Attendees walk past the Nintendo of America Inc. booth during an Expo in Los Angeles (Photo : Reuters)
The most solid description given to the Nintendo NX to date is it's going to be new gaming concept as provided directly by Japanese game maker Nintendo. Everything else falls under the rumor zone - the supposed release date, specifications and operating system.
But speculations as they are, the Nintendo NX details known so far paint a general picture of the things to come following the passing of the Wii U era as well as that of the 3DS. Here is a rundown of the things to expect:
The hardware
Specs-wise, the NX is seen to greatly improve from the 3DS and the Wii U combined so the components to be packed with the device will be certainly more powerful than before with talks of processing might likely coming from AMD.
On the build department, Nintendo appears undecided what to make of the game device codenamed NX. It could be a handheld to bump off the 3DS or it could be a console to tussle with the Sony PS4 and Microsoft Xbox One. But the Japanese firm seems clear on one thing - nowhere in the NX blueprint states that the device will replace any of the 3DS or Wii U.
Android as operating system?
While Nintendo has already denied that Android will power the NX, Expert Reviews is not discounting the likelihood that the device will unbox with Google's mobile operating system. Japanese media reports are saying that one core feature of the NX is support for multi-platform game titles. If true, the easiest way to achieve this is going Android and as the same report noted, using the dominant mobile OS is line with Nintendo's recent hints of dipping its fingers on the mobile gaming market.
Packed with new titles but familiar franchise
Nintendo said that in planning the NX it follows that the company will include growth for its iconic products with Mario in the forefront. So Mario-related titles can be expected to unbox with the device but according to Venture Capital Post, the following could also join in the fun in the form of fresh series:
- Dragon Quest series
- Legend of Zelda
- Star Wars Rogue Squadron
- Pikmin 4
- Mass Effect
- Pokémon
Another eight game title are said to be part of the Nintendo NX launch but the specific names were not supplied in the VCPost report.
Likely July 2016 release date
A Nintendo NX release date at the start of 2H 2016 seems unlikely if indeed the device is a concept device yet in the final stage. And Forbes is saying in a report that it seems unthinkable that Nintendo will rush to replace the Wii U should it turn out that the NX is the console sequel that Nintendo fans have been clamoring for.
But the supply chain buzz coming from Asia is indicating that Nintendo has already contracted Foxconn and Pegatron for the NX mass manufacture with the pilot production beginning this October. The contract, Expert Reviews said, will be finalized in early 2016 and the large-scale assembly is set to kick May on the same year.
The rumor from Taiwan makes sense as Expert Reviews observed that the details, unconfirmed as they are, seem preparing the Nintendo NX for a grand intro via the E3 event in June and its eventual release date in July 2016.
