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[Cygnus X-1]

To me this looks like both a console and a handheld. The device with screen will both act as controller and as replacement of 3DS. These two platforms will be intimately connect and it's also a good way to create one OS, one setup, two devices for portable and home gaming.

I'm not liking the idea of a digital only console one bit.

Why not? It's the future. MacBook Air, for example. Do you ever felt you want an optical drive in it?

The Memory Card Slot is what intrigues me the most about this design, they going from disks to carts?

Why are you assuming the carDs will be the main information source? They may be there for mere storage of game data. The connection of the broadband will probably be the main source of data. In other words, it may be a digital-only gaming machine.

"CARD SLOT"

This. Not cartridges. So many people here seem to have greatly misunderstood.

I'd love carts too, but it's not happening, probably they'll go full digital.

Yep. This exactly. And it fully make sense. The revenues are higher this way. And yes, the loading times will greatly diminish if the games will first be stored on a flash internal drive, for example.

 

[Neoxon]

To me this looks like both a console and a handheld. The device with screen will both act as controller and as replacement of 3DS. These two platforms will be intimately connect and it's also a good way to create one OS, one setup, two devices for portable and home gaming.



Why not? It's the future. MacBook Air, for example. Do you ever felt you want an optical drive in it?



Why are you assuming the carDs will be the main information source? They may be there for mere storage of game data. The connection of the broadband will probably be the main source of data. In other words, it may be a digital-only gaming machine.



This. Not cartridges. So many people here seem to have greatly misunderstood.



Yep. This exactly. And it fully make sense. The revenues are higher this way. And yes, the loading times will greatly diminish if the games will first be stored on a flash internal drive, for example.

An all-digital future isn't one that the console community is ready for. Microsoft was crucified for trying something similar, & I'm pretty sure that consumers & retailers alike will rebel against Nintendo for doing the same (& rightfully so). As I've said numerous times, access to the internet isn't to the point where it's reliable enough to go all-digital. At least with phones, they have the benefit of cellular data.

 

[Aostia]

from this thread I've clearly understood that NX will be digital and retail, portable and home, disc and cart based.

 

[Peltz]

from this thread I've clearly understood that NX will be digital and retail, portable and home, disc and cart based.

It'll also be handsome and ugly, Republican and Democrat, successful and dead on arrival.

 

[Russ T]

from this thread I've clearly understood that NX will be digital and retail, portable and home, disc and cart based.

Oddly enough, I think most of that's possibly true. They do keep talking about offering different form factors. So, theoretically, some will have a disc drive for BC, some will have neither a disc nor a card slot, some will be portable, some won't.

At least, that's what makes sense based on the things Nintendo's said about NX.

 

[Daknight]

I wonder if this is going to be like there old system where you had a card and could take it to a store to buy (and thus load it) with a new game (erasing the old). You could also buy a new card and load a game into it.

This way retail isn't completely cut out, they would only need a station for costumers to be able to get the game from (in case of not having good bandwidth or internet, etc, etc). I can see the problem of people not being able to sell games (unless you can sell the 'cart' with a game and it can be use in another system).

I can see them not going with disk, but I doubt it would be Internet only

 

[Bowl0l]

An all digital Nintendo console
a. games maintain at $60 for
the entire console lifespan
b. both power cord and
controller are sold
separately for $60 each
c. no support for external storage
d. SRP $200 for 8GB, $350 for 32GB
and $499 for 500GB
e. Free online play forever

 

[Hydrus]

If there's a handheld to go along with it, I hope its named "Nintendo Pocket"

 

[jstripes]

Yup, they're going back to game carts.

While more expensive than discs, modern flash storage has come waaaay down in price, and it's not prohibitively expensive, and constrained in supply, like the old ROM chips were. Another added benefit is that carts will be re-flashable at the factory if they produce too many of one title.

I looked at the size for Wii U games, most seem to be well under 16 GB, many less than even 4 GB. (Nintendo doesn't go for that bloated "AAA" content.) Looking at mobile games, I can see them getting down to 1 or 2 GB. That's peanuts when buying flash in volume. (And we're not talking ultra-fast expensive flash like what is needed for integrated storage in phones.) So maybe a few dollars per cart for the average game.

The extra cost of the flash vs disc can be partially offset by reduced distribution costs. Game packaging can be much smaller.

Some of you act like disks are some kind of untouchable device for a home console. Thus us weird.

This goes back to the N64 era, when Nintendo was berated for sticking with cartridges, which were a really bad choice* at the time. The idea of optical being "better" just became an accepted, unchallenged fact.

(For all the bluster of cartridges being "faster", the truth is they burned too many bridges to get a CD drive in there.)

 

[James Scott]

The extra cost of the flash vs disc can be partially offset by reduced distribution costs. Game packaging can be much smaller.

That's an interesting way to look at it. If the boxes are smaller (vita/3DS sized) they could probably save a lot of money shipping them out and could theoretically get more shelf space or at least be able to fit more into a smaller space.

 

[sörine]

An all digital Nintendo console
a. games maintain at $60 for
the entire console lifespan
b. both power cord and
controller are sold
separately for $60 each
c. no support for external storage
d. SRP $200 for 8GB, $350 for 32GB
and $499 for 500GB
e. Free online play forever

They funny thing is only e even applies to Nintendo now. They've led Sony/MS on external storage even, and are leading on $50 releases too.

 

[Schryver]

Carts would be cool. Nostalgia!

 

[Colonel Mustard]

An all digital Nintendo console
a. games maintain at $60 for
the entire console lifespan
b. both power cord and
controller are sold
separately for $60 each
c. no support for external storage
d. SRP $200 for 8GB, $350 for 32GB
and $499 for 500GB
e. Free online play forever

Be honest. What was the last Nintendo console you owned? Other than free online, none of these are applicable to anything Nintendo has released.

 

[Solid SOAP]

I feel like an SD Card based system could be interesting, I'd be open to it.

 

[stan423321]

Be honest. What was the last Nintendo console you owned? Other than free online, none of these are applicable to anything Nintendo has released.

Well, AV Famicom was shipped without power adapter after all.

 

[TheDarkTriforce]

Since Nintendo has the patent over an Digital only Console, how can Microsoft and Sony release also a Digital Console only Console in the feature?

 

[Mr. Robot]

Im in for amiibo stored games, fuck the controller with a screen though.

 

[Agent Unknown]

That name is already tainted

 

[Neoxon]

Im in for amiibo stored games, fuck the controller with a screen though.

If there's a way to do a screen on the controller without massively increasing the price like with the Wii U GamePad, I say go for it. It would ensure that potential sequels to Splatoon & Super Mario Maker aren't screwed over by the lack of a second screen (which both games heavily rely on). Plus it would allow the NX Handheld to keep the bottom screen.

 

[Gsnap]

I gotta have my touchscreen controllers, man. I can't go back.

 

[Neoxon]

I gotta have my touchscreen controllers, man. I can't go back.

At least for Splatoon & Super Mario Maker, I can't go back. But while a sequel to Super Mario Maker could get around the situation with a companion app, Splatoon would have to be rebalanced entirely for a potential sequel if the NX Console lost its second screen.

But this begs the question. If the NX Platform involves a second screen, what will be the aspect ratio?

 

[ika]

At least for Splatoon & Super Mario Maker, I can't go back. But while a sequel to Super Mario Maker could get around the situation with a companion app, Splatoon would have to be rebalanced entirely for a potential sequel if the NX Console lost its second screen.

But this begs the question. If the NX Platform involves a second screen, what will be the aspect ratio?

For Mario Maker is way easier than a companion App. You just need an USB mouse.

 

[Zixmar]

I think Nintendo needs to launch Splatoon with the NX, for free. Nintendo needs to put a really popular game with the console

 

[Schnozberry]

If there's a way to do a screen on the controller without massively increasing the price like with the Wii U GamePad, I say go for it. It would ensure that potential sequels to Splatoon & Super Mario Maker aren't screwed over by the lack of a second screen (which both games heavily rely on). Plus it would allow the NX Handheld to keep the bottom screen.

The controller for the NX Console should just be a dumb terminal version of he NX handheld with ergonomics that are better suited for a couch gaming. They could even use the same screen. That way if people bring over their NX Handheld to your house, it could attach to your console as a controller and load their user information. You likely wouldn't be able to use additional displays, but it might be able to display inventory or maps with a companion app or something.

 

[Lionel Richie]

Why not? It's the future. MacBook Air, for example. Do you ever felt you want an optical drive in it?

Well, it might be the future, although I'm not comfortable with any future where Apple is a parameter, but in the present a LOT of people have shitty connections or caps. Why would Nintendo further alienate their fanbase?

 

[Rodin]

Im in for amiibo stored games, fuck the controller with a screen though.

Well, controller with a screen doesn't necessarily mean a tablet-sized controller with a 6.2" screen.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/02/exclusive-dualshock-4-touchpad-is-approximately-2-1-x-1/

Imagine this a little bigger, obviously with a different shape, and a screen where the touchpad ("big box") is placed.

 

[Palingenesis]

At least for Splatoon & Super Mario Maker, I can't go back. But while a sequel to Super Mario Maker could get around the situation with a companion app, Splatoon would have to be rebalanced entirely for a potential sequel if the NX Console lost its second screen.

But this begs the question. If the NX Platform involves a second screen, what will be the aspect ratio?

I doubt they would go for anything else than 16:9 due to mirrored gameplay and off-TV play.
Furthermore, 16:9 pannels tend to be cheaper than ones with exotic aspect ratios due to higher quantities.

 

[Peltz]

By the way, just because this patent is for a console with no discs, doesn't mean that there won't be another console that uses discs. Iwata said that the NX could come in multiple form factors.

So a disc-less sku could just be one of several. Perhaps it's the "bargain" version sku.

 

[Neoxon]

By the way, just because this patent is for a console with no discs, doesn't mean that there won't be another console that uses discs. Iwata said that the NX could come in multiple form factors.

So a disc-less sku could just be one of several. Perhaps it's the "bargain" version sku.

But why discs if the handheld can't use them?

 

[TheLostArcader]

Sd cards have been over 64GB for years now what are you talking about

Also dont forget that they had the tiny game cube disks that held quite alot at the time with a small physical presence. Perhaps there is some encoding wizardry going on with standard solid state chips.

 

[TheLostArcader]

An all-digital future isn't one that the console community is ready for. Microsoft was crucified for trying something similar, & I'm pretty sure that consumers & retailers alike will rebel against Nintendo for doing the same (& rightfully so). As I've said numerous times, access to the internet isn't to the point where it's reliable enough to go all-digital. At least with phones, they have the benefit of cellular data.

My city isn't ready for it. In Amarillo Tx we have 1 actual high speed provider. Its Suddenlink cable and they suck (constant service downtimes, never got my bill correct, had a 40% increased bill over 2 years for same service level). So I went with the next highest speed company available at my house and dropped from the the 40 down I had to 3 down. Just waiting on updates on my XBone and PS4 are unbearable at this point.

 

[LegendofLex]

But why discs if the handheld can't use them?

Maybe registering your discs on the Nintendo membership site will give you a download code for a digital license of the game for your handheld?

Or, alternatively, maybe games won't be cross-platform, and we'll just see more Smash Bros. scenarios.

 

[10k]

I was ok with these designs for the gamepad before it was revealed. A 4-5" screen. Just replace circle pads and digital triggers with analog sticks and analog triggers.

 

[Cow Mengde]

Gotta clear that retail space for amiibo

You're not thinking big enough. What if the entire games are now stored in Amiibos?

 

[Peltz]

But why discs if the handheld can't use them?

I'm thinking that the handheld would be able to download installed software directly from your console. Both pieces of hardware will be linked with a NNID.

 

[Neoxon]

You're not thinking big enough. What if the entire games are now stored in Amiibos?

Can NFC chips even store that much data?

 

[Mithos]

I was ok with these designs for the gamepad before it was revealed. A 4-5" screen. Just replace circle pads and digital triggers with analog sticks and analog triggers.

I remember these versions back in the day before we knew how it looked. Gamecube controller with a screen, would have been very nice.

 

[AniHawk]

I was ok with these designs for the gamepad before it was revealed. A 4-5" screen. Just replace circle pads and digital triggers with analog sticks and analog triggers.

if there is a screen in the controller, i think it will literally be the same for both form factors. it would save on costs to manufacture everything together (although the controller will be custom), and if it happens, it probably allows for wii u games to be played through the virtual console without reworking the games entirely.

 

[Javier]

By the way, just because this patent is for a console with no discs, doesn't mean that there won't be another console that uses discs. Iwata said that the NX could come in multiple form factors.

So a disc-less sku could just be one of several. Perhaps it's the "bargain" version sku.

I think NX won't play discs, but Nintendo might release a separate external disc drive that connects to the NX for those who specifically want BC.

Unprecedented, but not out of the realm of possibility.

 

[WolvenOne]

Dropping discs has a few possible benefits. First, you're removing a lot of moving parts and greatly simplifying the design. This saves money on the console itself, not only due to the simpler design but because fewer consoles end up selling with defects. Moving parts are the most likely point of failure in any console after all.

It also cuts down on weight a bit, so cheaper shipping among other things. The question is if the cost savings here outweigh the cost of using flash memory storage for thier games.

 

[Oregano]

if there is a screen in the controller, i think it will literally be the same for both form factors. it would save on costs to manufacture everything together (although the controller will be custom), and if it happens, it probably allows for wii u games to be played through the virtual console without reworking the games entirely.

Yup. I also imagine if the handheld has two screens then they'll be the same size/res unlike the 3DS. That way they can use the same screens in three different places. Of course being dual screen on the handheld will limit the potential resolution.

 

[sörine]

Yup. I also imagine if the handheld has two screens then they'll be the same size/res unlike the 3DS. That way they can use the same screens in three different places. Of course being dual screen on the handheld will limit the potential resolution.

I think the opposite, they'll be even more differentiated. Like a 540-720p 4-5 inch topscreen with a 240-480p 2-3 inch touchscreen on the bottom. 3DS already emphasized the topscreen and I think they'll press further in that direction. The touchscreen becomes more a support interface with emphasis on buttons/sticks/tilt.

NX console and handheld could even use the same cheap low res touchscreen too, especially if the console drops off-tv.

 

[Oregano]

I think the opposite, they'll be even more differentiated. Like a 540-720p 4-5 inch topscreen with a 240-480p 2-3 inch touchscreen on the bottom. 3DS already emphasized the topscreen and I think they'll press further in that direction. The touchscreen becomes more a support interface with emphasis on buttons/sticks/tilt.

NX console and handheld could even use the same cheap low res touchscreen too, especially if the console drops off-tv.

That would be one route but if they want to court Smartphone developers that makes it more difficult. Relegating touch screen to just support limits what is possible. Even Mario Maker would be badly limited by that.

 

[BDGAME]

If the control will have a screen, it needs to be the same size of the screen of the portable.

 

[Vena]

Yup. I also imagine if the handheld has two screens then they'll be the same size/res unlike the 3DS. That way they can use the same screens in three different places. Of course being dual screen on the handheld will limit the potential resolution.

I'd have to agree with Sorine, I think the bottom screen (in the event of it existing) will be the same size between the console controller and the handheld, to allow for a seamless swapping in and out of the portable as a controller and/or for simple game functionality 1:1 realizations.

Also, 3D was the bigger issue on resolution limitations as the rendering is considerably more taxing (2x per eye), irregardless of if it is used or not in every game. If you take out the 3D, the resolution can be quite good on the top screen (following the 3DS size differentiation standard) and the bottom screen will have minimal rendering draws with a decent PPI to a smaller screen.

For mathematical reference:

The current 3DS bottom screen is 3"/4" (OG/XL respectively) driven at 320x240p. This puts it at a PPI of 133/100 PPI. Maintaining a 3" screen, which I think is adequate for most uses and many mobile developers would be able to make use of it, you'd need only drive it at 480p (4:3 AR) to achieve >250 PPI which is quite good.

The top screen is 15:9 at 3.5"/5" (OG/XL respectively) driven at 400x240p or 800x240p. That puts it at 133/93 PPI. If we follow Matt's previous info, the screen is somewhere between 540/720p, and let's say they stick with 15:9 AR. In this scenario, keeping the larger 5" screen, we'd have a handheld with top screen of 210/280 PPI respectively for 540/720p, which is reaching the tail end of relevance in the "I am trying to read fine print!" screen quality category.

Current mobile, which is around where I expect the handheld to stand give or a take a negative year, can drive 1440p+ on one screen. Let's take for reference the two years old LG G2 which drives a 5.2" screen at 1080p. I don't think its unreasonable to have a handheld driven at 720p+480p between two screens well given that level of tech+/-1. 540p+480p would most certainly be possible. The LG G2, at this point, costs <200$ to buy brand new and that has certain pieces of technology that are completely unnecessary in a handheld and is also driving processes that would be unnecessary for a gaming handheld. It has a decent RAM baseline as well, though I expect Nintendo to overshoot with 1 more gig. Nintendo could, potentially, also include the WiiU GamePad transceiver built into the handheld (they co-own the tech, I believe) and allow the handheld to function as a frame-perfect streaming device for use as another controller. They could effectively make this a "bundle option" for the family where you buy the console+handheld and don't buy another "controller" to keep the price down for someone who wants both.
----

The one thing I am unsure of is if Nintendo is looking to have full mobile library access, at which point I think they'd actually ditch dual for a single high-resolution, high-accuracy screen... but then they're just selling a glorified phone. I do not think they will drop the clam differentiator. (And also the Vita's layout is hot garbage for pockets without buying a lid.)

 

[Oregano]

No one wants to play games on a 3" screen(especially a 4:3 one) regardless of resolution. There is a reason the 3DS models with bigger screens are more popular. No one is going to both making a touch based game on a lower res and smaller screen, even Puzzle and Dragons would be rubbish with that setup.

 

[Vena]

No one wants to play games on a 3" screen(especially a 4:3 one) regardless of resolution. There is a reason the 3DS models with bigger screens are more popular. No one is going to both making a touch based game on a lower res and smaller screen, even Puzzle and Dragons would be rubbish with that setup.

The only problem I see is that the larger you make the bottom screen, the harder it becomes to have functionality included without making the device larger and larger to have the estate necessary for the electronics for control sticks, shoulder triggers, and buttons + sound and any other necessary audio IOs.

Take the largest screen resolution combination with the N3DS XL, that's a 4.88/4.1, and that fits everything within a fairly big envelope. And I don't think it is ideal to go any larger than the N3DSXL for a handheld size because at some point it stops being much of a handheld.

That said, a 4" or even a 5" screen on the bottom wouldn't be unreasonable to drive at even 540p and 15:9 if necessary if they have sufficiently powerful tech under the hood, but I think it is going to start pushing the envelope in terms of wanting a system with suitable power draw and heat envelopes.

 

[Oregano]

The only problem I see is that the larger you make the bottom screen, the harder it becomes to have functionality included without making the device larger and larger to have the estate necessary for the electronics for control sticks, shoulder triggers, and buttons + sound and any other necessary audio IOs.

Take the largest screen resolution combination with the N3DS XL, that's a 4.88/4.1, and that fits everything within a fairly big envelope. And I don't think it is ideal to go any larger than the N3DSXL for a handheld size because at some point it stops being much of a handheld.

That said, a 4" or even a 5" screen on the bottom wouldn't be unreasonable to drive at even 540p and 15:9 if necessary if they have sufficiently powerful tech under the hood, but I think it is going to start pushing the envelope in terms of wanting a system with suitable power draw and heat envelopes.

Well I imagine if they're not a) dropping the second screen altogether or b) default-emphasising it then my guess for screens would be something like:

16:9
3.5"-4"
854x480(Gamepad Res) or 960x540(qHD)

The thing about mobile screens is that for the most part games run at sub-native res, generate lots of heat and kill the battery.

EDIT: Also a bigger screen might mean bigger space to accommodate buttons/sticks but it creates more internal space too.

 

[Mpl90]

A possible solution to this would be if both screens feature touch functionality and the design takes cues from Xperia Play/PSP Go/the recently shown Vita prototype. Thus, by "closing" the device, you can still perfectly play mobile titles that support touch controls from the get go by being mobile titles. If you "open it", you get bottom screen functionalities.

And yes, I agree with Vena about bottom screen not possibly as large as the top one: while I thought it was possible before, I then realised how much bigger the device would have to be (in the case of two 4" screens even) in order to accomodate all the buttons and (above all) to be confortable to handle.

 

[Mpl90]

Also, since we're speaking about re-using components between handheld and home devices: in the case both screens use touch functionality, the top screen could be used on the home controller as well. It would allow both touch functionality and off-tv play.