Nintendo's rumored console has once again the subject of tech rumor mills as a new report from The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) sheds light on some details of the unannounced gaming device. The Japanese console maker already said that it will provide more information about the so-called "Nintendo NX" next year.
According to a WSJ report, the company has started to distribute software development kits (SDKs) for its upcoming gaming platform, the NX. It also suggested that the device itself is going to be a console-mobile hybrid, having the qualities of both a console unit and a mobile unit that will allow users to have a unique experience at home and on the road.
The said SDKs are being sent to undisclosed third-party developers so they can modify and improve their existing games or create new ones to run on the new NX platform. The exact form of the NX console remains unclear. The WSJ report cited sources who said that the NX will come with a console and "at least one mobile unit that could either be used in conjunction with the console or taken on the road for separate use."
Both the Nintendo Wii and Wii U have been relatively underpowered compared to their rival consoles. That makes its hard for multi-platform game developers to port their titles to Nintendo consoles. However, that may soon change as WSJ's sources claim that the company plans to use "industry-leading chips" in the NX.
Those "industry-leading chips" are said to be capable of delivering better graphics and deeper functionality. WSJ's Takashi Mochizuki elaborated on the console's hardware and mentioned that his sources told him that the tech demonstrations they saw could not be run on a PC without those "industry-leading" or "cutting edge" electronic components.
One of the most recognizable features of Nintendo's recent console, the Wii U, is its tablet-like controller. It lets gamers play full games on the device, but they have to stay relatively close to the main console itself. If the WSJ's report proves to be accurate, then it is likely that the company will be incorporating this feature into the NX.
The purported features are also in line with previous reports of a patent filed in August for a power efficient console without an optical drive from August. If the patent is intended for the Nintendo NX, then the console would be advanced enough for its components to access and control its won read-write speeds.
In light of these recent reports, Nintendo opted not to comment, reiterating that it will release a statement about the NX in 2016. Analyst David Gibson told WSJ that Nintendo will probably launch the NX in 2016 "because of the softness of 3DS and Wii U." As such, this time next year is a reasonable window to watch, given that analysts believe Nintendo will move to make NX available in time for holiday shopping season in 2016.
