The Nintendo NX video game platform will not be a replacement for the Nintendo 3DS or Wii U.
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, speaking after an investor briefing, clarified that the upcoming Nintendo gaming console will be an all-new concept.
Satoru said all he can confirm is that the company will create a new platform acceptable to as many gamers as possible across gaming situations that differ from Japan's experience. "We would like to offer to them [a new concept] by taking into consideration various factors, including the playing environments that differ by country," Iwata added.
The declaration is apparently a response to complaints from Nintendo users about the current region-locked consoles. When asked if unlocking the 3DS and Wii U, the Kyoto-based company chief said it will not be done because unlocking the devices that are already on the market would pose serious challenges.
Iwata, however, acknowledged that these consumer opinions about the region locks are being considered in the creation of the Nintendo NX which may turn out to be region-free consoles.
The Nintendo chief made the unusually early announcement for the NX during the launch of its partnership with DeNA on mobile games. The company says its commitment to dedicated games machines is re-affirmed by the revelation.
"I intentionally chose to announce the development of NX so early because I wanted to confirm the fact that we are developing a new dedicated video game platform, that we have never lost passion regarding the future for dedicated video game systems and that we have bright prospects for them," affirmed Iwata.
Other speculations about the Nintendo NX present improvements on the DS and Wii. For one, the NX needs a new control method after developers largely ignored Wii U's controller/touch-screen hybrid. The NX can also possibly create a new console-portable hybrid the likes of what Xbox One and PS4 offer.
A Nintendo NX holiday 2016 release is expected by followers of Nintendo who are seeking clues from the company's track record of announcing and then releasing a year after.Nintendo
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