Report: Nintendo’s next system is a console/portable hybrid for 2016

Dev kits reportedly going out for system with "industry-leading chips"

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[DannibusX]

Don't half ass this Nintendo, you need a killer app as a launch title.

I'll likely end up with Nintendo's next console regardless, but I want other people to buy it too.

 

[Kirtaner]

DannibusX[/url]":2e4d4uu0]Don't half ass this Nintendo, you need a killer app as a launch title.

I'll likely end up with Nintendo's next console regardless, but I want other people to buy it too.

Watch. I bet Zelda ends up a launch title.

 

[Coriolanus]

Maybe it's me, but that system almost sounds like a Vita and a PS4 with Remote Play.

 

[vcsjones]

Kirtaner[/url]":f2nmjn0v]

DannibusX[/url]":f2nmjn0v]Don't half ass this Nintendo, you need a killer app as a launch title.

I'll likely end up with Nintendo's next console regardless, but I want other people to buy it too.

Watch. I bet Zelda ends up a launch title.

Then delayed a year.

 

[TerribleTony]

I like this idea. A lot. I didn’t think I’d like the gamepad, but after I bought a Wii U I fell in love with it. More than once, I’ve found myself wondering why my 3DS isn’t my Wii U’s gamepad.

I am picturing a setup similar to the Wii U, except you can take the gamepad out and about with you. It’s not tethered to the console. The best option would be that developers publish two versions of each game - one for the console, and one for the gamepad.

That would live and die by how difficult is on developers to implement. If Nintendo has some awesome tools in place, and it’s as simple as telling your development environment to dynamically generate two packages, you’re good to go. If developers feel like they’re writing two games just to publish one, it’ll sink hard.

I think Nintendo would also need to move to a *much* more robust digital game delivery service. I’m still not clear on how my digital titles work on Wii U / 3DS if I get a new device. If NX becomes “You buy this game once, it runs on any NX device you log into” it’d be sweet.

 

[Kirtaner]

vcsjones[/url]":2nkp109r]People and parents are probably going to be fed up soon with the cadence of Nintendo console releases. If it isn't completely 100% backwards compatible, including all peripherals with the Wii-U, people aren't going to drop hundreds of dollars this often.

Their console cycles have been the same since the SNES. 4-5 years.

 

[kjuneja]

>Based on this graphic, the NX will be invisible.

Heh

 

[WhyNotZoidberg]

rayer[/url]":kuyjtnlm]Nintendo just need to face the fact that people want to play their games, just not on their consoles. They should go the way of Sega and just get into the game developing/publishing business and put their games on consoles people actually want to own or already own.

People do want Nintendo hardware. The Wii outsold Xbox 360 and PS3. Remember how hard it was to find one, even months after launch. Four of the top five selling handheld systems are Nintendo as well. They did fail miserably with the Wii U though.

Don't f this up Nintendo.

 

[JonimusPrime]

I just really hope the NX's release doesn't harm some of the existing Wii U's online game communities. Splatoon is amazing and a new Console release could cause a dent in the playerbase likely causing issues.

 

[DannibusX]

Kirtaner[/url]":y27lao49]

DannibusX[/url]":y27lao49]Don't half ass this Nintendo, you need a killer app as a launch title.

I'll likely end up with Nintendo's next console regardless, but I want other people to buy it too.

Watch. I bet Zelda ends up a launch title.

I hope that's why Zelda is perpetually delayed on Wii U. I don't even mind that it's delayed if that's the case.

 

[Stone]

Kirtaner[/url]":1ibkhyl2]

vcsjones[/url]":1ibkhyl2]People and parents are probably going to be fed up soon with the cadence of Nintendo console releases. If it isn't completely 100% backwards compatible, including all peripherals with the Wii-U, people aren't going to drop hundreds of dollars this often.

Their console cycles have been the same since the SNES. 4-5 years.

Huh, I looked it up. You're close, but it's def shorter than the 8 year life, though software is usually developed into the life of the subsequent systems.

NES (1985)
SNES (1991) - 6 yrs
N64 (1996) - 5 yrs
GC (2001) - 5 yrs
Wii (2006) - 5 yrs
Wii U (2012) - 6 yrs

 

[gmerrick]

JonimusPrime[/url]":f9v6rmcl]I just really hope the NX's release doesn't harm some of the existing Wii U's online game communities. Splatoon is amazing and a new Console release could cause a dent in the playerbase likely causing issues.

If Nintendo were smart, just release Splatoon for the NX and use the same back end servers. There's no need to have separate servers for wiiu and NX and whatever.

 

[LimpBagel]

Oh good, now I won't miss out on games because I don't have a 3DS.

 

[-chaz-]

Kirtaner[/url]":uei896gj]

DannibusX[/url]":uei896gj]Don't half ass this Nintendo, you need a killer app as a launch title.

I'll likely end up with Nintendo's next console regardless, but I want other people to buy it too.

Watch. I bet Zelda ends up a launch title.

I think that's inevitable at this point. If the new Zelda is indeed as ambitious as it sounds, it would be better served as a vehicle to launch the NX rather than save the dying Wii U.

 

[Kirtaner]

Stone[/url]":14aod6x1]

Kirtaner[/url]":14aod6x1]

vcsjones[/url]":14aod6x1]People and parents are probably going to be fed up soon with the cadence of Nintendo console releases. If it isn't completely 100% backwards compatible, including all peripherals with the Wii-U, people aren't going to drop hundreds of dollars this often.

Their console cycles have been the same since the SNES. 4-5 years.

Huh, I looked it up. You're close, but it's def shorter than the 8 year life, though software is usually developed into the life of the subsequent systems.

NES (1985)
SNES (1991) - 6 yrs
N64 (1996) - 5 yrs
GC (2001) - 5 yrs
Wii (2006) - 5 yrs
Wii U (2012) - 6 yrs

And at the same time they usually drop off hard in that final year. Look at the Wii. 2011-2012 was basically dead. N64 was similar.

 

[ebbv]

They're pulling another Twilight Princess with the new Zelda. It will be released for the NX despite being originally announced for the Wii U. The only question is will it still get a Wii U release?

I regret buying the Wii U so, so much. Smash Bros plus the Zelda announcement pulled me in, though.

 

[adipose]

WhyNotZoidberg[/url]":1aewr4ms]

rayer[/url]":1aewr4ms]Nintendo just need to face the fact that people want to play their games, just not on their consoles. They should go the way of Sega and just get into the game developing/publishing business and put their games on consoles people actually want to own or already own.

People do want Nintendo hardware. The Wii outsold Xbox 360 and PS3. Remember how hard it was to find one, even months after launch. Four of the top five selling handheld systems are Nintendo as well. They did fail miserably with the Wii U though.

Don't f this up Nintendo.

In the handheld market, they are untouchable. Until they repeat the Wii's performance, though, it's just an anomaly. Gamecube sold only 21 million, Wii U only 10 million (so far), with Wii being the standout of 100 million. The Wii did not sell 100 million because it was Nintendo. It sold because it succeeded with casual gaming, exercise, novel controllers, and lower price.

I love Nintendo and a bunch of their games. I own a Wii U and a Wii. But it's not as simple as "people do want Nintendo." Yeah, some do, but most just want a product that is fun.

 

[OrangeCream]

vcsjones[/url]":gjpk9pd0]People and parents are probably going to be fed up soon with the cadence of Nintendo console releases. If it isn't completely 100% backwards compatible, including all peripherals with the Wii-U, people aren't going to drop hundreds of dollars this often.

The really do need to nail this and focus on the longevity of the platform.

That didn't help the Wii U, though.

I'm betting on an AMD ARM SoC for 100% 3DS compatibility as well as ability to emulate everything up to a Wii.

An 8 core 2GHz ARM SoC should match the PS4, while a 4 core 1GHz variation would still be 10x more powerful than a 3DS and still be affordable. Both could play the same games, especially if the mobile variation shipped with 2 480p screens.

 

[mightybrawler]

It seems that they might pull another Twilight Princess, by potentially releasing their console-headlining, big-gun Zelda title for both their new and departing consoles simultaneously, with most likely exclusive / enhanced functionality for the newer generation one. Either way, I'm getting excited for next year!

 

[OrangeCream]

ebbv[/url]":1kbl4fpu]They're pulling another Twilight Princess with the new Zelda. It will be released for the NX despite being originally announced for the Wii U. The only question is will it still get a Wii U release?

I regret buying the Wii U so, so much. Smash Bros plus the Zelda announcement pulled me in, though.

TP was released for the GC too.

 

[BiochemAnthony]

Honestly, if they did something along the lines of a hybrid between the Wii U Gamepad and Dell Venue 11 (more along the lines of the dock style rather than the actual tablet itself) this really could be something interesting. If they sourced the chips from AMD and had something along the lines of Carrizo built into the Gamepad (they can get away with being thick enough to cool a 15 watt chip here and I'm sure they could bin/optimize for a 7~10 watt chip as well, even more so if they fab at 14/16nm instead of 28nm) with a dedicated GPU and hard drive in the base (use flash on the Gamepad like portion) and ramp up the resolution/effects when displayed on an external display it could really work out well.

 

[ajmas]

What I would ask from Nintendo, at a minimum:

- much better performance than an iPad or an Apple TV - these surely will be used as the minimum bar of entry by reviewers.
- support IPv6
- support NTP
- support custom date formats
- make it easier for indies, with affordable developer programs, as seen with Android/iOS
- make it easier for non-game apps, again as seen with the mobile market, even if not a primary market.
- backwards compatibility with the Wii U - good games are only just hitting the market now for the console and people will want to protect their investment
- modernise the home screen UI

I seriously want to see Nintendo succeed with their next console and if they are planning to make the Internet an important feature, then they should really add minim required functionality. NTP and IPv6 are important, since people are going to assume their devices know the time, without needing to configure, and IPv6 will be increasingly important in the coming years. For other functionality tablets are representing a new minumum expectation of what people want from their devices.

 

[HisDivineOrder]

Didn't Nintendo say that NX would not replace EITHER their 3DS or Wii U? That it was going to be its own pillar?

I know they said this before with the DS and promptly replaced the Game Boy line, but you just have to think they'd KNOW that a system that does both portable and home consoles replaces both, right?

 

[simbin]

I've actually been fantasizing they'd do something like this for a while. Imagine really well designed mobile games that allow for casual play on the go... Then, meaningful integration to your home console when you get home. There's really no reason why we can't have this in 2015, with everything in the "cloud". I do worry how well Nintendo can pull this off, mainly because online hasn't particularly been their strong suite.

 

[Thank You and Best of Luck!]

A convergence device?

It can't fail. /s

 

[Shuffy]

rayer[/url]":35kqvoyo]Nintendo just need to face the fact that people want to play their games, just not on their consoles. They should go the way of Sega and just get into the game developing/publishing business and put their games on consoles people actually want to own or already own.

Except they wouldn't have as much creative liberties to do what they wanted for those systems. Nintendo does a lot of things outside of its games to make their consoles interesting and unique.

Take the 3DS for example. It's created a literal social gaming experience. As in, you actually have to go out and congregate amongst other 3DS owners.

 

[Blue Adept]

It is plausible that the Wii U will still get some software into the future, as the dev kits are likely continuing with the Wii/Wii U architecture as well as a tablet/touch interface of some kind.

Chris Kohler's analysis of NX information earlier this year:

http://www.wired.com/2015/03/nintendo-nx-analysis/

The most serious problem with the Wii U is that the tablet is tethered to the base unit in a mediocre way. If it could run the software itself and cast to TV when you want it to, that would make a lot more sense.

 

[ackmondual]

vcsjones[/url]":15eunh30]

Kirtaner[/url]":15eunh30]

DannibusX[/url]":15eunh30]Don't half ass this Nintendo, you need a killer app as a launch title.

I'll likely end up with Nintendo's next console regardless, but I want other people to buy it too.

Watch. I bet Zelda ends up a launch title.

Then delayed a year.

As frustrating as the wait is, we know they're willing to push release dates past Christmas if it comes to that.

 

[axfelix]

Prediction!

- they are going ARM

- they are going to try to reinvent the iOS gaming ecosystem and the general public won't care but enthusiast websites will try to prop them up anyway

- they will recompile the entire first party WiiU library to ARM and will either try to resell it to everyone or have the clunkiest "migrate your licenses" system imaginable

- they will release an Apple TV / Steam Link / Chromecast equivalent, because everyone loves HDMI dongles

- they will launch with a Zelda game which they swear has finally moved beyond a mid-90s design template, but opinion on this will be mixed

 

[Rommel102]

WhyNotZoidberg[/url]":jpdajl85]

rayer[/url]":jpdajl85]Nintendo just need to face the fact that people want to play their games, just not on their consoles. They should go the way of Sega and just get into the game developing/publishing business and put their games on consoles people actually want to own or already own.

People do want Nintendo hardware. The Wii outsold Xbox 360 and PS3. Remember how hard it was to find one, even months after launch. Four of the top five selling handheld systems are Nintendo as well. They did fail miserably with the Wii U though.

Don't f this up Nintendo.

The Wii capitalized in a gimmick in a major way and that is the reason for the success. People who had never bought a game console or even really gamed before bought the Wii. At least 4 of my friends who couldn't even tell you that Link is the star of Zelda bought a Wii.

They all turned into giant dust collectors after the first few uses at some parties.

 

[teknik]

ebbv[/url]":2k4tou5m]They're pulling another Twilight Princess with the new Zelda. It will be released for the NX despite being originally announced for the Wii U. The only question is will it still get a Wii U release?

I regret buying the Wii U so, so much. Smash Bros plus the Zelda announcement pulled me in, though.

I put 1,000 hours into monster hunter 3u, one game alone satisfied me, the other great games were just icing on the cake.

That said with monster hunter seemingly turning into a handheld only console game the idea that console/handheld hybrid puts it back on my tv screen has me excited.

Perhaps Monster Hunter X will come out in the west for the new system.

 

[Rommel102]

adipose[/url]":18rhz01a]

WhyNotZoidberg[/url]":18rhz01a]

rayer[/url]":18rhz01a]Nintendo just need to face the fact that people want to play their games, just not on their consoles. They should go the way of Sega and just get into the game developing/publishing business and put their games on consoles people actually want to own or already own.

People do want Nintendo hardware. The Wii outsold Xbox 360 and PS3. Remember how hard it was to find one, even months after launch. Four of the top five selling handheld systems are Nintendo as well. They did fail miserably with the Wii U though.

Don't f this up Nintendo.

In the handheld market, they are untouchable. Until they repeat the Wii's performance, though, it's just an anomaly. Gamecube sold only 21 million, Wii U only 10 million (so far), with Wii being the standout of 100 million. The Wii did not sell 100 million because it was Nintendo. It sold because it succeeded with casual gaming, exercise, novel controllers, and lower price.

I love Nintendo and a bunch of their games. I own a Wii U and a Wii. But it's not as simple as "people do want Nintendo." Yeah, some do, but most just want a product that is fun.

In the "dedicated handheld gaming system" they are dominant. But that is ignoring the fact that a ton of mobile gaming is on phones nowadays.

 

[Sphynx]

Why do I get the feeling that they're going to make so that you can't buy a DS/whatever the next hand-held is called unless you get the console that comes with it/visa versa?

Don't do that Nintendo. Just don't.

 

[flunk]

OrangeCream[/url]":evnp417k]

ebbv[/url]":evnp417k]They're pulling another Twilight Princess with the new Zelda. It will be released for the NX despite being originally announced for the Wii U. The only question is will it still get a Wii U release?

I regret buying the Wii U so, so much. Smash Bros plus the Zelda announcement pulled me in, though.

TP was released for the GC too.

The Gamecube version is superior too. Link's left-handed (as should always be) and the control is better.

I guess it's nearly time for me to buy a Wii U cheap used.

 

[OrangeCream]

Rommel102[/url]":m7eafu8v]

WhyNotZoidberg[/url]":m7eafu8v]

rayer[/url]":m7eafu8v]Nintendo just need to face the fact that people want to play their games, just not on their consoles. They should go the way of Sega and just get into the game developing/publishing business and put their games on consoles people actually want to own or already own.

People do want Nintendo hardware. The Wii outsold Xbox 360 and PS3. Remember how hard it was to find one, even months after launch. Four of the top five selling handheld systems are Nintendo as well. They did fail miserably with the Wii U though.

Don't f this up Nintendo.

The Wii capitalized in a gimmick in a major way and that is the reason for the success. People who had never bought a game console or even really gamed before bought the Wii. At least 4 of my friends who couldn't even tell you that Link is the star of Zelda bought a Wii.

They all turned into giant dust collectors after the first few uses at some parties.

That's not new. People have been calling him Zelda since the first game.

 

[BigDragon]

I don't like how little time there is between the launch of the Wii U and the NX. I feel like Nintendo's console generations are too short. I'm not eager to run out and add another box next to the TV, especially when I was just seeing enough value to purchase a Wii U this year. Having the NX ready for launch next year concerns me.