Your pitch on what Nintendo should do next-gen

Here's my pitch, wacky as ever.

release a hybrid handheld/home console during holiday 2016. Include HDMI so that it can be used on any HDTV and a micro USB charging so any phone charger will do. Put in about 16GB-32GB storage (which should be $8 or so by 2016) and a MicroSD card slot.

Have:

-A Multi-touch screen, 1280x720 or 1136x640 that is also a foldable LCD screen. This enables a big 5 inch + screen to be condensed into a small, DS Lite compact unit. The unit can have two clamshell parts (one housing battery, motherboard, buttons, etc) and since the screen folds we retain the DS Lite shape with tablet-esque screens. Phones are already doing this and a screen like this should be pretty cheap by 2016

-Phones next year, targeted at the $300-$400 range (think Samsung Galaxy S5) will debut 16-Core ARM CPUs @3Ghz. Pack something like that into this bad buy and couple it with ARM's latest 16-core Mali GPU that clocks near 800Mhz, getting near Xbox One graphics performance.

-Throw in 8GB RAM and a Wii U Pro like controller for when users play on their HDTVs

-A decent battery, possibly a big one or maybe two due to the unit having a foldable screen.

- A similar button layout like the 2DS, think vertically when opened. Add ZL/ZR shoulder buttons on the back like the Wii U game pad

That's just my idea for what Nintendo should do next gen, I could see all of this fitting into a nice $199-$299 package in 2016-2017. But not everyone will like this idea, what's your idea on what they should do?

@bonesawisready5:

1. A pack-in that captures casual fans.

2. One of the major franchises as a launch title-on launch day.

A virtual world helmet where you put the game into the helmet, you get your mind downloaded into the game and if you die in the game...you die in real life. (How's that for the HARDCORE gamers lol)

Seriously though I want what we already know for what Nintendo is thinking about doing. The next Handheld and Home Console to have similar architecture. So maybe we can play a game on both systems?

Not Hardcore enough unless they can use cheats or boost and it must include Microtransactions lol

i think they should go back to motion controls next gen

casuals couldnt handle the gamepad.

just make the console stronger than the next xbox4 or playstation5 if possible.

so you can get some 3rd party...tech people will buy it because of power...and casuals will buy because of motion controls.

@Master_Of_Fools: They call that idea the PS Vita.

The idea of playing console-like games on handhelds has never worked.

@KBFloYd: I agree with that. Although I think somehow, someway, Nintendo would have to release a traditional controller for the multi-platform 3rd party games. Maybe somehow there's a way to include two types of controllers?

on the handheld front:

the more i think about it a gaming phone (not a smart phone, it would run an updated version of the 3DS OS basically) for around 200-250 quid would be pretty cool. the 3DS has most things needed for a phone so with a few adjustments it could be a great alternative to a smart phone.

non gaming feature wise if it had facebook, twitter, youtube, netflix, web browser, email (gmail, yahoo, hotmail etc compatible) and music playback then that would have most bases covered. receive and send calls and texts too of course.

mobile gaming is expanding but current phones and tablets are poor devices to play games on. a proper gaming phone would be a nice option.

1GB ram, 4 core 1GHz ARM processor and good mid range GPU (around 2X the vitas GPU in terms of performance) backed by 1 4.5" 960X544 and 1 3" capactive screen with a 400X240 res.

it would need a rumble motor (nice to have for games) and the speakers would need to be easy to hear when the device is closed so the user knows if someone is ringing. either a very basic screen on the outside of the shell or extra indicator lights would also be needed so the user can see if they have received email, texts and/or calls

ditch the 3D.

the important thing would be to do this while still making it look sleek and nintendo would need to make it very clear it is not a smart phone but a gaming phone. made for games first (proper controls n all that) and phone second.

on the console front:

hard to say. a surprise. there is no point trying to out muscle MS and sony with a similar console.

@nini200: Okay, Put your credit card into the helmet so if you die and you want to come back it charges your credit card $500 to bring you back to life and gives you 1 more life in the game lol.

@sonic_spark: No. With the Vita you are BUYING the same game again. I mean both Nintendo's next Handheld AND Home Console would take the same disc/cartridge. So you buy a game and that 1 disc or cartridge can be played in either system. So you can play at home and when you leave home.

2016 is way too early.

Forget the gamepad and produce a more advanced version of the Wii remote and nunchuk combo and/or explore different options in motion gaming in general.

Yes & yes for a more advance version of wii mote & nunchuck :)

@Ovirew: There needs to be a new console by 2017, so that's not too far off.

I don't know where this stupid hybrid thing came from that people like to talk about, but it ain't happening. They need to make a powerful, modern console and without gimmicks, and a handheld somewhat more powerful than Vita with a much upgraded Screen. It doesn't NEED to have 2 screens and it also shouldn't have any gimmicks. 3D will be gone i'm sure. Anyway you slice it though the handheld will probably be a success with lots of games.

If they want to bring back the Wii mote and nunchuck though to a forefront though, that's great. Really great. They have to overhaul the ergonomics and accuracy too though. I was hoping they'd do this instead of what they did with Wii U, which adds nothing to games and just adds to the price of the console.

Nintendo needs to salvage the Wii U still somehow before they even think about the next generation, which has nothing worth playing to this day. Comparing that piece of crap 3D world to Galaxy is laughable.

Honestly, i'm over Nintendo. They're stagnant, giving minimum effort, inward looking and running towards irrelevancy in the console space. If they start to turn everything around that's great, but there's more than enough games for me on Sony consoles as it is.

Nintendo needs to patch the Wii U as best they can, then grab the next generation by the horns. Be ready for the next generation of development this time, having hardware to entice third party's and make games that are as fresh as possible and not phone games in.

Now THAT is what the Hardcore gamers want Lol

merge the handheld and console systems into one. have it so its basically an "on-the-go" console. essentially an upgraded 3ds so you can go where and play. then have something similar to a laptop mount that you can plug it into (and potentially upgrade the specs) so it'll project on the tv and you can now use controllers. we're in the age where the difference between the 2 is getting smaller and smaller. so why not make them a single, unified system? especially since nintendo doesn't care about horsepower.

I am a huge Nintendo fan but I think at this point Nintendo needs to consider one of two things:

1. Continue with the Wii/WiiU ideas of motion gaming/casual play but also create a pretty powerful, game centered system. A Gamecube 2 haha. That way they could continue to please the Wii fans (Nothing bad about that, there were some spectacular game sone the way) but also please their core audience as well. Then give us Super Smash Brothers Melee 2, Paper Zelda, a new Metroid etc.

or 2. I never would have said this a couple years ago, but what if Nintendo developed games for Computer, or even for Sony/Microsoft? It's sad to think of them not making consoles, but I do not really care for the direction they have went the past couple years and I believe they could still make some amazing games.

I would have to agree. I think the handheld market is where Nintendo has great strength, and the Wii-U is the most similar their consoles have gotten to their handhelds so far... I get the impression that the next logical step would be to just combine them next gen, into a handheld that you can also use as a console. I think if Nintendo did that, I would be interested.

I don't think there's really a need for controllers though, since the handheld has them built into it. I never really got the big deal about modern gaming controllers anyway - I think the plain old NES controller still works fine!

@logandc18: Dude, even with the Wii U selling badly Nintendo makes boat loads of money making consoles. The idea of them being third party is stupid. No, literally they'd have to be willing to give up the hundreds of millions of dollars they make every year off the 30% cut they get from third party games (which cost them nothing to develop) and hardware. Why would they stop making consoles because they had like 1-2 years of losses on Wii U? It will be profitable eventually and make them a ton of money just like the GameCube, even if it sells really bad over the next generation.

1. Horsepower

2. A real online system

There you go, Nintendo is saved

Unfortunately Nintendo wont do that. As it stands they've been destroying the designs of their consoles since the N64 and it wont stop anytime soon.

I'm going to say Nintendo needs to do something radical like they did with the Wii. While so many complain that the only reason the Wii sold was it was "cheap" or "gimmicky" I tend to look at it as the console that gave the finger to the whole game industry model. Nintendo did it's best when it was snubbing hardcore gamers. Kids and grandparents enjoying Wii Sports and New Super Mario Bros. and hardcore gamers not being able to grasp why regular folks were content to play with a console that had no DVD player, no HD and focused on games that were actually trying to be games rather than interactive movies like Heavy Rain and crap. It was so enjoyable. But the moment they felt they needed to appease the hardcore fanbase that spend the previous gen complaining about how the Gamecube was a purple lunchbox console for kids, was when things went bad for them. The WiiU was trying to be a hardcore console with HD and "Hardcore" games like Pikmin 3 and Wonderful 101 which we claimed we wanted (Pikmin sequel and a new IP) but nope.

I enjoyed watching fanboys rage that stuf like Brain Age and Wii Fit sold more than Halo or GTAIV. Hardcore gamers didn't like having to accept that the universe didn't revolve around them.

My advice for Nintendo, ditch the hardcore gamers. They're never satisfied with anything.

@bonesawisready5: Yeah, I mean I understand it would never happen because of the money they do make off of their systems, its just a personal preference. I just miss the Gamecube days where I was excited about the games Nintendo had coming out, now I am interested but nothing else really. I don't know if the golden days are over or what...

That's certainly true, and Nintendo can ditch the hardcore all they want, but they need to build a console that attracts third party developers. Even the N64 and Gamecube had strong 3rd party stuff (even if in very low quantities). Nintendo cannot do it on their own.

Make the system able to compete with Sony and Microsoft's next consoles and keep the current Wii U Scheme. I like the Gamepad and feel it can offer some really great advantages, not to mention I like using it for Netflix, or as a second screen for games. Also they need to greatly work on improving their online infrastructure and services offered.

be prepared to go it alone. greatly expand the number of developers they have so that they can carry the wiiu2 without 3rd party support.

3rd partysupport aint coming. its never going to come in any sort of major way to a nintendo console. no matter what they do its never going to arrive.

so they need more of their own developers. teams that are focused on people who like wii fit. teams focused on people who like zelda and teams focused on people who like mario kart. im not saying they should just make more of those franchises but they should be prepared to make more of those types of games.

they should also restructure so that they have a dedicated R&D team focused on making use of the latest tech in a nintendo platform. build one engine to rule them all essentially. this tech should be made available to all of nintendos developers. it will mean game developers can spend more time making games and less time getting their head around the lower levels of the tech. the R&D team will specialise in lower level optimisation, getting the engine to meet the demands of the developers and will also ensure that they keep pace with newer developments (new GPU tech and so on). they would also have a major input into the hardware of any console or handheld.

there is no point in nintendo re-entering the hardware race. they will lose.

chasing 3rd parties is a waste of time. if a 3rd party does want to make their game available on the console then let them, absolutely. but dont bet on it.

By the time the next console cycle comes about, there will likely be tech around that we never imagined at the time. At minimum, I can see Nintendo ditching the old IBM chips, which have allowed for continuous backwards compatibility. Eventually, it's going to become so obsolete that using it just won't make sense anymore. Couple that new processor with at least 8GB of RAM(DDR4,5, whatever's out at the time). Hell, their next system might not have a disc drive.

Bingo. The sooner Nintendo realizes this truth, the better things will end up. Nintendo needs to get make to making its console gaming experience inclusive again, which the Wii excelled at. I'm not even entirely sure that Nintendo's next system has to be "radical," but at its core, it has to have that same "fun for everyone" message and approach that the Wii U has sorely abandoned for the sake of being a more "core" product. As much as some want to believe is the case, video games isn't something that the masses don't want and can't appreciate. Like books, movies, and TV, there is room for everyone without the need to shun those who don't look at the experience the exact same way.

As usual, everything you've said makes perfect sense to me, and I couldn't help but want to echo your sentiment. Nintendo simply has to get back to its fundamentals and rediscover what it does best next go-around. It's certainly NOT selling itself to the self-proclaimed "hardcore," either.

At this point, nothing guarantees strong third party support for Nintendo consoles in the sense that most people see it, but Nintendo's best bet is to have a system that people actually want with games they actually want to buy. This is where I've always seen the Wii as a major step forward in regards to better third party support, since it was a platform where some publishers could actually say their games sold well on the system when they actually made them for the system's audience. Sure, some of those games may have been the likes of "Carnival Games" and "Just Dance" with a few Sonic games inbetween, but it still made the console more viable than its predecessors, and it certainly is in a lot better shape than the Wii U is in right now. Not to mention that the Wii got plenty of respectable support from smaller publishers/developers that didn't see HD game development as a good idea at the time.

Better third party support doesn't necessarily mean going after all of the "AAA" games that publishers like EA and Activision shoves down everyone's throats every year. I actually believe that Nintendo could gain sufficient third party support if it takes an approach similar to the "middle-class" approach that has been often touted in politics in recent years. Instead of fighting for multiplats, use the time and energy to encourage and entice small and mid-level developers with good ideas to develop key games for the system and its strengths. Much like how Nintendo can cultivate an audience through the mass market, they could also cultivate a strong and unique offering of software in an unconventional way. A large, diverse userbase with a strong selection of games that can't be experienced elsewhere is really the way to go, and I think Nintendo is still the one company most capable of making that happen, combined with its own key properties.

I honestly don't know.

Nintendo's in a real fix, but I think by far the most important thing Nintendo needs to address at this point, before anything else, is 3rd party support. They need 3rd party support, as they've proven they cannot supply their system with a steady stream of consistent releases on their own.

I could list a ton of things they need to address to really get back in the race but 3rd party strikes me as paramount.

i dont care much for third party support. i know it as a nintendo fan i buy nintendo system for nintendo games.

i think nintendo should be less greedy, no1 is as greedy as then release ancient vc games for high prices.

i think nintendo should release the entire:

1. nes roms on vc for 1.99$

2. snes roms on vc for 3.99S

3. n64 roms on vc for 5.99$/6.99$

4. gamecube roms on vc for 9.99$

5. talk with sega to release genesis games for 3.99$

6.talk with neo geo to release their games for 7.99$

and i want all the library at one time and not wait a week for some old ass lagging nes and snes game for the wiiu that runs poorly on their crappy emulator. i remember my windows 95 pc ran snes roms better than the wiiu, this is not acceptable its not like the wiiu is lacking in power.

also since the wiiu hardwares is compatible with the gamecube and wiis hardware and is multiple times better i think all gamecube games and wii games should be rerendered on wiiu to 1080p and the wiiu is very capable of doing this since it is basically the same hardware but multiple times faster.