Everyone is wondering what exactly Nintendo’s next console the NX will be, if it’s even going to be a console. GFK, Germany’s largest market research institute and a client of Nintendo, has leaked some possible details concerning Nintendo’s next platform. Details from the list include “Connect with other players around the world via the Nintendo Network” and “Supports 4k/60fps video streaming.” What detail I find most interesting is “Gameplay flows between Nintendo NX console and Nintendo NX handheld device,” which suggests the NX may borrow elements from both the Nintendo 3DS and the Nintendo Wii U. Nintendo has had history of having connectivity between its handhelds and console, such as the Gameboy Advance link cables for the Gamecube and the short-lived Nintendo DS and Wii wireless connectivity (which only worked for one pretty terrible Pokemon game on the Wii). It may be possible with the NX that Nintendo is bundling the handheld and console together right from the start.
Another tweet from Macquarie Research Japan Senior Analyst David Gibson also rumors that the NX may be compatible with PCs, Smartphones, and even the PS4. The PS4 compatibility may be related to Square Enix announcing that Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn might be developed for the NX, an MMORPG that is already available for the PS4. The Smartphone and PC compatibility may be related to the NX’s ability to “Surf the Web and make video calls on your TV.” Perhaps the NX will use Skype or another kind of internet phone service, but we can only speculate from these rumors.
As more rumors keep surfacing for the NX, my curiosity for the Nintendo platform just keeps growing. The Wii U tried to combine a tablet and a home console, but poor marketing and some development issues has kept the Wii U from reaching a wider audience. Nintendo is usually the one leading with home console innovation, and it looks like the next step for them is to combine a home console with a smartphone. We will have to wait and see if Nintendo will strike gold with the NX like they did with the Wii, but the details so far have me even more excited.