The wait for some official news about the Nintendo NX feels like travelling down a long dark tunnel with nothing but a speck of light in the distance. However, in the last 48 hours, we’ve had some leaks from supposedly reputable sources, which have Nintendo fans engaged and excited again.
The Nintendo NX bandwagon
No, we’re not jumping on the bandwagon; there’s simply not enough information for me to decide if it’s worth it or not. As it’s October, undoubtedly the remaining months of this year are going to speed by quickly, so fast in fact, that as soon as Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays have passed, no one may care about the Nintendo NX anymore. After all, the PlayStation VR will have gained popularity, Sony’s PS4 Pro will be available, and everyone will be broke — unless you’re a Nintendo die-hard fan who will wait for the NX until the Sahara floods.
But what if you’re loyal to the brand and the lack of Nintendo NX information has your eye wandering? What new information is there to keep you interested?
A 2016 NX reveal?
Reddit user GamoTron21 spotted a recent post on the Nintendo Developer forums. The post by Nintendo of Europe representative Ulysse Richert-Botté reaffirmed that Nintendo would publicly reveal the NX this year. Also development tools will be made available for smaller developers. No dates on when this will happen were forthcoming.
However, a post on Squish Turtle claims that the Nintendo NX could be revealed as early as October 21. The reason for this earlier release could be due to the fifth anniversary of Nintendo Direct.
Nintendo Direct is a broadcast that’s used to announce new games. However, other important announcements have been known to happen, usually replacing the need to have press conferences at E3.
Nintendo Duo?
Could the Nintendo NX be called the Nintendo Duo? Nintendo has been teasing a mobile/console hybrid for months, so the name “Duo” makes sense due to the nature of the device. And while this is still only a rumor, an image of a software partner leaflet/packaging briefing has leaked on Twitter. In that picture, the words “Nintendo duo” can clearly be seen.
We’re still looking into the authenticity of this image to try to determine if it’s a Photoshop edit or not. As soon as we know anything, we’ll share it with you. For now, we’ll be sticking with the consensus and calling the console the Nintendo NX. So let’s move on and take a look at some other recently leaked information.
Specs and features
Unfortunately there has been a slowdown in leaked/rumored spec information about the mobile/console hybrid. Will it support a virtual reality headset? Will it allow gamers to play ultra high definition 4K games? Right now, there’s no answer to those questions. However, the retail leak we mentioned above did reveal that the Nintendo NX will likely render 1080p at a super fast 60fps, which, according to some fans, is much preferred to it having 4K but rendering images at shaky frame rates.
Form factor
At recent Retropalooza discussions, well-known YouTuber Boogie2988 appeared to spill the beans on what has probably been the worst-kept secret: that the Nintendo NX will be a mobile/console hybrid. As someone who provides gaming/ hardware news, he should know better.
Here’s what he said:
“I’ve talked to two people who have used it. One is from Ubisoft, and he said programming for it is really nice and Nintendo is working very closely with him and that the concept is great because he said, you could play… Uh, I don’t know how careful I should be with it… Let’s say you could play Assassin’s Creed once you have your handheld plugged into your console. And then, you could detach the thing and take it with you and play the Assassin’s Creed mobile game out of your pocket. And then when you get back home, plug it directly in, and now it attaches back to the… That’s brilliant. That’s smart, right? Taking a form of the game with you as you go, it will be great.”
Console and bundle prices
Earlier in the year, British retailer Tesco accidentally listed the console on its website for £349.99. However, on realizing their mistake, it was quickly taken down; whether this was a savvy marketing ploy is not known.
As recent as Monday, a new leak emerged from a close retail partner of Nintendo in the U.S. While no names were given, Nintendo NX Sub-Reddit moderator FlapSnapple insists that the source is reliable because the leaker has a position at the retailer which gives him/her access to sensitive product information.
So according to this leak, retailers will get demonstration devices in February, and it will launch in March. As for the prices, it turns out that there are two. The Nintendo NX on its own is expected to be priced at $299.99, and the other price is for a bundle, which could be up to $399.99. What games will feature in this bundle are yet to be revealed.
Final thoughts
Right now that’s the latest in the Nintendo NX merry-go-round; should that change, we’ll have everything you need to know. However, in the meantime, share your thoughts about this possible name change. Do you prefer the name Nintendo NX or Nintendo Duo, or do you even care?
For more information on Nintendo’s next generation console, here’s everything we have.
