will BOTW look better on that system. What about the next Sonic game coming for both current gen and NX.
@Einherjar is doing exactly what the dis did. It's a bridge system.
@BrizzoUK Bingo! And the probability that you aren't alone in that thinking is why I think Nintendo would be right to do this even if it's not quite what I want.
@jimi @Einherjar is doing exactly what the dis did. It's a bridge system. If all console versions recover to sing thecan we really say censored?
meh. This isn't what I wanted to hear. I don't care about portable gaming and would rather have a more powerful home console.
@Thatguywhoeats The quote from Nintendo says the visuals will be "different". I hope for better, but it's looking like "portable."
@Thatguywhoeats Simple, BotW will look identical or slightly worse than the Wii U version but can be played anywhere. As for Sonic 2017, think Sonic Generations PS3/360/PC vs. 3DS.
@aaronsullivan Yeah, tbh I'd love both, a high end Nintendo would be amazing, but for getting my game time a top handheld would be awesome. I'm imagining BOTW fully playable on the go and that sounds awesome!
@Thatguywhoeats I'm with you on Sonic. I'll just keep holding out hope that since it's the Tegra chip the programming for it will be easier and maybe, just maybe, it's a newer Tegra chip that comes closer to PS4 than Wii U. If Nintendo could pull that off it could maybe win over some of the console people.
I'll buy one regardless but I'd be much happier with a big step up in visuals.
Very disappointed if all this turns out to be true...
What I really want from NX is 3rd party support which seems rather improbable judging from these rumours.
I'm "proud" owner of a 3DS (huge and great library), but I'll always favour home consoles. However, I really can't afford 2 home consoles and despite that in the last 2 generations I sticked with Nintendo. Regarding the Wii, things weren't bad, I always found something to play. However with the Wii U... The only games I've bought (except for indies and remakes) are Bayonetta, Smash and Xenoblade (really enjoyed only the latter) and hopefully I'll enjoy BotW in the future.
So unfortunately if these rumours prove to be true, I'll be migrating to Sony...
@aaronsullivan "Hard to get excited about this. It means Zelda will perform about the same. Another 5 years of the same level of performance."
You're so funny. (Sorry, still on Post #38). You keep saying how Ntinedo isn't going backwards to cartridges, 3DS has been using cartridges all along, yet you compare the hardware to the home console. This isn't the same power for the next 5 years, it's a vast improvement in power over the 3DS, probably even over the Vita.
Ha ha, your post #203 just said EXACTLY that to somebody else.
They are moving forward, they're just getting out of the home console market. And the handheld market. They are entering the Android, Apple, Nvidia hybrid market, and in that market they'll have the most powerful hardware. And the Nintendo name recognition and IP. They lost the Wii U Gmaepad tablet battle to Apple and it's iPad b/c they were also going after Sony and MS, now they are only going after Apple and Google and Nvidia. It's like a pro sports team joining the college ranks. Or something.
#195 and #199 All-in-one makes the most sense I suppose, but at what price? And at what loss of power? I guess this could be like the Wii again, 1 generation behind in power, but with a tablet for the Wii, could even still have that same gray stand, and a Wiimote and nunchuck, then sell other Wiimotes and nunchuclks separately. Problem is, 50mil 3DS and 12mil Wii U makes me think most people would rather have a portable than a home, will they spend the extra money to get the base they'll never use? Maybe Ntinedo sells both at launch, like Wii U 8 and 16, NX Home and NX Away, for people who just want a handheld? hmm
Right now I am feeling lots of concern. First of all, I want Nintendo to go back to playing with power. This sounds more like a focus on portability than power right now. And if it's a portable first, then I am tremendously concerned about how practical it will be. It has two whole controllers on the sides of a screen. Is this thing as big as a wii u game pad? Will millions of people carry it around if it doesn't fit in their pocket?
@rjejr
On the power. The article mentions that the X1 needs active cooling — fans! to get performance you see in some videos. To compensate for fanless play which Nintendo will almost undoubtedly aim for you are at less than Wii U levels.
Sonic going to PS4 and XB1 and NX makes me feel like maybe the idea that the X2 or whatever Tegra variation that is more modern could be a much better match as would be much cooler. That one could get much closer to PS4, XB1 levels. (but expensive, right?!)
If this thing achieves that, something that even just comes close to XB1 and PS4 and has the same architecture for shaders, etc. that makes ports easier, I think I'll be more than pleased with this idea. Would be very exciting. The Nintendo game library should be huge and interesting.
If we are talking X1/WiiU- performance, I'm just going to go along with it for the games and finally give in and buy a PS4 on the side, probably.
@BiasedSonyFan I'm not confident at all. I'm just hopeful that it's not as low as it seems it will be. Downgraded Wii U ports. Ouch.
I still think it could be massively successful the slow way and if Nintendo agrees that means even less of a chance that it would be more powerful.
I wonder how they will handle storage at home and on the go. If you have a 1 TB drive at home, would you transfer the data you want before heading out? Or would the data stream via WIFI access?
I like the big idea theory behind this, but just want more fine details.
"Nintendo has said several times that the Nx won't replace either the Wii U, or the 3DS, but will become a new pillar"
And you believe that? Nintendo always uses that excuse "but its a new pillar". Fact is when they release something new, something old won't be supported anymore. As you can see with the Wii u, support has almost dried up (almost no new games coming).
"What if the base station adds more power to the handheld NX which they can release a more powerful base station every 2-3 years that makes it on par or superior to the PS4?"
Well, I think there will only be one base permanently. But yeah, that base could greatly improve graphics in some way. Who knows!
If rumours are to be believed, it sounding like an ipad / gamevice set up.
@rjejr Yeah, you said it about the performance. I'm not bemoaning this approach or the potential device. I'm bemoaning the end of the line for Nintendo consoles. You know I'm not a big fan of the 3DS or any of the previous portables, either. After awhile I just feel like good games go to an uncomfortable place that I can't share in the traditional gathering manner. Fortunately, this solves that issue VERY nicely. Still no progress in the cutting edge performance department.
@Henmii Also, in support of what you are saying, Nintendo hasn't said the "3rd pillar" thing in a long time. Probably back when Iwata first mentioned it. Back then, this is about the only configuration that could make that a reasonable statement. Last thing said by Kimishima was something like "not a replacement" for Wii U or 3DS.
I can see why it's not a replacement for Wii U! Even with it dying out! As for replacing 3DS. I can see that too. The price will not be $200 bucks for instance.
If this is the real plan, I'd expect it to slowly replace 3DS quite easily and the PS4 will replace the Wii U in many homes or there just won't be a replacement for the Wii U for people at all.
@aaronsullivan "Also, Nintendo console gaming is dead to the world." #52
Man, you are posting a lot today, who do you think you are, me?
Consider the last half of reply #217 a reply to #52
Reply to #220 "power" - I do/did think NX needs to be PS4 power, or close enough, like X1. But then again, old 3DS got Hyrule Warriors Legends, so could NX get a version of Sonic like that? Vita got some AAA games like Uncharted, so I've read, and NX will be more powerful than Vita - there's no argument there is there? - so watered down versions all around? Zelda, Sonic, Spaltoon etc? I'm sure NX will be more powerful than New 3DS at the very least, I don't think the tech is out there to make it less powerful even if they wanted to.
If any of this turns out to be true - I'm sure some of it will - I think my biggest question right now wold be on the power of the base. Tablet or handheld doesn't really matter, it's a handheld that outputs to tv, less than PS4 but maybe close enough. But is the base simply an included cheap powered HDMI base, or is it a $99 "supplemental computing device"? Props to @Moon for remembering.
@BiasedSonyFan But — can I have it please?
In all seriousness, there is a bit of a middle ground in that the 3DS will fill a lower cost area there. If you are going to spend too much money on the GPU for a portable you do it on one that also has to display on a TV as a main selling point. That's what I'm telling my sad self right now anyway. haha.
All of these bullet points seem possible to me .
This rumor makes a lot of sense given what we already knew. Personally, I like the idea. It capitalizes on the space where Nintendo has always excelled (handhelds), and will allow Nintendo to bring over it's large stable of third party developers from that space (3DS/DS always received tons of third party support).
I just think of handheld HD Monster Hunter on the go, then plugging the same game into my TV when I have the time at home. Then I realize I love this concept, if it's properly implemented. I am, however, concerned about battery life.
For my part, I have come around to the handheld approach to game design. The ability to play and get something done in small bursts if huge for me as a grown-up with kids and a job and such. Thus, I have generally played my 3DS more than my Wii U, if only because I already have the game open and suspended on the console, and I can just jump right in where I last left off. Being able to carry that over to the bigger screen could be a game changer. This is basically the logical conclusion of the Wii U off-TV play concept.
I'm going to put down a marker and say most of these rumors are on the right track.
@rjejr I did change my opinions a bit as I read more, too. I've been dreading the portable possibility and as the press started feeling that it was going to be a powerhouse console on par with at least XB1 I enjoyed that ride — even when Sony and Microsoft started touting upgrades.
So, my first reaction was to feel that fall out from under me.
Now I'm clinging to the least substantiated rumor in a pile of rumors from that article. It's a bit sad really.
I'm just enthused by the existence of credible rumours. The system described sounds perfect for someone like me, who has interest in AAA movie-type games nor mobile phone games. Will it revolutionise like Wii? Who knows...
@earthboundlink Good point about battery life! Another reason for Nintendo to choose a more modern chip from Nvidia than the X1. Just feeding my tenuous hopes, here.
@jimi I think it was good not great. I actually used the term good I'm my earlier post. Just my opinion. You should never compare pc to console. They will always be different.
I was talking to a friend 3 days ago about how I do prefer handheld over home consoles now. Since the Snes days, home console was god to me and handheld was kind of meh (that said, I love tons of games from GBC, GBA and DS). That's it, until the 3DS come and change my perception, it was a blast, as a former student and now a psychologist I'm most of the time out of my home so gaming on the go was perfect.
And now this news, if turns out to be true (specially with potency close to PS4) it'll be perfect to me, and huge in Japan!
@BiasedSonyFan I persons think this year and half of next will be a big blow out for the 3ds. After that we may get some unlocalized stuff and I think the new 3ds will still get vc and some indie support
I hope this isn't true.
Yeah, I can't see this thing being the big savior for Nintendo if it's below Xbox One/PS4 levels, it's not going to function well as a console or get good third party support that way. And looking at the mock up, the detachable controllers wouldn't even be complete controllers, you'd just have half a controller. I'm calling fake.
@redd214 "As a dad of 2 young boys local mp is essential."
Multiplayer has always been my biggest obstacle in trying to make this hybrid design work, and I've been trying for years since realzing Wii U was a failure and Ntinedo needed to get out of the home console market. I'm a father of 2 sons like you and we need couch multiplayer, that's most of what we do. Then I play Bayonetta after they go to bed.
Handheld mutliplayer is easy, everybody gets their own screen an d gaming machine, done. TV multiplayer everybody needs their own controller - easy enough, even Gamepad focused Wii U has the Pro and works w/ all the Wii controllers. But what handheld has the power to run 4 player split screen? Lego Dimensions has 4 player split screen, it was a big selling point for me, we picked it up on the Wii U weeks ago. How does a handheld power that? Connecting 3 other controllers to it should be easy enough over WiFi, bluetooth, whatever, for single screen SSB. But powering split screen? Seems a lot to ask for a handheld.
MP is the main reason I think this could be a false rumour, that NX needs a powerful base station, not just a dock. Everything else could be true, NX as a handheld, but it needs something to power 4 player split screen in Mario Kart. I just don't know how it works.
@BiasedSonyFan Well, if this NX scenario is true it will divide some will be too expensive for many and they'll live side by side like NES did next to SNES and DS did next to 3DS. If it takes off people will begin to lose interest in 3DS and it will just transition. Some people buy new hardware early, some late. Not sure what else there is to do.
@Bolt_Strike If it just sells like 3DS it will do way better than Wii U did. Also, I think it will work better as a "second console" for PS4/XB1 owners than Wii U ever did.
This is to be taken with a grain of salt, sure. But if the above or some semblance of it was correct, I'd be more than stoked for something like this. I don't care about Nintendo consoles at all. But I am a Nintendo handheld loyalist, so much to the point where I play handhelds like consoles. (I haven't played a console game in about a year, save for streaming Netflix and Hulu on my PS3.) The parity between playing a game while out 'n about and "jacking in" once you get to the house is a fantastic idea.
@rjejr @redd214 Don't miss the important point that the split controller design is to allow some games to be played with a half a controller each. It has couch multiplayer built in. So basically two NX devices would allow for 4-player games with no additional controllers.
If it has bluetooth then all previous Nintendo controllers could also potentially work with it.
@rjejr yeah man didnt even think beyond 2 players! If nintendo can manage to make a handheld, powered by a mobile chip, that can connect to my tv and handle 4 players in a Smash match, at worst running 720p I will literally buy day one just based on the technical wizardry!
I'll believe these rumors when Nintendo's eventual announcement confirms them and not before. Interesting how many comments on Eurogamer are voted down for not believing this as fact, including one just asking for Eurogamer's sources for this.
@ricklongo "Well, think of it like this: the nVidia Shield is Ingress, while the NX could be Pokemon Go. "
Oooh, nice.
I don't see why a handheld with close to Xbox One level power is a problem, especially when it'll hook up to your TV. You guys are looking at this the wrong way.
@redd214 Well I don't think SSB is really the problem as no matter the number of players, the system still needs to only render 1 screen. 3DS handled 4 player, Wii U handeled 8 player and this will be at least as strong as Wii U. OK, maybe almost nearly as strong as Wii U, I'm still catching up on the comments. But games like Mario Kart render 4 separate screens, that's a lot of rendering.
To put that renderng into perspective, about 4 or 5 years ago NTinedo kept telling us dual Gamepad Wii U games were coming, but then they finally admitted the Wii U wasn't powerful enough to run 2 GMapead screens and the tv. So if we do get MK NX, which we obviously will, I wouldn't be surprised if it could run 8 player on the handheld, b/c that is basically just "online", but only 2 player on the TV running off of a single NX.
So I think we will get 2 player split screen, but not 4 player split screen, but 4 player same screen could work.
@rjejr yeah I hear ya. Just wish Nintendo would put an end to this and just show us the thing and control the message because right now the rumors are spreading like wild fire and are doing more bad than good. Even an announcement the event itself would tide me over. I remember Sony announcing the ps4 reveal event like a month or so in advance.
@Einherjar "smartphone app store"
I was wondering that about a week ago, which app store. 3DS and Wii U already have an "app store" called the eShop. Apple has it' sown app store, Google has it sown app store, Amazon Fire has its own app store, Windows has its own app store. PS4 and X1 have their own stores.
So NX will have a digital store, at launch even, w/ apps in it - Netflix is a requirement for any electronic device - but what else? Candy Crush, Facebook, Twitter? What makes an "app store" an "app" store? It won't have GPS for Pokemon Go, but Miitomo seems likely. And Miiverse. It wont have HBO Go or Showtime Anytime, too adult.
It better have multitouch though if it's a tablet. Kids today will have nervous breakdowns with 1 touch touchscreens.
To those dreaming that NX(if it is indeed a handheld) can achieve PS4 level graphics, you must understand that though Tegra X1 or X2 can achieve high levels of visuals what limits it is heat, always HEAT, ever wonder why Xbox1 or PS4 is so large? Its because of heat. Ever tried to over clock a GPU or CPU? What limits your overclocking? Correct! Its heat. So unless the NX portable somehow has a revolutionary heat displacement system or a large enough case then no matter how great the GPU is then it cannot throttle itself to PS4 levels.
@rjejr @redd214
On the couch multiplayer thing. I had this thought. Probably larger families will end up with two of these NX devices right? Even if the kids share one, if it's good enough, a parent (or both) is going to want one too. Eventually.
Yeah, we could play one on a TV and the third could be on their own device, but:
4 players — two TVs?
(And extra controllers are an option, too, but I'm just thinking of new potential scenarios for local multiplayer)
Do these two detachable controllers have dual analogue sticks, analogue triggers, shoulder buttons, gyroscopics? That would already make the handheld MASSIVE and that's without the screen!
@redd214 "put an end to this"
Hallelujah brother!! It's been 15 months since the March DeNAannouncement, 13 months since E3 2015, enough silence already. Heck Just Dance and a couple of others have already been announced for a console we're still debating whether its a handheld, home or both. Just tell us. Please. Pretty please with sugar on top even.
I hope this rumor is true. I like the idea.
I think this will ultimately come down to the physical design of the system and cost.
@diwdiws You aren't wrong and it's why there is some logic behind the extra money for the newer chip besides raw power. Also, maybe the base station has active cooling that you wouldn't get when it's portable.
@GrailUK I do think that it will be bigger than a 3DS, myself. But gyros and accelerometers are dinky.
I hope this is true. I'm more of a handheld gamer (I love my GBC/GBA/DSi/3DS and Vita! Not a fan of the PSP...sorry Sony.) so I could be convinced to buy it day one.
I hope the part about a 32GB limit on their carts isn't true though. Games now are routinely bigger than that...COD: BLOP3 was something like 60GB.
@Dave24: Well, all I know is that from day 1 I've suspected the NX would be download only. Then when the patent designs showing no CD drive were circulated, everyone assumed they must be going back to carts, but I just saw this as some confirmation of my suspicions. We will see . . . and I'm sure I'll love it regardless.
@Allspice: Yes, that is EXACTLY the type of gripe we'd hear about carts. History would indeed repeat.
I'm pretty concerned about how this device will draw power. It's one thing on the go, but if it's also required to stream data to a hub for the TV - on top of processing everything else - then I sure as hell hope you can replace the battery pack easily. Either that, or having the option to plug the device into the 'hub' for power like a traditional controller.
I do not need a new portable system. Why would I need to connect it to TV?
@aaronsullivan "4 players — two TVs?"
Yeah, I read your earlier post back up there about the 2 NX. We own three 3DS and a Wii U. Do I need to buy 3 base stations to hook up to my 1 tv? Can't I just by 1 deluxe bundle and 2 NX handhelds or tablets? What am I going to do w/ 2 base stations?
Nintendo isn't insane enough to have them hook up like some sci-fi movie to create Skynet.
And playing 4 player couch mutliplayer, 2 in my basement, 2 upstairs, isn't 4 player couch multiplayer, it's online multiplayer, totally different, especially with a company that eschews voice chat.
So I don't need 3 base stations or online multiplayer, I need 1 base that can add the supplemental power for 4 player split screen.
You have your minor miracles, I have mine.
I love the core concept, but if it isn't even as powerful as the Wii U and uses Tegra X1, this thing isn't going to be long for the market I'm afraid.
I'm still hoping that the "near Xbox One levels of power" rumors are true...
Also, the article states that Nintendo "recommends" a 32GB cart. I would hope that there is the ability to use 64GB carts if devs desired.
@Ichiban The NES Mini is the Fisher Price toy. Well Jakks Pacific toy actually, but close enough. They put out a $60 toy first for the holiday, then put out the re-branded Nvidia Shield platform as the NX in the spring so the NX looks great in comparison to the NES Mini.
@aaronsullivan it may have, i just want some people here to realize that Tegra X2 does not really automatically equal PS4 graphics since you have to factor heat and energy allowances.
In my opinion regardless of what chip they use, it may only achieve up to a slightly stronger PS3 level. Like a suped up Vita.
This rumour sounds horrible to me unless the base unit can boost the console in some way. I'm sure they've got some cool stuff up their sleeves but if they try to market another low power console, they'll just suffer the same criticism.
@rjejr What i was referring to was more in the lines of "mobile apps". Since we're dealing with rumors here, and this thing is shaping up to be a shield tablet, lets say the rumors about a Android hybrid OS are also true.
This "awkward middle ground hardware" stuff sounds a lot like the mobile port store the Shield already has. You know, the "OMG you can get MG Rising for it !" ... just severely downscaled, capped at 30 frames yadda yadda.
The optimal outcome would be to seamlessly implement both 3DS and WiiU eshops on day one, with all bells and whistles attached (digital Wii / WiiU and 3DS support, all VC shenanigans etc) and build it up from there.
But yeah, when i say "app store" i usually refer to stuff like googles playstore and the respective software.
I actually prefer that the NX is a handheld (because the 3DS had outdated hardware at launch), but I wish Nintendo would make their IPs for home console multiplatform if they are just quitting the home console market.
A powerful handheld that has removable parts and can plug into a screen sounds potentially very expensive. Plus, I could see the removable controllers being flimsy send could come off too easily.
I'm not keen on what I'm hearing here, but I won't jump to conclusions until official information is released.
@Emperor-Palpsy
If this is all mostly true there is a 102% chance that the base station will also power and/or charge the NX device.
@faint
I just don't see the concept working well. Home console guys want sony/microsoft power and third parties which this device won't have.
The portable market is focused on kids gaming cheap supplements to phones/tablets. The 3DS failed alot at $250. Power doesn't matter as much for a portable, but if they go $250 plus this won't move well as a portable. Sure the 10 million hardcore Nintendo fans left will buy. But I don't see this expanding the market at all or hitting the sweet point where families buy multiple ones for their kids.
@DarkKirby and completely ruin the one-platform for proper Nintendo games advantage of this potential system? Nintendo finally gets to stop dividing its software teams and knowledge and you want them to develop for the competition.
@aaronsullivan My last thoughts on the base, then we're going to the pool. Its all about that base, bout that base bout that base.
Base will have a fan, and tell the CPU and GPU its ok to go all out plugged in, hold back on battery. Base could also store the storage. Everybody is talking about cartridges, nobody is talking about where do the digital downloads go? Maybe the base has a 500GB HDD for storage, and the handheld only has 64GB and we can only switch to want we want to play on the handheld but we can play all of them when the handheld is on the base? At the very least base must have USB ports for that just like the Wii U, but how much storage will the handheld have, or will it be BYO SD micro only?
NO!
Now I am sad ;;
I wanted a home console with portable capabilities not a handheld that plugs poopy wannabe-mobile-games to my 48" tv.
If this rumor is true then this will truly be the first Ninty console ever that I will not own.
poop... I had such high hopes ;;
Now me sad ;_;
@cleveland124 Aren't 3DS sales closer to 50 million? What's this 10 millio-- oh the Wii U sales. I'm not sure about your point now
@rjejr All good ideas and the storage is much more comfortably optional.
Oh no the song. You've done it. No treble...
@aaronsullivan
I'm seeing this from the perspective as a consumer that wants the best product possible available for the most people.
Nintendo is better off sticking to the portable games market, but it's also sad to see that we won't get any truly graphically impressive Nintendo games form now on.
@crimsontadpoles it will be expensive recent rumors even said, but it will be solid Nintendo hardware I'd bet. No worries there.
@DarkKirby indeed. I'm with you on the graphics thing. If the chip does end up being a surprise and getting a boost over Wii U even if not quite PS4/XB1 I'll be much happier about this possibility.
@Dave24 I didn't say that consoles suddenly ceased to exist, just that they have outlived their original purpose. There's really no good reason for most consoles to exist these days, other than exclusive titles, and that's a completely artificial reason.
@rjejr One of the major problems with Wii U was the confusing reveal. They need to make sure they have the proper marketing efforts in place to explain/sell before they show what it is, given that they have described it as a "new concept." I suspect this is the reason they have remained mum on the issue so far. I have the feeling that as we write here, NoA and NCL are having a contentious meeting about how to explain and sell whatever the concept is.
It's easy to sell people things they are already familiar with. E.g.: "This is a console that plays games. It has controllers with familiar buttons. It is the same as your favorite one, but now even more powerful! Plus it does X, Y, Z relatively minor additions, which your old one did not do!"
As opposed to: "This is something you have never seen before. It plays games, has buttons, etc., but they don't work like you're used to. Here is the use case for our new device. Here are some things we have thought of that would be neat to do with this new thing that you never considered before."
It's easy for a consumer to price the former, but not the latter. Price for a "same, more powerful console" = price of old console + premium for more power - lowering costs of technology. You assess whether that price is worthwhile for the expected improvements you would receive to a familiar experience.
The price for the new concept is hard for a consumer. It's not more powerful, but it is new, so the whole assessment of price is tied into the value of the potential new experiences or new use cases it provides. It is hard to assess the value of something new, since by definition, you are unfamiliar with it.
That's why marketing has to be so careful to show the consumer what the new experiences/use cases are, and how valuable they will be. That is where Nintendo absolutely nailed it with the Wii, and completely dropped the ball on the Wii U, and they know it. It is also an area where Apple is absolutely brilliant. I suspect that Wii U failure is the reason they are being so careful about the reveal.
This sounds bogus, unless both Iwata and Kimishima both liked to smoke some before going to work.
There's no way neither of these geniuses - especially not Kimishima - wouldn't see the problem with having a console that's tech-wise two generations behind, and they most definetly wouldn't claim that BOTW would look better on NX because it wouldn't. And like Kimishima also said, good software is neccessary for the console to succeed - they wouldn't get anything from 3rd party developers by using 10 year old tech.
And no, it wouldn't make sense for it to be just slightly more developed than the Wii U just because other handhelds have been that to other consoles. Nintendo combined both their tech-departments last year, meaning that if the handheld/stationary hybrid-rumor is true, Nintendo would be able to produce a console about 3x as powerful as the Wii if this was 2011. But this is 2016, and when also considering that Nintendo also saves cost by increased efficency which means even more money they can use for console production, I'd say it's atleast 3-4x as powerful as the Wii U.
@aaronsullivan
3ds sales dropped to 1/3 of the ds because of stronger mobile device competition. How does this better compete with those? And we know 50 million unique people didn't own the 3ds. I have 1 wii u and 3 3ds's. If their were 50 million people that would buy a box stamped with nintendo then the wii u would have done well.
@mikegamer So you want another N64 and Gamecube in terms of limited Storage capabilities? I recently got the Shadow of Mordor and that game requires 40 GBs of storage. Wolfenstein: The New Order is over 40 GBs. GTAV, a game I am pretty sure Nintendo would like to have on their systems requires " 65 GB available space ".
This data is from Steam. Yes you "could" cut down on the features implemented to save space.....but devs could have done that with the N64 and Gamecube, right? ;P
First of all this is just a rumor...But if there are elements of truth in this I would expect it to be some sort of modular console. If the base does not provide extra power why include it? The NX could easily connect to the TV via a wireless connection. Also it DOES not make any sense that the base would provide minimal power increase...otherwise why inflate the cost with a base.
Rather than pay for processing power in each device, you would pay for a single processing core that provides the capabilities you need for whatever device you’re using at the time. Software compatibility would be guaranteed across devices. The base will probably have it's own GPU, so it will "double" the power of the handheld.
@aaronsullivan
yes
@RCMADIAX
With some luck, they will set the bar a little higher as to which indie games gets the green light. How does that sound to you?
@Dr_Corndog I disagree completely. There is still a space for consoles. You can't simply put a disk in/start a game you've downloaded and play it on a PC with every title. Getting some games to play is a hassle. Just recently I had issues getting Titan Quest and Divine Divinity to work. I figured out how but finding the solution was wasted time I could have spent playing the game.
Point is, the beauty of a console is (supposed to be) being able to just put the game in and play it. Sony and Microsoft have forgotten this with the outdated PCs they call consoles, but hopefully Nintendo has not.
@Henmii
I was thinking the same. When we were told Breath of the Wild was a little different on NX, we all thought that meant it would be visually better. Perhaps the Wii U version is the better version after all. Interesting.
If true, Nintendo has already lost. People already have smart phones, they don't care to carry around a second device with them everywhere.
90% of the owners of this thing will forever have it docked at home or be playing it remotely around the house.
Man this rumor stinks of Iwata's regime big time. And so I'm leaning towards it's true because of it.
Nice clickbait for your sister site. And you lit up your comment sections again after a dead week or so, good work.
@Timppis
it isnt a console though. Its a handheld!
Interesting. Makes more sense to double down on their handhelds than on home consoles where they have absolutely no chance of clawing their way back. The damage there is irreversible.
So yes, this does mean that Nintendo would essentially be bowing out of the home console market. About time - it's a 1 console market at this point (the Xbox is slowly being squeezed out as well).
This is great for me because my 3DS gets WAY more usage than my Wii U or PS4. I'm about ready for a new handheld. All that 1st party output on one platform? Sign me up.
I'd say YES FINALLY to unifying console/handled and focusing on a portable- it's so much easier to take with you on visits, travels, events, play without bothering others, and I enjoy the portable aspects/street pass etc. that I get out of the 3DS. Not to mention finally getting all releases on one system. Biggest concern is the design- I'd prefer the system to be more ergonomic than the 3DS, but the detachable controller thing has me worried. I also prefer handhelds to be pretty, well, portable and easy to carry.
@Grumblevolcano We don't know what Sonic 2017 even looks like, so not necessarily. The game might not be all that graphically demanding.
If this is true, or close to what it is, I'm not very impressed and I can see myself actually switching over to Xbox over this.
I love Nintendo and have supported every console they have made, but I can't do another system that won't get the games because it's under powered, and has yet another gimmick being used, I refuse to miss out on tons of great games just because Nintendo hates making a console that is powerful and practical.
As of right now, I hope this is just some silly rumours,and I will be looking forward to Nintendo FINALLY showing the system off, and hoping the system is something more impressive than Eurogamer is saying.
Anyone concerned about third party support...can you tell me which other handheld they would release their games on? Oh yeah...that's right...
I think this is a fantastic idea.
I have one concern though, and that's how the controllers attach. If it's supposed to be a proper home console experience when it's in the base connected to the TV, the controller should be like Wii U Pro Controller. So how are they going to attach to either end of a portable?
What if the two halves of the controller clip together after you take them off the portable? That would give you a full controller for at home and controls for the portable.
@Ralphi this is the one worry I have. portables should fit in the pocket, I really dont want to have to carry a bag with me just to play the NX on my travels because of the detectable controllers.
Also how big is the screen gonna be. If this is ipad mini screen size then for me its to big.
Bummer - Zelda U already looks dated on Wii U, despite the cool art style. Was really hoping the NX would give it the full resolution it deserved, but at a power level slightly above PS3, I don't see how that's possible.
I think it's an interesting idea that has a chance at success. Nintendo, for example, in making a portable that's cheaper to develop for, doesn't have to lure the same third parties that are making games for PS4 and Xbox One. They can instead engender their own Japanese-centric third party and indie support sort of like the Vita has, to ensure there's a steady stream of unique games coming out that aren't first party. The lack of power will definitely hurt Nintendo and will prevent most studios from jumping on board at launch, but they can still make a more niche collection of third parties work, as long as Nintendo doesn't police their content too hard.
Above all else, I think it's not the idea of the hardware, but the execution of it I'm most worried about. Will the controller have mini-control sticks a la the Vita but a little less fragile, or will we be stuck with the Circle Pad again? That wouldn't be the worst but it certainly makes games like Smash a little less enjoyable control-wise. Then, if the two ends of the controller detach to form smaller controllers, do those controllers still have shoulder buttons? Does each have a D-Pad and face buttons? How many? If one controller breaks, does the whole system need replacing? Can four players still play together on a TV? If so, how does that work?
I want to have excitement about this but there are still too many variables, including their software lineup. I'll reserve judgment until Nintendo reveals it.
No Wii U backwards compability would make Wii U even more of a niche console, which I don't mind. I like owning at least one obscure console.
Not being on par with current gen consoles would really hurt 3rd party support, but having a portable/homeconsole hybrid makes up for that, for me at least. I´m planning to buy gaming PC for 3rd party games maybe next year so I wouldn't mind the chance of getting another console for Nintendo games only (well to be fair, I have plenty of 3rd party games on Wii U, both physical and digital).
@NintendoFan990 it can't be. NX has to be more powerful than Wii U, not a step backwards
Have I spent 18 months having my talk of a hybrid getting shot down? 'Cos this comments section seems full of people who think it's a good idea all of a sudden.
All I need now is for this thing to support GPS and sim cards and I've bagged a full house
I hope it isn't true - I really hate the idea of a hybrid Console, seems to me it won't be good at being either a handheld or a home console.
I like the idea of a hybrid console personally. Simple, effective, reduces Nintendo's costs (in theory). Means I only have to buy one console to get my Nintendo fix as well!
I don't agree this concept in itself makes it gimmicky as some comments suggest, it's simply merging two platforms into one. Like if a console played both PS4 games and Xbox One games. Not gimmicky, just cool. Having the pads built into the unit sounds cool as well, assuming ergonomics aren't compromised.
I really do hope though that it gets some sort of power boost for home gaming if the handheld unit itself is below PS4 power. I really would like a step up from the Wii U for my Nintendo home gaming for the next 5 years or so.
@3MonthBeef
This is not the garden variety rumor, in my opinion. It has the feel of things coming together naturally and in line with Nintendo values and what little has been said officially. This is the reason I take it more seriously than all that has come before.
Of course it could all be wrong, but the way it makes sense for Nintendo means that anything that veers too far from it seems like a poorer choice to me. Especially since with all the kicking and wailing on these comment sections and in the Nintendo Life editorials I've been trying to find something to convince me otherwise — I'd have personally enjoyed a high-powered somewhat standard console good or bad for Nintendo — and nothing but weak sauce has been offered to fight it so far.
@kobashi100 you do know, that 10K claims its 3SKUS
one is a console AMD 3+TFLOPS
one is a handheld and another is a tablet,
as always, the leaks are all over the place...
@rjejr It's going to be interesting if this is basically what you said (I think it was you); interesting indeed.
As everyone in here probably knows by now, I genuinely believe NX being basically Nintendo's next big handheld, with the ability to stream to the TV so it can be used as pretty much a standard console too, could be something potentially very special—if it's done right.
Here's my previous thoughts on what I speculated/imagined NX could be (for the few of you that haven't seen this yet):
http://www.inceptional.com/2015/06/26/heres-the-gist-of-my-idea-for-nintendos-nx/
So, I'm a believer in the whole idea of a primarily handheld NX with stream to TV capabilities. But, once again, it has to be done right.
@NintendoFan4Lyf If it has the two detachable grips/controllers as speculated, it would work perfectly well with the likes of Just Dance. It would be just like playing with two Wiimotes.
"There are apparently no plans for backward compatibility, as a result of the different architecture being used."
This part will be a major bad move if Nintendo isn't totally on its game and figures out a way to allow us to basically play all its older games at least via digital; and I mean MAJOR (certainly from this gamer's perspective). And I'm talking about all the Virtual Console stuff (from all it's previous consoles), all the eShop stuff, and even the likes of GC, Wii, and ideally even Wii U too. Oh, and if you already own any VC/eShop games, you really shouldn't have to buy them again either; you should be able to automatically play all previously owned VC/eShop games on this thing out-the-gate, via the whole "unified account" thing we've been hearing about for some time now. It's what Microsoft and Sony have been doing for a while now, and Nintendo REALLY needs to catch up in this regard.
So, one more time: This idea could actually be pretty amazing, of that I am very confident, but it has to be done right:
http://www.inceptional.com/2015/06/26/heres-the-gist-of-my-idea-for-nintendos-nx/
I'm not saying my idea is perfect, but something like that would be in the right track, imo.
A handheld running at above PS3/X360's graphics and complete integration with a TV for in-home gaming....sounds beautiful, I'm ready for Nintendo to show is this bad boy.
@Kirk Hi Kirk, nice of you to finally show up. I'm still on the fence over 1 U-shaped controller or 2 Wiimotes, but I suppose it's possible the 2 could connect together like a U? You will get your Zelda Wild magnet motion controls though, I'm almost certain.
@RCMADIAX Hey, if you can work with Game Maker Studio, how would you like to take some of my games and put them on NX (and even Wii U too)?
You can check them out here:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=iNCEPTIONAL&hl=en_GB
They're available on iOS and Amazon too, just in case you don't have an Android device.
Let me know if that's something that would be possible and if you'd be interested. They're along the same kind of lines as some of the other stuff you've published, and I really need to try getting them on some other devices but don't really have the ability to do so myself.
@rjejr Thanks
It all seems to be adding up though, doesn't it? It being a handheld component with a 'supplemental computing device' (or home console) to give it extra power.
The fact that you might have to stick the controller on manually scares me, though. It feels like a HUGE step down from the 3DS - but that, to me, also resonates with their statement that it's not a 'replacement' to the 3DS and it's something completely new. I realllly hope it's not some sort of tablet.
What I ideally would like would be a DS type device with HDMI out on the back (not ideal now I think about it, but something of the sort), and a home console capable of playing the same game but with higher res textures... I certainly don't want to be carrying peripherals around with me to make it portable.
Then again - Nintendo were talking about 'form factors' - and this could just be one of many that run their new operating system. One form factor could be a DS type device, one could be a tablet, one could be an under-the-tv type console thingy.
We'll see I guess! Bit of an essay there, my bad.
@rjejr I've been out all day because I was on a date.
For anyone that's interested: It went decent enough but I don't really fancy her enough to pursue it. Still, if she wants to meet up again, I figure I'll go for it.
It's actually mental how all of this stuff is playing out with NX. I am honestly still totally confused about what NX is going to be. lol
@earthboundlink Explantaton si going to be very importnat. IT' swhy I think they skipped E3, and why Ithik they'll do this on their own, not an any other gameshow either. They'll need to explain that the total is greater than the sum of it's parts, and explain what each of thos eparts are And they'll need to do that without saying anything really stupid like "asymmetrical gameplay", "asynchronous gameplay", or "TVii". No mention of heart rate monitors or anything else they added on. The message has to be plain and simple - take the NX w/ you, play it on the go, come home, plug it into the base, play your same game on the tv w/ the exact same save point. That's the message, portability of home console games, handheld games on the big screen, 1 save point for both, best of both worlds. Then show some great looking games. No gimmicks, no jargon, no tech spec babble, just games played on the handheld and the Tv.
After the unvieling and peopel get the gist of it, then they can tlak about all of the downfalls like no HDD, poor battery life, no AAA support of FPS or sports games. But if they sell it first on portability, convenience, fun games at a decent price, the bad stuff won't deter people who want the good stuff.
MS shoot themselves in the foot by taking about all that stupid DRM garbage. Sony secretly made PS+ mandatory on PS4 but never talked about it. Sell the games and the simplicity, leave everything else out of it, get to that later.
Here's something very important to keep in mind regarding NX: Whatever it's graphical capabilities, it can do at least Wii U level of graphics and presumably a little bit more, seeing as Nintendo has already confirmed Breath of the Wild will be on NX and also look a little bit better than the Wii U version.
Edit: http://www.zeldainformer.com/news/eurogamer-confirms-that-botw-will-feature-enhanced-visuals-same-experience
So, if that all holds true, and the NX turns out to be primarily a handheld but with the capability to stream to TV like a standard console; then it's basically right in line with where I figured a device like this should be for the best all-round experience (given the realities of trying to create a machine like this and have it come in at a price that isn't totally absurd):
http://www.inceptional.com/2015/06/26/heres-the-gist-of-my-idea-for-nintendos-nx/
Basically, just past Wii U power, so it could manage all previous generations of Nintendo's games, right up to and including Wii U titles too.
"There are apparently no plans for backward compatibility, as a result of the different architecture being used."
But, it actually has to be able to play all those past games, at least via digital, or it's totally and utterly wasted potential imo, and likely a big enough blunder that it could actually set the system up to potentially fail right out the gate—it's that big a system selling feature (USP) as far as I'm concerned.
Whilst I don't think it's been rumoured anywhere (not since the Android rumour last year), I'm pretty sure there's no respectable rumours out there that say this can't be a mobile phone.
Doesn't have to be marketed as a mobile phone, but if it includes the basic functionality...
Lots of people seem to have come round to this hybrid idea. It's only a small step from a hybrid handheld to a hybrid handheld that has a sim card socket etc.
People in this comments section have said they don't want to lug two devices around. A teeny weeny sim card socket and antenna could solve that.
@rjejr You nailed it. And that's exactly the reason I'm interested. I can just pick up my 3DS and start where I left off. System is already on, save state is suspended, and I can just dive right in. When I need to stop, just suspend the game and close the system. No muss, no fuss.
Although this NX concept wouldn't get the AAA blockbuster third party titles, it would get a lot of lower-level third party support in other genres that have been popular on the 3DS. If you like JRPGs, various sim games, puzzle games, "indies," and some ports of mid-tier mobile titles (with buttons), this will be your system. They will also probably continue to do well with Capcom, Platinum, Sega, and get those oddball non-AAA titles from Ubisoft.
The 3DS model of third party support has been secretly very successful (despite the idea that all third parties hate Nintendo), so I think it's a really good idea to try to sort of "port" that success to the home console market by merging the two. That's why I think this concept makes total sense, and why I am buying into this rumor.
@Kirk I'm not sure BotW looking better on NX is an established fact.
@gcunit It was confirmed in an interview; I'm pretty sure of that.
Now I have to go look it up. . . .
Edit: http://www.zeldainformer.com/news/eurogamer-confirms-that-botw-will-feature-enhanced-visuals-same-experience
There is it. So, unless the editor interpreted Aonuma's comments incorrectly, I think it's safe to say the NX version of BotW will look at least a little better.
I really hope it does.
@gcunit I always think I would like a Nintendo phone, but then I think about Nintendo as a company, and I can't imagine them developing a very useful email client or productivity UI. This makes any Nintendo attempt at a phone DoA.
Now the idea of a gaming-specific device that could add a sim card for wireless internet is a much more interesting idea to me. It would always be a second device for people like me, though.
Why?..... why? I know power isn't everything, but come on.... only a little stronger than the PS3. And why this hybrid handheld and home console thing. Why can't Nintendo just give us a standard console with a standard controller? Always with the gimmicks.
It's basically a handheld as powerful as Wii U (maybe closer to X1 as previous rumors indicated?), which also plays games on a TV.
I'm sorry but that's freaking amazing. People were going ape **** over Vita's power, so what say you to THIS. This is basically a current gen console being squeezed into a handheld unit and can work as a console also.
That's just so much bang for buck it's incredible. Cross-buy? Solved. You get your games on the go and on TV on a system level. Sick of buyin games for each platform? Solved. Buy once for both. Sick of actually buying two platforms? That's solved too.
@HawkeyeWii
What do you want? How much better do you think MARIO is gonna look? You can beef that sucker up into a top line gaming rig and I bet you their games are still not going to look all that much better than they do now.
Yeah they might look a little bit better but really isn't that big of a deal? 90% of Nintendo exclusives would see marginal returns.
Not to mention this is a handheld for crying out loud. And basically continues the home console scene on the same level as Wii U (which was basically a "PS3"). Only this Wii U can be taken with you anywhere and play games with the power of the Wii U anywhere on a handheld.
You can't have your cake and eat it too, and to be honest with you the difference between a PS4 and PS3 is not a whole lot. Definitely the smallest leap of any generation to date. I'm all for a superpowerful console don't get me wrong but that's a very negligible price to pay for the ability to have a Wii U powered console as a handheld
@ParSnake I have many concerns about this news and that is by far my #1 concern. They wonder why they lose 3rd party support. It's because of BS like this! They make it too difficult for other companies to make games for their system. It is so frustrating!
@earthboundlink A handheld with a sim card doesn't need bespoke email client and productivity UI. It would be a gaming-focused device, but still allow access to cloud based email and productivity stuffs through the web browser. No-one's saying it has to compete with Blackberry etc for the business user. Gaming first.
@JaxonH Um..... Hello! 3rd party support! And with it, the success of the entire machine. They are already beginning to dig their own grave. Stupid business decisions. It's not about how much better Mario can look. It's about keeping support from 3rd party developers. Also, first party games like Metroid, F-Zero, and Zelda can benefit with more power. I mean, I rest my case with Star Fox Zero....
@HawkeyeWii
Nintendo lost 3rd party support a
decade agotwo decades ago.No sense wasting resources over something that's a lost cause. And it is a lost cause. At least, the most of it.
If they were able to port as many games as they did to the Wii then they'll be able to port an incredible number of games to this system which is far closer to be on par than Wii ever was. And doesn't use motion.
They can still get third-party support if the console sells well, but it's not going to be all the games PS4 gets. They should be exclusive games- that's the kind of third-party support that actually matters on a Nintendo platform, and that kind of support doesn't require power.
@Henmii You can't possibly go backwards in power from the Wii U if it's already been confirmed Breath of the Wild is coming to NX and will have improved graphics.
http://www.zeldainformer.com/news/eurogamer-confirms-that-botw-will-feature-enhanced-visuals-same-experience
It may not be as powerful as the likes of Xbox One and PS4, but it seems like it's almost certainly going to be at least Wii U+ level of power, which would be pretty much spot-on for a new handheld imo.
@JaxonH There's a few reasons SM3DW was a confined experience:
a) Sales history of the NSMB series - linear levels sell
b) Resources required to make it a wider world would add risk
c) Power required to maintain the 60fps performance
Put SM3DW on a more powerful system and you can make it a bigger world and have more going on in the background. Plus there's definitely some improvement to be made on the character smoothing and lighting in that game.
@HawkeyeWii
And, may I remind you, 3DS success was built on the back of 1st party titles and exclusives. Not third-party ports.
And this is, after all, another handheld.
Besides, if they're talking about putting Dragon Quest XI and (Final Fantast XV rumors too now) on the system, then I think it's in a far better place then we may realize.
@gcunit
3D World was a small game, and they could have made it much larger and had much more going on in the background. Just look at what other games on the system have accomplished. They didn't put more going on in the background because the nature of the game had nothing going on in the background. One of those things where just because you can put more, doesn't mean you should.
I totally agree- it could help with some improvements like smoothing and with lighting- most definitely. But that's just the price we have to pay to get this in the form of a handheld and to be honest, who cares about smoothing or lighting if it's going to cost you the ability to have this as a handheld. Would you trade in the portability of the system (and with it system-level crossbuy and everything else that comes with it) just for better lighting in the 3D World Successor? I mean sure, better lighting is awesome, but is it worth that kind of price?
@Kirk Props for digging up your source, I'd missed that last month. But, as you allude I think, it's a slightly iffy one. We'll see. As you say, let's hope so
@gcunit No probs.
Indeed; let's hope.
@3MonthBeef I'm not talking about emulators here. Look, you're talking to a guy who currently has eight different consoles sitting under his TV. I own consoles so I can play console-exclusive games. Thing is, I shouldn't have to--not anymore. Imagine if television networks produced shows that could only be watched on certain brands of TVs, and you had to own three different TVs just to watch all your favorite shows. Of course, they'd never get away with it, but console manufacturers can, because the public has been conditioned into seeing that as the norm due to a time when consoles were actually necessary. (That, and because some people are unreasonable scared of PCs.)
In Nintendo's defense, they try to include some feature in their consoles that set them apart from the others (and PCs). I'm glad that the rumors of the NX begin a hybrid appear to be true, so I have some reason to buy it other than having no other way to play Smash and Retro's games.
@Allspice I agree with you about Nintendo (see my last post). I disagree on the difficulty of getting some PC games to run, though. If a game runs poorly, it's the developer's fault, not the platform's. Besides, there are console games that run poorly, too. (Remember how Skyrim wrecked people's PS3s?)
Also, another thing to keep in mind: If the NX cartridges are 32GB, it means that every game from any Nintendo console, in the history of Nintendo consoles, takes up less memory that the amount available in NX carts. So, 32GB is nothing to stiff at; you can play any Nintendo can ever made within that amount of cartridge space. It does, however, mean there could be an issue with squeezing some of the games you might see from Xbox One and PS4 on the system. But, if it's around Wii U+ power as speculated, it's not likely to see many of those games anyway. It could technically support pretty much anything from the likes of Xbox 360 and PS3 though. So, that all seems to make good sense to me in terms of what the thing is trying to be.
While these are rumors...I believe that these are correct. Let's face it: a cheap system with a normal controller on par with the PS4 for $300 doesn't fit Nintendo's current philosophy. The system in the rumors fit Nintendo's current philosophy way better. Plus, while many (including myself) wanted to see a Nintendo system capable of running many third-party games easily, that's just not feasible in the current landscape (especially Western third-party games) due to many gamers preferring PS4 and Xbox for those games, developers believing they won't make profit with those games on a Nintendo system, and Nintendo itself not making it easy for those developers to code for a Nintendo system.
However, while the rumors may be largely correct, that doesn't mean that EVERY aspect of the rumors is correct, nor does it mean that those are all of the aspects of the NX. In other words, even if everything in those rumors is correct, it's still quite possible that there could be many aspects of the NX – like potentially a separately-sold pro controller, or a charging station that connects to a TV via HDMI and has enough additional power to rival the Xbox One and PS4 – that we don't know yet and could make the NX much more palatable to gamers who prefer home consoles (such as myself).
If Nintendo could price the basic system (the portable) that has roughly PS3 power at $200 or $250, separately sell a no-frills base at $30 that simply connects the basic system to the TV for 720p gaming, separately sell a base that boosts the power of the basic system to PS4-levels for $100 or $150, have a bundle with the basic system and the power-boosting base for $300 or $350, and sell a pro controller separately for $50-$60, I think Nintendo could have a winner on its hands.
@JaxonH Literally what I've been telling people in the reveal article. If true, the NX is nothing short of amazing. I'd gladly sacrifice the triple A third-party support to see this idea come to fruition. All the more so if Japanese devs follow. Just think of Monster Hunter on this thing. Also, remember how the Bravely Default guys were interested in bringing the series to home consoles? Problem solved!
This opens up a lot of possibilities and I'm beyond excited to see if the execution pays off.
Could you please let me know who are these "multiple-sources" other than Tom Philips imaginary friends?
Are you longing for clicks so badly you put that unquoted in the article title?
@Marce2240
It's not even like its sacrificing much in the way of 3rd party anyways.
People act like the system would have every single third-party game PS4 does if it's simply made as powerful, but these people are believing in a fantasy here. The NX would not magically get all these third-party games just because it's as powerful- that's just one small piece of the puzzle, the much larger piece being whether there's a market for those games to actually sell on the system and that is a huge problem and the number one reason Nintendo consoles will not see much third-party support no matter what happens.
So it's not like they're sacrificing all these hundreds of games by not matching PS4, and it's also not like it can't get ports at all just because it's less powerful. In actuality it may have cost the system 5, maybe 6 games. If that. They've been porting games to PS3 and 360 this entire generation, and "lack of power" hasn't stopped them. PS3 has one of the hardest architectures to develop for. If they can port to the PS3 cell architecture from current gen, they can definitely port to NX as well.
I think we definitely needed something like this. It was time. We already have two identical consoles the play identical libraries aside from paid and internal exclusives. I've got my power already and I've got my third party games already. I don't want to spend another $400 for another console that does absolutely nothing different than the other two I already own. Let one of them do something different! A console/handheld hybrid is an amazing idea, and anyone who is against such a thing- I would seriously have to question if they actually play video games or if they just come on Internet fansites and talk about them.
Why would you not want a handheld that's literally as powerful as one of the current gen home consoles are, AND can still play games on the TV if you are inclined toward console gaming. All in one.
3DS is not even as powerful as a Wii, and yet look at all the amazing games that it has received! This handheld will see all the great games Nintendo handheld typically receive PLUS it will receive all the types of great games Wii U got in addition. The 3DS library alone is incredible (as is Wii U, given its circumstances). We're talking about a system that will actually combine two entire libraries into one fold.
AAA ports or not this system is going to have a rockin lineup
@Dr_Corndog I didn't mean they ran poorly, I mean they wouldn't start at all (to be fair they are both older games). Once I did get them going they worked perfectly. I wouldn't have to do that with a console game. It either works or it doesn't, there are no varying hardware/software configurations to take into account. That's why I prefer them to PCs for the most part.
Did Skyrim break PS3s? I thought it was just broken. Do you mean the save file thing?
@JaxonH Agree 100%. The idea of having yet another blockbuster console on the market is incredibly boring to me, and the assumption that just making such a console would make third-party studios gravitate towards the console is just naive. Hardware disparity only benefits game diversity in the end, and having Nintendo's whole output in one single device is extremely convenient.
Nevertheless, even if first-party games will always be my main focus when evaluating a new Nintendo console, I'm also hoping that the most prominent third-party games their systems do have manage to make the jump as well.
@JaxonH The concept is good but a good concept isn't enough. It needs to be good in practice. In the end what matters is the console selling enough for Nintendo to continue supporting it for years. Nintendo is no different from any other business, when a product fails they cut off its lifespan (see Wii U's 2016 lineup and the delaying of BotW as an example).
@Grumblevolcano
No argument. But I have no control over that, so I won't waste my time worrying about it. It is what it is- if it sells it sells, if it doesn't so be it.
Either way, I know I'll be there day one, playing all my favorite Nintendo games along the way
I'll keep my Wii U though (now my HD GameCube/Wii/Wii U game hub) and I'll keep my 3DS to preserve everything else before GameCube. Those two systems combined will be my "back catalog" access. NX can do its own thing as far as I'm concerned. No need to keep Wiimote compatibility or implement 3D. I've got all that covered with Wii U and 3DS.
Hope this isn't the end of stereoscopic mobile gaming.
I had suspected much of this. Selling the portable as "a console you take with you" may be the answer Vita was lacking. I think they could market a console gauge system with console game prices, but only if they retire the 3DS and put all their energy into this format. In fact, doing so might inject some new life into that Vita/PS4 relationship as competition.
I'm not surprised they'd drop backwards compatibility (though a disc player extension exclusively for BC wouldn't be out of the question). It was always a nice thing to have, but rarely used.
32gb is probably wonderful for a portable, but these are supposed to be next gen console grade games, and their current stuff EATS STORAGE. I know Nintendo didn't what the fuss was about when they made Wii U, but if they don't make capacity a feature this time it'll go over poorly.
My only big question is this: a house can have multiple portables.
Assuming the NX is indeed the 3DS' successor, will they equate that in some fashion? I'm expecting they'll also sell a "no frills" package (without the TV dock) and each person has their own.
As for the current talk in this corner of Nintendo's willingness to be different. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. DS and Wii pulled it off making what was unique about them strengths. Wii U and 3DS really didn't. My personal take is that their differences didn't enhance so much as challenge the experience. 3D only worked in the right spot (don't have a New 3DS and it's too late to care). Splatoon and Super Mario Maker are probably the closest Nintendo came to making killer apps everyone could agree sold the Wii U's core features. Otherwise the whole large scale, motion sensing, detached DS thing didn't pan out. There were good games, but how often was it because what the Wii U allowed it to deliver.
That being said, I'm feeling good about NX. Whatever other bells and whistles they bake into the NX, its (alleged) main feature makes perfect sense to enhance the player's experience.
I hope this is correct. Its exactly what I want from Nintendo, a portable that is also a home console. If graphics are Wii u or better, its perfect. Leave the competition to Sony and Microsoft and give us awesome games we can play both at home and on the go. There are so many 3ds games id like to play on TV and more Wii u games id like to take with me or play while in bed on a handheld. This will sell like hotcakes.
@Grumblevolcano It's hard to imagine a console with Pokémon and Monster Hunter games playable on the TV and Zelda and Mario playable on the go failing. As always with me it comes down to price, and no HDD and no blu ray drive means it has to be cheap, and I'm not sure how cheap all of those components in 1 box can be, so I'm still considering this a rumour that hints at reality, but I won't guess at its success and failure until I see it and it's price.
@JaxonH Nice to have your happiness show up, it's tilted a little negative in here, and despite what spoony_tech says it isn't always my fault, I'm 100% on board with this. Did you really hear FFXV rumours? I once considered those but it didn't work in my head, though I'm still holding out for the FF7 remake, Cloud is in SSB for a reason, and there's a reason his amiibo hasn't been unveiled yet. Perhaps a coincidence, but I see smoke and I'm looking for a fire.
@rjejr
That's exactly it though. ALLLLLL those games people say "darn, I wish it were for home console" or "dang, if only it were on handhelds" are going to be playable on both.
Monster Hunter in HD TV glory again. Ya that's right.
Pokemon on TV.
Zelda Breath of the Wild, on handheld.
New Metroid and Pikmin on BOTH.
What's the issue here??? I mean, this is a dream come true. If people want to complain about pushing polygons thinking its not "acceptable" unless it's PS4 level (who cares how powerful PS4 is, this isn't a PS4!) then I say let them because honest to goodness most people just don't care about that trivial nonsense. I can see this being absolutely huge though. A handheld on par with current gen consoles (even if it is the weaker one- that's still incredible for a handheld- absolutely incredible) ANNNNND it can dock to play on TV?
This is perfect. It's perfect.
If this is what NX turns out to be, count me in. I've been hoping for this for a long time from Nintendo. Its home consoles have slipped since SNES but its handhelds are always awesome. Finding a way to combine the two? Sounds great. If it can get some big third party games like Mass Effect and Assassin's Creed, or best of all Grand Theft Auto VI, that would be huge.
@GrailUK handheld third parties yes but that has never been a issue what people are worried about is home console third parties.
@Kirk the article you posted stated "different" not "enhanced" visuals. Just saying, it could be uglier
@JaxonH
I guess I just don't get the point of a Wii U handheld. I mean if it's Wii U type power, why can't I keep my Wii U and keeping getting new Nintendo games on that instead of buying a Wii U handheld? The Wii U handheld could replace the Wii U at the market. But, no, they want to move away from the Wii U name and failure so they won't do that even though it'd be better for me.
Admittedly, technology improves. But Nintendo doesn't make money today on the Wii U at $300. I just can't believe that 4 years later they can shrink the Wii U and sell it for $200-250 which is where I think they need to be to grab the mobile market..
@cleveland124
Well, because the Wii U failed. That's why, unfortunately.
And this isn't just a Wii U handheld, it's both. Which is an incredible selling point, and, it's a legitimately viable use for gamers such as ourselves who will no longer need to buy handheld + console, plus games on each system. And the crossbuy issue everyone is always complaining about, that also will be solved.
I mean, I'd be ok with Wii U lasting a few more years, but they are a business, and if it were any other company (Sega, Sony) they'd have pulled support on a 10 mil platform after 2 years. So I count my blessings.
This sounds fantastic! I'd be on board for this system unlike the Wii U that was just a ball and chain. I need my game system to be portable or I won't play it!
Getting tired of them gimmicks.....
@JaxonH
So I'm screwed for being an early adopter? That's exactly why I'm not picking up the NX at launch.
It's great that it's Vita 2.0, but if I'm not really looking for portability, I'm not really sure how that benefits me.
@cleveland124
For being early adopter?
That just means you got more bang for your buck than anyone. I'm an early adopter. They gave us a full generation and proved to us that even when they have a failing console they won't just abandon it after a year of bad sales, and I think that speaks volumes about the character Nintendo has with backing their products regardless of whether or not they sell.
They earned my trust with the Wii U by giving me four years of great games and that's exactly why I will put my money on that counter day one for NX. Sony on the other hand will not see my money day one if they ever make a new handheld because they proved the exact opposite thing to me- that they will ditch their product at a moments notice as soon as they see signs of the ship sinking (last new game Sony released for Vita was... goodness, 2013?)
Nothing personal with them, it's just that one company has proven to me that they will support a product even if it fails and other companies have proven they will abandon theirs if it fails. Granted, Nintendo will be cutting the generation short by 6-9 months, but that's a far cry from abandoning the the product after just a year.
So no, I don't think you're screwed, I think you got a full generation of great games as did I. I think we would've been screwed if Nintendo released the NX in 2014 after a failed start from Wii U.
As for the whole portability thing it may not be for you but you don't have to use it if you don't want to. System may not give you anything new but it's still another console generation, and like clockwork- every five years- we get a new console from Nintendo... and it is that time again.
@Kirk
It's interesting to note that, while the title does say "NX will have enhanced graphics," the actual source (the tweet) says that it will have different graphics – not necessarily better graphics. It's probably because before, many of us interpreted that as meaning "better," since we assumed NX would be more powerful than Wii U, hence the title.
@JaxonH
I don't really understand your Vita comparison. Sony supported the Vita for 4 years as is Nintendo. Sony brought 2x as many games to the Vita as the Wii U had in it's lifetime. Sony brought the Vita tv, a way for handheld Vita games to play at home for a ridiculously cheap price instead of forcing a new system on you.
No Nintendo console has lasted less than 5 years until the Wii U. Only 190 disc based games were released in it's lifetime versus 296 carts for the N64. This was a poor concept that was poorly executed from the start. It failed because Nintendo just expect it would sell and they could phone in their support. http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/07/07/nintendo-thought-it-would-sell-100-million-wii-u-units
There is no doubt the failure of the Wii U is on Nintendo. The fallback is always but there were some great Nintendo games for the Wii U. That's great, but the Wii U was very dissapointing and I'm not in a rush to send Nintendo more money until I know they are going to do things differently this time.
"System may not give you anything new but it's still another consul generation and like clockwork every five years we get a new consul from Nintendo and it is that time again."
I think this is funny. The typical argument is Nintendo does things differently than the others. Now you're argument is who cares if Nintendo brings anything new to the market? Just buy there stuff?
@JaxonH
You made an excellent point. Quite frankly you exactly pinpointed the rebuttal to everyone who says if NX were PS4-level it'd get third-party games (admittedly, including me until I read your post). The Wii U IS PS3 and Xbox 360 level, and yet it does not get games that those systems continue to receive. Granted, the biggest problem is the architecture and the use of the GamePad, but if PS3 had the complex Cell architecture and Wii U uses PowerPC like Xbox 360 did, surely it wouldn't be too much of a hassle to port it over in spite of the GamePad? Nintendo surely realized this and hence went in this direction. This wasn't my preferred choice for NX, but it certainly makes the most logical sense for Nintendo as a business, and it's definitely something I could warm up to eventually. (Pokemon on a home console!!!)
@cleveland124
Oh no. Sony dropped Vita long ago. They haven't put a game on that system in years- they even made an official statement citing it as a "legacy platform" and this was after not releasing a game in God knows how long. They abandoned that system a long time ago, and the only games that are currently available on the system are third-party games. And the only third-party games it really gets now are localized Japanese games. Which is great because they're kind of keeping the system alive despite Sony, but it still doesn't change the fact that Sony abandoned it along time ago and won't so much as even acknowledge Vita exists.
The Vita TV is an absolutely horrid device- I didn't even buy it on $30 clearance from Best Buy. You don't know if you need a PS3 or PS4 controller, half the games work and half the games don't, and you don't know which are which, and even of the games that do work they have to map all their touchscreen functions to the mouse pad or not have a function at all... It's a disaster. There's a reason that thing tanked.
You're absolutely correct that no Nintendo console has lasted less than five years, however, most Nintendo consoles don't last longer than that either. 5 years, 6 at most. Usually alternating generations with five years, then six years, five years then six years. And this is the five-year generation since last time was six. And by the time NX drops in March, we will only be eight months shy of the five-year mark (and a delay very well could push it to a full 5 years). Again, yes it's cut short by some odd moths, but a far cry from abandoning the system in less than 2 years.
And absolutely I say by the system regardless. You buy a system for the games. Sony hasn't done anything new in 20 years and yet people still line up to buy their consoles, so why is it Nintendo has to do something new every time? That's why I say if they make a powerful console then that's great. Awesome. And if they don't then that's fine too because I enjoy getting something a little different than what the other two consoles offer. But either way you're gaining access to a new generation of games and that's what it's all about. Whether they do something new or don't do anything new should be irrelevant. When you buy a platform you're paying entry fee for the next five years of games that are going to release. We got our five years with our last console (Wii U) and we definitely got more than five years with 3DS, and now it's time to pay our entry fee for the next five years. And what a bargain it is that we only have to pay for one system to get both handheld and console!
And of course the failure is definitely on Nintendo but I think the reason the console failed has much more to do with their past failures than anything they did or didn't do this generation. They actually played their hand pretty wisely but the fact is they squander their third-party support decades ago and now it's coming home to roost. The market has shifted and it will likely never come back and that is why third-party games never sell on the consoles, and that is why we never get third-party games- because they know they won't sell on the consoles. And that is why power is not going to solve anything because there is no market for those games with Nintendo.
@JaxonH
Agree that third parties have left, but don't know how this will solve Nintendo's marketability issues. I mean people who like Nintendo games buy Nintendo systems. Nintendo's portable market shrunk a bunch and is not an automatic sale anymore. I see this as combining the issues Nintendo has in both markets instead of actually building any sustainable long term solution.
"You're absolutely correct that no Nintendo console has lasted less than five years however most Nintendo consoles don't last longer than that either. "
Depends how you rank it. Technically a replacement has been in the 5 to 7 year (Wii) window, but many times the life is extended beyond that. NES came out in 1985 and had many 1994 releases. SNES was 1991-97. N64 was dissapointing with 96-01. Gamecube was 01-07. Wii 07-16 (yeah, thanks Just Dance). Really Wii U would be done in 16 with games if not for delaying Zelda for NX and the Wii would have outlived it(Maybe still will Just dance 18?). So, yeah, I think my expectations that it would be better supported are fair.
Still don't get the Vita comparison. Sony published 10 Vita games in it's fourth year on the market (2015) before dropping support. Nintendo will come up with 8 for the Wii U and then it's lone release is Zelda next year.
@cleveland124
Well you're absolutely right. Their portable business has shrunk (not as much as we first anticipated though- 60m in the mobile era is not bad compared to the GBA's respectable 80m).
But I think that's why they are consolidating. I'm not saying I don't think this generation should have lasted longer or that I didn't wish it would last longer, All I'm saying is they did make it last a considerable length with their full brunt of support. I think that effort should be commended.
The vita dropped in 2012 and 2014 was there last year they really supported it. Basically 2 years. The only game I can think of that Sony released in 2015 was maybe MLB the show which is meh. Like when Nintendo releases a mini game collection and you're like meh. They might've publish some digital games that year but if I can't remember the games they released, that probably means the games weren't worth remembering. I have a crap load of Vita games, and all my Sony "1st Party" titles I'm looking at right now (if it's worth buying I own it) were released in first 2 years. Think the last respectable NEW game they released was Natural Doctrine, after that they dropped off the map. They had a really strong launch year with Wipeout, Uncharted, Unit 13, LBP Vita (hate that game but ya), PS All Stars, Gravity Rush, Killzone Mercenary, Tearaway, and a few collections like Sly Cooper and Jak & Dexter... Then nothing. They've amassed the collective support of jockstrap since 2014 ended.
@JaxonH
I guess that's the difference in perspective. I picked up the Vita just recently knowing essentially what library was available and that new games would be limited. I was actually impressed with many of the 1st party games (even if they came early) and the cross buy games I already owned on the PS3 were a big plus.
The Wii U was different. I bought it at launch because that's what I've typically done with Nintendo consoles. It had a strong launch and then immediately went into a patented Nintendo dryspell. I knew they didn't have great third party support, but I was surprised that essentially all big third part support dried up in the first 6 months of the system. This just made it painfully obvious that while Nintendo games are the main draw for their systems, they can't support a system alone.
The Wii U isn't a total fail for me, but it did fall a ways below my expectations. If the NX is going to be another Wii U, I want it to be like the Vita for me. Buying it on the back end knowing that I'm buying it for 4-5 games that I really want and that's it. And buying it at a price where I'm paying for what it is, not any expectations.
@cleveland124
Oh don't get me wrong. I don't regret buying Vita despite what Sony has done. I actually value it- every single game it brings to the table I appreciate. But in reality I own all five consoles and it gets played dead last in relation to the other four. Think 3DS is #1, then PS4, then Wii U, then X1 and finally Vita. I don't think that would be the case had Sony still been supporting their handheld like Nintendo supports their systems with big, top-shelf, popular releases that everyone loves. I just ordered Shiren the Wanderer a few minutes ago actually. The system is still chugging along but again that's no thanks to Sony.
And I totally hear you with what you're saying because third-party support did dry up and they can't support a console on their own (though I applaud their effort).
But the reason why I know for a fact that's not going to happen (assuming this rumor proves true) is because the new console will be a handheld and console. What that means is first and foremost it's basically going to be a handheld which means it's going to be a lot more successful than Wii U was. Their handhelds always are their top sellers. 3DS has shown us that third parties are willing to support their handhelds because there is still a market for those games on handhelds, and because most are not just dirty ports, they're exclusive or they're tailored to the system.
So I imagine NX, at the bare minimum having at least as many games as 3DS had, plus it's going to have as many games as Wii U had added to it as well. Because they will no longer need to support two entirely separate platforms with entirely separate games, they can focus all their efforts on a single platform which means they will effectively double their first party output. That in and of itself might just be enough to ensure that no matter what happens we will have enough games because let's face it, if every single first party 3DS game was actually a Wii U game instead, it would have a fantastic library. Beyond fantastic.
And that's not accounting for any third-party support whatsoever, that's just what we'll get as a result of them doubling their first party games since they no longer have to split them between two platforms. Once you factor in the third-party games as well we're really good. As a handheld, you can expect Atlus to be on board with all their gems, and Sega (like Sonic Generations and 7th Dragon III) and Capcom with Monster Hunter, and maybe Resident Evil and Street Fighter, and Ubisoft (Beyond Good & Evil 2 coming you know it!) and Platinum Games, and Square Enix, and Bandai Namco, etc, and if we are really lucky we might even see a few ports of AAA games that we've been hearing about.
@JaxonH
I thought I spent alot on gaming. I should show my wife what you spend when she questions boxes showing up at my door.
I don't share all your enthusiasms. 3ds third party support has dwindled quite a bit the last 2 years as everybody has focused on mobile. I think $60 mobile games could be a deal breaker for consumers. I've read that Wii U games take 4x the resources of 3DS games so Nintendo doubling their games seems unlikely to me. But I don't really have the energy to discuss further and we'll find out soon enough. Good luck Nintendo. Convince me I need a NX.
@cleveland124
Just keep in mind, mobile implies cheap. But if these games are going to outperform Wii U graphics then I don't think it's fair to say $60 "mobile game". They're playable on handheld, but make no mistake these are console quality games they just so happen to be playable on a console quality hand held. It's a small but important distinction I think. (And essentially $30 each since you're effectively getting the game "twice" like we paid for Smash, and MH3U, RE Revelations, etc).
But ya, time will tell all. Enjoy your night.
I really hope NX have Animal Crossing NX, Go Vacation type games, Rhythm Music like DDR Konami or MaiMai SEGA, any kind of Family oriented games that really enjoyable and wanna make me to play all day long and never get bored easily. Those calm-gameplay genre really needed for NX.
@JaxonH what i take from this is Nintendo retreating. In essence what is happening here is nintendo is deliberately shrinking its business. It doesnt really mean that since the home console and handheld is merged that Nintendos output will be the combination of both since you only have a limited market to sell that output to and therefore your output will also be limited to fit that market.
Most likely another reorg will take place next financial year to streamline their business which means redundant positions will be cut, divisions will be shrunked to appropriate levels. Basically right now Nintendo is to big for just 1 product.
That actually sounds pretty awesome.
That's it. I'm going Scorpio/Neo this gen. Enough of Nintendo's constant spoon feeding to casuals. Wii was a fluke, they didn't learn it from Wii U and now they do this...
Goodbye Nintendo. RIP in peace 80s-2016.
if this is true, and I know its a big if, Nintendo have just killed themselves. Facepalm faceplam facepalm facepalm FACEPALM FACEPAM FAAAAAACEEEEPAAAAAALM!!!!!!!!!! Damnit Nintendo you #!++/";+£"@:;!:£==£;£'£;£/£;!;!+!!!!! Why are you just s ok xbdisidbdhxydyvehdidhdhdhdjdjdj BLARRRRRRRRGH!!!
Basically, as long as I'll get proper third party support on the NX and there won't be any companies that count Nintendo out when developing their games, I don't care about the console's power.
However, I guess I'm gonna get very disappointed as it seems Nintendo is not going for high power once again...
@liavcol - please don't partially censor profanity - just use more appropriate words. Thanks.
Considering Nintendo strategy has always been to release the handheld first. Why are people shocked to see this instead of home console?
Months ago we were saying that Nintendo would release the handheld first as that is what they always do.
Maybe s home console will be released down the line but it was never gonna be before the handheld.
Ideally id like to think this is true for when the system is portable, but when connected to the tv, some technical wizardry powers up the system to be at LEAST as powerful as current gen systems. But as usual, we will see.
Better have a full set of industry standard buttons!! Not buying it if there's no r2/r3/l2/2nd joystick etc! The way Sony have completely screwed up PS4 remote play still irritates me, even after buying the Vita l2/r2 peripheral, some games still border on unplayable!!
@smm1 Yeah, I'm kinda worried that it might turn out the NX isn't actually powerful enough to play all the current Wii U games as is, which would be a pretty big blunder imo. This is of course assuming Nintendo even has any intention of letting us play all those Wii U games on the system in one form of another (most likely digital)—which, if it doesn't, would just be another one of those silly decisions imo. At least, if it's not throughly figured out a way to make not being able to play the Wii U titles on the NX not something to be upset about.
@RCMADIAX Coolio.
@diwdiws Which would be worrying, if Nintendo hasn't gone about things in just the right way.
@diwdiws
I don't think so. Nintendo is not too large for one product. They're too small.
They need to consolidate and grow, until they can support a single platform all by themselves if need be. That's why they've had a lot of the troubles they had- they were stretched too thin splitting between handheld and console. If they start cutting they're just asking to be put right back in a situation where they can't produce enough games to fill droughts.
Consolidating is not so much retreating (bad word anyways) as they are re-strategizing. They can't keep fighting this war of not enough manpower to support two platforms. Consolidation means they can focus all their efforts on games that work for a single platform (increases output). And they need to do that. They can't be cutting when people were complaining about droughts.
They actually need to grow bigger and hire, buy more studios. That, in combination with consolidating will work toward becoming self-sufficient. You don't want your business to live and die by the likes of outside 3rd parties.
This was the right move. They were stretched too thin and consoles weren't selling. Think about it. Consumers get 2 for 1, and crossbuy issue is gone. And they get more games cause no more splitting between 2 consoles. And Nintendo plugs the droughts as they no longer are stretched so thin.
It's a win win win situation. Only good can come from this. Been saying it for some time (ask @rjejr) that consolidating is the answer to most their issues. Third party problems? No longer problems as they double internal output and funnel existing 3rd party support into 1. Crossbuy? Solved. Buying retail games twice? Solved. Droughts? This will help to prevent them. Shrinking console market? This keeps Nintendo gamers with a means to play their games on TV without going handheld only.
It just makes sense
@kobashi100 If all the power is in the mobile unit, them supposedly it should be 1080p. If the dock provides extra power for a better image on the big screen, expect 480-720p.
@hoshiZora Hopefully the dock will provide extra power so that it has decent power.
No one makes phone with the Tegra chip because it drained the batteries and overheat easily. I wonder how longer the battery last on NX if they did use that chip.
Tegra is more than fast enough for mobile VR, Nintendo can add a headset for the portable tablet in the future. Those detachable controllers will be great for VR too.
And don't forget, NX is 'upgradable' with extra processing units on the home station that's connected to the TV.
@JaxonH It's not a win-win situation, that only happens if Nintendo markets the console right and has a good launch lineup. If it's marketed as a home console you can take anywhere then it's dead in the water due to the specs war (the comparisons to PS4/XB1/Neo/Scorpio will be everywhere). Similarly if the launch lineup is pretty much Wii U ports plus the odd new game then I also think it's dead in the water.
Nintendo needs to market this as a handheld you can plug into your TV.
@Grumblevolcano
I do agree it should be seen as a handheld, but frankly either way it's a win for me.
Spock, start making your time travel calculations.
@Kirk,
Yeah, I forgot about Botw. Though I don't expect it to look much better on NX. However, Botw on NX means the NX is at least as powerful as a Wii u. Probably a bit more, as you already said.
@Captain_Gonru 30 emails down, 100 to go. It's been a long, hot, 2 days.
@Grumblevolcano "If it's marketed as a home console"
Well Nintnedo did have its own Wii U home console on the market for 4 years and they never marketed that, don't see why they would start marketing a portable home console now with NX. Sad but true.
Just try and find Wii U or Wii U games on this Ntinedo page about the Ntinedo Play Tour.
http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/play-nintendo-tour-brings-family-fun-this-summer
2 years ago when Nitneod had what I thought was the best holiday exclusives line-up w/ HW in Aug, Bayonetta 2 in Sept and SSBU in Oct I never saw them marketed together or any mention of exclusives. They just never really marketed a "home console' to anybody. Last year admittedly there was nothing to market.
@earthboundlink "That is where Nintendo absolutely nailed it with the Wii, and completely dropped the ball on the Wii U"
And then they absolutely failed w/ the 3DS launch price, but then nailed it shortly thereafter w/ a 33% price drop and then it started to sell. Wii U launched at $299 and $349, 4 years later the lowest price is still $299, so they didn't learn from the 3DS move at all.
After making us wait all this time I do hope we get the price at the reveal. Right near the beginning if it's low, near the end after they explain it all if it's high. Hi and low being relative to what it is, which we don't know, I can only believe rumors so much.
@aaronsullivan How's your tech knowledge? I know RAM is somewhat small, some phones and tablets seem to max out around 2GB or so, but would it be possible for the handheld to have 2GB to run low resolution games and then another 6GB in the base to run hi res games, or would the connection to the CPU/GPU be to slow externally like that? Or would the size and money savings not be worth the effort?
Just trying to think of ways to keep the handheld cheap and make the base useful at making better looking games on the TV. N64 sort of already did this with the RAM pack.
"The Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak was an add-on for the Nintendo 64 that doubled the amount of RAM the N64 had to 8MB. This allowed for greater resolution, longer draw-distance, and more detailed graphics."
I guess this is probably more of your guys expertise. @Thanos_ReXXX @kirk Won't it be so nice when Ntinedo actually tells us this stuff?
Well, seems like that Pak did a lot.
http://nintendo.wikia.com/wiki/Nintendo_64_Expansion_Pak
My favorite is Duke Nukem, where you can change between hi res or faster frame rate. I'm a big fan of choice.
"The Expansion Pak allows the player to choose between playing at high resolution or with a faster frame rate."
So I guess the only reall question would be is there any benefit to limiting the handheld RAM as opposed to putting 8GB of RAM in there. Battery life, size, cost - is there smaller expensive RAM for handhelds and bigger cheaper RAM for consoles? But the N64 did seem to set a precedent for the base working as an add-on RAM pack, if necessary.
@Allspice I believe it fragmented their hard drives so badly that they would barely run. I know it was a major to-do.
Yeah, compatibility with older games is often an issue on PC, though to be fair, older console games frequently aren't even available on current consoles to begin with.
@rjejr It will indeed be nice when Nintendo tells us more.
And, I don't really know how much help having the separated RAM and stuff would be; I expect it would help and not be too much of a bottleneck, if that's what Nintendo was going for. I'm really not that technically informed/aware about low level stuff like this though. I actually wish I were.
@Nintendian
remember a phone has a more power draining android OS running in the background which nintendo wont have. I do see your point though and does make me worry that nintendo are gonna go with a tablet sized handheld.
honestly 5.5 should be the maximum size.
Personally I want a home console.
@Kirk "I'm really not that technically informed/aware about low level stuff "
So I guess you're not the guy I should ask if an X1 in the handheld could work in SLI mode w/ an X1 in the base? So. Man. Leaks. (I'm calling them leaks instead of rumours now do to Damo losing his mind.)
@rjejr Nope. lol
@rjejr
You'd need a wide bandwidth connector to make SLI work that way, but it's important to note that Tegra is more of a group of chips including the CPU and GPU and Ram. Nowadays the RAM is often very closely tied to them especially in shared memory scenarios. I'm not super expert on it either and haven't followed Nvidia or graphics cards for a long time.
My guess is that it is a long shot to try and connect them directly in the base like that. A complete chipset in the base is more feasible but then... then the need for a separate system to make it use the more expensive $150 worth of chips to basically ignore those on the portable? Storage, A/V, and power are much better there if it's a base station I'm guessing.
I was thinking at one time that the portable could be a great 2nd and 3rd screen controller for playing with a full-on console at one time. That's what I was trying to work out. But this solution seems potentially "better" overall.
@aaronsullivan "But this solution seems potentially "better" overall."
I still like it, even if it's under-powered. Especially if it's under-powered for a home console b/c then I'll just play Zelda on Wii U w/ a 2nd screen and not bother buying NX for awhile. But I did remember the potential for confusion in the household. Wii U is in the basement on the tv, anybody wants to play on that, there it is. A portable NX that doubles as a home console leads to trouble. I go to play Pikmin 4, where's the console? Is it in my kids room? Did he take it to school? I understand handhelds are a 1 per person scenario, but I'll have to get used to sharing a portable home console.
Oh, and I did the math today. Say NX is a $299 bundle - your idea - or a $200 separate handheld and $100 base - my idea. I figure if base is sold separatly w/ a Pro it's $100, but base has to do something, which maybe it doesn't? But I'd pay $100 for tv out, 1080p, 5.1 and a Pro so I don't have to use the detachable Wiimote nonsense. But I want a Home and my kids want Away. My way, it's $700, $200+$200+$200+$100 = $700. Your way it's $900, $300+$300+$300 = $900. I like my way better.
If the base is simply a charging cradle w/ HDMI out - which it very well could be - and no Pro in the box and the whole bundle is $249, well 3 of those = $750, so that's close enough for us.
But that also leads to the elephant in the room - 3DS bombed at $249, in March, and it only sold at $169 during the holiday. Can NX bundle sell at $249 in March as we all pay off Christmas bills for our new X1, PS4 and NES Mini?
No matter how much NL seems to insist we "know" what NX is now, we don't. And I remember why I hate commenting on rumours, b/c there's still too much we don't know.
@rjejr
I'm impressed by how your family is all-in on this.
You have good points. It's an important missing piece of information this base station. If I can't just hook it up to the TV without making an extra purchase, I'm not sure it isn't just a 4DS. I mean, I know the two separating controllers will differentiate it but as much as it's a portable, I envision the commercial with someone playing on their big screen TV first, probably Zelda and then just walking away and continuing to play on the go. But I can throw that all away.
So, you are thinking a base station with a controller and it probably makes more sense. I'd also pay $100 for what you mentioned, for instance. Honestly, it should probably even be separate from the controller, too. Why make people buy a controller if they have a bunch that are compatible already (unless they want a new standard Pro that has gyro, different layout and splitability — hey new word!)?
They can have a special bundle with the base station, an extra controller, and the main device — maybe a game that is about couch multiplayer? — for the people who see it as a console first and foremost.
And then sell all the same stuff separately — even the AC adapter in Japan.
The more expensive the main device will be the more likely they will separate out the base station and anything else they can. Since I'd like a more advanced chipset (~Tegra X2) I guess I must also be asking for an extra cost for a base station, right?
@Kirk
Guess we'll (hopefully) find out officially in a month or two!
@aaronsullivan "even the AC adapter in Japan"
I'm glad there is still humour to be found in all of this.
NX needs a new Pro, b/c if the tablet is in the base, so is the NFC reader for amiibo, they won't put them in the detachable Wiimotes, that's too many NFC readers to put in each and every one, and you need the NFC reader when you are only playing with the tablet. Did you read the article today about some new NFC toys and game in Japan? I think from Level 5. That game will be on NX in touchscreen tablet form, no buttons. Or treble.
"I'm impressed by how your family is all-in on this." Thanks for not reporting us to social services b/c my kids play too many video games. They do, and we all know, but then so do all the other kids, it's the new "jumping off a bridge", and everybody jumps. Especially if Pokemon are to be had.
And well, it kind of sort of it the new 4DS, w/o TV out, but you need to buy a Wii U (I mena NX, silly me) to get the 4DS to do TV out. Like you needed to buy a Gameboy Player to get the GMAecube to do Gameboy on the tv. Have you seen all my Gameboy Player photos, that's what NX is, a Gamecube, GMaeboy Player and an N64 Pak, we've seen all this before. Well OK, technically the NX is the Gmaecube and the base is the player, but you know what I mean.
@rjejr I get the comparison to the GameBoy player but it really isn't that close a comparison. You need a standalone console to use it and you can't play it away from the console.
I did own one though. I think I only played the two GBA Metroid games on it. Maybe a little Mario kart or Castlevania, but not much. Man that GBA screen was the worst. I need a better thing to compare it to or I'm gonna get cynical.
But then, I loved my GameCube so maybe it's not so bad.
Will save NFC discussion for when I'm awake... er.
@aaronsullivan "but it really isn't that close a comparison"
Well it's not perfect, nothing is, but it shows that Ntinedo has done similar things in the past. They found a way to play handheld games on the TV, which is why I never understood why 3DS couldn't get to the TV via Wii U, they would have sold more W ii U that way. Maybe only a few hundred more, but more. Just like the N64 RAM pack isn't the same as the base, but the RAM Pak really was a supplemental computing device, it did make a lot of games better. So I think a base could be used to make handheld games TV worthy in a similar fashion. So NX isn't made up of new ideas, it's putting a bunch of old separate ideas together that's new.
Good job Nintendolife! I am glad that this is properly reported and there wasn't any confusion between rumor and fact. This is believable fiction, but I doubt all if the information is there. I also wonder if Nvidia would really make a chip for a direct competitor. I have a Razer Forge and Nvidia has been very careful about ensuring they have exclusive content. If Nintendo used a Nvidia chipsets it would be really easy to write native code for both consoles which is really the only leg-up Nvidia has now.
@FlameRunnerFast They squeezed two discs' worth of PSX data into a 512 megabit cart with all FMVs, 480i resolution and reprogrammed audio for Resident Evil 2, so yeah.
@mikegamer But how likely would a developer do that nowadays? Games that are ported have worse performance than if they were build for that machine originally. There are lots of games that perform great on their original machines....and then we see how a PS4 can run games much better than superior computer parts....
32 GBs is soon becoming very small. I think by at least 7 or more years we will have a game break 100 GBs. What then? You can only compress data so much. One example isn't enough.
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