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Eurogamer are reporting that Nintendo's upcoming NX will be a portable, handheld console with detachable controllers:

On the move, NX will function as a high-powered handheld console with its own display. So far so normal - but here's the twist: we've heard the screen is bookended by two controller sections on either side, which can be attached or detached as required.
Then, when you get home, the system can connect to your TV for gaming on the big screen.
A base unit, or dock station, is used to connect the brain of the NX - within the controller - to display on your TV.

Read the full article with a lot more info here: Source

 

[WhiteMaze]

Uh, the "hardcore gamers" aren't the only ones who like to play games and who believe touch controls aren't comfortable.

Sent from my Nokia 3310 using Tapatalk

Handheld sales and the current state of the industry, say otherwise.

 

[gnmmarechal]

Handheld sales and the current state of the industry, say otherwise.

Are you saying every single 3DS player is a "hardcore gamer"?

Cuz they most certainly aren't.

Lots of kids get handhelds given to them.

 

[TheDarkGreninja]

I should say im team nvidia now.

 

[sarkwalvein]

Oh, well, one more month until the TRUTH™ comes to light.
I really want to have some words from Nintendo, be it Tegra/ARM or Polaris/x86, be it handheld with detachable controllers or whatever it is, but some official word.
I hate rumours that develop into more rumours.

 

[Bladexdsl]

and who said in 1 month they will be revealing it? last i heard they are keeping it locked up until next year

 

[WhiteMaze]

Are you saying every single 3DS player is a "hardcore gamer"?

Cuz they most certainly aren't.

Lots of kids get handhelds given to them.

You can divide the market in anyway you want to. If you're thinking of 360º no scope, when I mention hardcore gamers, then i clarify that has nothing to do with my reasoning.

In my examples:

I use the term "hardcore gamer" to describe active gamers who look for a better gaming experience, and are therefore, proprietary handheld buyers, such as the Nintendo 3DS or the Playstation Vita.

I use the term "casual gamers" to describe people who like to game, but are not going to go through the effort of wasting money on a 3DS or Vita, and that's if they even know those exist. So, they settle for what games are available on the platforms they know best and use on their everyday lives: their smarphones and tablets.

As such, a person that purchased the Nintendo 3DS as you mentioned, obviously has not only knowledge of it, possibly from their past, but that person also actively wasted money on a proprietary handheld, when there are far cheaper alternatives. So we can assume, that at the very least, they know what they just bought.

Whether a child gets a 3DS or a Vita given to them, is completely irrelevant for sale numbers and the survival of the handheld industry, unless the kids bought the system themselves. So it's safe to assume, either the parents knew of the existence of 3DS's and bought their children a 3DS system, or the child knew of it's existence and requested a 3DS to his/her parents.

You seem to have something against my arguments, but you've failed to not only explain what you are against, but you also seem to have difficulty understanding what I mean. But if we are bringing children into the subject, then I think this clarifies things:

Most parents today, do NOT buy their children 3DS's or PS Vitas. They buy them tablets. Most of the kids on my neighborhood, haven't even seen a 3DS their whole lives. When they want to game, they game on their tablets, where there are not only plenty of games, but most are also free. And that's the new standard, ever since 2010, and it works just fine for parents.

Parent's (or at the very least, most of them), are not going to buy their kids proprietary gaming handhelds at 200$ a piece, plus 40$ for every game they want, when there's the App Store and the Play Store. And that's assuming parents know what a 3DS is. Most nowadays would laugh their butts off if you told them that there are new "GameBoys" for sale and that they cost 200$ each. Or 100$. Or even 80$. There's FREE alternatives.

So what is actually holding the market, is not the children as it once was in the "GameBoy" age. No. It is actually the adults. Fact of the matter, is that big names such as Pokemon, are alive due to the now grown up kids that they started with. We, buy those games. We buy those 3DS's and Vita's.

I have yet to see a single child, play Pokemon Go. Everyone that play's it, are within my age range, and sometimes even older. And why would a child play Pokemon Go? They don't know what the hell a Pokemon is, they did not grow up watching the whole Pokemon anime and craze with the Gameboy. They grew up with Smartphones and Tablets.

We did not have that alternative. All we had was what Nintendo, Sony and Sega produced on their proprietary gaming systems. There were no free games back then. The only choice we had, was to beg our parents for the new Pokemon Red and hope for a "yes".

 

[Futurdreamz]

So by your definition, a sweet little girl that saved up her allowance to buy a 3DS and a copy of nintendogs just because she likes puppies is a "hardcore gamer."

Jesus, you're worse then the pedantic assholes who refuses to accept that even the maker of the gif format uses a soft "g"

 

[gnmmarechal]

So by your definition, a sweet little girl that saved up her allowance to buy a 3DS and a copy of nintendogs just because she likes puppies is a "hardcore gamer."

Jesus, you're worse then the pedantic assholes who refuses to accept that even the maker of the gif format uses a soft "g"

I like saying a hard g

 

[Futurdreamz]

I like saying a hard g

As long as you accept that others don't. Although English has a phonetic spelling, there are so many exceptions and added letters that it's not worth it to complain about all the words that don't follow the logical pronunciation.

 

[TotalInsanity4]

and who said in 1 month they will be revealing it? last i heard they are keeping it locked up until next year

It's rumored that information will be coming at GamesCon

 

[sarkwalvein]

It's rumored that information will be coming at GamesCon

Well, I will be at gamescom, so I hope that's true.
But I heard they are revealing it in the TGS in September.

 

[WhiteMaze]

So by your definition, a sweet little girl that saved up her allowance to buy a 3DS and a copy of nintendogs just because she likes puppies is a "hardcore gamer."

Jesus, you're worse then the pedantic assholes who refuses to accept that even the maker of the gif format uses a soft "g"

I was wondering when the first insult would pop up.

I will revert things then, as I'm tired of explaining the same thing over and over. What is the problem then, with handhelds? Why are they failing and why is the industry sinking?

You tell me.

And by the way, the way anyone pronounces "GIF" is up to themselves. Personally, I pronounce it with a soft "G", but being mad at other people that pronounce it differently, is not only a waste of time, it is also lack of common sense.

EDIT: Forgot to add that the "little girl" regardless of what game she bought, would have done more to support the industry, then most people. And would in fact be within my classification of "hardcore gamer". The "little girl" recognized a better game and a better way to play and she saved up for it.

So....what's the problem with that again...?

 

[FrozenDragon150]

Ultimately, you can expect any other company to abandon consoles BUT Nintendo. See, they fine tune THEIR games for THEIR plataforms, and have no business making games for mobile plataforms where all they'll do is lose money.

Mobile gaming, for Nintendo, is merely an alternative source. And at the very best, they can and will use it to advertise their consoles and console games. Pokemon GO, for example, made awareness of Pokemon rise among the crowds. This leads to more people wanting the console Pokemon, and more people buying consoles for the console Pokemon, which, by the way, they'll be a le to run perfectly on a console rather than a phone or a tablet.

There is a limit to "do all you want" type of device, gaming is that limit. Phones and tablets aren't made for big games, much less NINTENDO'S big games.

 

[WhiteMaze]

Ultimately, you can expect any other company to abandon consoles BUT Nintendo. See, they fine tune THEIR games for THEIR plataforms, and have no business making games for mobile plataforms where all they'll do is lose money.

Mobile gaming, for Nintendo, is merely an alternative source. And at the very best, they can and will use it to advertise their consoles and console games. Pokemon GO, for example, made awareness of Pokemon rise among the crowds. This leads to more people wanting the console Pokemon, and more people buying consoles for the console Pokemon, which, by the way, they'll be a le to run perfectly on a console rather than a phone or a tablet.

There is a limit to "do all you want" type of device, gaming is that limit. Phones and tablets aren't made for big games, much less NINTENDO'S big games.

Even though I understand your point, I do not think it works that way.

In the Pokemon Go case, it's been clearly proven that the market is there.

But if Nintendo expects casuals to run off to the stores and buy 3DS's because of the recent success with Pokemon Go, Nintendo is severely mistaken.

Accessibility. Either get Pokemon Sun/Moon on Android/iOS, or continue to be old fashioned and don't. But if sales don't match what was to be expected, don't complain about "smartphones and tablets" ruining the gaming world later on like Sony did.

Everything evolves. Gaming is no exception. Sony and Nintendo's failure to adapt to the new times are the problem here, not the other way around.

So many people in denial..

 

[Futurdreamz]

Alright whatever.

I'm not able to argue against the allure of mobile games, but I simply cannot see Nintendo dropping their hardware and bringing their games to rival systems. That's what Sega did, and they're now only a shadow of their former self. I don't believe Nintendo can really be successful on mobile without sacrificing it's core ideals. Plus I suspect there may be trouble in the future, as none of the manufacturers aside from Samsung and Apple are making much profit - and even those two are not doing so hot. It seems like there may be a reckoning, leaving us with one or two manufacturers that get to jack up prices or whatever. Nintendo has always played the long game, and while relying on mobile may be profitable for now it may send the company on a slow death march to obscurity.

Honestly I do believe dedicated consoles and handhelds are here to stay. You're comparing smartphones which are constantly being replaced to the 3DS, which is an aging platform and nearly everyone who wants one has one. Once the next handheld comes out there will be a new cycle, which everyone will be taking notice of. Yes, you will see more kids on the street playing with their phones. Aside from the fact that Pokemon Go just came out, a phone is still something you always have with you - lest you get lost or need to call 911 because a madman wants to use your skull as a wok. But that's the only time you see the kids. You don't know whether or not they have a 3DS at home or in their backpack, for when they have some free time and want to focus on something. Plus, Nintendo has even admitted that Pokemon Go has had a Halo effect which increased sales of their regular Pokemon games and consoles.

And I disagree with your definition of "hardcore gamer." Your definition seems to be more like a "hardcore game purchaser" then someone who is actually in it for the games. I'm pretty sure the term "hardcore gamer" better applies to someone where gaming and gaming culture is a very significant part of their life, like someone who plays Starcraft all day and night. Someone that spends $2,000 on a high-end gaming system can't really be a hardcore gamer if he only uses it to play for a short while once a month or so, but someone who plays Smash on a Wii U as soon as he gets home everyday and has memorized every characters abilities and weaknesses can. Someone who plays Clash of Clans all the time would be a hardcore gamer too.

 

[WhiteMaze]

Alright whatever.

I'm not able to argue against the allure of mobile games, but I simply cannot see Nintendo dropping their hardware and bringing their games to rival systems. That's what Sega did, and they're now only a shadow of their former self. I don't believe Nintendo can really be successful on mobile without sacrificing it's core ideals. Plus I suspect there may be trouble in the future, as none of the manufacturers aside from Samsung and Apple are making much profit - and even those two are not doing so hot. It seems like there may be a reckoning, leaving us with one or two manufacturers that get to jack up prices or whatever. Nintendo has always played the long game, and while relying on mobile may be profitable for now it may send the company on a slow death march to obscurity.

Honestly I do believe dedicated consoles and handhelds are here to stay. You're comparing smartphones which are constantly being replaced to the 3DS, which is an aging platform and nearly everyone who wants one has one. Once the next handheld comes out there will be a new cycle, which everyone will be taking notice of. Yes, you will see more kids on the street playing with their phones. Aside from the fact that Pokemon Go just came out, a phone is still something you always have with you - lest you get lost or need to call 911 because a madman wants to use your skull as a wok. But that's the only time you see the kids. You don't know whether or not they have a 3DS at home or in their backpack, for when they have some free time and want to focus on something. Plus, Nintendo has even admitted that Pokemon Go has had a Halo effect which increased sales of their regular Pokemon games and consoles.

And I disagree with your definition of "hardcore gamer." Your definition seems to be more like a "hardcore game purchaser" then someone who is actually in it for the games. I'm pretty sure the term "hardcore gamer" better applies to someone where gaming and gaming culture is a very significant part of their life, like someone who plays Starcraft all day and night. Someone that spends $2,000 on a high-end gaming system can't really be a hardcore gamer if he only uses it to play for a short while once a month or so, but someone who plays Smash on a Wii U as soon as he gets home everyday and has memorized every characters abilities and weaknesses can. Someone who plays Clash of Clans all the time would be a hardcore gamer too.

Whether Nintendo will move on to iOS / Android development, is something that remains to be seen to this day. That, I will agree with you on, and we will see what the future brings.

Now what is actually factual, is that as it stands, the handheld industry is being severely threatened. Take into account this is about handhelds. Not home consoles. Consoles aren't going anywhere. But home consoles don't have rivals besides computers. Handhelds have the many times greater in size industry of smartphones and tablets in their way.

Taking into account the profits Apple and Samsung have made over the past 5 years, I'd say it's not only an industry that's here to stay, it's also immeasurably bigger than the gaming industry. Handheld or otherwise.

Now as far as what SEGA did, not only was that in the early 2000's (15 years ago), it was also caused not by smartphones and tablets, but by SEGA's own flaws, marketing mishaps and SEGA's failure to counter piracy. In short, SEGA failed against competitors in their own industry. I don't think we can compare the two.

The Nintendo 3DS as you very well mentioned, is already 5 years old. That is indeed true, and if Nintendo bets on a new proprietary handheld, the cycle will start again. The problem is very simple:

If there aren't enough sales, Nintendo will lose the ability to continue producing new gaming systems. Fact of the matter, is that sales are what support the industry. So my definition of "hardcore gamer purchaser" (as you very well put), still holds up. Because at the end of the day, it does not matter if you play the games you bought for 15 hours a day, or not. What matters is this: The industry has your 2000$. And that, makes you a hardcore supporter / purchaser, driving the economy.

Unfortunately, as much as we'd like to deny it, that's what keeps it afloat. Without enough sales, there's no production.

Lastly, I'd like to also add that if you are correct, and I am in fact gullible to the point where every kid has a 3DS or a Vita at home (I just don't see them), then the industry has a problem:

They're handhelds. You keep home consoles at home. Not handhelds. The same way you keep landlines at home. That would be the same as leaving your mobile at home when you leave. And if that's the case, (kids leaving their 3DS's at home),then the handheld gaming industry has already lost against it's Android/iOS competitors.

 

[GoodCookie88]

Plus, on my 3DS once my battery dies after 5+ hours of playing I can just put it away until I can charge it. If I tried to play a game on a smartphone, it would heat up and the battery will die sooner, leaving me with no means of contacting others.


Nintendo has no interest in making or focusing on devices where gaming isn't the only priority or they don't have full control over the environment. The Wii and Wii U don't even play DVDs or BDDs, despite almost having the correct hardware. If Nintendo made an Android smartphone they would give up nearly all their control to Google, who can turn around and force an update that breaks most games from playing. The only way I can see Nintendo even considering a smartphone is if they used Blackberry 10 (good security, the only form of hacking is swapping out uncrackable modules like the radio driver for older or newer versions, and can be locked down tighter than a nun's knickers), but even then you wouldn't buy it because it doesn't have Instagram.

Fuck it, I'm going to see if I can find that bigass wall of text I posted somewhere so we can end this discussion.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

The higher end phones can't even compete with the higher end phones. The smartphone market is stuck in a rat race where all the phones are barely distinguishable from each other and the more unique features get generally ignored. And even if you make the perfect phone, it's obsolete and garbage within three months. There's absolutely no money to be made.

You never specified the OS. If Nintendo makes a custom OS or even forks android, the phone will be DOA. Blackberry and Amazon have learned the cold harsh reality that not having access to the Google Play app store will kill your phone, even if it's perfectly capable of running Android apps. While being able to play Mario on a phone might be nice, it's a communications tool front and center. That means phonecalls text messages whatsapp line instagram facebook knowlegetree and a million other apps that are the One Thing that someone or another relies on and needs on their phone. There's no getting around that the Android and iOS app stores are now vital to any phone on the market. The percentage of phones that have access to either the App Store or Google Play amount to at least 95% of all phones sold.

If Nintendo uses an authorized Android OS build, they no longer have full control of their system. One of Nintendo's defining traits is that their games and systems are as glitch free as humanly possible (compared to Bethesda, for example). Using Android opens the phone up to a multitude of issues Nintendo can't control. Google can push an update that breaks a game, or a user can install an app that fucks things up. The game cannot take maximum advantage of the hardware, as the OS and other apps will be sucking the CPU dry. I don't think Nintendo can even use their own game store, so they would have to rely on Google Play and have everything linked to your Google ID.

And that's not even covering the rampant piracy that Android OS has, where people would most likely crack the games to install on their own phones. That last one is a biggie. Nintendo would be forced to sell a smartphone at near cost in order to compete, but attempts to make money by selling games would be foiled by people simply choosing to pirate the games. And even if they don't pirate the game, mods and hacks that even affect online play would be readily available from the Play Store. Maybe you haven't noticed, but Nintendo really doesn't want you to hack their devices, and they do everything in their power to prevent hacking.

The smartphone market is not a nice place. Nintendo has no business making a smartphone.

Incidentally, what did you think a so-called Nintendo phone would look like? Is it a generic slab with no tactile feedback, or does it have a whole slew of buttons and joypads that add cost and get in the way when you want to make a call? Look how chunky the 3DS and Pro Controller are. They need to be, in order to have decent travel on the physical controls. Now look at the phone in your pocket. If it's anything like mine, it's pretty fucking skinny. There would be no room for usable triggers on it, and you're dreaming if you expect a circle pad or even the c-stick. Yes, you can make the phone thicker, but then you lose pocketability big time. Are you really going to wear a phone holster like an old Crackberry addict?

The 3DS and the Wii did one thing, and they did it well. That's why they were successful. Nintendo has never been a company that made a jack of all trades product, and never will.

I'm sorry that I'm kind of hostile about this; but all the facts of the smartphone world and of Nintendo's actions are very clear that such an attempt would be a suicide run, and Nintendo would not even attempt it. There is simply no benefit, and it won't even make something that you'll stare at nostalgically when you rediscover it in a box in your attic.

Well said bro

 

[Zeriel]

I always said it would be a handheld that would connect to the TV since last year! why would nobody believe me? xD
but I only want to know one thing and one thing only, is this region locked? because I love playing Japanese games and have
pirated every Nintendo console mainly because of the region lock, but this time I'm done, if this thing has another region lock I'm buying a PS4!

 

[HaloEliteLegend]

I always said it would be a handheld that would connect to the TV since last year! why would nobody believe me? xD
but I only want to know one thing and one thing only, is this region locked? because I love playing Japanese games and have
pirated every Nintendo console mainly because of the region lock, but this time I'm done, if this thing has another region lock I'm buying a PS4!

I wouldn't put it past them. Seriously, region-locking is the dumbest thing ever. It also means NA players can't import English games from Europe if they launch in Europe and not the states. And yeah, it means we miss out on a lot of Japanese titles that never make it here.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Even though I understand your point, I do not think it works that way.

In the Pokemon Go case, it's been clearly proven that the market is there.

But if Nintendo expects casuals to run off to the stores and buy 3DS's because of the recent success with Pokemon Go, Nintendo is severely mistaken.

Accessibility. Either get Pokemon Sun/Moon on Android/iOS, or continue to be old fashioned and don't. But if sales don't match what was to be expected, don't complain about "smartphones and tablets" ruining the gaming world later on like Sony did.

Everything evolves. Gaming is no exception. Sony and Nintendo's failure to adapt to the new times are the problem here, not the other way around.

So many people in denial..

Well, we'll see come Fall when Sun and Moon come out. I think Pokemon Go revived the Pokemon fever in a lot of people who wouldn't have otherwise considered buying a Pokemon game. I also think that if Nintendo continues releasing more of their IPs into the casual mobile sphere, it'll attract more business there, too. Kinda like a "taste of what's to come if you buy a Nintendo console." Because when Nintendo'll drop a new app, the community for that IP is already there. New players flooding in may want to be a part of that. They may like the existing community. I think Nintendo mobile games are a very lucrative way to draw people into their hardware and software.

Think: A new Animal Crossing game comes out on iOS and Android, but it has in-app purchases and is kinda stripped down, but still fun (like Pokemon Go). Players go there, get a taste of Animal Crossing, then migrate over to a Nintendo handheld to experience an actual Animal Crossing game.

Also, let's not forget the NX. It may very well be a tablet capable of running all the new Nintendo mobile games WHILE being a console that plays Nintendo exclusives and full AAA games. Think about how appealing that sounds! An all-in-one tablet that plays all assortment of games, while still functioning as an actual tablet. It's like an Nvidia Shield Tablet with full AAA support and Nintendo exclusives. In this case, Nintendo's mobile schemes could attract even more people to their hardware. I'm raising the possibility.

 

[WhiteMaze]

Well, we'll see come Fall when Sun and Moon come out. I think Pokemon Go revived the Pokemon fever in a lot of people who wouldn't have otherwise considered buying a Pokemon game. I also think that if Nintendo continues releasing more of their IPs into the casual mobile sphere, it'll attract more business there, too. Kinda like a "taste of what's to come if you buy a Nintendo console." Because when Nintendo'll drop a new app, the community for that IP is already there. New players flooding in may want to be a part of that. They may like the existing community. I think Nintendo mobile games are a very lucrative way to draw people into their hardware and software.

Think: A new Animal Crossing game comes out on iOS and Android, but it has in-app purchases and is kinda stripped down, but still fun (like Pokemon Go). Players go there, get a taste of Animal Crossing, then migrate over to a Nintendo handheld to experience an actual Animal Crossing game.

Also, let's not forget the NX. It may very well be a tablet capable of running all the new Nintendo mobile games WHILE being a console that plays Nintendo exclusives and full AAA games. Think about how appealing that sounds! An all-in-one tablet that plays all assortment of games, while still functioning as an actual tablet. It's like an Nvidia Shield Tablet with full AAA support and Nintendo exclusives. In this case, Nintendo's mobile schemes could attract even more people to their hardware. I'm raising the possibility.

Ultimately, I agree on the fact that we "will see".

Unfortunately, I predict some tough times for Nintendo and Sony if this continues. I hope I am wrong.