The P-NES? Lol
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Nintendo looking for Lead Graphic Engineer for Next-Gen Console SoC in Redmond
- Thread starter BY2K
- Start date
The P-NES? Lol
What did you think QOL was for?
Ah, yes. Completely forgot about Intrinsity. Thanks!
Anyway, the AMCC X-Gene and Marvell Sheeva are generally considered custom as far as I can tell. And the K12 reportedly will be custom as well. I believe Samsung announced a custom core a while ago but I don't think it's actually out yet.
And I was talking about CPUs when I listed those GPU suppliers. The point is that it wouldn't be shocking if Nintendo unveiled a SoC designed by a company nobody has ever heard of, custom core or not. As I wrote, quite a few companies have ARM architectural licenses (as opposed to core licenses), and since ARM doesn't publish a comprehensive list of licensees, we don't really know all options in the first place. But Nintendo could also use standard ARM cores, that would leave them with even more options. There are dozens of companies out there designing ARM based SoC, and at least half a dozen that can do custom cores.
SwiftDeath
Member
Sales trends I would assume. The 3DS is still doing well in Japan albeit it's starting to slow considerably I guess. Still even if it stopped selling completely in Japan it has sold fantastically there and it will sell several million more. It's the rest of the world where sales for it become more problematic. You never want to release a new console/handheld after your last console/handheld has already become irrelevant [i.e. stops selling in any meaningful way]. Doing so can seriously hurt your branding.
Personally I cannot see the Wii U successor being released any later than 2017 and even then I personally think it's more likely a 2016 Fall/Winter release. Releasing in 2017 would be another 3 years on the market and after 2015, Wii U will tank hard at least outside of Japan although it's not doing so hot there either. If I had to guess I'd say 3DS at latest would be Fall/Winter 2016 with Wii U successor in 2017. Even then though I could see it being earlier as the Wii U will only get more problematic after 2015 and Nintendo would risk burning their home console mindshare
Using the "NES" designation would be awesome, actually. Nice call.
Imagine Nintendo at E3 coming out on stage and saying, "Introducing... our next foray into the video game marketplace..... and our fully next-generation platform. We call it........... the New Nintendo Entertainment System, or the New NES." *Crowd screams from both excitement and awesome Nintendo nostalgia*
cpp_is_king
Member
I don't see why this is important information. Nintendo needs to fill a position. Why is this important? Do people actually think that nobody has ever been responsible for Nintendo's graphics chips before? Or that this somehow implies that Nintendo'e next-gen console will be on par or beyond that of PS4 or Xbox One? They just need a graphics hardware person. Just like they already need graphics hardware people.
Prevolition
Member
Hahaha, dying here.
NES -> Super NES
Nintendo 64 -> Gamecube (not as obvious, but GC built upon the N64 foundation in terms of being more balanced for western audiences with edgy 3D games as a focus)
Wii -> Wii U
??
It's time for something new, I'm not just suggesting the name but also direction. It's also in line with their handheld history
Gameboy -> Gameboy Advance (Color is arguably a gen of its own but then you could make the same case for New 3DS)
DS -> 3DS
??
Imo Nintendo's main issue is its image problem, they need to turn the negative perception around. I think introducing a new brand on both fronts is necessary, but also for the first time don't differentiate between the portable and stationary. The idea is that your NN ID is the gaming platform, independent of the system itself. It must be cheap to access the core gaming experience, meaning purchase of a console and the base game have to be kept low priced, with the option to get more out of your game if you pay up. Perhaps make 2D Mario episodic, so you get a condensed, maybe 5-world experience for $30 and then plenty of available worlds that branch out within the same world map. The whole business model needs to be shaken up. Sure you could argue it could be bad for their big hits, but I think this model would help lesser games like Pikmin significantly to get more exposure. I don't think the demo to $60 product is a viable step anymore in a time when you can get 10 quality indie games for that price. Marketing and how they sell their games needs to change. Not drastically, but slowly move in this direction for lesser selling titles.
Nintendo 64 -> Gamecube (not as obvious, but GC built upon the N64 foundation in terms of being more balanced for western audiences with edgy 3D games as a focus)
Wii -> Wii U
??
It's time for something new, I'm not just suggesting the name but also direction. It's also in line with their handheld history
Gameboy -> Gameboy Advance (Color is arguably a gen of its own but then you could make the same case for New 3DS)
DS -> 3DS
??
Imo Nintendo's main issue is its image problem, they need to turn the negative perception around. I think introducing a new brand on both fronts is necessary, but also for the first time don't differentiate between the portable and stationary. The idea is that your NN ID is the gaming platform, independent of the system itself. It must be cheap to access the core gaming experience, meaning purchase of a console and the base game have to be kept low priced, with the option to get more out of your game if you pay up. Perhaps make 2D Mario episodic, so you get a condensed, maybe 5-world experience for $30 and then plenty of available worlds that branch out within the same world map. The whole business model needs to be shaken up. Sure you could argue it could be bad for their big hits, but I think this model would help lesser games like Pikmin significantly to get more exposure. I don't think the demo to $60 product is a viable step anymore in a time when you can get 10 quality indie games for that price. Marketing and how they sell their games needs to change. Not drastically, but slowly move in this direction for lesser selling titles.
uncredited male
Member
I read this as Shadow of the Colossus.
That was weird.
That was weird.
TheMoon
Member
So the exact thing they're offering right now? The GamePad is a traditional "standard" controller. With a screen in the middle. You do realize the DualShock 4 is the exact same thing, right? Just that it's not a screen but a simple pad that you touch. Would you call the DS4 a non-standard controller? And are the experiences offered for both not pretty similar from a pure control interface perspective? The only real difference being that the GamePad offers you a bunch more options with the built-in gyro and the touch screen? Key word being options.
Iwata explicitly said this won't happen for that exact reason earlier this year when asked about this by investors.
The software price could be a problem considered as well.
Herpes Reasons
Banned
Low power? Shocking.
Well, it is a console..........that's the entire point.
It takes time to develop console hardware and We don't know what Nintendo has planned beyond what they announced at e3. Sales have picked up and while they're not setting the world on fire if this holiday and amiibo helps sales elevate enough they could ride it out until 2018. Wii u was a rush job and I doubt Nintendo wants to recreate that process.
Were at the cusp of the next generation of ram/gpu/cpu. Xbox/ps4 were design with tech that's overstayed it's welcome and as a result they were dated before release. It would be hugely beneficial for Nintendo to get in on the tech refresh, especially if they plan to try VR.
NormalFish
Banned
This makes sense. It seems like a very difficult call for Nintendo to make at this point. Very hopeful that they figure their shit out in a timely manner.
My guess is one architecture and one OS, several different devices. And yeah, if that's the case, I think you'd be able to play any game you bought once on any system that supports it, but I wouldn't expect every game to run on every device. Developers will probably set a baseline and games will run on everything meeting the minimum specs.
Correct. But this is jump to conclusions and over hype yourself NeoGaf gold edition. You can't go expecting sound logic.
Chittagong
Gold Member
Well, fuck.
Recruiting in 10/2014 -> Joined 03/2015 (after search, interviews, tests and notice period from previous job)
Onboarding 03/2015 - 06/2015
Research & Strategy for next gen architecture Q3/2015
Management decision and documentation of next gen architecture approach Q4/2015
Work on new chip 2016
Tape out Q2/2017
Mass market release of next gen console Q4/2017
How'zat?
Recruiting in 10/2014 -> Joined 03/2015 (after search, interviews, tests and notice period from previous job)
Onboarding 03/2015 - 06/2015
Research & Strategy for next gen architecture Q3/2015
Management decision and documentation of next gen architecture approach Q4/2015
Work on new chip 2016
Tape out Q2/2017
Mass market release of next gen console Q4/2017
How'zat?
Fourth Storm
Member
Ah yes, this posting has been up for a couple months or so now. I don't know if there's much to be drawn from it, but it sure is cool to see the duties of such a position.
Sounds reasonable.
I don't think that will be the case. They need to launch their new handheld first.
Unless they release both in the same year.
Given this job is only just being advertised, I'm erring more towards 2017. Production might ramp up in 2016 I guess.. but yeah, 4 year lifespan for Wii U is minimum I think.
Traditionally, I'd expect us to see the next handheld first, but with them trying to make the devices a part of the same unified family next time around - it's anyone's guess.
SwiftDeath
Member
NES -> July 1983 [7 years as lead Nintendo console]
SNES -> November 1990 [6 years as lead Nintendo console]
N64 -> June, 1996 [5 years as lead Nintendo console]
NGC -> September 2001 [5 years as lead Nintendo console]
Wii -> December 2006 [6 years as lead Nintendo console]
Wii U -> November 2012 [??? years as lead Nintendo console]
NES, SNES, and Wii were successful consoles commercially. N64, NGC, and Wii U were/are not. Gamecube released 5 years after N64's launch. Wii launched 5 years after Gamecube's launch. They are the most comparable systems success-wise and Nintendo seems to have had a shorter life for those consoles. Furthermore Wii U is thus far the worst performing home console Nintendo has ever made commercially so if anything one would think Nintendo would desire the same or less time between consoles then the N64 and NGC had. 2017 will be 5 years from the Wii U's launch.
There is no logical reason to expect Amiibo sales to somehow change the course of the Wii U and make it relevant for another year on the market. Wii U sales in 2016 and 2017 will be awful, like in NA it will likely fall to Vita levels in 2017. Personally I think Wii U sales will be entirely irrelevant by 2017 but I am 99.9% positive that retailers themselves won't care to stock the Wii U in 2018 unless something fundamental changes.
Just saying. Don't think it'll actually be ready next year though...
Low power... not this shit again
Hopefully this is about their nextgen handheld
Yeah same. Did Nintendo learn nothing from this gen or last gen? If the next Nintendo console is not at the very least as powerful or more powerful than the PS4, then it's another failed console and complete waste of time and money by Nintendo.
Not only that, but they better seek out third parties for input on their console this time if they really want third party support again.
Yea, it's hard to call what they're going to do this time. Will they unite and just make the one console, or continue with both handheld and console.
RadioJoNES64
Banned
I'm sure it's for a new handheld that'll be coming around 2017-2018. They wouldn't push the New 3DS if they had something in store for the next year or two. If they were to release a new home console this early, hopefully Wii U owners get something out of it.
ThoseDeafMutes
Member
Not singling you out specifically, because this has come up 50x in the thread, but this could be referring to a hand-held console, not just a home console (the job posting never specifies). Additionally, it could be interpreted to mean low power in the same sense that the PS4 is low-power, i.e. that it draws half the electricity that the PS3/360 did at launch (roughly). Every console this gen is "low power".
So basically, it tells us very little, and you should preserve your panicking / outrage / disappointment for an official announcement or reputable leak at some point in the future.
Well if you consider that PS4 development started at 2006 it isn't surprising at all Nintendo does the same and is already preparing something for next-gen.
One reason Nintendo wasn't competent cost-per-FLOPS wise was that they tried to stick with Japanese companies as much as possible, for both 3DS and WiiU. This time around we may see pure Western console by Nintendo, just like Sony did for PS4.
One reason Nintendo wasn't competent cost-per-FLOPS wise was that they tried to stick with Japanese companies as much as possible, for both 3DS and WiiU. This time around we may see pure Western console by Nintendo, just like Sony did for PS4.
They'll unite the architecture but there'll be several different devices. My guess is they'll release the handheld first, and when they announce the console a year or two later, Iwata will be like "All those 4DS games you already own? With our new console, you'll be able to play them in 1080p on your TV!".
uncredited male
Member
I could live quite well with a 720p Wii U-fidelity level handheld that would plug into a basestation for 1080p Wii U-fidelity level TV play.
TheMoon
Member
Yea, they have been quite explicit about that. There really isn't much to guess about in that area.
That would be a smart play.
The one thing I'm confident off is that thier next consoles are going to have an awesome first year in terms of software. Both the 3DS and Wii U were damaged due to a weak line-up. They wont make the same mistake again.
I think Iwata mentioned that he's undecided on weather they will go with just one device or multiple devices. Depends on the market landscape.
Personally, I think that they should start with the handheld, a successor to the 3DS will be long overdue by 2016. The next home console in 2017 gives the Wii U a solid five year lifespan.
Better settle for 480p to avoid disappointment.
Nothing wrong with mandating low power in console SoC designs.
No-one wants a noisy, hot, power guzzling, large box for a console. The days of deafening fans and RRoDs are thankfully long gone. Quiet, efficient, economical.
There have been murmurs that Nintendo's next hardware will aim to unifiy console and handheld platforms. Whether that means they're identical hardware on the inside, or just very similar architecture to allow for easy ports. Either way, you'd need low power SoC for the handheld.
No-one wants a noisy, hot, power guzzling, large box for a console. The days of deafening fans and RRoDs are thankfully long gone. Quiet, efficient, economical.
There have been murmurs that Nintendo's next hardware will aim to unifiy console and handheld platforms. Whether that means they're identical hardware on the inside, or just very similar architecture to allow for easy ports. Either way, you'd need low power SoC for the handheld.
Fourth Storm
Member
We can speculate away on ARM vs x86, but I would not rule out another variation of Espresso/Broadway/Gekko. Nintendo have gone back to that well time and time again. In 2016/2017, the power draw for those cores will be even more negligible, and Nintendo stand to benefit from having all their existing and finely tuned assets up from the get-go. Remember, Iwata has stated that Nintendo are looking to reduce the negative effects of generational transition.
ThoseDeafMutes
Member
The negative effects of generational transition vs the negative effects of being on ancient technology that only they still use that is different from the industry norms because fuck you that's why.
Rushersauce
Banned
Heyyyyyy... I came up with that
ThoseDeafMutes
Member
It's hard to find direct comparisons, but what I've gathered from disparate sources is:
PS3 @ launch: ~170-200W.
PS4 @ launch: ~80W-130W
I don't think they'll have much of a problem. You apparently can't code to the metal on Wii U, it's all managed and high level. Which means devs can't do really weird shit. And if there's no weird shit, emulation shouldn't be a big issue. Emulating a ppc750 isn't that hard and GPUs are backwards compatible, even across vendors.
So in theory, they could switch to a completely different architecture now, still make BC possible to ease the generational transition (bonus point: if there's no GamePad, you'll need both their next handheld and their next console to play Wii U games via BC), and there won't be any further generational transitions in the foreseeable future because whatever they'll switch to will probably be around for decades.
GhostTrick
Banned
To be honest, at this point, I wouldn't even be mad if they used PPC for both handheld and home console. Even the old 1999 one, as some people says.
Basically, I think the only chance for Nintendo to be profitable is to be Nintendo. Basically ? Being their own thing. Their own ecosystem. Their own library. There's no way they'll get multiplat AAA titles. That bridge is dead, and let's face it, never going to be build again.
But I think Nintendo would work better with their 1st party output (basically, Nintendo games), selected 3rd party partnerships (cross over, funded games such as Bayo2), 3rd party exclusives(you know, the kind of games that works only on Nintendo, such as Youkai Watch or just that makes sense on the platform, such as MH) and indie titles.
The main problem here is that they need to pursue 2 goals for this to be a success:
Cheap entry prices and not competing with themselves.
The first one is obvious, I mean at most 170 dollars handheld at release. As for the second, I mean that the handheld, the home console or even the tablet if they do one shouldn't compete against each other... so have all the same games. And for that, they need one SoC.