The first details about Nintendo's new game console sound crazy
We know that Nintendo's next video game console is currently codenamed the "NX," and we know that it's planned for a March 2017 launch. That's pretty much where our official knowledge of the Japanese gaming giant's next video game system ends - Nintendo's said next to nothing about it.
A new report from Eurogamer, however, sheds a lot more light on what we can expect.
First and foremost, it looks like we'll hear a lot more about the system officially come September. That's apparently the month that Nintendo's going to unveil the system.
So, what else is in the report? Here's the skinny:
- It's a home console/portable console hybrid. It sounds like it has a gamepad that can be taken on-the-go.
- It's not much more powerful than the Wii U - the focus is on mobility over horsepower - but it's capable of powering gorgeous games like "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild."
- It uses game cartridges rather than discs, though it's expected to have an online storefront for downloadable versions of games.
- It's unlikely to run Wii U games.
Of course, if you've been paying close attention across the past year or so, you'll already know much of this.
Some of the first rumors of Nintendo's new console were about it being a console/handheld hybrid of sorts. The idea is simple: A powerful base console remains plugged in at home to your TV, and when you're home you plug the gamepad/portable console into that base. When you go out, you take the controller with you (it has its own screen, like the Wii U gamepad).
The same goes for the cartridge rumor - we heard as much back in May - which makes sense given the portable nature of the console. Simply put, it's a tremendously bad idea to make a portable game console that plays full-size optical discs (think: Blu-ray, DVD, etc.).
For Nintendo's part, as you might expect, the company isn't saying anything in response to the report.