Nintendo Announces Development Of Next Generation 'NX' Gaming Console
We've heard rumors that Nintendo is working on new gaming hardware, and during a recent press conference, company president and CEO Satoru Iwata confirmed the new platform, though he stopped short of saying whether it will be a living room console or a handheld gaming system. The codename for the platform is "NX."
It's not clear if Iwata intended all along to confirm that work has begun on NX, as the purpose of the press conference was to explain why Nintendo has decided to enter the smartphone gaming market through a partnership with DeNA, a player in the smartphone gaming space. He then went on to announce the NX to put to rest any fears that Nintendo might stop building game consoles.
"As proof that Nintendo maintains strong enthusiasm for the dedicated game system business, let me confirm that Nintendo is currently developing a dedicated game platform with a brand-new concept under the development codename 'NX'. It is too early to elaborate on the details of this project, but we hope to share more information with you next year," Iwata said.
Nintendo's last major console release was the Wii U in 2012. It features a touchscreen controller that can sync with the on-screen action so that you can continue to play games in a different room, along with other novel features. However, it's only sold 10 million units to date, far less than the 100 million units the original Wii notched.
Iwata also said that Nintendo's creating a new membership service in cooperation with DeNA. The service will work across all Nintendo hardware -- 3DS, Wii U, and NX -- plus mobile devices and PC systems..
It's not clear if Iwata intended all along to confirm that work has begun on NX, as the purpose of the press conference was to explain why Nintendo has decided to enter the smartphone gaming market through a partnership with DeNA, a player in the smartphone gaming space. He then went on to announce the NX to put to rest any fears that Nintendo might stop building game consoles.
"As proof that Nintendo maintains strong enthusiasm for the dedicated game system business, let me confirm that Nintendo is currently developing a dedicated game platform with a brand-new concept under the development codename 'NX'. It is too early to elaborate on the details of this project, but we hope to share more information with you next year," Iwata said.
Nintendo's last major console release was the Wii U in 2012. It features a touchscreen controller that can sync with the on-screen action so that you can continue to play games in a different room, along with other novel features. However, it's only sold 10 million units to date, far less than the 100 million units the original Wii notched.
Iwata also said that Nintendo's creating a new membership service in cooperation with DeNA. The service will work across all Nintendo hardware -- 3DS, Wii U, and NX -- plus mobile devices and PC systems..
