Support NeoGAF

[TyMiles2012]

First product in a family of devices, we'll likely see a few form factors in the coming years.

I understand that too, and it's an awesome approach. When this thing gets announced, and looking back on Nintendo Revolution mockups since NDA was similar, I'm really looking forward to what it is. As long they don't delay it and I get my hands on BoTW day 1 in March, I'll be happy.

 

[ggx2ac]

I think people need to reread that question with the context we have now. He never denied a hybrid or confirmed it, his answer also takes examples of where Nintendo could go forward from integrating hardware architecture.

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/140130qa/02.html

I am posting some of the answer. Click the link for the rest.

Q5:
You have explained your concern about users being divided by hardware. Currently, you have both a handheld device business and a home console business. I would like to know whether the organizational changes that took place last year are going to lead to, for example, the integration of handheld devices and home consoles into one system over the medium term, or a focus on cost saving and the improvement of resource efficiency in the medium run. Please also explain if you still have room to reduce research and development expenses.

A5:

...

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. To cite a specific case, Apple is able to release smart devices with various form factors one after another because there is one way of programming adopted by all platforms. Apple has a common platform called iOS. Another example is Android. Though there are various models, Android does not face software shortages because there is one common way of programming on the Android platform that works with various models. The point is, Nintendo platforms should be like those two examples. Whether we will ultimately need just one device will be determined by what consumers demand in the future, and that is not something we know at the moment. However, we are hoping to change and correct the situation in which we develop games for different platforms individually and sometimes disappoint consumers with game shortages as we attempt to move from one platform to another, and we believe that we will be able to deliver tangible results in the future.

Edit: He doesn't confirm anything because things were probably still under planning seeing as this question was from January 30th 2014.

They needed to know what form factors would be feasible, hence he wasn't sure about integrating form factors because of the tech at the time. Remember someone mentioned that the Wii U Gamepad was meant to be portable?

Edit 2: Had to correct the date.

 

[Gaspard]

How many of you guys actually play portables? I don't really deal with them at all since I don't commute on public transit and if I'm at home I'm either in front of a PC or my TV. I don't think I'd buy this simply based on the portability factor. I'd rather have a dedicated console so I hope it has that functionality in it when it launches.

I only play on portables if not just because the way portable games are designed are perfect for how I crunch maybe an hour or two of gaming at a time when i play.

Also much more comfortable with one's back on the bed and looking at a handheld held above one's head imo.

 

[davonaytor]

How many of you guys actually play portables? I don't really deal with them at all since I don't commute on public transit and if I'm at home I'm either in front of a PC or my TV. I don't think I'd buy this simply based on the portability factor. I'd rather have a dedicated console so I hope it has that functionality in it when it launches.

I use my portables pretty frequently. I like playing a game on a handheld while there's something on TV, and as much as I like playing games on my iPad, I'd rather use a dedicated handheld gaming device. I never use them on public transport, but I've played some local multiplayer stuff with the 3DS and Vita before and had a lot of fun.

 

[MuchoMalo]

What, that it's not a good handheld if we ignore the awesome power aspect? Sure I can agree with that, but I dunno what's the point of looking at it that way.

More that you and others feel that all that a handheld needs to be good is power. If that were the case, we wouldn't be having this conversation because Nintendo would have bowed out of handhelds after the DS flopped in the face of the PSP. It's a not-so portable portable with a huge point of failure and potentially weak controls. You have be pretty shallow to ignore all of its shortcomings just because it's powerful. This is a perfect example of why GAF isn't a good representation of the gaming market at large. Every generation would have been drastically different if every platform were judged solely on power the way that GAF does.

 

[MuchoMalo]

Here's a little reminder why the NX might've been delayed to 2017.

P.S. VR

http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20160530PD201.html

Can we not give Digitimes the attention? Thank you.

Edit: Oops.

 

[Malus]

More that you and others feel that all that a handheld needs to be good is power. If that were the case, we wouldn't be having this conversation because Nintendo would have bowed out of handhelds after the DS flopped in the face of the PSP. It's a not-so portable portable with a huge point of failure and potentially weak controls. You have be pretty shallow to ignore all of its shortcomings just because it's powerful. This is a perfect example of why GAF isn't a good representation of the gaming market at large. Every generation would have been drastically different if every platform were judged solely on power the way that GAF does.

I don't think it has anything to do with "shallow". It's just a matter of preference. I couldn't care less about the kind of D-pad it has (and I seriously doubt the mass market does) and I haven't held it to know if my hands would "cramp up after 15 minutes" like you suggest. Really I don't take that possibility seriously at all right now because of how exaggerated it sounds.

I do think there are other factors that are important outside of power. Price and software support for example, which to me are far more important than these other things we're talking about. No doubt marketing as well when considering mass appeal.

From what I recall the DS (I owned a lite) was ergonomically shit anyways lol. From the buttons to the way it felt in my hands. Then you had the problems with the hinge and mine started turning yellow after a while. Yeesh. That was not a comfy handheld, but I didn't much care because I enjoyed playing it and it didn't cost a ton.

 

[Sinistral]

Loving all the mock ups. I can't wait for the NX, I do miss the games I had on my WiiU. But, what happened to the use of this patent? Wouldn't it solve the issue of button placements?

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=811351

 

[Jon Carter]

How many of you guys actually play portables? I don't really deal with them at all since I don't commute on public transit and if I'm at home I'm either in front of a PC or my TV. I don't think I'd buy this simply based on the portability factor. I'd rather have a dedicated console so I hope it has that functionality in it when it launches.

I can't really put my finger on why, but I've always enjoyed playing on portables more than on home consoles. It just feels better to me. I think I would have played Super Mario Maker way more if it had been on the 3DS from the start. I played SM3DL, NSMB2, DKCR3D and Smash Bros. 3DS a lot more than SM3DW, NSMBU, DKCTF and Smash Bros. Wii U even though they aren't necessarily better, but I find handheld gaming a more comfortable experience.

I still like the NES, SNES, N64, PS1, Dreamcast, PS2 and Wii U, but I don't see handhelds as inferior to home consoles. They're less powerful than home consoles but the games are supposed to be just as good.

 

[AdanVC]

I ask this every single sunday depending wich NX thread rumor is up on the first page so here I go again: Do you think THIS could be the freaking week where Nintendo will announce the reveal date or something ?? I'm getting a lil' bit mad with this y'know.

 

[eifer]

I ask this every single sunday depending wich NX thread rumor is up on the first page so here I go again: Do you think THIS could be the freaking week where Nintendo will announce the reveal date or something ?? I'm getting a lil' bit mad with this y'know.

This could be the week. But it's probably the week after.

 

[Speely]

I ask this every single sunday depending wich NX thread rumor is up on the first page so here I go again: Do you think THIS could be the freaking week where Nintendo will announce the reveal date or something ?? I'm getting a lil' bit mad with this y'know.

Yes, I think so. It might be next week, but I think it will be this one. In my bones.

 

[Malus]

I ask this every single sunday depending wich NX thread rumor is up on the first page so here I go again: Do you think THIS could be the freaking week where Nintendo will announce the reveal date or something ?? I'm getting a lil' bit mad with this y'know.

I remember when we were excited at the passing of the 18th of August. Those were simpler times. "Any day now," we thought.

To answer your question:

 

[ggx2ac]

I ask this every single sunday depending wich NX thread rumor is up on the first page so here I go again: Do you think THIS could be the freaking week where Nintendo will announce the reveal date or something ?? I'm getting a lil' bit mad with this y'know.

Anything is possible. They just had a 3DS direct last week. We still don't know how they will reveal the NX.

Point is, most of us don't get hung up with waiting because there's no point waiting for something that hasn't been officially announced.

 

[novabolt]

I remember when we were excited at the passing of the 18th of August. Those were simpler times. "Any day now," we thought.

To answer your question:

600 years later......

"So did we ever get that NX reveal?".

 

[TheGreatMightyPoo]

I ask this every single sunday depending wich NX thread rumor is up on the first page so here I go again: Do you think THIS could be the freaking week where Nintendo will announce the reveal date or something ?? I'm getting a lil' bit mad with this y'know.

Let's see what Waluigi thinks

 

[MuchoMalo]

I ask this every single sunday depending wich NX thread rumor is up on the first page so here I go again: Do you think THIS could be the freaking week where Nintendo will announce the reveal date or something ?? I'm getting a lil' bit mad with this y'know.

Just expect Nintendo to not say anything for the rest of the month and be pleasantly surprised if they do.

 

[Dark Cloud]

I ask this every single sunday depending wich NX thread rumor is up on the first page so here I go again: Do you think THIS could be the freaking week where Nintendo will announce the reveal date or something ?? I'm getting a lil' bit mad with this y'know.

Tbh I think next week is the absolute latest. We should definitely expect to hear something by next week the latest.

 

[Roo]

I ask this every single sunday depending wich NX thread rumor is up on the first page so here I go again: Do you think THIS could be the freaking week where Nintendo will announce the reveal date or something ?? I'm getting a lil' bit mad with this y'know.

If they don't announce anything this week then we won't hear anything til October, imo.

 

[TLZ]

I think people need to reread that question with the context we have now. He never denied a hybrid or confirmed it, his answer also takes examples of where Nintendo could go forward from integrating hardware architecture.

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/140130qa/02.html

I am posting some of the answer. Click the link for the rest.



Edit: He doesn't confirm anything because things were probably still under planning seeing as this question was from January 30th 2014.

They needed to know what form factors would be feasible, hence he wasn't sure about integrating form factors because of the tech at the time. Remember someone mentioned that the Wii U Gamepad was meant to be portable?

Edit 2: Had to correct the date.

If you want to use this as proof, then you'd have to post the previous Q & A as well to keep things in context. You can't just post one and ignore the other:

As you might already know from some newspaper reports, we will reorganize our development divisions next month for the first time in nine years. Two divisions which have independently developed handheld devices and home consoles will be united to form the Integrated Research & Development Division, which will be headed by Genyo Takeda, Senior Managing Director.

Last year we also started a project to integrate the architecture for our future platforms. What we mean by integrating platforms is not integrating handhelds devices and home consoles to make only one machine. What we are aiming at is to integrate the architecture to form a common basis for software development so that we can make software assets more transferrable, and operating systems and their build-in applications more portable, regardless of form factor or performance of each platform. They will also work to avoid software lineup shortages or software development delays which tend to happen just after the launch of new hardware.
Some time ago it was technologically impossible to have the same architecture for handheld devices and home consoles and what we did was therefore reasonable. Although it has not been long since we began to integrate the architecture and this will have no short-term result, we believe that it will provide a great benefit to our platform business in the long run.

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/130131/05.html

Can we not give Digitimes the attention? Thank you.

Edit: Oops.

Why? Are they unreliable?

 

[netgrimoire]

Tbh I think next week is the absolute latest. We should definitely expect to hear something by next week the latest.

You might want to copy that into a notepad doc so that you don't have to type out again next week.

 

[ggx2ac]

If you want to use this as proof, then you'd have to post the previous Q & A as well to keep things in context. You can't just post one and ignore the other:



https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/130131/05.html

.

Last year we also started a project to integrate the architecture for our future platforms. What we mean by integrating platforms is not integrating handhelds devices and home consoles to make only one machine.

You do understand he is having to make this clear to investors who most of them don't know shit about hardware.

I didn't use what I said as proof of anything. I said people need to reread something from over 2 years ago because they keep misinterpreting things.

He empathetised the importance of integrating their architectures to ease software development but they don't know what to do regarding form factors.

That's why I said nothing was confirmed or denied regarding a hybrid or multiple form factors.

Edit: I've bolded what I said to point out that Iwata was having to make this explanation clear to investors. It doesn't mean he is denying a single form factor.

 

[Dark Cloud]

I think if you're a JRPG fan and tired of seeing so many JRPG games on handheld you would love this hybrid NX. Now you can play Pokemon or Bravely Default or Mario and Luigi on the big tv.

 

[AdanVC]

Thanks for answers, guys! SIGHHH This waiting game is getting on my nerves! Maybe, MAYBE they will announce something after Sony's event this wednesday?? Thursdays are when Nintendo usually announces big stuff : / Oh who I'm kidding, they will not.

 

[ckfy63a]

Thanks for answers, guys! SIGHHH This waiting game is getting on my nerves! Maybe, MAYBE they will announce something after Sony's event this wednesday?? Thursdays are when Nintendo usually announces big stuff : / Oh who I'm kidding, they will not.

You know, aside from hanging onto remarks from Mr. Kimishima about taking an opportunity to discuss NX "later this year" and the Nintendo of Canada GM's saying that they'll talk more NX in the Fall, I'm really not sure why Nintendo needs six months to hype this up. Like, besides these comments, are there any legitimate reasons why Nintendo couldn't unveil in January and launch in March, proper fanfare and all?

 

[ShadowFox08]

I did.



These are two different things, and I cannot understand the lunacy of the idea that it could ever approach the latter.

Didn't say it will match xbox one specs. I'm just saying if it does, its good. Also that it isn't entirely out of the realm of possibility without or with an SCD on docked mode.

Also, based on rumors its said that Xbox1/PS4 ports on NX can run without a hitch. So we'll see.

I'd like the best of both worlds, and I know it has to reach a medium.. But man I hope Nintendo is willing to risk not making profit for the first couple months and have a decent sized power. Only time will tell.

 

[The_Lump]

You know, aside from hanging onto remarks from Mr. Kimishima about taking an opportunity to discuss NX "later this year" and the Nintendo of Canada GM's saying that they'll talk more NX in the Fall, I'm really not sure why Nintendo needs six months to hype this up. Like, besides these comments, are there any legitimate reasons why Nintendo couldn't unveil in January and launch in March, proper fanfare and all?

In reality, no. In GAF, it would spell the end of existence for Nintendo if they don't show it before the end of September.

 

[Deleted member 465307]

You know, aside from hanging onto remarks from Mr. Kimishima about taking an opportunity to discuss NX "later this year" and the Nintendo of Canada GM's saying that they'll talk more NX in the Fall, I'm really not sure why Nintendo needs six months to hype this up. Like, besides these comments, are there any legitimate reasons why Nintendo couldn't unveil in January and launch in March, proper fanfare and all?

Honestly, I'd probably be more down for this. As is, I'm guessing it's probably going to have this weird split reveal where they half do it this year, wait a few months for the holidays to be over, and then do the second half in January or February.

But I'd also be down for a hardware reveal this year where we hear about the ambitions and goals of the product and get tastes of the launch lineup. Then, in January or February, we get more info on the launch lineup as well as get a peek into what 2017 looks for like NX. If NX actually does end up with a lot of Nintendo support in the first year, I could see the system getting a Wii U January 2013-level Direct again, but this time entirely with 2017 NX games (of course, launch games get a proper focus, too) that are revealed with much more detail at E3, which has the first teases of what 2018 brings.

 

[Neoxon]

You know, aside from hanging onto remarks from Mr. Kimishima about taking an opportunity to discuss NX "later this year" and the Nintendo of Canada GM's saying that they'll talk more NX in the Fall, I'm really not sure why Nintendo needs six months to hype this up. Like, besides these comments, are there any legitimate reasons why Nintendo couldn't unveil in January and launch in March, proper fanfare and all?

Nintendo's coming off of an all-time low. And unlike the PlayStation & the Xbox, Nintendo doesn't have a consistent recognizable brand that still holds weight beyond the company name (since the Wii brand is now tarnished, & Nintendo seems to be moving away from both the Wii & DS brands). Nintendo needs all the time that they can get in order to properly get it into people's heads that this is a Nintendo device, as well as advertise the idea of said device properly. 5-6 months is already pushing it, so announcing the NX in January wouldn't give Nintendo nearly enough time to do the stuff I've mentioned.

 

[Malus]

You know, aside from hanging onto remarks from Mr. Kimishima about taking an opportunity to discuss NX "later this year" and the Nintendo of Canada GM's saying that they'll talk more NX in the Fall, I'm really not sure why Nintendo needs six months to hype this up. Like, besides these comments, are there any legitimate reasons why Nintendo couldn't unveil in January and launch in March, proper fanfare and all?

I want it to be revealed this year and I'm certain that my comments hold a great deal of influence on Nintendo's decision making.

 

[Peterc]

WSJ said analysts PREDICT a Sept presentation, but its not an actual inside source.

Some German site said that. Wsj predict before tgs. Emily and EG says definitely September. 10k said Nintendo Canada posted accidentally 9sept. But could be fake twitter account

 

[Pancakes R Us]

How many of you guys actually play portables? I don't really deal with them at all since I don't commute on public transit and if I'm at home I'm either in front of a PC or my TV. I don't think I'd buy this simply based on the portability factor. I'd rather have a dedicated console so I hope it has that functionality in it when it launches.

The problem is that just another home console from Nintendo would probably crash and burn harder than Wii U.

 

[Speely]

I want it to be revealed this year and I'm certain that my comments hold a great deal of influence on Nintendo's decision making.

Someone gets it.

 

[NateDrake]

Some German site said that. Wsj predict before tgs. Emily and EG says definitely September. 10k said Nintendo Canada posted accidentally 9sept. But could be fake twitter account

The Nintendo Canada Tweet was from a fake account. No such Tweet ever happened.

 

[m4st4]

I put my gaming on ice due to life turbulences but will be back once NX arrives. Nintendo never disappoints me.

 

[TyMiles2012]

I put my gaming on ice due to life turbulences but will be back once NX arrives. Nintendo never disappoints me.

Hell, I haven't been able to play games like I used to literally because I've been glued to NX bullshit. All I want is Breath of The Wild...

 

[Speely]

I put my gaming on ice due to life turbulences but will be back once NX arrives. Nintendo never disappoints me.

I am sort of in the same boat. I pared my gaming back to just Steam and even so I have a big backlog because rl allows me very little time for my hobbies. But Ima be all over the NX if it's at all what the rumors suggest.

The safe assumption is that: A) There will be a platform on which all Nintendo's game development is focused, and B) I can play the games on the bus or on my lunch break.

Good enough for me. Everything else is just a matter of scale.

 

[Dark Cloud]

Some German site said that. Wsj predict before tgs. Emily and EG says definitely September. 10k said Nintendo Canada posted accidentally 9sept. But could be fake twitter account

Emily agree with September too?

 

[Hero of Legend]

Emily agree with September too?

Yeah I want to know also. News to me.

 

[UnemployedVillain]

If you want to use this as proof, then you'd have to post the previous Q & A as well to keep things in context. You can't just post one and ignore the other:

What we mean by integrating platforms is not integrating handhelds devices and home consoles to make only one machine. What we are aiming at is to integrate the architecture to form a common basis for software development so that we can make software assets more transferrable, and operating systems and their build-in applications more portable, regardless of form factor or performance of each platform.

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/130131/05.html

This seems pretty damn explicit in the idea of it not being a handheld console hybrid. I honestly do think we're either getting a more "dedicated" console, or the dock does more than people assume it will

 

[Malus]

Emily agree with September too?

Yeah I want to know also. News to me.

I never read that.

 

[Sadist]

Nintendo of Canada posted the 9th of September? News to me.

Edit; oh yeah, figured as much.

 

[GamerJM]

Nintendo's coming off of an all-time low. And unlike the PlayStation & the Xbox, Nintendo doesn't have a consistent recognizable brand that still holds weight beyond the company name (since the Wii brand is now tarnished, & Nintendo seems to be moving away from both the Wii & DS brands). Nintendo needs all the time that they can get in order to properly get it into people's heads that this is a Nintendo device, as well as advertise the idea of said device properly. 5-6 months is already pushing it, so announcing the NX in January wouldn't give Nintendo nearly enough time to do the stuff I've mentioned.

To add to this I don't think the stealth release model works as well with game consoles as it does with, say, phones. It's a different type of tech. Yeah information travels faster now, but game consoles aren't so ubiquitous that something entirely new can just burst on the scene one day and people are immediately interested and buying it in the millions. They're also more complicated devices which means that they need more time to get their messaging right.

 

[Jackano]

This Thursday (8th) will be the half-way point between end of E3 and 1st December - This is important if you believe December is out of the picture for 2017 products marketing.
The halfway date between end of E3 and 31th December is on Sept. 23th.
TGS starts on Sept 15th.

So I believe it can happen between the 8th and 15th.
At the earliest, if a announcement of the announcement Durect (if there is any) is going to happen, it can be anytime soon.

 

[Dark Cloud]

This seems pretty damn explicit in the idea of it not being a handheld console hybrid. I honestly do think we're either getting a more "dedicated" console, or the dock does more than people assume it will

The way I look at it Nintendo at the time didn't know the Wii U was going to fail and they probably decided they were going to make a handheld with a nice leap from 3DS and make a successor to the Wii U.

But I think at some point they realized the Wii U was going to fail and changed their game plan. At that point they probably decided to make the handheld more powerful as a hybrid to cover for the Wii U.

 

[Aostia]

Someonw should mash up these two

 

[Peru]

The way I look at it Nintendo at the time didn't know the Wii U was going to fail and they probably decided they were going to make a handheld with a nice leap from 3DS and make a successor to the Wii U.

But I think at some point they realized the Wii U was going to fail and changed their game plan. At that point they probably decided to make the handheld more powerful as a hybrid to cover for the Wii U.

The key is One Library. No more split resources. That has steered the direction of this system from the start.

 

[JasonUresti]

This seems pretty damn explicit in the idea of it not being a handheld console hybrid. I honestly do think we're either getting a more "dedicated" console, or the dock does more than people assume it will

My feeling is at this point we should not take a years old quote from a now deceased CEO as the Gospel.

 

[Speely]

The key is One Library. No more split resources. That has steered the direction of this system from the start.

This is what I am the most excited about. Nintendo is a game company that happens to be dedicated to it's own hardware. If I am not mistaken, we haven't seen Nintendo focus their game development into one platform since 1989, right?

I think we are gonna see some impressive output from Ninty despite what 3rd parties do.

 

[Claude Augario]

My feeling is at this point we should not take a years old quote from a now deceased CEO as the Gospel.

In a thread where people take rumors as gospel and then project their own authority over an unannounced platform they have no influence over, I'm not going to fault anyone for taking Iwata at his word.