As the rumor mill around the Nintendo NX, its specs, and possible launch titles begins to ramp up, we will keep you updated with everything that’s being said about the console/mobile hybrid, both now and after it becomes a reality. Today’s new rumors center around the possibility of a Tegra X2 chip being incorporated into the device and a Metroid Prime 4 rumor, plus the possibility of an earlier-than-expected reveal for the NX.
Nintendo NX powered by Tegra X2
Just last week we came across a report on wiiudaily.com which stated that sources close to the Nintendo NX project had leaked information about a NVIDIA Tegra X2 chip possibly being used in the console/mobile hybrid. Internally, this chip is reportedly known as Tegra-Next and Parker. If this turns out to be true, it will propel the Nintendo NX into a different league than was originally thought possible with the Tegra X1 chip.
So how does this chip differ from the X1? To start with, it has the same four Cortex A57 cores that were present on the Tegra X1, but it also has two custom Denver2 cores which support something called Pascal architecture.
Pascal graphics architecture was first seen earlier this year on high-end PC graphics cards like the GTX 1080 and the GTX 1070, which are both very powerful cards. However, little is actually known about the Tegra X2, so it is hard to say precisely what advantages it will provide. About the only solid information available is that it has a 16-nanometer design, which makes its communication extremely fast. And if you like to believe rumors and leaks, some are suggesting it could mean that the Nintendo NX has a chipset that rivals those found in the Xbox One S and even the PlayStation Neo.
Metroid Prime 4
If the Nintendo NX is going to be able to get big-name publishers and franchises on board, it will need to need to provide the power to support them. One new game rumor suggests that Metroid Prime 4 may be under development for the console/mobile hybrid.
According to the ibtimes.com, the current rumor comes from the closing scene of the recently released 3DS game Metroid Prime: Federation Force.
Beware: spoiler alert!
While playing the Federation Force game, players find a Metroid egg which has been ignored during the game. However, after the credits have rolled at the end of the game, a character called Sylux from Metroid Prime Hunters appears and watches the egg hatch. Now Sylux (if you don’t know) is a bounty hunter from the 2006 game, and he hates Samus with a passion.
So why does this lead to rumors about the game appearing on the Nintendo NX?
During E3 2015, Metroid Prime producer Kensuke Tanabe told IGN, “There’s still more I want to build around the story of Sylux and Samus. There’s something going on between them. I want to make a game that touches upon [it].”
Around the same time, he told Eurogamer that the next Metroid Prime game would more than likely be on the Nintendo NX.
Cartridges and digital downloads
Little has been reported about the Nintendo NX’s rumored use of cartridges, but sources close to Nintendo have now put some flesh on the bones of these rumors by suggesting that the cartridges could have a 32GB capacity for games. This means that many modern titles that are seen on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One would not be compatible with this format.
What this does mean, however, is that digital downloads will be the cornerstone of the device, offering access to the type of larger, more modern games that the console/mobile hybrid will need to thrive.
Nintendo NX reveal date
Some rumors suggest that not only will Apple reveal the iPhone 7 and Sony reveal the PlayStation Neo in September, but also Nintendo will reveal the NX in the same month. However, unlike Sony and Apple, which have supposedly chosen the same date, September 7, for their announcements, it’s thought that Nintendo will announce the NX around the 22nd. Trying to figure out when and why has become a pastime for many on reddit, and one user called Zombie_Andrew had the following to say:
“September is when kids and young adults get back to school. Reveal it before term time and there’s a risk they’ll [sic’ be no buzz or chatter amongst classmates because too much time has passed. Reveal it just when they’re back and the next day it’s suddenly the debate at school/high school/college.
“A large chunk of casuals who play sports and casual shooters alongside spending 90% of the rest of their time on their mobile devices are people of that age group.
“If it’s true and this is a mobile device capable of playing both Android games AND Splatoon / Call of Duty / Breath of the Wild etc. And they can bring that device into school and then dock it and play on the TV then it’s going to be a big seller.”
As for a Nintendo NX launch date, Nintendo has given firm assurances that this will be in March 2017.