Multiple rumors continue to swirl around Nintendo's recently-announced NX gaming platform. Here are the biggest, most mysterious and super-intriguing rumors we've heard about the new platform.
According to recent reports from MCV, Mario, Pokemon, and Zelda games will all be available within six months of the NX release. Additionally, these reports claim that NX will recieve third party support from Sega, Square Enix, Ubisoft, Activision and Warner Bros.
NEW! A report from Let's Play Video Games suggested the NX could be region-free. The website said it's heard from two different sources that the NX development kits are region-free. According to those sources, there hasn't been any information about the retail device being region locked. [1]
Handheld Console Reports
In a recent article posted by Eurogamer, "a number of" sources have confirmed that the NX console will be hand-held. While there's no official word yet from Nintendo, IGN has also confirmed this information with unnamed sources.
Additionally, it's been alleged that the sides of the hand-held unit are detachable; this allows both to be used by one person for single-player games, and detached and used individually for split-screen multiplayer.
Concept Imagery of the NX, from Eurogamer.
The hand-held unit will also reportedly dock into a TV base, which will allow the active title to be displayed on the big screen.
A recent report from MCV also supports claims of a handheld hybrid.
Development Kit Size and Detachable Controller Information
NEW! A report from Let's Play Video Games said that the current NX development kit is "slightly thicker than the Nintendo 3DS XL when folded" and is about 25mm with a width of 281mm and a height of 92 mm with the controllers attached. Each controller is said of have a width of 38mm, and the console will have a width of 205 mm. [1]
As for how the controller can be detached, Let's Play Video Games reported that their source said the controller is removed by hitting a button on the back of each controller. When pressed, the controller is ejected from the main device as shown above. [1]
The NX controller has long been a source of speculation. Rumors and patent drawings have indicated a possible unconventional design, which may in fact incorporate a controller which may contain a screen and functions in some independent capacity.
With the recent revelations regarding its detachable controllers, we now have a better understanding of the smaller controllers that were leaked in late 2015.
Share Button and Split D-Pad
NEW! Let's Play Video Games reported that the NX controller will have a share button and a split D-pad. The share button is said to work similariy to the share button on the DualShock 4, and may be able to upload images and video to Miiverse, Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube. [1]
Design speculation on NX is fueled by a pair of hardware patents filed in February 2015 and a later patent from December 2015. These three documents indicate hardware innovations which may become part of the final NX design.
Three key points of interest indicated in these reports are lack of an optical drive, the presence of a wireless controller, and concept drawings for a controller device featuring scrolling-enabled shoulder buttons.
The lack of an optical drive and the language of the patent indicates a device with an internal hard drive with software delivered through network protocols. The patent does indicate a card reader of some sort, as well as external hard drive connectors.
The same patent indicates the presence of a wireless controller which includes its own processor and built-in display.
More about that controller may have been revealed in the second patent issued a week later, which depicts a handheld controller with a center screen, d-pad, twin thumbpads and index-finger operated shoulder buttons designed to double as scrolling controls. The design could theoretically be tilted vertically, phone style, and the scroll controls used with the thumbs.
These images are supplemented by a late-2015 Nintendo patent application which indicates an elliptical-faced controller with thumbsticks, shoulder buttons, and a card slot. The ellipse forms a touch-screen integrated into the controller face.
Another Nintendo patent originally filed in Japan and in March, 2016 America (as reported on NeoGAF) reveals more possibilities.
The imagery and description show a device able to read infrared distances, brightnesses, and gesture signals through sensory means.
IR interface images from the US Patent Office.
NeoGAF user Atheerios reports that, according to his inspection of the US Trademark system, there's a "strong indicator" that the NX may use cartridges. Examining trademarks for Wii U games and comparing them with 3DS games, Atheerios noticed that Wii U releases specifically "video game discs" in the trademark language, while 3DS filings specify "video game cartridges." The listing for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild specifies both "discs" and "cartridges." This could indicate that this title, targeted at both Wii U and NX, could be produced in both disc and cartridge form...disc for Wii U and potentially cartridge for NX.
This rumor lines up with recent news from Gamestop that NX will feature some kind of physical game media. It's also congruent with other rumors that NX will feature a card slot.
According to rumors published by [1], NX mass production will begin in early 2017, a window congruent with Nintendo's statement on a March 2017 release date. According to Digitimes, "sources from the related upstream supply chain pointed out that the delay was because Nintendo wished to enhance the game console's video-game/handheld-game-integrated gaming experience and add virtual reality (VR) function into the system to gain advantages in the upcoming video game and mobile game competitions." [2]
According to Digitimes, sources have confirmed that manufacturers Foxconn, Misumi, and Hosiden will handle Japan-side manufacturing, with Taiwanese components provided by Foxconn, Macronix, Pixart Imaging and Delta Electronics. [3] They report that the platform "features a 5- to 7-inch display, controller and joystick for users to play as a mobile gaming product, but it is also able to connect to a TV for users to play as a video game system. Nintendo is now planning to add VR function to the device." [4]
Blogger Emily Rogers, who previously released reportedly-leaked details about NX's software-streaming, claims that Nintendo will significantly accelerate first party software production on NX. Citing "sources close to Nintendo" she says:
"The big fundamental focal point (and overall goal) behind NX is to vastly increase the software output from Nintendo’s first party teams and studios." [1]
She goes on to say "There is a new strategy that was put in place to create and release first party software at a faster rate." and "Multiple unannounced Wii U projects were moved over to NX."
Recently, new images appeared on Reddit purporting to be the new NX hardware prototype.
Image: Imgur
Image: Imgur
Both images turned out to be really well put-together hoaxes, however. The first "leaked" image was a skillful Photoshop job. The second, more convincing "leak" shown in the photos above turned out to be the work of a designer with a 3D printer and a skillful hand.
Recent rumors related to incerased ROM chip order by Nintendo have led to speculation that NX may take advantage of cartridge-formatted software. Wuu Minn, Macronix Company chairman, stated:
"Macronix’s ROM chips are usually supplied to videogame console maker, Nintendo. Although the sales is in off season during the first quarter, the revenue is similar compared with the same period last year. Wu Miin suggested that as Nintendo had just announced it will release a new generation console in March next year, and the console will be launched at the same time in Japan, America and Europe, so ROM’s sales is expected to increase in the latter half of this year, and it will have a large growth potential.”
Some people speculate that this supply represents a shift to solid-state over optical media for Nintendo, a move that would theoretically improve portability. However, the chips could be used for a wide variety of potential purposes.
On January 20th, Takashi Mochizuki of the Wall Street Journal reported on his Twitter feed that "Nintendo's NX may work with smartphones, PCs and even rival consoles such as PlayStation 4." Mochizuku cited David Gibson, Head of Research at Macquarie Capital Securities in Japan, as the source of the information.
A client survey document image leaked around the same time as cross-platform rumor on January 20. The image appeared on the Twitter feed of writer Liam Robertson. Reportedly from GFK, (a client of Nintendo), the survey may reveal new details about NX's capabilities, among them, 900p/60FPS visuals.
The same alleged client document included a mention of 4K/60 FPS streaming capability.
Also included were rumors of the following features:
- "Exclusive game franchises including Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong and more"
- Nintendo Network
- "Gameplay flows between Nintendo NX Console and Nintendo NX Handheld Device"
- Web surfing & phone calls via television
- 4k/60 fps streaming
- 900p/60fps
- NX console, senor bar, HDMI cable, and game controller in the box
Soon after Robertson's tweet, Twitter user Emily Rogers shared additional content from the survey, revealing several more possible details:
- A possible free online service
- A subscription option that includes more features for a yearly/monthly fee.
- Questions related to backwards compatibility digital purchases, and support for previously-owned digital and physical media.
- A subscription-based game service that offers access to a library of over 150 titles that are changed regularly, with new games added to the catalog 6 to 18 months after their release
The final part of the released survey concerns price, hard drive configurations and other details across an array of different game platforms, including NX, Xbox One and PS4.
Soon after these rumors leaked, Western outlets reported on a recent statement by Macquarie Capital Securities in Japan in which the firm revealed that they expect Nintendo to release NX as two separate units, with the portable element launching in November and its "console partner device" arriving in 2017. The portable segment of the device is speculated by Macquarie to be somewhere in the $200 retail area. The information referenced in this repSaveort may be the source of the Takashi Mochizuki tweet regarding NX compatibility.
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