[Briar King]

This is the rumored title of the declining giant that hopefully puts them back in combat with its 2 rivals. We have no solid info on it yet but it needs a thread as the info does come in. Predictions are that we get a look at design in March, game play at E3, and in homes by Xmas 2016. This console is rumored to be as powerful PS/XB but it maybe just a little to late being 2-3 yrs behind. Time will tell but if this one tanks they should give up on console wars and focus on hand helds.

Here's a video

This post has been edited by Raging Cajun Gator King: 13 January 2016 - 05:14 AM

[Illuyankas]

It's going to be a bit interesting right up until the concussed sloth they allocated to name their most recent consoles horfs up the name Wii 3 and everyone immediately struggles visibly to give less of a shit

[Khellendros]

Current rumours are that it's some sort of home console/handheld hybrid

and

That NXs will harness each other's power (over the magical cloud I guess) to produce games better-looking than has ever been possible on a home console. I read this a while ago, so this is just from fragmented memory, but it's something like, if your console is dormant (i.e. you're not using it), it's "processing power" (I don't know if it's processing power or something else) can be used by another console. Basically, the more NXs there are, and the more there are in your local area, the more amazing your games will be. Or something.

It sounded both really cool and really implausible.

[Khellendros]

Quote

A new US patent from Nintendo seems to suggest that a new system from the company – presumably the NX – can draw on other computing devices for additional processing power.

Patent application 20150343306 describes a system where a unit described as the ‘game console’ can then connect – either via wire, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi – with what are described as ‘supplemental computing devices’ to “increase the speed or quality of a user’s gaming experience”.

What these upgrades are, however, is a little more mysterious. Are they N64 Expansion Pak style console-specific upgrades, or does it mean more general processing units such as PCs?

Furthermore, the patent suggests that users can connect to multiple supplementary devices via either wires, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The implication is that as well as being able to connect to several devices of their own, users can also set up their own hardware to be available to others over the internet.

It even points to a possible reward for those who do this, most likely in the form of some sort of digital credit.

The idea is that a user’s system will connect with all available resources – be they local or further afield – and having tested their connection and latency then assign suitable processing tasks to that system, freeing up resources and increasing overall power.

While such a design would certainly introduce a number of complicating and variable factors into the user experience, it would also potentially allow Nintendo to ship a relatively low-power, and therefore low-cost unit, to gamers with additional power coming from the total user base’s overall pool.

[Silencer]

That would be a terrible idea. Basically as pointless as the Xbox 'cloud' (but Bluetooth, really? XD), and shipping a low-cost unit sounds appealing but means it will always be a low-power unit. No dev will develop a game that requires the user to have either a gaming desktop OR 900 local friendly consoles to loan them enough power to run a game. Let alone the user backlash if their off line console could be using their bandwidth and electricity - most countries don't have the infrastructure for that to be viable yet. Maybe in ten years.

Which brings me to the likelihood that said patent has nothing to do with the NX (unless it is like the hypothetical Xbox cloud model) and everything to do with 'maybe someday in the future' and therefore patenting. XD


Anyway, I'll be intrigued to see what Nintendo come up with. I want a Wii but won't buy one because it has only a few games I actually want to play (so NX backward compatibility would be nice), and I don't really want the console wars to be actually a two-company event. But their track record isn't great in terms of getting third party support, which is the thing they need to fix most by having a decent console upfront, with a sensible or really innovative-but-usable interface. (Ironically, I can totally see Nintendo beating everyone to market with VR, but I know that's unlikely in practice...)

[Silencer]

Business wise? Sure.

But it would be bad for the market/consumer by reducing the manufacture down to a duopoly. I really hope it does well so that doesn't happen.

[Cause]

Even with the Wii which sold millions there was no crossover in target audience (or very little) between people buying Sony and XBox vs Nintendo. A handheld hybrid system could really work though since they dominate that space. If I could get a console as powerful as a wii U for my house and get the next generation 3ds as well for 500 dollars I would consider it. Their are a lot of Nintendo first party games on the wii U i want to play but I cant buy those games when I realize the cost of each when you factor in the consoles price on top.

[Traveller]

I'm so fed up with Nintendo and their systems. All I want is to be able to play some zelda and mario party games, but having to fork out for yet another system, plus games, plus mutiple controllers is just not going to happen.

[Aptorian]

Unless Nintendo's partners have developed some breakthrough in cheap digital storage, using cartridges just doesn't make sense financially I think. Yeah, a cartridge would mean load times could be pretty much eliminated but compared to the cost of a blueray disc it doesn't really make sense.

Look at this article for example:

http://arstechnica.c...actually-smart/

There's a lot of speculation but a) There's no estimate of how much these chips would cost and b ) more importantly, a 32 GB storage would make the cartridge systems antiquated before the console even launches, what with many AAA games today taking up 50 gigs easily.

[Khellendros]

Eurogamer reports that the NX will be revealed in September, and that it will be a handheld console which you can also play on your TV. And it will use cartridges.

http://www.eurogamer...ble-controllers

This post has been edited by Khellendros: 26 July 2016 - 02:06 PM

[champ]

That's the thing, Nintendo don't see themselves as competing with PS/Xbox, leave them two to battle it out for that high end market whilst they can be original and do their own thing as always.

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. With this they no longer have their split market between main console and handheld.

I think it's a great idea, get to play your main games on the go and the graphics should still be of good quality, combining that with the ability to also play it on your TV, if they get the third party support and have some quality games, I'm all for it.

I hope they've learnt their lessons from the Wii U, roll on the announcement.

[Cause]

Nintendo has always and continues to dominate the handheld space. Making the NX champion that space is a very good idea. This is basically then I hope not just the successor to the Wii U but to the 3DS as well. It is there new next generation handheld that just happens to be their new console as well. The question is will the console half have any legs? A lot theories thought it would plug into a dock at home to get boosted computing power. Instead it seems we have a handheld that can connect to a tv. The 3ds sells like hotcakes and the Wii U not so much. This device it seems wont really fix that just maintain the status quo.

[Silencer]

If they're clever and they do something like the Razer Core it could be an excellent move. Docking into more powerful systems is a great halfway point that has only just become a thing again in the pc world, and it would be neat to see it from the console side too.

[Traveller]

I just want a Nintendo system that will let me play some updated Zelda/Mario Party on my tv without buying a shitload of overpriced accessories.

[Aptorian]

The buzz surrounding the NX always suggested it was some kind of hybrid console mobile mutant. The fact that it is not a traditional console is not a surprise.

I still wonder about the handheld focus though. As Cause stated Nintendo has been the video game handheld king forever, even though the PSP gave it a run for the money. But Nintendo is only the king seen in the competitive space of other console manufacturers. In reality ALL handhelds are being out sold/out profited by smart phone manufacturers. That's the reason why Nintendo last year opened up to branching into mobile gaming - hence Pokemon Go.

So why continue to make handheld consoles if the smartphone is more popular? Pride? Tradition? I guess you could argue that Nintendo has a big enough core audience that they can make a handheld a success no matter what, but I suspect that Nintendo's NX might actually be a portal to mobile games as well.

After all, the real money maker for console manufacturers is the piece of the pie they get every time somebody sells a game for their platform. Why not get some of that delicious Apple and Android money?

Personally I like the idea somebody pushed last year, that the NX (being a hybrid) will be a platform you can use to interact with smartphones and PCs, maybe even consoles. It can play games by itself, but you can expand or alter what it does based on what medium you ask it to interact with.

This post has been edited by Apt: 27 July 2016 - 10:52 AM

[Cause]

Apt, on 27 July 2016 - 10:51 AM, said:

The buzz surrounding the NX always suggested it was some kind of hybrid console mobile mutant. The fact that it is not a traditional console is not a surprise.

I still wonder about the handheld focus though. As Cause stated Nintendo has been the video game handheld king forever, even though the PSP gave it a run for the money. But Nintendo is only the king seen in the competitive space of other console manufacturers. In reality ALL handhelds are being out sold/out profited by smart phone manufacturers. That's the reason why Nintendo last year opened up to branching into mobile gaming - hence Pokemon Go.

So why continue to make handheld consoles if the smartphone is more popular? Pride? Tradition? I guess you could argue that Nintendo has a big enough core audience that they can make a handheld a success no matter what, but I suspect that Nintendo's NX might actually be a portal to mobile games as well.

After all, the real money maker for console manufacturers is the piece of the pie they get every time somebody sells a game for their platform. Why not get some of that delicious Apple and Android money?

Personally I like the idea somebody pushed last year, that the NX (being a hybrid) will be a platform you can use to interact with smartphones and PCs, maybe even consoles. It can play games by itself, but you can expand or alter what it does based on what medium you ask it to interact with.

I have never understood why Sony does not marry the power of its PS vita with its mobile phones such as the Xperia Z series. Give it a form factor similar to the PSP go. If my smartphone was also my handheld I would be ecstatic because I take it with me everywhere, can do my email, music, and calls, my mobile distraction entertainment apps but also my real games! Also people will pay! An Iphone or Sony Z3 is worth 3-5 times as much as a vita.

Clash royale and candy crash may dominant the market and make insane profits but I will always be willing to pay for 'actual' games too.

In a similar vein, it seems to be to be nothing short of company blindness for Nintendo to refuse to sell its ancient games like Mario etc on phones through an emulator! people would sell there mothers to have Pokemon red on there phone, and hey half the people who play their games are the people savvy enough to emulate them on their phones anyway. Nintendo made a good move with its new SNES mini console but then made the bizarre decision to limit it to 30 games only, no room for expansion. Why? I would have bought one for convenience but why pay 60$ when I will still need nothing more than a raspberry pi and an internet connection to emulate every SNES game ever made? I would have bought one for the convenience, collection factor and look otherwise. I don't even think its considered illegal in most countries to emulate Nintendo software from that generation anymore. Still I am sure we will see a new mini console every year going forward.

Okay back to the real topic. Its hard to say without the official reveal but for now I see this as just the 3ds successor with some possible upside. Thats not a bad thing. I wish I had a 3ds! If this thing has backwards compatibility like every Nintendo release since the wii and DS has had then it will sell. The question is will the console side bring anything solid? The vita failed in a huge part because early software release was so terrible but it was also so terrible because it turns out that a handheld light experience of Call of Duty sucks. It just did not work. Nintendo games are not like that though, mario and zelda etc don't require flashy graphics and insane power to the same degree. This raises the question though, if this thing cant compete against the ps4 or xbox1 already out of the gate then will it have any 3rd party support? And thats what killed the Wii U.

[Aptorian]

I think the reason why nobody makes phone-handheld console hybrids is because of the failed attempts in the past. Yes, people want to play good games on a phone, but for the phone to be any good for "real" games, it become a lot more unwieldy and clunky than the modern streamlined, sexy smart phone.

People still have nightmares about this thing:



As for Nintendo branching out, I think it all comes down to how Nintendo views itself. I read somewhere once that Nintendo thinks of itself as a toy company first and a software developer second. They make physical products that they sell to people and then they sell them games. Porting their games to smart phones would be like going third party and releasing Mario on PS4 and X1. It will remove the incentive to buy their own hardware and it will weaken their brand.

It's the same reason why they keep making weird consoles. They want to make toys. Things that the entire family can have fun with. Not just a compact PC. This means they can't appeal to the kind of games that run on the regular systems, but on the other hand it also sets them apart.

[Cause]

when is the reveal for this

[Aptorian]

There was actually talk about it being during Gamescom, but that didn't seem to happen/hasn't happened yet. Supposedly during the fall, with a release in spring.