Details of Nintendo’s latest console, the Nintendo NX, have been hard to come by. Now a new report floats the idea that the console
could be revealed later this month. More specifically, the Nintendo NX could be released on October 21 as part of the celebrations of the fifth anniversary of Nintendo Direct, writes Tynan Muddle for Squish Turtle.
Report says Nintendo NX soon to be unveiled
The report claims that the broadcast of Nintendo Direct could provide an opportunity for the unveiling of the Nintendo NX. The thinking is that the launch would coincide with the fifth anniversary of Nintendo Direct, which launched in 2011.
Nintendo Direct is a pre-recorded broadcast that is used to announce and promote games titles both big and small. Important announcements are also made during the broadcast, which acts as a replacement for press conferences at the E3 gaming event.
There was no Nintendo Direct event last year. This was due to the death of company president Satoru Iwata, who hosted the broadcasts. Now rumor has it that this year’s broadcast will be used to announce the Nintendo NX console.
Upcoming console remains an enigma
At this stage very little is known about the upcoming console. It is scheduled to be released in March 2017, but details are scarce aside from that. Sources believe that Nintendo will release the new console by March in order to satisfy investors, who want to see the new device before the end of the company’s fiscal year.
There have been some leaks that have suggested that the new device will be a hybrid device that can act as a portable gaming system as well as a console. This idea is matched by another which says that the console will have detachable controllers.
While several leaks have somewhat questionable origins, others are more reputable. For one, the Pokemon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara spoke about the console in conversation with The Wall Street Journal. “The NX is trying to change the concept of what it means to be a home console device or a hand-held device,” he said. “We will make games for the NX.”
Leaks are all we have to go on
Another leak came courtesy of British retailer Tesco, which published a pre-order page for the Nintendo NX on its website. The page showed a release date and price of the new console.
The pre-order page has since been removed. It showed that the console would be going on sale on December 31 for $450. It is thought that the details were placeholders rather than real information.
Indeed many commentators believe that a March release date is unlikely. Some even say that announcing the console during Nintendo Direct would be a mistake. There are lots of AAA game releases coming up, as well as the PS4 Pro and PSVR from Sony. This makes for a busy time in the gaming industry, and Nintendo may struggle to compete.
Another point is that the company would be making noise about a system that won’t even be available for holiday season this year. A March release is also quite strange because almost all new consoles are released for holiday season.
What is Nintendo planning?
Debuting a console through Nintendo Direct might not give Nintendo the clout that it needs. Again a March release would mean no airtime at E3 or most major game shows. This is in direct contrast to releases from Sony and Microsoft, who make full use of E3 presentations and live in-person stage shows.
At this stage the Nintendo NX remains an enigma for its release date and technical specifications. However the new console has received the backing of Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot on various occasions.
“The new Nintendo [console] is a fantastic machine,” he said. “It’s really a new approach, it’s really Nintendo, [which is] coming with something new again. We love it.”
During a call with investors he was also full of praise for the NX.
“I believe Nintendo will be back in the race with the NX,” Guillemot said, as reported by French journalist Chloe Woitier on her Twitter account.
The backing of major games developers is incredibly important for the success of the Nintendo NX. If the console is to attract buyers, it will have to offer a wide range of decent games. If these games make use of new hardware, as alluded to by Guillemot, then all the better.
At the same time the point remains that Nintendo is competing in a tough console market. With so few official details available, it really is difficult to make any sort of considered projections at this stage. Take all of the rumors that you hear with a pinch of salt.
