Nintendo mayhem.jpg

Yesterday we took the opportunity to share our thoughts and attempt to give some context to some of the frenzied Nintendo NX chatter going around the web. With more now doing the rounds (predictably), we thought we'd look at the latest goings-on down the NX rabbit hole.

First of all is a relatively humorous example, at least it is because all has been taken in good spirit (with thanks to SLIGEACH_EIRE for the heads up). Zelda Williams, a well-known and vocal Nintendo fan, posted a harmless tweet teasing an announcement.

https://twitter.com/zeldawilliams/status/786634877630156800

She was promptly hammered by replies from some thinking it was NX related, for no other reason (it seems) than the fact she appeared in Nintendo promotions in the past and likes the company. She had to put that fire out as quickly as possible, making clear that she is not involved in revealing the system.

https://twitter.com/zeldawilliams/status/786645922432233472

https://twitter.com/zeldawilliams/status/786647309836652544

https://twitter.com/zeldawilliams/status/786652987615694849

Moving on, French site Gameblog.fr posted a video claiming 'leaks' on some Nintendo NX details, with helpful translations available on the likes of NeoGAF. Many of the claims are repeating old reports, with a few changes or tweaks; a few are below, but remember these are rumours (we'll explain why we doubt some, too).

  • The portable isn't plugged into a dock to play on TV, but rather uses a 'wireless dongle'.
  • Lots of re-masters planned (apparently the likes of Skyward Sword, MK8, Splatoon, Smash, N64 and Wii games).
  • Splinter Cell title and a Yoshi / Rabbid Rabbits crossover being discussed.
  • Platinum Games and Capcom supporting the system.
  • Final Fantasy XV and FFVII Remake are coming to NX.

The overall report subscribes to the long-established rumours of a portable 'hybrid' that can also be played via TVs.. The 'wireless' dongle aspects sounds like a longshot, though a fresh take on GamePad technology and the way it communicates with the Wii U make it possible. Some of the remaster suggestions sound fanciful, too - of course there will be remakes, as there are on any system, but not all of those claims seem particularly likely. While Gameblog has been right in some reports in the past (like details on the PS4 Pro release) it's also been wrong at other times, like any 'source'. We're treating these details with a lot of salt at this time, but won't rule them out completely.

Finally, a Macquarie Capital Securities report makes some claims while explaining a downgrade on its outlook for Nintendo's shares - reversing an upgrade from earlier in the year. Reported by Seeking Alpha, the report apparently says the following.

  • Running against a general recent bullish tide, Macquarie has downgraded Nintendo (OTCPK:NTDOY) to Neutral, from its previous Outperform rating.
  • A long-in-the-works revamp to the company's consoles -- the NX, coming next week -- is liable to come at a price that will result in a "major" disappointment for volume sales, the firm says.
  • Speculation is putting the price of the new console between $300 and $350, in line with competing consoles, vs. the Wii's former discount to rival boxes from Sony and Microsoft.
  • The company's move into mobile gaming, Super Mario Run, has a missed opportunity as well, Macquarie says: Being only iOS and ex-China, it's missing 60% of the market.
  • The firm cut its price target on Nintendo to Ā„25,900 from a previous Ā„27,300, implying some fractional downside from today's closing price of Ā„26,075.

The 'next week' prompted a bit of chatter around whether that's referring to a reveal, but it could simply be educated speculation - that's normal in reports like these. The price range discussed echoes those retail rumours from last week which had an air of credibility about them.

So, those are a few NX storylines doing the rounds, ranging from humorous, to questionable, to potentially interesting. Though we're not investing much faith in the 'next week' Macquarie remark, the comments around the pricing and disappointment if it's accurate are worth considering; does Nintendo need to go as affordable as possible to make a big impact, or should it match-up with prices seen on PS4 and Xbox One models?

In any case, let us know what you think in the comments.