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[Theognosis]

Iwata's comment about Wii U's successor incorporating its architecture as the sort of basis for it, makes me hopeful that it will be backwards compatible with Wii U software.

I don't think Iwata's talking about the successor of the Wii U. He is actually talking about the 3DS's successor, which is the second form factor in the Wii U architecture.

Iwata:

In this perspective, while we are only going to be able to start this with the next system, it will become important for us to accurately take advantage of what we have done with the Wii U architecture. It of course does not mean that we are going to use exactly the same architecture as Wii U, but we are going to create a system that can absorb the Wii U architecture adequately. When this happens, home consoles and handheld devices will no longer be completely different, and they will become like brothers in a family of systems.

Still, 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

 

[Hiltz]

Why should Nintendo even bother with two separate platforms?

Even if the framework is unified, there would still be issues outside of development that have been an absolute struggle for them. Those resources should probably be pooled into a single handheld console, maybe with a TV Out or homebase.

Nintendo's had more success with its handhelds than compared to its home consoles. Getting out of the dedicated handheld market would result in them leaving a lot of money on the table. In addition, Nintendo can use one of its consoles to help soften the blow if/when one of its platforms under performs. I think this is what happened with the GameCube and GBA but unfortunately, not so much for the Wii U and 3DS.

Of course, one does still have to acknowledge the problems Nintendo has been facing in the handheld market. Part of 3DS's failure was it wasn't a very compelling piece of hardware. The 3D stereoscopic effort wasn't an effective system-seller feature and the console's launch price was too high. $200 seems to be about the highest price point Nintendo can go with.

It may be inevitable for Nintendo to make a hybrid system, but its not likely going to happen in he next 10-12 years. Quite frankly, its been doing worse and worse with tis home consoles (wii being the sole exception), so if they don't want to be direct competitor, then they'll have to have consoles at mass market price points (like $200-250) and continue to come up with more compelling hardware features and new blue ocean strategies to target the expanded audience again. Unfortunately ,they obviously failed to do this with the 3DS and Wii U.

I don't think Iwata's talking about the successor of the Wii U. He is actually talking about the 3DS's successor, which is the second form factor in the Wii U architecture.

Iwata:

In this perspective, while we are only going to be able to start this with the next system, it will become important for us to accurately take advantage of what we have done with the Wii U architecture. It of course does not mean that we are going to use exactly the same architecture as Wii U, but we are going to create a system that can absorb the Wii U architecture adequately. When this happens, home consoles and handheld devices will no longer be completely different, and they will become like brothers in a family of systems.

Still, 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

Oh, it looks like I did overlook that part of his comment. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[Theognosis]

Nintendo's focus was always on their handhelds. Each home console was developed with the handheld version in mind.

SNES -> GBA

Nintendo 64 -> Nintendo DS

Gamecube/Wii -> 3DS

Therefore,

Wii U -> Wii U handheld

 

[Josh7289]

What I wanted to say: I predict that they'll release a new handheld in 2016, along with a new development model that allows the same games to be released on both Wii U and the new handheld.

But: Theognosis in this very thread just made the exact same prediction! But I swear this was in my mind before this thread even started. I think the Wii U has a very long life ahead of it, even if that's only enabled by unifying much of the architecture and operating system of their next handheld with their current home console.

 

[sörine]

Look at whatever people did last gen, and then remove some features. So, a gimped version of PSP / PS3 remote play, I reckon.

Wii U already does that as is. Only with a fraction input lag and double the framerate.

 

[Naked Prime]

Unified OS and development tools then NCL and I can have this conversation. Is there an x86 compatible ARM processor out there?

 

[18-Volt]

The Wii U handlheld will be a MONSTER. It will run all Nintendo games of the past, present and future.

But being "MONSTER" won't sell consoles. Nintendo handhelds need their gimmicks and with the current market change, they need them even more. Sure, new handheld will be more powerful than 3DS and Vita and maybe Wii U, but there will be someting new, something "innovative" packed in too. Hologram screen, haptic feedback touchscreen, anything in the works at Nintendo R&D.

 

[Gleethor]

But being "MONSTER" won't sell consoles. Nintendo handhelds need their gimmicks and with the current market change, they need them even more. Sure, new handheld will be more powerful than 3DS and Vita and maybe Wii U, but there will be someting new, something "innovative" packed in too. Hologram screen, haptic feedback touchscreen, anything in the works at Nintendo R&D.

By the looks of recent patents, modular controls may be one such gimmick but I don't know how much appeal that has outside of core gamers.

 

[Theognosis]

But being "MONSTER" won't sell consoles. Nintendo handhelds need their gimmicks and with the current market change, they need them even more. Sure, new handheld will be more powerful than 3DS and Vita and maybe Wii U, but there will be someting new, something "innovative" packed in too. Hologram screen, haptic feedback touchscreen, anything in the works at Nintendo R&D.

It will be a monster in terms of content. Literally hundreds of games will be available on Day 1. It's all about CONTENT and the Wii U handheld will have tons of that.

In terms of gimmicks, Amiibo has that covered.

 

[Theognosis]

What I wanted to say: I predict that they'll release a new handheld in 2016, along with a new development model that allows the same games to be released on both Wii U and the new handheld.

But: Theognosis in this very thread just made the exact same prediction! But I swear this was in my mind before this thread even started. I think the Wii U has a very long life ahead of it, even if that's only enabled by unifying much of the architecture and operating system of their next handheld with their current home console.

Haha! Let's see if we're right. Cheers!

 

[Tertullian]

Man I hope Nintendo nails this, but I have absolutely no confidence in their ability to pull it off.

 

[udivision]

It will be a monster in terms of content. Literally hundreds of games will be available on Day 1. It's all about CONTENT and the Wii U handheld will have tons of that.

What are you talking about exactly?

Man I hope Nintendo nails this, but I have absolutely no confidence in their ability to pull it off.

I don't think Nintendo can ever learn from their mistakes. That's the truly disheartening thing about their situation.

 

[Naked Prime]

I just can't see the home console not being held back by the portable's hw limitations

 

[Theognosis]

What are you talking about exactly?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Wii_U_software

Most of:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nintendo_GameCube_games
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_games
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_games
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nintendo_DS_games
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nintendo_3DS_software

Some of
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Wii_games

And not to mention games from 3rd party publishers and indies who will jump on the Wii U architecture bandwagon after NIntendo announces the handheld in E3 2015.

 

[Theognosis]

I just can't see the home console not being held back by the portable's hw limitations

The more graphically-capable Wii U consumes less power than the Wii (which is a 3DS with no drive).

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/20..._uses_less_energy_to_run_than_wii_and_rivals/

 

[Chopper Dave]

I am trying to understand if some of you are actually expecting an actual portable wiiU for Nintendo's next handheld. The idea seems unrealistic to say the least. I won't pretend to play the tech expert but shrinking the U's components into a portable would be very expensive if possible at all. We don't even have high end tablets capable of WiiU graphics yet. There is of course the problem of the portable playing wiiU games that require the gamepad. Two screens isn't going to make the thing any cheaper. It's a nice fantasy but I'm 99% confident it won't happen. I'd be blown off my socks and sent into outer orbit if it did though.

Look at whatever people did last gen, and then remove some features. So, a gimped version of PSP / PS3 remote play, I reckon.

Nintendo aims to implement a unified development model but comes out with a spin on something they already implemented? I am all for discussing how Nintendo might screw this up but come on.

 

[ArcaneFreeze]

I am trying to understand if some of you are actually expecting an actual portable wiiU for Nintendo's next handheld. The idea seems unrealistic to say the least. I won't pretend to play the tech expert but shrinking the U's components into a portable would be very expensive if possible at all. We don't even have high end tablets capable of WiiU graphics yet. There is of course the problem of the portable playing wiiU games that require the gamepad. Two screens isn't going to make the thing any cheaper. It's a nice fantasy but I'm 99% confident it won't happen. I'd be blown off my socks and sent into outer orbit if it did though.



Nintendo aims to implement a unified development model but comes out with a spin on something they already implemented? I am all for discussing how Nintendo might screw this up but come on.

I'd assume they wouldnt be aiming for exact WiiU power but definitely something that can output HD graphics at a reasonable level. When the Shield Tablet was revealed people were talking about Nintendo possibly looking at something similarly spec'd, which would be great for a handheld.

Edit:
Also, I dont think people here understand what they meant by "Unified Architecture." They want to create a unified system between their Handheld and Consoles that way development of games for each will be alot easier.

For example with the 3DS and WiiU you had Super Mario 3D Land and Super Mario 3D World two games similar in gameplay but because of the architectural differences the games were built from the ground up separately using different engines and working to make them fit around their specific systems architecture. Now if we move this to a unified architectured system you have in place a development model that works between both Handheld and Console. So say they built Super Mario 3D World for the home console, they could then use that engine and those assets and downscale them to fit the portable format and create 3D Land, thus cutting development time exponentially.

 

[Clemsontigers35]

One of the main problems that Nintendo has is the fact that many of their console's features aren't as rich as the competition. PS4 and Xbox 1 have better online gameplay, with many more games available for download. Both systems offer the powerful graphics as well. With Sony and MS, you have both motion controls and traditional controls. The game libraries may not be as rich yet, but by 2015, both systems will have many games. Also, the third parties are much better on PS4 and XONE. PS4 has Virtual Reality in the future, and Xbox has excellent integration with the TV. Wii U is harder to recommend compared to the competition. If Wii U was 150-200 dollars, it would be easier to get, but its too pricey when compared to the competition. Its sort of in the same position as Dreamcast. The competition again seems much more advanced, so most gamers are going to just wait for the Sony and MS systems again.

Nintendo also I think may have caused more problems with Wii than solved. One, a lot of people bought Wiis, then switched to 360 or PS3 when they got bored of the nintendo games. I think a lot of people are soured on the wii name because of it. The Wii's 3rd party library is filled with a ton of bad games, which also hurts the name. By the end of the life of the Wii, it had not kept up, feature wise, compared to the competition. All of this I think hurt the brand in the end, despite early success.

I think that nintendo can correct the problem quite easily. They have to just shake some of their pride off.
1) Make tons of your back catalog available. There's really no excuses here. Any game that nintendo holds the license for should be avaliable. If Sony and MS can get PS2 and Xbox games online, then gamecube games should be available. I understand some games may not be possible due to licenses, but any Nintendo published game should be avaliable
2) Decrease the cost of hardware. They can't expect to sell their console for 250 dollars when a PS4 is 400. That's two games and a remote difference. People will see the wii u as overpriced.
3) Purchase "off the shelf" x86 processor. Using an x86 processor will help the programmers put out content quicker, will shorten development of the next system and will decrease prices.
4) Get the online system right. People expect the online system of Nintendo to be on par with PS4 and xbox. They need to spruce it up.
5) Consider VR again. Since VR may be the next big thing in games, they'll have to explore it sooner or later. It would be good to try and implement it as soon as possible. If they don't have expertise, perhaps license the technology.
6) Don't chase away 3rd parties. Its tough because they basically have given SONY and MS a huge market for free. If you want Activision, EA, 2K games, then you won't be buying a Wii U, or you'll be buying a Wii U and another game system. They lose on the hardware numbers front and on software licensing front. I know part of it is the market they have made, but including third parties will help them.
I'm sure the board is considering all of these options and decided against them for good reasons, but they seem like, simple obvious ways to improve their fortunes.

 

[outunderthestars]

But the WiiU off-tv play is already better than that...

Only if you are within a very short distance to the console. I can't even use off TV in the bedroom adjacent to the living room in my house.

 

[Theognosis]

The idea seems unrealistic to say the least. I won't pretend to play the tech expert but shrinking the U's components into a portable would be very expensive if possible at all.

The Wii U MCM is already small as it is. This single integrated chip has both the CPU, graphics processor and custom processor built in that's why it's so efficient and fast. It's not built like a PC with a motherboard where you slap off-the-shelf parts. In other words, the Wii U is not like the XB1 or PS4 which are very difficult to miniaturize.

http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wiiu/console/0/0

Takeda: This time we fully embraced the idea of using an MCM for our gaming console. An MCM is where the aforementioned Multi-core CPU chip and the GPU chip are built into a single component. The GPU itself also contains quite a large on-chip memory. Due to this MCM, the package costs less and we could speed up data exchange among two LSIs while lowering power consumption. And also the international division of labor in general, would be cost-effective.

Also...

Shiota Yes: As Takeda-san said, lowering power consumption has been our position since the GameCube. By putting LSI chips in this small package, the power necessary for communication between LSI chips drastically fell.

Iwata: Compared to power flowing between chips in separate physical positions on the board, you can get by with less power inside a small module. The latency is also reduced, and the speed increases.

Shiota Yes. And by putting them in a single small package, we can make the footprint on the CPU board smaller. For the contribution it would make to casing miniaturization too, I wanted to do it no matter what!

 

[The Abominable Snowman]

Nintendo's had more success with its handhelds than compared to its home consoles. Getting out of the dedicated handheld market would result in them leaving a lot of money on the table. In addition, Nintendo can use one of its consoles to help soften the blow if/when one of its platforms under performs. I think this is what happened with the GameCube and GBA but unfortunately, not so much for the Wii U and 3DS.

Of course, one does still have to acknowledge the problems Nintendo has been facing in the handheld market. Part of 3DS's failure was it wasn't a very compelling piece of hardware. The 3D stereoscopic effort wasn't an effective system-seller feature and the console's launch price was too high. $200 seems to be about the highest price point Nintendo can go with.

It may be inevitable for Nintendo to make a hybrid system, but its not likely going to happen in he next 10-12 years. Quite frankly, its been doing worse and worse with tis home consoles (wii being the sole exception), so if they don't want to be direct competitor, then they'll have to have consoles at mass market price points (like $200-250) and continue to come up with more compelling hardware features and new blue ocean strategies to target the expanded audience again. Unfortunately ,they obviously failed to do this with the 3DS and Wii U.

But that's said like it isn't possible for Nintendo to release two under performing consoles. The last year hasn't been great for the 3DS, and some could argue that the 3DS is the Wii U's biggest competitor, and vice versa. Their libraries do overlap a good amount, and A unified framework would just create more overlap.

If the hand off from 3DS to next handheld is even comparable to Wii -> Wii U (Or any of their previous console transitions aside one) then chances are Nintendo as a whole would be marginalized, and although they can afford it technically, I doubt that's something anyone would want.

I think a single point of focus would be their best bet. Only expand back into consoles when you can see an opportunity or growth point, like the Wii had.

 

[biglittleps]

I think Smash is one of their first experiments of this. Of course, 3DS and Wii U don't share architecture but I'm sure they are really analyzing the effort of creating the models and other stuff for these games.

I expect the next console/handheld to play mostly the same games, but maybe with some exclusives that take advantage of unique features of each device. For example, games that use the Wii U pad as a camera, independent from the TV, are impossible to replicate with just a handheld but could still be released for the Wii U's successor (Iwata's comments seem to indicate they are aiming for BC too).

With BC then they have to use PPC again which means less 3rd party support again because of different architecture from PS & Xbox. I can't image the game industry after 5 years with power portable devices from mobile and Tablets (even new kind of devices or micro consoles) and their library can make a problem for Portable sales. Home console is the only they should be focusing but Nintendo weakness is Home console and their bread and butter portable is having competition from Mobiles/Tablets in games, price, power and install base.

 

[Theognosis]

The last year hasn't been great for the 3DS, and some could argue that the 3DS is the Wii U's biggest competitor, and vice versa. Their libraries do overlap a good amount, and A unified framework would just create more overlap.

Nintendo's plan of having a unified game development is to come up with one game that can run on 2 form factors. It doesn't matter if consumers buy the home or handheld device because the bottom line is the same. What matters is that Nintendo will be able to release a particular game for both markets and sell millions of it. This presents tremendous savings for them and can concentrate on making games on a single platform, i.e. the Wii U.

Software is where the money is, not hardware. We know that very well. Just look at Apple. The fact that they have so many devices that run on a IOS makes it very appealing for developers to make games for it. That's why games on IOS sell millions. This is what Nintendo wants.

 

[Amir0x]

All I know is I hope they are smart and have a razor sharp vision and purpose. I hope they realize the lesson on Wii U is that you cannot simply release a console with some random gimmick if even you yourself have not come up with any adequate way to sell it to the public. If even a year later you are expressing that teams internal to Nintendo are trying to figure out ways of making it work right you know something went wrong.

I think unifying their two markets would be smart, because gaming dedicated handheld market is dwindling and won't be around many more generations without some massive blue ocean disruption. People don't need a gaming dedicated handheld on top of all their other electronic devices which, incidentally, can also play games. The only way to stop this is by offering some gimmick so appealing that event those who are at that point will stop and take a look and say "maybe."

 

[jnWake]

With BC then they have to use PPC again which means less 3rd party support again because of different architecture from PS & Xbox. I can't image the game industry after 5 years with power portable devices from mobile and Tablets (even new kind of devices or micro consoles) and their library can make a problem for Portable sales. Home console is the only they should be focusing but Nintendo weakness is Home console and their bread and butter portable is having competition from Mobiles/Tablets in games, price, power and install base.

I'm guessing their plan is to unify development to be able to support the console on their own, including 3rd party collaborations and deals with their closer companies. Iwata said they plan to absorb Wii U's architecture, so BC is a given. Now, wheter they plan to somehow absorb Wii U into the architecture that PS & XBOX use or they plan to stick with their current one isn't very clear.

 

[Theognosis]

With BC then they have to use PPC again which means less 3rd party support again because of different architecture from PS & Xbox.

Yes, that is a weakness which fortunately can be mitigated by using middleware. 3rd party support will also return when Nintendo announces that their games will be playable on both home and portable devices.

 

[GhostTrick]

With BC then they have to use PPC again which means less 3rd party support again because of different architecture from PS & Xbox. I can't image the game industry after 5 years with power portable devices from mobile and Tablets (even new kind of devices or micro consoles) and their library can make a problem for Portable sales. Home console is the only they should be focusing but Nintendo weakness is Home console and their bread and butter portable is having competition from Mobiles/Tablets in games, price, power and install base.

Let's be honest. Even if they used x86; they wouldnt get 3rd party support back. While I can see them having selected, exclusive 3rd party games, as we see on 3DS.

 

[RedSwirl]

Having a unified architecture and OS supported by multiple pieces is an interesting "gimmick" that hasn't really been done yet in traditional console gaming. Sony's remote play and cross-buy are essentially a half-assed version of this kind of environment. It also kind of baffles me Microsoft hasn't integrated Windows 8 and Xbox more yet, or just made the Xbox One a Windows 8 TV box. A "Nintendo OS" could put Nintendo slightly ahead of the curve compared to Sony and Microsoft in terms of how people look at their platform. Doing this would probably require the console to essentially be a beefed-up version of the handheld architecture. Sony and Microsoft aren't willing to do that with consoles because their business depends on having very powerful consoles. Nintendo doesn't really have that burden anymore. I think something like this "Nintendo OS" idea could take off IF it got enough support from Nintendo's first party studios, traditional Japanese studios, indie developers, and mobile developers.

Furthermore, Nintendo has currently reached a point where its handheld is powerful enough to run the kinds of games they usually make on consoles. It's almost reaching a point where Nintendo doesn't really need two platforms to support anymore. The 3DS and Wii U games look extremely similar to each other. People are asking why that new Kirby Curse game needs to be a Wii U game, or why Mario Maker isn't on 3DS. And Nintendo is already porting some of its games directly between both systems. At the same time Japanese developers are caught between a handheld Japan and a console-oriented west. Such a unified system could by default lead to more Japanese "console" games. This would also make Virtual Console a much better service as every VC game would essentially run on both systems.

But that's said like it isn't possible for Nintendo to release two under performing consoles. The last year hasn't been great for the 3DS, and some could argue that the 3DS is the Wii U's biggest competitor, and vice versa. Their libraries do overlap a good amount, and A unified framework would just create more overlap.

If the hand off from 3DS to next handheld is even comparable to Wii -> Wii U (Or any of their previous console transitions aside one) then chances are Nintendo as a whole would be marginalized, and although they can afford it technically, I doubt that's something anyone would want.

I think a single point of focus would be their best bet. Only expand back into consoles when you can see an opportunity or growth point, like the Wii had.

Takeda already confirmed Nintendo is NOT combining their platforms into one piece of hardware.

 

[DXB-KNIGHT]

These things should've happened before the 3DS and WiiU, but it's better late than never.
The WiiU seems to be the basic so I presume %99 of next Nintendo games will be on WiiU.

 

[Balb]

All I know is I hope they are smart and have a razor sharp vision and purpose. I hope they realize the lesson on Wii U is that you cannot simply release a console with some random gimmick if even you yourself have not come up with any adequate way to sell it to the public. If even a year later you are expressing that teams internal to Nintendo are trying to figure out ways of making it work right you know something went wrong.

I think unifying their two markets would be smart, because gaming dedicated handheld market is dwindling and won't be around many more generations without some massive blue ocean disruption. People don't need a gaming dedicated handheld on top of all their other electronic devices which, incidentally, can also play games. The only way to stop this is by offering some gimmick so appealing that event those who are at that point will stop and take a look and say "maybe."

This is a factor, but it's also clear that Nintendo doesn't have the development resources to support two platforms. They always have to focus on one platform at the expense of the other and it's led to a lot of problems. The 3DS doing so poorly during its first year is a consequence of this and it greatly damaged the system in the long run. Third parties abandoned ship and never really came back with the exception of Atlus. Then when they put a lot of resources into 3DS development the Wii U suffered during its first year in terms of releases. The cycle seems to be going in the other direction in favor of the Wii U at the moment. I would rather they focus all of their efforts on one hybrid platform.

 

[Peru]

They need to treat an OS as their platform. Must like IOS, higher end devices play everything, lower end devices do not. So you could have a handheld play mobile style games, the consoles play all mobile style games and "tent pole" console titles.

This would actually rubbish all the gains they get from this. It's not the way to do it. For this to work the way they say it does, the main Zelda and Mario games etc need to be one game playable on both systems. That way they push games to a vastly bigger audience while also being able to provide more AAA nintendo games to Nintendo owners, whether they've got a handheld or console or both. Win-win for everyone.

 

[Amir0x]

This is a factor, but it's also clear that Nintendo doesn't have the development resources to support two platforms. They always have to focus on one platform at the expense of the other and it's led to a lot of problems. The 3DS doing so poorly during its first year is a consequence of this and it greatly damaged the system in the long run. Third parties abandoned ship and never really came back with the exception of Atlus. Then when they put a lot of resources into 3DS development the Wii U suffered during its first year in terms of releases. The cycle seems to be going in the other direction in favor of the Wii U at the moment. I would rather they focus all of their efforts on one hybrid platform.

oh yes, that's an excellent point. And if you think about it, that makes their next platform potentially extremely exciting.

Think about it this way: With all their resources aimed at one unifying console, they can potentially have a much larger variety of games and rely less on their traditional IPs all the time. For example, before they'd need to make a Mario game for 3DS, and a Mario game for Wii U. Now obviously on a unified system, they'd only need to make the one Mario game. The employees that get freed up now to work on unified stuff can then focus on perhaps a totally new IP that is bold and doesn't rely on its relationship to some ancient Nintendo character.

To me that's what makes the unified vision the most exciting: the prospect that we'll have Nintendo's legendary diversity back in all its might. I'm so tired of revisiting Hyrule and the Mushroom Kingdom all the time, to be honest. I still play them because they generally play so well, but I really am dying for Nintendo to not just stick some Mario character to whatever novel new gameplay idea they came up with.

 

[Nothing1016]

They way I see it is that if the next handheld only sells 50-60 million and the next home console only sells 20-30 million, they would effectively have a user base of 70-90 million for their software. Nintendo wants to sell as much software as possible and this would be the best solution. Of course some games would need to be exclusive per platform to drive install base, but games like smash, mario party, kart, tennis, etc could be made for both.

Now imagine if Nintendo did the miraculous and sold 200 million of combined hardware that plays the same software? The potential is there.

 

[Amir0x]

They way I see it is that if the next handheld only sells 50-60 million and the next home console only sells 20-30 million, they would effectively have a user base of 70-90 million for their software. Nintendo wants to sell as much software as possible and this would be the best solution. Of course some games would need to be exclusive per platform to drive install base, but games like smash, mario party, kart, tennis, etc could be made for both.

Now imagine if Nintendo did the miraculous and sold 200 million of combined hardware that plays the same software? The potential is there.

i am pretty sure the potential is not there for any console on earth to sell 200 million, no matter what combination of gimmicks you put into it

 

[Chittagong]

Iwata's comment about Wii U's successor incorporating its architecture as the sort of basis for it, makes me hopeful that it will be backwards compatible with Wii U software.

The question is, why on earth did they choose a complete dead end Power PC architecture for Wii U if this was the ambition? Wii U's successor benefiting of it's development is as simple as it was for Xbox One to support Xbox 360. And then there is the portable angle, there is no Power PC architecture available for that use.

I just don't get what Nintendo is thinking.

 

[Theognosis]

They way I see it is that if the next handheld only sells 50-60 million and the next home console only sells 20-30 million, they would effectively have a user base of 70-90 million for their software. Nintendo wants to sell as much software as possible and this would be the best solution. Of course some games would need to be exclusive per platform to drive install base, but games like smash, mario party, kart, tennis, etc could be made for both.

Now imagine if Nintendo did the miraculous and sold 200 million of combined hardware that plays the same software? The potential is there.

And not only that. Existing software for the Wii U will receive DLC to make it attractive for new adopters to buy these games. I won't be surprised if Mario Kart 8, Mario 3D World and the like become version 2.0 by the time another form factor of the Wii U is released. Nintendo would just need to update the existing games and continue on selling them for many years. The user base will continue on growing as the game library expands. Games will have great legs.

There is tremendous potential in what Nintendo is cooking. I can smell it.

 

[Nothing1016]

i am pretty sure the potential is not there for any console on earth to sell 200 million, no matter what combination of gimmicks you put into it

Not one console but two or three combined. Imagine if the Wii and DS were capable of using similar pieces of software as well as having their own dedicated software while at the same time selling the same amount of hardware as they did. That would effectively be an install base of 250 million to play around with. Of course this is outlandish and wishful thinking but the potential is there. Now its matter if Nintendo can make compelling enough hardware/software and market it right without causing consumer confusion.

 

[Log4Girlz]

If games are programmed to an OS then you can release all the hardware you want, no problem. If all you are doing is making engines that can be easily swapped between devices, then you cannot be as experimental. If they go with my idea, then they can have a handheld, console, tablet, microconsole etc, no problem, no shortage of games for any hardware unit. Iwata's own comments hints strongly that games will be pretty broadly playable between hardware.

 

[Jimrpg]

Apple and Sony already doing it.

If you look at Sony they have the Vita/PS3/PS4. You can buy the same game and play it across all three platforms.

It will be interesting to see if Nintendo decide to update their hardware yearly like Apple do. They probably won't have the resources to do so, but it would be amazing if they did.

 

[Zanoh]

They can't do it exactly like iOS unless they ditch physical media completely, which I definitely don't think they will. It's going to be a challenge for them to figure out how to tackle this properly.

It won't be that challenging to be honest. The OS does need to be the central theme between the hardware. Then upon that, you try to build the console mid-high end, and the handheld keeping minimum to medium specs to go with the console.

A good example is Sony's Vita and PS4 model. That being said, as long as Nintendo doesn't do too much (if any) proprietary formats, they should be fine emulating a similar model, as long as the OS is top notch.

 

[Game Guru]

Having a unified architecture and OS supported by multiple pieces is an interesting "gimmick" that hasn't really been done yet in traditional console gaming. Sony's remote play and cross-buy are essentially a half-assed version of this kind of environment. It also kind of baffles me Microsoft hasn't integrated Windows 8 and Xbox more yet, or just made the Xbox One a Windows 8 TV box. A "Nintendo OS" could put Nintendo slightly ahead of the curve compared to Sony and Microsoft in terms of how people look at their platform. Doing this would probably require the console to essentially be a beefed-up version of the handheld architecture. Sony and Microsoft aren't willing to do that with consoles because their business depends on having very powerful consoles. Nintendo doesn't really have that burden anymore. I think something like this "Nintendo OS" idea could take off IF it got enough support from Nintendo's first party studios, traditional Japanese studios, indie developers, and mobile developers.

Furthermore, Nintendo has currently reached a point where its handheld is powerful enough to run the kinds of games they usually make on consoles. It's almost reaching a point where Nintendo doesn't really need two platforms to support anymore. The 3DS and Wii U games look extremely similar to each other. People are asking why that new Kirby Curse game needs to be a Wii U game, or why Mario Maker isn't on 3DS. And Nintendo is already porting some of its games directly between both systems. At the same time Japanese developers are caught between a handheld Japan and a console-oriented west. Such a unified system could by default lead to more Japanese "console" games. This would also make Virtual Console a much better service as every VC game would essentially run on both systems.

I think this needs more acknowledgement. The idea of a unified architecture and OS supported by multiple pieces of hardware has never been done in regards to video game systems before, but HAS been done by Nintendo's current big competitors... Apple and Google. To Nintendo, their competition isn't the PlayStation & Xbox brands, but Apple and Google, so Nintendo is going to make their ecosystem more like Apple & Google's, likely taking advantage of the advancement of mobile technology that Apple & Google spurred.

Basically imagine Nintendo's next handheld as like an iPod Touch with buttons and Nintendo's next console as an Apple TV that can play games and comes with a controller. Maybe add tablets in there like the various iPads.

 

[GhostTrick]

Apple and Sony already doing it.

If you look at Sony they have the Vita/PS3/PS4. You can buy the same game and play it across all three platforms.

It will be interesting to see if Nintendo decide to update their hardware yearly like Apple do. They probably won't have the resources to do so, but it would be amazing if they did.

Sony is already doing it, but not with Vita/PS3/PS4, since it requires a port job.
Sony is doing it with Vita and Vita TV. Different form factor playing the same games. (Or nearly the same...)

 

[InsaneZero]

Apple and Sony already doing it.

If you look at Sony they have the Vita/PS3/PS4. You can buy the same game and play it across all three platforms.

It will be interesting to see if Nintendo decide to update their hardware yearly like Apple do. They probably won't have the resources to do so, but it would be amazing if they did.

Cross play is not what Apple is doing with iOS. Games made for the PS3 still need to be rebuilt for the PS3 or the Vita.

 

[Theognosis]

These things should've happened before the 3DS and WiiU, but it's better late than never.
The WiiU seems to be the basic so I presume %99 of next Nintendo games will be on WiiU.

Nintendo was late in putting up their online infrastructure (which is needed for an ambitious undertaking like this for purchasing software, DLC and online gaming) but at least we can see now that the eshop is developing at a rapid pace.

I'm also not surprised that not many games were announced for the 3DS last E3. You could really tell that Nintendo's going all out on the Wii U platform. The sad news is that the 3D effect would most likely be abandoned on the new handheld (given that Wii U games don't have that feature). I loved it on the 3DS and I will surely miss it.

 

[Zanoh]

Cross play is not what Apple is doing with iOS. Games made for the PS3 still need to be rebuilt for the PS3 or the Vita.

That's because of the cell architecture on the PS3, though. Apple is technically doing a similar version of Crossplay by the iProducts, each using a similar processor and architecture, but different builds.

 

[Game Guru]

Sony is doing it with Vita and Vita TV. Different form factor playing the same games. (Or nearly the same...)

This guy gets it. Vita & PlayStation TV is perhaps the best example here, though hopefully Nintendo will be more successful.

 

[Theognosis]

Apple and Sony already doing it.

If you look at Sony they have the Vita/PS3/PS4. You can buy the same game and play it across all three platforms.

It will be interesting to see if Nintendo decide to update their hardware yearly like Apple do. They probably won't have the resources to do so, but it would be amazing if they did.

Nope. These are ports, not the exact same games. Each port would need to be developed by separate teams and in succession. That is the traditional way of doing things and Nintendo is tired of it. They want to have a team develop one single code for their home console AND handheld device. There will be almost zero modification of the code because the Wii U and Wii U handheld are essentially the same device but with different physical dimensions.

 

[Zanoh]

This guy gets it. Vita & PlayStation TV is perhaps the best example here, though hopefully Nintendo will be more successful.

Well the PSTV is basically the architecture of the Vita, adapted to the Tele environment. So if Nintendo were to build upon a unified concept, three categories would be needed by factor of importance:

1. Processor
2. Architecture
3. OS

As long as the three systems (with different builds) work with those three things in mind, then it should be alright.

 

[Theognosis]

I think this needs more acknowledgement. The idea of a unified architecture and OS supported by multiple pieces of hardware has never been done in regards to video game systems before, but HAS been done by Nintendo's current big competitors... Apple and Google. To Nintendo, their competition isn't the PlayStation & Xbox brands, but Apple and Google, so Nintendo is going to make their ecosystem more like Apple & Google's, likely taking advantage of the advancement of mobile technology that Apple & Google spurred.

Basically imagine Nintendo's next handheld as like an iPod Touch with buttons and Nintendo's next console as an Apple TV that can play games and comes with a controller. Maybe add tablets in there like the various iPads.

Yes, and I give credit to Nintendo for thinking forward. The Wii U was brilliantly conceived. When you look at PS4, I don't think Mark Cerny was given the requirement to develop a system that will be eventually converted to a handheld device. Sony just wanted raw power at a budget price and that's exactly what they have right now. They will regret not having that foresight.

 

[InsaneZero]

That's because of the cell architecture on the PS3, though. Apple is technically doing a similar version of Crossplay by the iProducts, each using a similar processor and architecture, but different builds.

Entirely wrong. A game made for the PSV still will need to be reworked to work on the PS4, and it's not because of the architecture. It's because that the PS3/PS4/PSV has no shared API that allows developers to be platform agnostic. This is in contrast to stuff like Android apps that can be made without caring about whether it can be run on Galaxy S5 or Nexus 5, for example.

Android and iOS development currently eliminates the need to care about the processor or architecture. Developers work against an API, then they know exactly what hardware their games can work on by knowing which version of the API it can support.