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Digitimes: Supply chain players gear up for new Nintendo console

Floex

Member
Possible theory: What if they are just re-releasing the Wii U, dropping the price and just changing the name.... 10M more sales from the name change and happy days.

NX = Name eXchange.

How are they going to shift 20 million consoles in the first year knowing that?
 

wsippel

Banned
Kyro is said to be pretty beefy. It would certainly address a big issue of the Wii U and that is low speed CPU. Though as someone said AMD has said they have 2 contracts for 2016 with at least one being Game related
I don't really think AMD has a capable ARM chip right now and I can't see Nintendo switching to x86.
 

DieH@rd

Banned
20 million huh? Maybe want to cut that down a bit? 2 million is much more likely.

Even WIi U managed to sell ~3M in the first 2 months at $350 pricepoint. But then the software drought came.


I don't really think AMD has a capable ARM chip right now and I can't see Nintendo switching to x86.
AMD can use basic ARM design and create APU/SoC from any modules Nintendo wishes to use. Custom AMD ARM chips are announced for 2016-2017, but I don't think Nintendo will need them. They are currently using crappy udnerclocked arm11, so anything modern will give them insane performance increase.
 
July seems unlikely.

When would they unveil then? In a separate conference in 2015? TGS 2015?

And 20 million is bananas lol
Clearly they're going to do a Saturn style surprise launch at e3. "And it will be available....now!"

20 million in the first year seems unrealistic. They've never had a console do those numbers, not even the Wii or DS, right?
 

Sendou

Member
20 million doesn't seem too unrealistic.

$99 and launch with Zelda, Pokemon, Animal Crossing and 3D Mario. There you go.
 

antonz

Member
I don't really think AMD has a capable ARM chip right now and I can't see Nintendo switching to x86.

Its interesting because the actual comments seem to suggest if it is Nintendo it is not the usual deal Nintendo does where Nintendo licenses a design then makes tweaks to fit their need and is instead a situation where AMD is making something to order.
 
So, in one of the other threads, I speculated that NX might be based on a Qualcomm Kryo variant. Kryo based chips are expected to ship later this year, and NX test production is supposed to start in October. Maybe my guess was correct. Though I would be somewhat surprised if Nintendo really used such a bleeding edge design. Then again, their new engineering leads have a background in smart devices.

If Nintendo are looking at replacing the GameCube/Wii/Wii U modified PPC designs wholesale - and with 15 years or so of use, it's served them well - then maybe they're prepared to take a one-time hit on something bleeding-edge with the plan to make it the centre of their NX platform for the next 10 years?
 
So lets assume that Nintendo is not batshit insane for a second with this 20 million number....

That would seemingly have to indicate something that is low-priced.

Thinking like less than $150?
 

McHuj

Member
For all we know, which isn't much, the AMD deal mentioned could be something for Morpheus or another VR device. People tied it to Nintendo because the time lines seem to align.
 
If the 20 million shipping number is supposed to be true, it´s probably for both the handheld and home console. Launched within 3-6 months of each other.

The order of release will be decided by the color of your shirt.
 

SerTapTap

Member
So lets assume that Nintendo is not batshit insane for a second with this 20 million number....

That would seemingly have to indicate something that is low-priced.

Thinking like less than $150?

Not sure even $100 would be a ticket to a free >20m sales. Who's going to buy it? If it's portable and weaker than even a New 3DS I can't see tons of gamers latching on to it, and casuals sure as fuck won't buy a second device to shove in their pocket. If it's a console and it's $100 it's going to be way weaker than even Wii U and what console owner is going to buy that? Unless they're planning to subsidize (and take >$100 loss on each of 20 million units...right) I can't see them putting out particularly attractive hardware at that price.

If $100 was a ticket to success we'd all own Ouyas. I just can't believe 20m in a year is a reasonable pre-launch estimate period unless this is way more than one product. Maybe console + accessories + side stuff like QOL, combined.

How are they going to shift 20 million consoles in the first year knowing that?

Well they did it with the Wii with a great idea and a ton of good luck but I really don't see it happening again and success like that isn't something you bank on--even with the Wii they didn't pretend to know it'd sell millions out of the gate either, hence supply issues.
 

Plinko

Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
Everyone is blowing off the console idea, but do not be surprised at all if they go for a super cheap console this time around.

If they can release a $199 console (which, without the power-draining tablet controller, would be noticeably more powerful than Wii U in late 2016), that hits instant impulse-buy territory and could be a great secondary console, especially if the library works with the handheld.
 

DieH@rd

Banned
Everyone is blowing off the console idea, but do not be surprised at all if they go for a super cheap console this time around.

If they can release a $199 console (which, without the power-draining tablet controller would be noticeably more powerful than Wii U in late 2016), that hits instant impulse-buy territory and could be a great secondary console, especially if the library works with the handheld.

I can see them going for a $199-250 handheld console that can turn off its screen and beam its gameplay to HDTV. That way they can serve everyone with a single device.
 
I can see them going for a $199-250 handheld console that can turn off its screen and beam its gameplay to HDTV. That way they can serve everyone with a single device.

Probably a hybrid. Portable console + hdmi stick to play on the tv

Nope. Every single hint from Nintendo is pointing to multiple hardware configs based around a single software platform/ecosystem. Unified development, unified architecture and multiple form factors/power levels. No hybrid console/handheld, but (at least) two distinct devices sharing a library and OS/ecosystem is my bet.
 

RurouniZel

Asks questions so Ezalc doesn't have to
The only way I see this happening is if they plan to launch in several regions simultaneously and are also amazingly confident the product will fly off of shelves.

Let's see, if the launched in North America, Japan, and Europe at the same time even then 20 mill would be too high. Maybe China and/or Korea as well?
 

Mithos

Member
I can see them going for a $199-250 handheld console that can turn off its screen and beam its gameplay to HDTV. That way they can serve everyone with a single device.

Only if hooking it up to a TV magically makes it more powerful, if not they will not serve everyone with a single device.
 

JoeM86

Member
They're going to quote Iwata, which is funny, because he doesn't even say definitively that it won't be a hybrid, and everything he says is suspect anyway.

If he didn't detail the alternative about what it'd be, then you may have a point.
 

RurouniZel

Asks questions so Ezalc doesn't have to
I can see them going for a $199-250 handheld console that can turn off its screen and beam its gameplay to HDTV. That way they can serve everyone with a single device.

Only if hooking it up to a TV magically makes it more powerful, if not they will not serve everyone with a single device.

Indeed. I see them following the Apple model of two systems (iPhone / iPad in the Apple example) that share the same OS and games (apps).

They could be intending to launch 2 separate devices at the same time; that could be why they're making 20 mill as well.
 

MarkusRJR

Member
Source pls
Not the same guy/girl, but Iwata has been saying he wants to create an iOS like solution for a while iirc where games can easily be ported/work across devices, even going as far to say that's why they haven't gone beyond 2 specific form factors. Plus, Reggie and Tanabe have implied/said NX will be a console, but 20 million units produced is an insane number for a console. Replacing both 3DS and Wii U's product line-ups with a crossover device is the only rational way 20 million would make ANY sense.\

At this point though it's just speculation based on teases by Nintendo's higher ups because they obviously haven't revealed what their plan, and they haven't been any leaks.
 
They're going to quote Iwata, which is funny, because he doesn't even say definitively that it won't be a hybrid, and everything he says is suspect anyway.

TBH, we have a choice between taking what Nintendo have done, and what he's said publicly and realising that plans may change, but treating it as our best hint as to future hardware, and completely ignoring what he's said to investors and pulling something out of our arses.

As far as I'm concerned, the way Nintendo have behaved with regard to unifying development, his talk of hardware brothers and being able to offer multiple devices etc. points in one direction. Perhaps - as with mobile, which I expect will be your point here - those plans will change, but it seems silly to ignore public comments on that basis alone.
 

Sadist

Member
Source pls
Iwata's many, many comments about the subject? You can find those as far back as early 2014 on Nintendo's IR site.

Iwata always talked about the next handheld and console (after 3DS/Wii U), the two new machines becoming "brothers", his comments about Apple's OS and how it works on multiple form factors...
 

Tobor

Member
If he didn't detail the alternative about what it'd be, then you may have a point.

He says they don't know what it will be yet and the market will dictate, but they're leaning towards both.

The whole quote parses to nothing.
 

Sendou

Member
Not the same guy/girl, but Iwata has been saying he wants to create an iOS like solution for a while iirc where games can easily be ported/work across devices, even going as far to say that's why they haven't gone beyond 2 specific form factors. Plus, Reggie and Tanabe have implied/said NX will be a console, but 20 million units produced is an insane number for a console. Replacing both 3DS and Wii U's product line-ups with a crossover device is the only rational way 20 million would make ANY sense.

You are paraphrasing to make a point. Nobody implied NX is a (home) console. What Iwata says is of no concern to everyone because he tends to bend the truth.
 
He says they don't know what it will be yet and the market will dictate, but they're leaning towards both.

The whole quote parses to nothing.

Full quote for context:

Iwata said:
I am not sure if the form factor (the size and configuration of the hardware) will be integrated. In contrast, the number of form factors might increase. Currently, we can only provide two form factors because if we had three or four different architectures, we would face serious shortages of software on every platform. To cite a specific case, Apple is able to release smart devices with various form factors one after another because there is one way of programming adopted by all platforms. Apple has a common platform called iOS. Another example is Android. Though there are various models, Android does not face software shortages because there is one common way of programming on the Android platform that works with various models.

The point is, Nintendo platforms should be like those two examples. Whether we will ultimately need just one device will be determined by what consumers demand in the future, and that is not something we know at the moment. However, we are hoping to change and correct the situation in which we develop games for different platforms individually and sometimes disappoint consumers with game shortages as we attempt to move from one platform to another, and we believe that we will be able to deliver tangible results in the future.
 

Socordia

Banned
They're going to quote Iwata, which is funny, because he doesn't even say definitively that it won't be a hybrid, and everything he says is suspect anyway.

Or you can just use logic.There no reason to do a hybrid when they can just do a vita/vitatv with minimal effort.
 

ReBurn

Gold Member
Hopefully it won't be another fart in the wind.

All we are is farts in the wind.

Anyway, if they're looking to ship 20 million in the first year this thing has to be launching as multiple products. But even then I have to think that 20 million has to be a typo or Nintendo is about to do something incredibly complicated.
 

Tobor

Member
There are a lot of good arguments you can make as to why it won't or shouldn't be a hybrid.

"Iwata said so" isn't one of them.
 

ZhugeEX

Banned
Digitimes got around 75% of the stuff they said about PS4 and XB1 wrong.

Thats not to say they are wrong about this.

Just take it with a giant piece of salt.

Chances are the actual release date will be different anyway. Based on digitimes reliability with release dates.
 
I will pre order it, like a chump, but hopefully they launch with a solid first party line up to support it, I really think zelda is going to be a cross gen title, and it wouldn't shock me if the next 3d mario was a launch game.
 

Rolodzeo

Member
If all these latest rumors are true, it seems to me that Nintendo is releasing an Android related phone/phablet/tablet next year, surely with an exclusive store for Nintendo apps and games on top of Google Play/Amazon Store.
 

Socordia

Banned
Digitimes got around 75% of the stuff they said about PS4 and XB1 wrong.

Thats not to say they are wrong about this.

Just take it with a giant piece of salt.

Chances are the actual release date will be different anyway. Based on digitimes reliability with release dates.

In 2016 there is gonna be atleast one new console from nintendo.
 

MarkusRJR

Member
You are paraphrasing to make a point. Nobody implied NX is a (home) console. What Iwata says is of no concern to everyone because he tends to bend the truth.
"We’ve also said publicly that we are already hard at work on our next home console and that’s another element we’ll be talking about much later." - Reggie

They only have mentioned NX publicly, that implies NX is a home console.

"“If we started for Wii U now, it would likely take three years or so. So it would likely now be on Nintendo’s NX console." - Tanabe, Metroid Prime's series director talking about next main Metroid Prime game

Not really direct confirmation, but it's kind of implied since they aren't going to make a mainline Metroid Prime on a handheld.

Plus that quote posted a few posts above from Iwata talks about the plans for software infrastructure/OS similar in a way to android/iOS. It honestly just makes sense for them to be releasing both a handheld and console running on the same OS/infrastructure, considering how bad software droughts are for their systems to make games work across form factors.
 

Sendou

Member
"We’ve also said publicly that we are already hard at work on our next home console and that’s another element we’ll be talking about much later." - Reggie

They only have mentioned NX publicly, that implies NX is a home console.

That's not true. They have also mentioned their next home console without mentioning NX. Besides home console is not some scientific term. It might very well mean multiple things. What it specifically is in this context is just the replacer of Wii U.

"“If we started for Wii U now, it would likely take three years or so. So it would likely now be on Nintendo’s NX console." - Tanabe, Metroid Prime's series director talking about next main Metroid Prime game

Not really direct confirmation, but it's kind of implied since they aren't going to make a mainline Metroid Prime on a handheld.

Impossible to know without the question that is not included in the article. Besides who said a mainline Metroid Prime can't be on a hybrid? If there would ever be a hybrid it would have many franchises traditionally only on handheld or home console naturally migrate.
 
If the 20 million shipping number is supposed to be true, it´s probably for both the handheld and home console. Launched within 3-6 months of each other.

The order of release will be decided by the color of your shirt.

I am starting to thing it is a handheld, smartphone-like with sticks, and with a charging base connected via hdmi to the TV to act like a desktop console too.
 
IMO, hybrid - and by this I mean a powerful-ish handheld that docks with a home station, or links to the TV - is a bad idea because it forces Nintendo into having a single device that doesn't suit all markets.

It's clear that Japan is moving - has moved - handheld/mobile, and while consoles have a place, it's shrinking. In the west, consoles are still big business while handhelds have been encroached on by mobile (in Japan they seem to co-exist relatively well).

A hybrid doesn't really fit either market - it wouldn't have the grunt of a home console for the West, and it likely wouldn't be cheap enough to succeed in Japan as a handheld.

Multiple hardware forms based around a common architecture/ecosystem lets Nintendo target global markets differently, and offer platforms for different segments of each market, without having to support two totally distinct home/handheld platforms, and without mashing them all up into one Franken-platform. It comes with its own set of risks, but I see it as a better option than a single hybrid platform, or two distinct home/handheld devices as with GCN/GBA, Wii/DS, Wii U/3DS.
 
They only have mentioned NX publicly, that implies NX is a home console.

"“If we started for Wii U now, it would likely take three years or so. So it would likely now be on Nintendo’s NX console." - Tanabe, Metroid Prime's series director talking about next main Metroid Prime game

I think nintendo NX will have two versions 1 console and 1 handheld, both share similar architecture so that games can be released on both but with separate features.
If you want both versions of a game then you get a discount.
The 20 million figure probably is guessing 10 million for each but even then that's very high,
but with both zelda and diddy kong racing 2 on day 1 it will do very well.
 

Somnid

Member
This is more on the bullshit side of Digitimes. I mean we just got a quote about why they don't release games in summer, does anyone think they'd launch a new device outside the holiday season unless it missed a date? 20 million isn't happening either. Late 2016 makes perfect sense for a handheld though I think Wii U will be around until 2017. I doubt they'll launch both devices in the same year.
 
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