Nintendo's New System Likely a Console/Portable Hybrid (arstechnica.com)

An anonymous reader writes: The Wall Street Journal reports (paywalled) that Nintendo has begun issuing software development kits for its new console, codenamed NX. The company hasn't provided any details publicly about how the console will work, but people who have gotten access to the SDK say it will likely include both a console and some kind of portable/mobile hardware. The intent is to be able to take some aspects of gaming with you when you leave the living room. Nintendo is also looking to step up its hardware efforts in response to criticism that the Wii U's capabilities were notably lower than those of the PS4 and Xbox One. In what ways do you think a console should be partially portable?

Comments

Nintendo doesn't want to become history

[rsborg]

Nintendo is looking to step up it's hardware efforts in response to criticism that the Wii U's capabilities were notably lower than those of the PS4 and the XBox One...

Really? Why do people always jump to this conclusion? In the history of Nintendo, they make what they make for their target demographic, and don't try competing against Sony and MS. This shouldn't need revisiting EVERY TIME someone releases a console.

They only recently became profitable again after a slump - and it's said that's also likely because of them making some big changes (tl;dr - licensing characters externally, making games for mobile platforms).

Nintendo for years was like Apple - above reproach and doing it their own way, but now it's having to play everyone else's game for the sole reason that not enough people were playing their games.

They don't need a console, per se

[93 Escort Wagon]

I was trying the DS version of Paper Mario the other day, using one of my daughter's older DS units (she's got one of the big 3DS now, so she said I could use the old one to see if I'd like it). So I'm playing this game, and my old eyes are squinting at the screen... and I thought "right now it'd be great if I could "airplay" this on our 47" television".

I could see a device that basically is more of a smart hub, rather than a standalone console in its own right - one that would give users the option to play their handheld games on the big screen, with some additional new distributed processing options where, if a bunch of users are in the same room with their 3DSXLs (or a new iteration similar to that), they could tie into this hub and play console-like games - but still be able to take that portable controller with them on the bus and play mobile games.

Sorta like what the Wii U attempted to do, but carried further to where it's the handheld devices that are primary rather than the console. Bonus points if, at some level, the model would work with existing 3DS hardware or even Nintendo-written iPad/Android apps.