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[RUMOR] Nintendo NX will not be Android-based but it will emulate Android games.

Amazon did start selling Nintendo hardware again about a month ago out of the blue. And they sent out a promo email about the last wave of amiibo.
 

AerialAir

Banned
This is what Nintendo needs. Third party support, casual or not, they need titles that get people around their systems for a long time.
 
They don't even have to virtualize it. They can implement the Android runtime inside their own OS. Chrome doesn't virtualize anything and can still run Android apps. It's all about having that glue. If their OS has ART (Android RunTime) implemented and have shims for the basic android libs, they can run the apps. At that point, it's about just implementing more and more of the library to increase compatibility.

Not trying to make it sound easy. But it's doable and they won't have to emulate OR use any kind of hyper visor.

Could they implement it in the Wii U OS?
 
I totally expect this to happen. A stand alone portable hardware option that can sideload Android games and allows them to use a standard control scheme as well as touch screens. It solves their 3rd party development issues without having to reforge connections with the big conglomerates while making their own products stand out by having more competition.
Yup. I like where this is going. This is what I meant in other threads that it was possible to rebuild third party relations slowly. This also solves a huge problem for a potential Nintendo phone. If they're simply emulating Android, it makes it much easier to gaurd against roots.
 

Game Guru

Member
But in the era of mobile gaming will people be willing to pay $40+ for a Nintendo game when they can get a game for free? I think it's a mistake Nintendo to be associated with Android at all.

If they want to get Android games for free, they likely aren't even buying a Nintendo system when they can get a cheap tablet or smartphone to get free Android games. This is why Nintendo is making mobile games which are more in line to what mobile gamers want instead of porting their mainline Mario, Zelda, or Pokemon over.
 

M3d10n

Member
It's definitely possible. Microsoft is doing something like that in Windows 10 mobile.

I wonder if Nintendo and Amazon would reach some sort of agreement where Nintendo puts the Amazon app store on their consoles and get a revenue cut. Amazon would certainly benefit from it: even something that performs as bad as the Wii U would still have a nicer exposure than their own set top boxes.
 
This week on tales from my ass...

So what would be cool is if NX means "Nintendo Cross" as in, "Nintendo Cross ______."

Amazon App Store

Steam Streaming Client

etc...

It'll never happen though.
 

greg400

Banned
I really hope they aren't wasting resources on this. If people want to play smartphone games they can already do that with a product they already own. This isn't a good selling point, they should take any effort they are putting towards this idea (if it's even true) and put it towards improving the speed in which they can churn out virtual console games (actual exclusive content).
 
Hmm if that's true it'll leave some awkward openings for all those emulation apps on Android. It's like everyone nowadays is playing retro, GBA even DS on their smartphone without troubles. Hmm perhaps, again if this is true, they'll only allow apps from a curated marketplace (like Amazon :I ...).
 

vareon

Member
I think this is in line with many people here expected: make NX an easy platform to port mobile titles into. The Amazon stuff is just business deals so it may or may not happen. I personally want Nintendo to focus less on gimmicks this time and make NX a very friendly platform to third parties.
 

GDGF

Soothsayer
I really hope they aren't wasting resources on this. If people want to play smartphone games they can already do that with a product they already own. This isn't a good selling point, they should take any effort they are putting towards this idea (if it's even true) and put it towards improving the speed in which they can churn out virtual console games (actual exclusive content).

I've never used that "why not both" gif but if I was going to choose a time to, it would be now :)
 

Somnid

Member
Not surprised Amazon is thirsty for Nintendo games, Nintendo will be the biggest event to happen to mobile gaming since it's inception and it will hurt them tremendously to get skipped over. Nintendo should really milk this if they can.
 

atbigelow

Member
Could they implement it in the Wii U OS?
Sure, why not? The Wii U hardware should be able to run Android.

...but I don't know why they would want to do that. I don't thing they're gonna update the Wii U to the NX platform. And it's too late to really do much with the Wii U in general.
 
Not surprised Amazon is thirsty for Nintendo games, Nintendo will be the biggest event to happen to mobile gaming since it's inception and it will hurt them tremendously to get skipped over. Nintendo should really milk this if they can.

You mean, to happen again in mobile gaming...
 
Not surprised Amazon is thirsty for Nintendo games, Nintendo will be the biggest event to happen to mobile gaming since it's inception and it will hurt them tremendously to get skipped over. Nintendo should really milk this if they can.

I would love/hate to be proven wrong, but I dont think so

If I'm proven wrong, Nintendo would cease caring about traditional gaming but they will be swimming in money.
 

Mr Swine

Banned
While good, doesn't this mean that if the NX is a handheld platform it has to be pretty powerful to run Android games? Also doesn't it also mean that the screen resolution has to be at least 720p if they want to avoid compatibility issues?
 

atbigelow

Member
While good, doesn't this mean that if the NX is a handheld platform it has to be pretty powerful to run Android games? Also doesn't it also mean that the screen resolution has to be at least 720p if they want to avoid compatibility issues?

First question: possibly. Depending on the game, really. Most android devices have high clock speeds, but really only do them in bursts. Throttling is common place on mobile.
Second question: nope. So long as the games are built "right", of course. Android doesn't have a resolution requirement and everything is supposed to be designed for DPI. That doesn't mean it always happens, though.
 

buzzth

Member
Honestly, going the way of adopting android UI is the only way I can imagine Nintendo providing something unique, yet not so gimmicky at the same time. Which means, that they could have a hit if they have the support and that also means a long lifespan, especially if it the system is powerful.
 

E-phonk

Banned
Hmm if that's true it'll leave some awkward openings for all those emulation apps on Android. It's like everyone nowadays is playing retro, GBA even DS on their smartphone without troubles. Hmm perhaps, again if this is true, they'll only allow apps from a curated marketplace (like Amazon :I ...).

Developers would still need to submit their games to nintendo (recompiled or not) and nintendo will still curate what it releases on it's eshop store. Licence fees might apply and nintendo will take a cut of the revenue.

Once again: android games doesn't mean the google play store.

Could they implement it in the Wii U OS?

Wii OS isn't written for ARM, so the biggest hurdle would be to make the OS run on it. The Wii U OS also doesn't really support multitasking and is quite limited in several ways. To be honest they better get rid of it and create something on top of a stripped AOSP, but with their own API and maybe let all apps be virtualized or something.

While good, doesn't this mean that if the NX is a handheld platform it has to be pretty powerful to run Android games? Also doesn't it also mean that the screen resolution has to be at least 720p if they want to avoid compatibility issues?

Mobile tech has evolved a lot. And android ads quite some overhead (for phone functions etc) afaik. 720p is possible, although I still see them going for something slightly lower to save battery

Here is an interesting article on battery life and resolution on mobile devices:
http://lifehacker.com/do-i-need-a-1080p-display-in-my-smartphone-1450793273

I still asume the gamepads resolution in a smaller form factor will be good enough (the gamepad screen is 6.2 inch (15.7 cm) 854x480 16:9 @ 158 ppi) . It's not only about screen size, but CPU, GPU, RAM and textures that have to increase/work harder when you go from 480 (or 540) to 720.

To say it with a quote from that article:

Ironically, having a higher resolution display can result in worse-looking graphics purely because the GPU is wasting time on rendering more raw pixels (that you probably can't see), instead of allowing developers to use those resources on adding more elements or details (like the advanced particle systems, lighting effects, and texture mapping you see in advanced AAA games).

This might be a decent way to get filler indies when they aren't coming to you.
Square, konami, capcom, rockstar, EA.. they are all on mobile. It's not just indies.
To give you an idea of the japanese market (where nintendo gets it's major software support from)

famitsu_yearly_market5okmv.png
 

Rizsparky

Member
Interesting to see if it will have native android APK support through a closed app market or actual Google Play Store support.
 

Mindwipe

Member
Hmm. I'm not totally convinced this is a good idea.

For those who don't know, Android effectively consists of two parts - the actual OS, which is open source and freely implementable, and Google Play Services, which is closed sourced and licensed by Google, and runs anything that touches Google services and increasing parts of the basic OS.

It's certainly possible that the NX could run a Nintendo proprietary OS (or a hardened locked down Linux OS with customised elements that was to all intents and purposes the same thing). And it's possible that that you could abstract the ART api set on top of that so you could run Android applications. No permission is required, it's open source.

But that doesn't get you Google Play services (and I'm guessing the chance of a GPS agreement between Google and Nintendo is less than zero). And in reality lots of developers call GPS at least a little bit, so *some* rewriting would frequently be necessary. Not much, but some. And this is one of the reasons why the Amazon app store is lacking so many apps that are on Google Play - even for the number 2 store, it's just not worth the effort to port over, even if that job is trivial. If you're even further down the priority list, say the Blackberry compatibility, you barely get anything ported, no matter how easy it is. Even filling out the store agreement is too much hassle.

So in this scenario Nintendo will probably run it's own store as now, it'll just be a bit easier to port existing Android apps. But I don't think that moves the needle significantly for Nintendo - it certainly didn't for Blackberry, and I don't think it will work for Windows 10 either.
 
I don't think touch screen controller is necessary, the Amazon Fire controller didn't have one. If you wanted to play a touch-only game, you could use the new handheld as a controller, or even provide an app that turns any touch device you already own into a controller.

Purely for compatibility with their own handheld games (assuming their handheld even has touch), a touch pad would probably be a good idea, either like the DS4 clickable pad or something crazy like leap motion so you can see where your fingertips are on screen before input.
 

Kathian

Banned
It makes sense not just for the library but also future games; lets say your Square Enix and you want to release mobile FF7s as well, you'd probably ensure compatibility with Nintendo's machine. This goes for western devs as well (if targeted right).

If they release this with games made for the hardware and compatible with a decent range of android...they could have a chunk of the market for themselves (in the short term anyway - but then I don't see anyone else effectively competing with Nintendo's game catalogue in the handheld world).

Strong play if true.
 

ramparter

Banned
Hmm. I'm not totally convinced this is a good idea.

For those who don't know, Android effectively consists of two parts - the actual OS, which is open source and freely implementable, and Google Play Services, which is closed sourced and licensed by Google, and runs anything that touches Google services and increasing parts of the basic OS.

It's certainly possible that the NX could run a Nintendo proprietary OS (or a hardened locked down Linux OS with customised elements that was to all intents and purposes the same thing). And it's possible that that you could abstract the ART api set on top of that so you could run Android applications. No permission is required, it's open source.

But that doesn't get you Google Play services (and I'm guessing the chance of a GPS agreement between Google and Nintendo is less than zero). And in reality lots of developers call GPS at least a little bit, so *some* rewriting would frequently be necessary. Not much, but some. And this is one of the reasons why the Amazon app store is lacking so many apps that are on Google Play - even for the number 2 store, it's just not worth the effort to port over, even if that job is trivial. If you're even further down the priority list, say the Blackberry compatibility, you barely get anything ported, no matter how easy it is. Even filling out the store agreement is too much hassle.

So in this scenario Nintendo will probably run it's own store as now, it'll just be a bit easier to port existing Android apps. But I don't think that moves the needle significantly for Nintendo - it certainly didn't for Blackberry, and I don't think it will work for Windows 10 either.
Good point, I wouldn't really care if this was jus Android without Google services.
 
I kind of think that the NX Platform will be like this.

N = MEAN
X = Cross

I'm using just.. math for this.. really.. a means for cross generational parity.

In short, it's going to be a home console and a handheld pair that works across all of their products.

You have some games that are available on the Home Console, Handheld, and PC Store.

The Home Console will have compatibility with older items via VC (NES, SNES, N64, Wii, DS, 3DS, N3DS, GB, GBC, GBA, and native support for Wii U. In fact, the controller for it will be a slightly smaller, sleeker version of the Wii U Pad.. which can also be used on the NX. You can use your N3DS and the N3DS successor as a controller as well as using your own Android or iOS Tablet as well via a free APP. The Home Console will talk to all of these devices. You can also access the Play Store and/or iOS store from the device and play some of those games on your TV, with a controller. The sleeker version of the Wii U pad places the NFC behind the screen this time and adds a front facing camera. The screen is almost half of an inch smaller than the Wii U screen, but has the same pixel density.

The handheld will be compatible, digitally, with DS, Play Store, NES, SNES, GB, GBC, GBA, 3DS, N3DS, and physically with DS, 3DS, and N3DS. It will be able to "Free Play" N64 and some NX home console titles in a way similar to Remote Play.

But that's all my crazy speculation. This isn't going to be a system that outputs games in 4K or something. It will probably be about 50% to 75% more powerful than the Wii U and will have some of the same Wii U chipset for BC purposes. It will still not play Blu Rays, CDs, or DVDs. Seriously though.. with Netflix, Hulu Plus, Crunchyroll, Amazon Store, Play Store, and the ability of it to play downloaded music/video purchases... umm.. what are you doing with Blu Rays, CDs, and DVDs? The launch price would probably be competitive at about $299.99 to $399.99 for a model with more storage and extras. A model of it for $249.99 would be for people who own a Wii U and are okay with using their Wii U pad on the new system until they buy the new controller.
 

Z3M0G

Member
So wait, does this mean NX will likely be a mobile platform?

Do we know at all what the hell NX will be between: Console / Mobile / Handheld / VR ?
 

Shauni

Member
I may be mistaken, but wasn't it explicitly said that Nintendo wanted to keep their mobile output only on mobile, at least in the beginning, and that you wouldn't be seeing mobile titles on their dedicated hardware? I feel like this was very bluntly said at one point

So wait, does this mean NX will likely be a mobile platform?

Do we know at all what the hell NX will be between: Console / Mobile / Handheld / VR ?

NX has already been said to be a dedicated gaming device, but that's all we know for sure.
 
So wait, does this mean NX will likely be a mobile platform?

Do we know at all what the hell NX will be between: Console / Mobile / Handheld / VR ?

No-one knows yet. There have been whispers about planned specs - I think target resolution was hinted at - for what seems to be a next-gen handheld (it cropped up in a GAF thread recently, with comment from someone apparently in a position to know) but nothing more than that on that front.

There's been a lot of talk from Nintendo about future plans, with repeated reference to iOS etc. and hints at multiple hardware forms - hardware "brothers" was the term I think Iwata used - and the integration of development teams coupled with those tidbits does seem to point at Nintendo going for some kind of unified development environment, possibly something like the kind of iOS/iPhone/iPad setup Apple have.

My best guess is that they are aiming for a NintendOS, and that all future systems from them will be based on that, so they can share assets, tools etc. and - possibly - have their software run on every device they make, rather than the situation they're in now where Mario Kart on the 3DS is a distinct development from Mario Kart on the Wii U, and they have to develop two separate games on two separate platforms.

Given all that they've said and hinted at, and the partnership with DeNA, I'd go for:

2015

-- Late in the year, their new account system/Club Nintendo replacement is launched. It works on mobile platforms, and it will be used for all future platforms. Wii U and 3DS may be able to use it, but they may opt to make a clean break in some form. DeNA will be involved in this, and the mobile app may take the form of something like Mobage where you essentially have a Nintendo app on your phone that holds your account info, mobile games etc.

2016

-- A new handheld system is announced. This may or may not be what they refer to as NX. It's the first system running NintendOS - whether that's a custom Android build or something else - and it will likely abandon the dual screen setup in favour of something more like a small tablet. Physical controls still in, possibly still using 3D, depending on cost. It will be the first new Nintendo system to use the new account setup and purchases, details etc. here will carry forward to all other Nintendo devices, and across to the mobile app. Interaction between your mobile activity and your handheld activity will be part of this - either encouraging you to carry both with you, or feeding your mobile activity back into bitesize games/apps on the handheld (think Streetpass etc.). Nintendo must recognise that replacing phones isn't possible, so they have to make them work for them.

2016 is also the Wii U's last hurrah - Zelda may or may not remain exclusive, but even if it does it will be the last large-scale development for the platform.

2017

-- The next platform to run NintendOS is announced. This will be a home console replacement of some sort, as powerful as possible for the launch period, but built using similar tech to the handheld. Interaction between the handheld and the console is possible, but not required (possibly second-screen stuff?) and you will be able to access all the games tied to your account on your handheld immediately at launch (again, think iPad-iPhone, or Galaxy S4/5/6-Tab etc.).

I'd imagine that the vast majority of Nintendo's releases from then on will run on either platform - scaling to each, and to any future systems - but with some exceptions for games that make sense being home only.

There are risks involved here, but I think Nintendo are best served by consolidating around a single software platform/ecosystem with multiple hardware builds of differing power levels and focusing their energies on that, rather than trying to maintain two entirely separate hardware lines and serve up software to both. Couple that with an outreach to mobile for games that make sense - and to use as a way of drawing people into that Nintendo ecosystem by having details, games etc. transfer back over to their own systems - and I think there's an interesting path there for them.
 
I really hope they aren't wasting resources on this. If people want to play smartphone games they can already do that with a product they already own. This isn't a good selling point, they should take any effort they are putting towards this idea (if it's even true) and put it towards improving the speed in which they can churn out virtual console games (actual exclusive content).
BhrZdDDIgAAf0Ue.jpg


You have to keep their target market in mind.
 

Neoxon

Junior Member
No-one knows yet. There have been whispers about planned specs - I think target resolution was hinted at - for what seems to be a next-gen handheld (it cropped up in a GAF thread recently, with comment from someone apparently in a position to know) but nothing more than that on that front.

There's been a lot of talk from Nintendo about future plans, with repeated reference to iOS etc. and hints at multiple hardware forms - hardware "brothers" was the term I think Iwata used - and the integration of development teams coupled with those tidbits does seem to point at Nintendo going for some kind of unified development environment, possibly something like the kind of iOS/iPhone/iPad setup Apple have.

My best guess is that they are aiming for a NintendOS, and that all future systems from them will be based on that, so they can share assets, tools etc. and - possibly - have their software run on every device they make, rather than the situation they're in now where Mario Kart on the 3DS is a distinct development from Mario Kart on the Wii U, and they have to develop two separate games on two separate platforms.

Given all that they've said and hinted at, and the partnership with DeNA, I'd go for:

2015

-- Late in the year, their new account system/Club Nintendo replacement is launched. It works on mobile platforms, and it will be used for all future platforms. Wii U and 3DS may be able to use it, but they may opt to make a clean break in some form. DeNA will be involved in this, and the mobile app may take the form of something like Mobage where you essentially have a Nintendo app on your phone that holds your account info, mobile games etc.

2016

-- A new handheld system is announced. This may or may not be what they refer to as NX. It's the first system running NintendOS - whether that's a custom Android build or something else - and it will likely abandon the dual screen setup in favour of something more like a small tablet. Physical controls still in, possibly still using 3D, depending on cost. It will be the first new Nintendo system to use the new account setup and purchases, details etc. here will carry forward to all other Nintendo devices, and across to the mobile app. Interaction between your mobile activity and your handheld activity will be part of this - either encouraging you to carry both with you, or feeding your mobile activity back into bitesize games/apps on the handheld (think Streetpass etc.). Nintendo must recognise that replacing phones isn't possible, so they have to make them work for them.

2016 is also the Wii U's last hurrah - Zelda may or may not remain exclusive, but even if it does it will be the last large-scale development for the platform.

2017

-- The next platform to run NintendOS is announced. This will be a home console replacement of some sort, as powerful as possible for the launch period, but built using similar tech to the handheld. Interaction between the handheld and the console is possible, but not required (possibly second-screen stuff?) and you will be able to access all the games tied to your account on your handheld immediately at launch (again, think iPad-iPhone, or Galaxy S4/5/6-Tab etc.).

I'd imagine that the vast majority of Nintendo's releases from then on will run on either platform - scaling to each, and to any future systems - but with some exceptions for games that make sense being home only.

There are risks involved here, but I think Nintendo are best served by consolidating around a single software platform/ecosystem with multiple hardware builds of differing power levels and focusing their energies on that, rather than trying to maintain two entirely separate hardware lines and serve up software to both. Couple that with an outreach to mobile for games that make sense - and to use as a way of drawing people into that Nintendo ecosystem by having details, games etc. transfer back over to their own systems - and I think there's an interesting path there for them.
My thought exactly, though an exception will likely also be made for the next Pokémon game with it being only compatible with the portable as per Game Freak being hell-bent on keeping the mainline franchise portable-only.
 
Quite the silly feature if it true. It wouldn't even be a nice to have feature if you can play your mobile on a dedicated gaming device if you can it just fine on your smartphone.
 
My thought exactly, though an exception will likely also be made for the next Pokémon game with it being only compatible with the portable as per Game Freak being hell-bent on keeping the mainline franchise portable-only.

And there was me thinking they put *special features* that you could only get when playing it on a console ;)
VZz5pIBl.jpg


Also agree with the cosmonaut. Mario Kart and Smash Brothers could make good at timely launch titles for the home version (while still playable on the handheld too).
 

Darryl

Banned
They say they want Amazons games but to me I think they want the apps like Facebook, Netflix, Twitter, while keeping out the entirety of Google Play Store. That way they can just make games instead of worrying about movies and social stuff, no more waste of resources like TVii. This could finally give a purpose to the Amazon App Store, too. This sounds like an obvious win on both parts, so very believable.
 
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