14 DAY TRIAL // The Nintendo NX remains a mystery despite the fact that many rumors are saying that it will be launched officially in 2016, but the company claims that it represents a continuation of its current dedicated device strategy.
In a new interview with Time, Tatsumi Kimishima, the chief executive officer of the hardware and software maker, explains that this is the primary focus of the business he is running for the foreseeable period.
Despite the fact that the NX is crucial to Nintendo, the executive is clearly uninterested in offering any clear information about its nature or about the unique selling proposition that will allow it to compete with the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4.
Tatsumi Kimishima states, "As far as NX goes, it’s different and obviously a new experience. The transition from Wii hardware to the Wii U hardware was difficult to explain to the consumer base what is different and new about the new hardware. It’s difficult to convince them to switch from their current platform to the next platform."
The CEO adds that Nintendo will appeal to its traditional customer base while also delivering innovation that will convince them that they need to upgrade their hardware.
Despite the shift towards the NX, there are also plans to provide more content to the Wii U in spite of its disappointing sales, including the new Legend of Zelda title.
The company does say that it wants to continue to develop the Amiibo concept and that it will create a tighter link between the toys and the video games that they are integrated with.
NX might be launched in the summer of next year
Satoru Iwata, the president of Nintendo, has said that his company plans to offer more details about its coming hardware at some point early in 2016, although it is unclear whether they intend to give us a full look at the hardware or just talk about the core new features.
A report from the companies that might manufacture the NX is saying that production is expected to ramp up in the spring of next year and that there are plans to ship more than 12 million units next year, which probably means that launch will take place at some point during the summer.
Sources are also saying that the platform will offer hardware that's equivalent to the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4.
Apparently, a select number of third-party developers already have access to development kits to make sure that plenty of games are offered when the new device is finally introduced.
It's unclear whether the NX will integrate the health-focused concepts that Nintendo has been talking about or whether they represent an entirely new initiative.
Rumors are saying that the coming device will lack a disc drive and will rely only on the cloud for content delivery, although that's unlikely, given the relatively conservative nature of Nintendo.
Others are speculating that virtual reality is an integral part of the experience offered and that the processor and the graphics card used are both created by AMD.