Why Nintendo NX could be a new home console instead of a portable

GGG writes about why recent 3DS news, like Monster Hunter Stories and Fire Emblem If, may be indicators that Nintendo's NX hardware is not a new handheld but a console.

[4logpc]

I thought they said it would be their new home console and not a handheld to begin with? Maybe im wrong.

[admiralvic]

Nintendo basically said "we're working on a new dedicated gaming device we're calling 'Codename NX,' but we won't reveal any details until next year," so they more or less mentioned that there is something in the works (obviously) to make stockholders happy. Beyond that we know nothing.

[mikeslemonade]

I have a wager against somebody. He thinks it's gonna be a tablet and it won't replace the WiiU and 3DS. I think it will, so I think I will win.

[mrbojingles]

They have only said "New dedicated hardware" so it could be anything really.

[deadpoolio316]

It doesn't take a whole lot of common sense to realize that it is without a doubt a new console...They literally just released the "New" 3DS. 99.9% probability its the new Nintendo console and Zelda was cancelled/delayed for the Wii U because the NX is coming out NOV 2016 and Zelda will be a launch title

[Neonridr]

@deadpoolio - yes but the New 3DS is not considered to be a new handheld merely an upgrade to an existing piece of hardware like the DSi was to the original DS. You'd be crazy to think that Nintendo is not working on a new handheld to replace the 3DS in the next couple of years.

Zelda will not release for the NX, no way the new console releases next year and Zelda will not be pushed back to 2017. Unless we get a full blown reveal of the NX at this E3 (I would be surprised to see anything), there is no way Nintendo is launching this supposed console next year.

[MrSwankSinatra]

No that was misinformation perpetuated by the media and the fans. See people assumed it was a console, but Nintendo never really clarified whether it was console or portable or maybe neither one.

Nintendo's quote: "It's a dedicated games platform with a brand new concept"

[wheresmymonkey]

precisely. It could be a streaming service for all we know,

[randomass171]

I think it's a new console but I think it's also a streaming hub like Playstation TV. Like, you can play its games on it but it will stream the Wii U, 3DS, Tablets, computers and your smartphone. I'm probably wrong since Nintendo is full of surprises but I think that's what it could be.

[trywizardo]

power is one of the reasons why I don't like WiiU , if NX is strong enough to run games like V and witcher 3 it'll be great
and i hope N will make the pokemon of our dreams in this console (i heard some rumors :D )

[gameboy1]

WiiU can run those games you plum close corridor shooters are not very taxing on hardware like most ps4 games....GTA5 runs on ps3 enough said,could Xenoblade X run on ps4 ??? it's the biggest open world yet.

In fact Xenoblade is beautiful and huge look at xenoblade wii graphics in comparison,you do know Destiny isn't even close to XenobladeX in scope/graphics/gameplay and online or customisation options you poor Sony fanboys are really blind.

[MasterCornholio]

The Witcher 3 looks better than Xenoblade plus its world size is a lot larger as well.

[s45gr32]

As far as corridor shooters, linear games,etc. I agree, but the witcher 3 says no, so does MGS 5, and No Man's Sky. Personally, all three current consoles are not only underpowered, but they lack that next-generation game that screams the next generation of gaming has arrived. Then on PC games like This War of Mine, Hunter Primal, the long dark are games that are unlike anything played before

[Hroach616]

I don't really agree with you. But here's a like so it's not a complete shut out ;-)

[Magicite]

FF15 and Witcher 3 will destroy XCX in every department.

[gameboy1]

The NX will run those games in 1080p/120fps....and with better graphics...haha

[Beetey]

Am I crazy to theorize that it is a home console AND a portable?

[esemce]

Yeah I too think it will be a handheld that docks into a base unit home console, so similar to the Wii U but the gamepad will actually be like a 3DS.

A portable/ home console hybrid that could be cool especially if one game could work in either big screen tv mode or portable mode.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

I could have sworn they had mentioned it was but I can't find a source for that, go figure.

[Neonridr]

look up "Fusion" rumours with Nintendo and you will find what you are looking for. They were rumoured to be releasing a hybrid system that the console portion would surpass the PS4 specs and the portable specs would surpass the Vita's.

I would be totally ok with a hybrid system, but my only concern is the games. If this is a game that can be played on the main TV or on the handheld on it's own then the power of the home console is ultimately useless since the games would have to be built around what the handheld unit could process/display on it's own. Unless we are going to have separate games release (console and handheld) at which point you would have to ask what would be the point to having this hybrid system?

[ninsigma]

It would be cool if that was it and that the portable part of it was the new 3DS.

[EvilWay]

Do you think it is worth buying a Wii U now that they announced the NX yet we know nothing about it? I have a 3ds but I have been wanting a Wii Y and don't know if it's worth it to have both

[deadpoolio316]

Probably not...Its not a damn handheld not sure why people keep saying it could be, they literally just came out with the "New" 3DS, there is a next to zero chance its a handheld...However with the Wii U being the worst selling Nintendo console next to the virtual boy it is 99.9% likely Nintendo wanting to get away from the Wii U and start over.....You can probably expect a NOV 2016 release on that new console also. Zelda was delayed for a reason and I would bet that reason is because it was cancelled and development was moved to the NX just like they did with Twilight Princess

[Concertoine]

They came out with the DSi one year before the 3DS, and the Gameboy SP one year before DS.

How long do you people think the 3DS is gonna be around? It's been out for 4 years, 6 by the time NX comes out. That puts it right in line with previous nintendo handhelds.

The NX is either a handheld or a hybrid.

[OtakuDJK1NG-Rory]

Next to Virtual Boy
lets see
10m is close to 700k

LMAO

[iplay1up2]

Yes, buy a Wii U. Nintendo said they are not even going to tell us anything more till next year. Where some people are getting this years E3 is beyond me.

If it gets officially announced next year, it will be at least a year before it gets released, which will more likely than not be 4th quarter 2017. That is over 2 years away.

[N4g_null]

Good luck finding any wiiu exclusive that hasn't rose in price after the nx comes out. Even if you bought one the could be resold for the price of the wiiu and nx. So you sort of can't loose unless you are a fan boy and you get no games lol.

[RiPPn]

Plot twist.. it's both!

[WizzroSupreme]

Whatever it is, whether or not it's fun is the main thing.

[Concertoine]

The Wii U is fun, that didn't save it

[YosefH64]

I agree with Beetey. It feels like the NX will be the next step in the Wii U's progression. I dont know why but I feel that making the 3DS a controller option for Smash Bros for Wii U was more than just a novelty. I think Nintendo might be testing how a portable system will work to control a traditional console and that might be what the NX is. A console that allows you to take the game to go using the controller as a portable device.

[gameboy1]

Your right its why their linking tablets/pc/Mobile with 3ds/wiiu/NX,basically think FUSION DS/FUSION TERMINAL rumour that was the code name FUSION but the engineers wanted it to be the real name now all of a sudden the code name is NX ie the real name will be FUSION.

The FUSION concept was both home/portable working together ie portable is the controller for the home console ect so basically both consoles in 1 box this would essentially combine both portable/home console sales together which will by default win NEXTGEN because with portable sales equalling home console sales expet anything from 25 to 40 million sold a year,and to keep up with demand they will need to combine resources and Iwata has said already that they have merged there portable devision and home devision for a more streamlined future sort of points to the FUSION rumour being true...

[wheresmymonkey]

It does look that way. they've also developed a new framework for makiing ports between the portable and home consoels easier, so in theory you wouldn't buy a 3ds game or a wiiu game you'd just buy a nintendo game, so to speak.

[Xavior_Reigns]

Whatever it is, it better have:

Cool, unique name (Wii... seriously wtf?!)
Powerful tech
Simple, yet cool design
And most importantly - third party support alongside full first party delivery. They foolishly underestimated HD development and 3rd parties obviously abandoned them.

Ah and if there's a gamepad, make it comfortable to use for extended hours and without the appearance of a toy.

[s45gr32]

What do you think of a hybrid. Imagine the Wii U gamepad that works as a console/ handheld. A tablet like system capable of gaming and multimedia, with Legend of Zelda U playing at home or McDonald's. Better yet login in an online match of Metroid while being in the park and able to play. Get home and continue where you left off. Neat no

[JuleyJules]

Hopefully it is powerful with 3rd party support and comes with a pro controller as well as a gamepad one. The Wii and Wii U have been backwards compatible and if Nintendo goes that way again there will have to be a gamepad with it or Wii U games will be not be possible.

Whenever it is released hopefully they are in talks now to have big games released on it both 1st party and 3rd party. Enough of having developers say, like EA, that they're partners and then put out crap and abandon Nintendo blaming them and not taking credit for the ports they put out. Also, the same release across the board with all DLC and extras. Let's hope we're done with short changing some gamers because they're not on PC/Xbox/PS.

[TXIDarkAvenger]

3rd party support is all I want for the next Nintendo console.

I hope we hear something around E3 this year.

[MultiConsoleGamer]

It is a console.

[That-Guy]

Aren't we all assuming it's both?

[KryptoniteTail]

Of course it's a console. Hybrid portable perhaps but certainly a console.

[Pillsbury1]

Hybrid portable. \/ \/

[Pillsbury1]

My assumption is it is a portable console with a streaming adapter that plugs into the TV and turns it into a console.

[s45gr32]

That could be possible

[s45gr32]

Is an improved wii u gamepad capable of playing say Nintendo games both at home and on the go like Starbucks. The console business model is dead, a new console cannot come out without becoming a PC. I mean,will console gamers be willing to change console parts or pay more than $500.00 and the answer is a hell no. With that in mind, if Nintendo had not forced the gamepad attached to an outdated console. I 100% guarantee you the wii u would of being a success. Why ,well third party game developers would of work on one system as opposed to two systems (handheld and conconsole) which saves time and money. Second the Wii U being weak would of seem mute due to being a tablet. Finally, it would of easily cost $200-$300. So my best guess is the NX is a handheld and console in one unit, meaning a hybrid 😉

[DJ]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's a powerful 3DS with a charging station that connects to your TV and allows you to use a separate controller.

[Jdoki]

Why not both?

Nintendo are just crazy enough to make a home console that can dock a handheld in some weird symbiotic relationship! :)

[randomass171]

Bubble for using a word as cool as symbiotic. :p

[TheCommentator]

I heard rumors of a 6 core tablet with attatchable controls that will handle extra WiiU processing when linked to the console.

[antikbaka]

Nintendo wouldn't risk new handheld while they can successfully milk 3DS and forcefully make client base buy a new revision. Especially when there is no competition.
The home device is the one in trouble, but nintendo are slow learners they would fail again.

[MSBAUSTX]

The DSI released a year after the DS, 3DS a year after DSI, and now NEW 3DS only a year or so after 3DS XL. If this is set to release holiday season 2016 that puts it right on line with the timeline of handheld releases. Oddly enough it also puts it in an acceptable timeline of a new home console. Since usually Nintendo releases a new home console every 5 to 6 years, Wii being the acception.

So the fact that this release is dangerously close to when new handheld and home console hardware are due to be replaced would point even further to it being the hybrid console we have all seen rumored. Time will tell but the speculation is fun at this point.

We know they have merged their mobile and home console departments, made hybrid releases of games that had a version for their handheld as well, amiibo support for mobile and home consoles, and love the dual screen remote play type of gaming. They are ending club Nintendo and implementing something completely new and different and we have even seen rumored chipsets and possible hardware configurations leakes lately for their next system.

All of this points to one beast mode of a handheld that could be used as a home console plugged in to a dock that expands it processing capability the way the extra memory chip did in the N64. This is Nintendo and I am never surprised anymore by them because they always make or release something that no one else would and it is always incredible fun.

Putting all of their eggs in to one basket is pure genious because they would bank off of their mobile market and increase the attractiveness by it being used in your home as well. Gonna be sweet to see what it really is. If they do this and get Third party support you can say hello to a new Super Nintedno type of powerhouse again.

[bass4g]

I find it amusing that you can use the same evidence used in the article to predict the opposite outcome. There may be a big game coming out for the 3ds in 2016 but there's an even bigger game coming out for the wiiu. Isn't it just as likely that fire emblem IF will be the 3ds's swan song as that game has been made fairly quickly using the same engine as awakening, as opposed to being built ground up. Also If late hardware revisions DO extend a handheld's lifecycle by 2-3 years then that fits in with the nx. 2014 (japan release) plus two years is 2016 which is when the nx will be revealed, add on the usual year long incubation period for nintendo systems and that gives you an extra 2-3 years. By that time the 3ds will be 6-7 years old which is actually a fairly long lifecycle for a nintendo handheld (plus the dsi only released a year before the 3ds). Really the only piece of evidence anyone is basing this off is the fact that the wiiu isn't selling well, but right now the same could be said of the 3ds whose sales have started to decline. I'm not saying this is a bad article or that it's wrong necessarily, I just find it interesting that it's possible to make such varied conclusions from the same evidence.