First Details of Nintendo's Next System, the 'NX'

The Nintendo / Xbox comes to mind, MS bought Nintendo and having them make their joint supah console is my guess :o :P

Anyway, sounds interesting and I think they'll make a console with power to compete this time around.

Your thoughts?

The Story

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First Details of Nintendo's Next System, the 'NX'

Corporation formally confirms plan to create a "brand-new concept" in games hardware.

Nintendo's next generation games system is codenamed NX, the company's chief executive Satoru Iwata has revealed.

Iwata said that the hardware project represents a "brand-new concept", but didn't elaborate further. The announcement came moments after Nintendo revealed plans to bring its household games and IP to mobiles and smartphones.

Speaking at a press conference held on Tuesday, Iwata explained: "As proof that Nintendo maintains strong enthusiasm for the dedicated game system business, let me confirm that Nintendo is currently developing a dedicated game platform with a brand-new concept under the development codename 'NX'. It is too early to elaborate on the details of this project, but we hope to share more information with you next year."

It is not clear whether the new hardware represents new strides in the handheld or home console business.

However, the new platform appears to be developed in unison with a new membership (or perhaps subscription) service that will unite Nintendo's home consoles, its handhelds, as well as mobiles and PC.

Iwata clarified that this new membership service will "encompasses the existing Nintendo 3DS and Wii U systems, the new hardware system with a brand-new concept, NX, and smart devices and PCs."

He added: "Nintendo will be the primary party to operate this new membership service. Unlike the Club Nintendo membership service that Nintendo has been operating, the new membership service will include multiple devices and create a connection between Nintendo and each individual consumer regardless of the device the consumer uses."

Earlier this year, Nintendo announced that it would be closing its Club Nintendo membership program by September. The loyalty program launched in 2007 and supplied free gifts to owners of the Nintendo DS, Wii, 3DS and Wii U. At the time the company claimed it was "working hard to create a new program." It appears this new membership service will be its replacement.

I like how they announced an announcement that will only occur next year! :D

Nintendo goes for a unified account system in the year 2015.

That's the Nintendo I know.

Seems like they're focusing on making a new account system.....

First thought:
They should use the name 'NX', but they probably won't.

This could be a first step towards a brilliant foresight I had :D

This is excellent news. EXCELLENT!

New details next year. Please be excited.

Seriously though, I'm intrigued to see if these "fusion" rumours will lead to anything real.

So this translates to "We are pleased to announce we have an announcement of an unannounced hardware ready to be announced next year. Please be excited."

Kinda like MS and Sony did with the PS4 and X1. But further away. I think it would have been better that they announce it at E3 but it probably would have destroyed any shot at Wii U sales.

So they are acknowledging the WiiU failure? I am curious to see what comes next.

At least with Sony and MS you know for sure the hardware that is about to be announced will actually be good.. with Nintendo its eh! sounds like a new handheld than a console, they just said hardware didnt even say if its a console.

Yeah, I think they're guarded on hurting Wii U sales plus I think this just gets the ball rolling and create some interest into what's next for them in the gaming biz. Seems to be a move to unify their products plus expand in other areas.

First news aka no news.

Wrong..... Whatever it is the new news is ATM they're calling it..... NX. :P

I highly doubt this is the next console. It's still a bit to early for that. It's the next handheld or another pillar at most or what planeforger said.

What do you mean? Wii U hardware is surprisingly good considering how much power it uses. The entire system has been a pleasant surprise for me.

They never said this was a new console to replace the Wii U. It seems to be something else.

From their hints...it seems to be new hardware that is related to their unified, cross-platform online system...and related to their desire to combine handheld and console development.

In any case, if they start revealing things next year, it could be at least a couple of years before we see this on the shelves.

They can't announce details because it will undermine the big software releases on wiiu. It is probably why they are putting all their resources out there to get zelda and the like released sooner rather than later.

I believe its more to do with a unified account system, combining both NNID as well as whatever they're replacing Club Nintendo with. Meaning that I'm hoping to cross buy games on different platforms, from iOS/Android/Windows to Nintendo's next-gen console and handheld. As well as cross-multiplat games with cross-multiplayer titles. I know I'm speculating, but one could dream.

Getting whiffs of a content-streaming service off of this for some reason.

Perhaps they might be going software-only after all.

NX ...

Nintendo Xbox

New Xbox

NX Wii U

Nintendo X (as in cross handheld and console)

Feels like Microsoft secretly bought out Nintendo to me honestly especially involving unification and PC, something MS been stressing a lot.

They said it's a dedicated gaming platform. It could be a part of what they were talking about in the last year or two.

I joked in the OP but given both of their situations ATM, a partnership of some sort wouldn't be all that far fetched :o Still though, I doubt it. :P

Hopefully they are replacing the 3DS. That hardware is woefully outdated. At least the Wii U displays in HD.

A unified account system? Fine, it was needed anyway.

Plans for mobile games? *shakes head* You disappoint me, Ninty.

how much you want to bet that the next Zelda may get delayed to be put on this new system for a launch game ala Twilight Princess?

So....it's an announcement for an announcement?

Oh boy, the new Nintendo will be a 'Brand New Concept' AKA gimmicked to hell.

I cant for next year to find out how under powered and over priced it is. Any bets on whether it will be stronger then the Xbox One? Probably not. And I cant wait to see the controller. They'll probably bring back the power glove.

As of now, we aren't even in that situation, so...

I was just playing off your joke. No way MS will dump the Xbone with the mild success they are getting out of it. If anything they'll just throw Nintendo games on it instead of making a new hardware.

It has to be handheld if not console

Just go ahead and tell us what the new gimmick is.

It has crossed my mind. I will not be surprised if this new nintendo console plays ALL prior games. So in that sense I think it will be. However, not releasing it on wiiu would prove distasteful amongst loyal nintendo fans.

Oh my God

NX
N·X (ə-nĕks′, ăn′ĕks′)
tr.v. N·X'd, N·X'ing, N·X'es
1. To append or attach, especially to a larger or more significant thing.
2. To incorporate (territory) into an existing political unit such as a country, state, county, or city.
3. To add or attach, as an attribute, condition, or consequence.
n. (ăn′ĕks′, ăn′ĭks)
1. A building added on to a larger one or an auxiliary building situated near a main one.
2. An addition, such as an appendix, that is made to a record or other document.

It will be called the Wii U NX and everyone will say "I already have a Wii" again.

I'm thinking maybe UDS.

Watch.

It'll be a CoreM or some other similar low-power CPU/GPU combo (SoC) that looks and acts like a really graphically pretty DS. But it will also come with a base station that connects your new DS-like device to your TV and plays games that way, too. So you can play games on your TV like a console, but you can also take them with you anywhere like a handheld. And maybe it's all DD by this time, and the hardware itself features expandable flash storage (that's a compromise for you, entitled gaming generation).

And maybe there are other accessories that this base station can interact with? Maybe it can act as it's own stand-alone streaming and home automation center?

At least, that's what they should be doing.

I hope this one is more powerful than Xbox One and PS4 (may not happen but just hoping for it to be) and I want it to get multiplats and better Online. Nintendo should also move on with times and let youtubers do their thing. This is new era where free advertising is one of the best ways to bring people in.

Translation: Paid subscription service ala XBLG/PSN+ inbound.

..just don't act surprised when it hits sheep.

Js

I don't like the term "subscription service." That makes me think I'll have to pay to play Nintendo games online.

Nah. At most they will release home and portable devices that share the same software pool in some manner.

And its gonna start with a portable device, not a new home console. They invested in new Sharp screen panel tech a while ago.

@PurpleMan5000: I would imagine it's more important for them to replace the console which is failing worldwide than the console which just won the NPD in America and routinely is the top selling system in Japan. And which just got a revision.

Chances are, though, this is probably a replacement for BOTH the 3DS and Wii U. Ie. a hybrid. Iwata has already hinted he wants to move to a unified architecture which shares a lot of the same software between handheld and console, and everything they're doing right now is certainly a step in that direction.

Great, that means WiiU´s are going to be on clearance ---> time to save to purchase one.

@Slashkice: Only if this turns out to be a handheld. I'm getting mad 'third pillar' vibes from this thing.

This. A million times this.

Brand new Concept could be leading towards the unified OS that will be in both systems. Scalable graphics and adjusting settings is all that developers will need to do to make their console games play on the handheld will means that a few minor tweaks will mean easy porting for 2 systems.

The NX could be that unified console-handheld architecture that was rumoured before. I suspect it would probably be a unified console-handheld-mobile architecture of some kind. Hopefully, Nintendo will have learned their lesson and at least try to match the PS4's power this time.