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Nintendo looking for Lead Graphic Engineer for Next-Gen Console SoC in Redmond

Herne

Member
This should be easy for Nintendo. They traditionally use 5-10 year old technology in their products, so finding an engineer to create a SoC around that should be easy.

Nintendo hasn't "traditionally" been using old technology, they've used faster clocked versions of their previous chips for two consoles now, the Wii and Wii U, and the gpu in the latter is as modern as those found on the PS4 and XB1. The Wii was an anomaly, but it made sense for them (if not anyone else) to use a new, faster-clocked and multicore version of their chip for the Wii U. Two consoles out of six isn't exactly what I'd call a tradition, and if the cpu is carried over to the Wii U's successor in anything but a backwards compatibility role, I'll be very surprised.
 

LX_Theo

Banned
Companies start working on their next console a couple years into the previous console's lifespan most of the time. If they're just looking for people to work on architecture, then this is quite early days.
 

rambis

Banned
What in the job description confirms that this will be another AMD contract?

But since Nintendo has been with AMD for 4 generations of consoles already it's safe to assume they will choose AMD as their partner again.
The part where they say they want to evaluate SoCs. Combined with the fact that yeah they've been ati/amd since gamecube.

Didnt mean confirm in the literal sense, if thats what your nit is.
 

cw_sasuke

If all DLC came tied to $13 figurines, I'd consider all DLC to be free
Not this shit again.

You want 2 hours battery life on your next portable ?

And the APU used on PS4 and Xbox are also low power compared to the hardware they launched with last generation. Low Power is a relative term. On every new chipset you see nowadays being more power efficient is a keyword - just look at the Qualcomm Snapdragon series, they get more powerful with every year while lowering the power usage.
 

orioto

Good Art™
yeah I could see their console coming out 4/5 years form now

likely 4

4 years is the usual life time of a console. WiiU is already 2yold... It's the worst performing home console in Nintendo history.. Not sure they would like to give it a 7 years life ..
 

Scum

Junior Member
Well, it's certainly good that they have someone on the ground in the country where a lot of these chips are designed and can easily communicate to them what they want.

It probably suggests they're not going to pick a dark horse parts vendor from Japan for the next handheld like they did with the 3DS's GPU.

Well, this can only be a good thing then. I wonder if we'll find out a tad bit in a few days time...
 

wsippel

Banned
The part where they say they want to evaluate SoCs. Combined with the fact that yeah they've been ati/amd since gamecube.

Didnt mean confirm in the literal sense, if thats what your nit is.
Their ties with AMD aren't what they used to be. Most of the people from the early days are gone now, Nintendo's current Head of System Architecture is a former Nvidia guy and their SoC Engineering Manager came from Qualcomm. I'm not saying they're definitely switching to a different vendor, but it certainly wouldn't surprise me.


Maybe they finaly realized that they hardware design sucked since the GC days...
All Nintendo console chipsets since the N64 were designed in the US.
 

shark sandwich

tenuously links anime, pedophile and incels
I wouldn't be surprised to see a Wii U successor with power similar to Xbox One. I think it would be possible to get that type of performance in an SOC within Wii U size/power constraints in a few years.

Or who knows. Maybe they'll do a console/handheld hybrid with Wii U-level hardware.
 
Low Power?

Please let it be for the next DS or some shit. Consoles don't need low power.

3DS needed a successor months ago. new3DS is barely an upgrade. Please let proper 4DS come out next year.
 

AdanVC

Member
The real question here is: Does actually someone will qualify for the job? It's quite important. I will do it but nah. Hhah
 

LeleSocho

Banned
Nintendo hasn't "traditionally" been using old technology, they've used faster clocked versions of their previous chips for two consoles now, the Wii and Wii U, and the gpu in the latter is as modern as those found on the PS4 and XB1. The Wii was an anomaly, but it made sense for them (if not anyone else) to use a new, faster-clocked and multicore version of their chip for the Wii U. Two consoles out of six isn't exactly what I'd call a tradition, and if the cpu is carried over to the Wii U's successor in anything but a backwards compatibility role, I'll be very surprised.

WiiU GPU isn't nowhere as modern as PS4/Xbone but one or two architectures older (VLIW4 or VLIW5).
Because they are using GameCube stuff on steroids they are essentially using modified versions of hardware that was high end in freaking 1999.
Nintendo doesn't seem to want to go away from this track so if it isn't this time around next time will surely be going to be a tradition.
 
I hope for a next-gen console from Nintendo w/o gimmicks holding it down, and HW specs that are at the very least equal to the PS4... but i'd prefer better than the PS4's.
 

rambis

Banned
Their ties with AMD aren't what they used to be. Most of the people from the early days are gone now, Nintendo's current Head of System Architecture is a former Nvidia guy and their SoC Engineering Manager came from Qualcomm. I'm not saying they're definitely switching to a different vendor, but it certainly wouldn't surprise me
I don't think either of those factors tip the scale either way honestly. Nvidia has pretty much washed their hands with the console industry. I can't really see any other viable options, certainly none more attractive.

But thats just my opinion.
 
Is there some law that is making consoles go for " low power " ?

I'm not understanding the desire for that really.

I hope for a next-gen console from Nintendo w/o gimmicks holding it down, and HW specs that are at the very least equal to the PS4... but i'd prefer better than the PS4's.

In 2018? lol

In 2018 you will be 4K gaming @ 60fps on a 200$ GPU in the PC world.
 

openrob

Member
Disclaimer: I know nothing about APU architecture development.

In this thread people with absoulutely no idea about this stuff are complaining about stuff they know nothing about. It's quite funny! "Low power consumption can only mean Nintndo is releasing a new home console soon and that it is going to be under powered!" "It should be powerful - like the PS4!!!"

Really? *sigh* /Sorry, rant over. hehe

On a different note, it's always kind of exciting to see a peak into this kind of stuff because it's always so heavily guarded.
 

Griss

Member
I hope this isn't for their new handheld, because if it is then they are going to let the 3DS die long before the new one is ready, and that's a terrible idea.

On the other hand, if the handheld is already well into development and this is for the next home console then that seems like the correct timeline to me. No point in dragging the Wii U out past 2016/17, anyway.
 

QaaQer

Member
Disclaimer: I know nothing about APU architecture development.

In this thread people with absoulutely no idea about this stuff are complaining about stuff they know nothing about. It's quite funny! "Low power consumption can only mean Nintndo is releasing a new home console soon and that it is going to be under powered!"

Sorry, rant over. hehe

On a different note, it's always kind of exciting to see a peak into this kind of stuff because it's always so heavily guarded.

bit of blowback given how ludicrously underpowered the wii u is vs the hopes in the WUST threads I would think.
 

Tathanen

Get Inside Her!
Is there some law that is making consoles go for " low power " ?

I'm not understanding the desire for that really.

Cheaper to run, less heat production and thus less wear and tear, less fan noise, smaller and easier to fit into a home. I mean it seems pretty basic to me maybe I'm missing something.

P.S. low power doesn't necessarily mandate "low system capabilities," the GameCube was pretty competitive vs the Xbox after all, and the difference in size and power consumption there was pretty stark.

...though we all know there will be low system capabilities, so best to not get your hopes up.
 

CronoShot

Member
Probably the 3DS successor rather than a new console, now that the N3DS is out. The low power would be a giveaway, if not for the fact that the Wii U focused on energy efficiency as well. So I guess it could be either.
 
I hope this isn't for their new handheld, because if it is then they are going to let the 3DS die long before the new one is ready, and that's a terrible idea.

On the other hand, if the handheld is already well into development and this is for the next home console then that seems like the correct timeline to me. No point in dragging the Wii U out past 2016/17, anyway.

I doubt the 3DS could last more than another 2 years either. If I were releasing a console/handheld successor, I'd do so while there is some momentum in the last system. I'd hope they would try to avoid a Wii/Wii U transition.
 

Jackano

Member
My old, dead optimistic me would have said "low power means the unified architecture need to take care of the handheld/tablet form factor too", but giving their track record, I said "this shit again will dumb down their architecture even for the high end home console".
Satoru, if you read me, do someone ever show to you a customer survey saying low power is the top priority when buying a console?
If so, they lied to you.
 

openrob

Member
bit of blowback given how ludicrously underpowered the wii u is vs the hopes in the WUST threads I would think.

I get the context - don't get me wrong, but Wi U is underpowered relative to the PS4/Xb1 - which are in turn underpowered compared to what is available today. But Sony/MS chose to have a balance of Strength, Cost and Power consumption in their consoles, which is fine.
 

LeleSocho

Banned
I don't think either of those factors tip the scale either way honestly. Nvidia has pretty much washed their hands with the console industry. I can't really see any other viable options, certainly none more attractive.

But thats just my opinion.

Nvidia washed their hands with the console industry because no one cared about them this time around, they are a bunch of sharks if they see the opportunity to jump on a successful console they won't hesitate especially considering the money they lost with the Tegra1->DS deal and now that have an incredibly competitive SoC with the K1...

But then again it's Nintendo so they won't go for standard stuff.
 
Is there some law that is making consoles go for " low power " ?

I'm not understanding the desire for that really.
Well consoles are small to medium size boxes that need to into entertainment centers without over heating. Have "low Powered" chips usually keeps heat down,makes them quieter,they draw less power,they last longer and keeps the cost down.
 

TunaLover

Member
All Nintendo console chipsets since the N64 were designed in the US.
I remember in one of the early Iwata ask, the guy in charge of hardware architecture was japanese, even he tell the hardness they had keeping a CPU backwards compatible, keep the small form factor without rise the machine heat.
 

rambis

Banned
Disclaimer: I know nothing about APU architecture development.

In this thread people with absoulutely no idea about this stuff are complaining about stuff they know nothing about. It's quite funny! "Low power consumption can only mean Nintndo is releasing a new home console soon and that it is going to be under powered!" "It should be powerful - like the PS4!!!"

Really? *sigh* /Sorry, rant over. hehe

On a different note, it's always kind of exciting to see a peak into this kind of stuff because it's always so heavily guarded.
Well SoC kinda implies low-power in both senses of the word. One chip means die size constraints. Which also brings tdp restraints. Which bring cooling requirements that are limited by console size and pricing restraints.


Theres a very logical progression to arrive at low power equals underpowered.
 

tronic307

Member
Their ties with AMD aren't what they used to be. Most of the people from the early days are gone now, Nintendo's current Head of System Architecture is a former Nvidia guy and their SoC Engineering Manager came from Qualcomm. I'm not saying they're definitely switching to a different vendor, but it certainly wouldn't surprise me.
If Nvidia's onboard, it would be cool to see Denver in action. It has code morphing technology, essentially hardware emulation with a proprietary internal instruction set, and was supposed to be both x86 and ARM compatible, but Nvidia couldn't get a licence from Intel. Getting one for PowerPC shouldn't be much trouble at all, if BC is a priority.
 
Just had to drop this in, since The new name will definetly be after this last product familiarity fiasco: "New 2 Wii U?"

But please continue... Hardware Gaf is my favorite!
 
If I were Nintendo, I'd use the exact same SoC on both handheld and home console... maybe higher clocks or twice more cores on the home console.

Also, no point for Nintendo to go back on the power race. Waste of time, waste of money and its not going to bring 3rd parties.
 

rambis

Banned
Nvidia washed their hands with the console industry because no one cared about them this time around, they is a bunch of sharks if they see the opportunity to jump on a successful console they won't hesitate especially considering the money they lost with the Tegra1->DS deal and now that have an incredibly competitive SoC with the K1...

But then again it's Nintendo so they won't for standard stuff.
Eh I think its more a general disdain for the console market and how it operates in general. Along with there being alot worthier dollars to chase. Theyve had about ten years to feel out the console market and they never really found much success.
 

wsippel

Banned
I remember in one of the early Iwata ask, the guy in charge of hardware architecture was japanese, even he tell the hardness they had keeping a CPU backwards compatible, keep the small form factor without rise the machine heat.
Yeah, NCL obviously dictates the general direction and is heavily involved in the decision making process. I wouldn't expect that to change. The engineering leads are and have pretty much always been located in the US, a fact quite a few people evidently didn't know.
 
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