Nintendo x DeNA Conference; Nintendo games on mobile devices, New "Project NX" platform announced

[-Robin-]

Is it too early to be hoping for this to be the system that ports the original Pokemon RBY/GSC? With Bluetooth connectivity to enable trading?

[JaidynReiman]

Well you don't have to be a defensive dickhead about it, but yes I was referring to the total amount of time. lifespan begins and ends when a company supports it and cuts support for it which is about 8-10 years.

Nintendo support is a tricky thing though because it supports its consoles in post-successor lifecycle for a good while, I think its only been in the last 6 years we have been hearing about them cutting off official support for the NES and its other former consoles.

That's the other problem you have. You're assuming Nintendo is cutting support for Wii U, but when the next console releases, its usually about 5-6 years. You're completely ignoring the fact that if this is the Wii U's successor, they're likely not going to cut support for it for 1-2 more years after the console releases. That's the exact point I was trying to make.

 

 

What's this about them cutting official support for NES recently? They cut that off a long time ago.

[SuperLink]

You're completely ignoring the fact that if this is the Wii U's successor, they're likely not going to cut support for it for 1-2 more years after the console releases. That's the exact point I was trying to make.

Eh?

 

I'm not sure where you're getting that but historically, asides from the NES and SNES, Nintendo have always cut their home console support before its successor is released. N64 stopped getting Nintendo games before GC came out, GC stopped getting Nintendo games before Wii came out, etc.

 

If NX is the next Nintendo home console and it's releasing in 2017, the Wii U will likely stop getting games in 2016 or early 2017. That's the pattern and Nintendo are probably going to be too focused on pushing hardware and software for the next system to really change that. Most Nintendo home consoles since the N64 have had a lifespan of 4-6 years. PS2, PS3 and 360's lifespans (in terms of first party support) were a fair bit longer but they're currently the odd ones out there.

 

You are right that no one knows a thing about NX, it could be a home console, it could be a handheld, it could (and I think it will) be both at once.

[Marcello]

I doubt NX will be a hybrid. Nintendo has already said we'll be getting both a handheld and a home console.

[SuperLink]

I doubt NX will be a hybrid. Nintendo has already said we'll be getting both a handheld and a home console.

Where did they say that?

 

I may have remembered wrong but either we'll get a hybrid or two systems that are close siblings in terms of OS and such at the very least.

[Solly]

I doubt NX will be a hybrid. Nintendo has already said we'll be getting both a handheld and a home console.

I remember reading something to this effect, too, but couldn't find a source for it. 

 

The idea of merging handheld/home systems seems to be a popular one, but I don't know how well it'd work out. The necessity to make it portable could compromise function of the home console system, and vice versa. 

[Salamander]

Official translations from Nintendo have the NX as "a dedicated game platform with a brand-new concept," so there's no way it's a phone unless it's only peripherally a phone.  I'm also going to say that I don't see them being able to launch a third dedicated gaming system alongside the 3DS and the Wii U when they're already struggling to sell two game systems.  And I thought to begin with that the N3DS existed just to keep the 3DS market ticking over until the end of the Wii U's tenuous lifespan...

 

For my money, NX is Nintendo's next-gen; got to be.  New gaming hardware, new membership system built in, it makes sense.  And the fact that they're announcing it as a singular device makes me think they're going for the common platform approach, which might be the "brand-new concept" Iwata refers to - the new gimmick.  It's worth noting that, if it's a cross-compatible device, there's no contradiction with Nintendo saying that they'll have a home console and a handheld device - because you can use it as both, so they aren't abandoning either market.

[Marcello]

Where did they say that?

 

I may have remembered wrong but either we'll get a hybrid or two systems that are close siblings in terms of OS and such at the very least.

Iwata said it during one of the investor meetings, I believe. I don't remember which, though.

 

He talked about how, going forward, both handheld and home consoles would be sharing the same basic architecture, from what I remember.

[Spooky Mulder]

My guess is that Project NX is Nintendo's take on VR/AR. They tried virtual reality with the Virtual Boy before anyone else really tried. It was a disaster, sure, but with Oculus, Hololens, Morpheus, and a slew of other VR/AR headsets on the horizon, I'd be shocked if Nintendo of all companies isn't at least thinking about how to implement such a technology.

And now my brain is running wild with dreams of Nintendo world's realized in VR. Metroid would be such a natural fit! Star Fox and FZero would be great too.

[Indigo Rush]

Do you think Nintendo is going to shift the Wii and DS brandname into their "Quality of Life" platform and continue their gaming-centric focus onto the supposed NX platform?  In fact, have we heard anything about QoL recently?

[ChikaBoing]

Looks like Nintendo and Sega will be competing again...in the smartphone realm.

[JaidynReiman]

Eh?

 

I'm not sure where you're getting that but historically, asides from the NES and SNES, Nintendo have always cut their home console support before its successor is released. N64 stopped getting Nintendo games before GC came out, GC stopped getting Nintendo games before Wii came out, etc.

 

If NX is the next Nintendo home console and it's releasing in 2017, the Wii U will likely stop getting games in 2016 or early 2017. That's the pattern and Nintendo are probably going to be too focused on pushing hardware and software for the next system to really change that. Most Nintendo home consoles since the N64 have had a lifespan of 4-6 years. PS2, PS3 and 360's lifespans (in terms of first party support) were a fair bit longer but they're currently the odd ones out there.

 

You are right that no one knows a thing about NX, it could be a home console, it could be a handheld, it could (and I think it will) be both at once.

Ok, correction, I probably should've said "third-party." Since typically, third-party support lasts after the console's support ends (although that would negate the Wii U). Granted, if this is built on software that is closely linked that can be added on Wii U and 3DS as well the old software could be supported a bit longer.

 

 

Anyway, I don't necessarily think it'll specifically be both at once. I think if anything, they'll still be purchasable separately (if there's a console and handheld), but the handheld will be able to work like a GamePad. And they'll have consistent architecture so that the software can be relatively easily ported between different consoles or even shared.

 

 

 

Do you think Nintendo is going to shift the Wii and DS brandname into their "Quality of Life" platform and continue their gaming-centric focus onto the supposed NX platform?  In fact, have we heard anything about QoL recently?

We still don't know anything. I don't think "Quality of Life" has anything to do with this, QoL is something entirely different and not related to games at all.

[SuperLink]

I don't think Quality of Life has much to do with Nintendo consoles or even their video game division at all. It may not even involve Miis or the new membership system.

 

If I had to take an educated guess I'd say that QoL is to Nintendo's consoles like Sony TVs are to PlayStation. Sure they're by the same company, but they don't have any direct effect on one another and are handled by totally different areas within the company including different marketing teams.

 

Ok, correction, I probably should've said "third-party." Since typically, third-party support lasts after the console's support ends (although that would negate the Wii U). Granted, if this is built on software that is closely linked that can be added on Wii U and 3DS as well the old software could be supported a bit longer.

If you wanna include third parties, the PS2 was supported for over a decade :V

[Salamander]

I agree that QoL is fundamentally not going to be a video games thing, though it might occasionally use similar systems and interfaces.  I wouldn't be surprised if QoL ended up with a Mii-related interface, for instance, simply for brand unity.  I've heard suggestions that Wii Fit might be shunted over to QoL, and once you put it like that, maybe even Brain Training...  And let's not forget, of course, the triumphant return of the Wii Vitality Sensor!

[JaidynReiman]

I don't think Quality of Life has much to do with Nintendo consoles or even their video game division at all. It may not even involve Miis or the new membership system.

 

If I had to take an educated guess I'd say that QoL is to Nintendo's consoles like Sony TVs are to PlayStation. Sure they're by the same company, but they don't have any direct effect on one another and are handled by totally different areas within the company including different marketing teams.

 

If you wanna include third parties, the PS2 was supported for over a decade :V

You're right, that was a bad argument. My main point was that a new console is usually released after 5-6 years. A new Nintendo console in 2017 might cut it a tad bit short, but its still about the same range as most other consoles and past Nintendo consoles as well.

[SuperLink]

So a bunch of interviews have been taking place over the last day or so and unsurprisingly gaming sites are reporting each quote as its own news piece which makes going through them kinda tedious..
 
However, Nintendo have said some interesting and likely quite reassuring things about where they hope to go with mobile gaming.
This interview with TIME for example, here are some good quotes from it (that GoNintendo picked out)
 

“I have never intended to dismiss the entertainment experiences that people are enjoying on smart devices or any other media. On the other hand, my understanding is that, on smart devices, the main demand is for very accessible games which smart device users can easily start and easily finish. These are not necessarily the characteristics that people demand from games for dedicated video game systems.

We do have doubts [about] continuing to extend our business in the way that we have in the past. We have doubts about whether or not people will continue to see those simple extensions of what we’ve done as new and surprising. If it takes a lot of explanation for people to understand your entertainment product, you’re doing something wrong.” - Iwata

“In the digital world, content has the tendency to lose value, especially on smart devices. We finally found solutions to the problem. We will not merely port games developed for our dedicated systems to smart devices just as they are—we will develop brand new software which perfectly matches the play style and control mechanisms of smart devices.

We have come to the stage where we can say that we will be able to develop and operate software which, in the end, will not hurt the value of Nintendo IP but, rather, will become an opportunity for the great number of people around the world who own smart devices—but do not have interest in dedicated video game hardware—to be interested in Nintendo IP and eventually to become fans of our dedicated game systems.” - Iwata

“I understand that, unlike the package model for dedicated game systems, the free-to-start type of business model is more widely adopted for games on smart devices, and the free-to-start model will naturally be an option for us to consider. On the other hand, even in the world of smart device apps, the business model continues to change. Accordingly, for each title, we will discuss with DeNA and decide the most appropriate payment method ... and if a new Nintendo-like invention comes of it, then all the better.

Nintendo does not intend to choose payment methods that may hurt Nintendo’s brand image or our intellectual property. It’s even more important for us to consider how we can get as many people around the world as possible to play Nintendo smart device apps, rather than to consider which payment system will earn the most money. We would like to create several hit titles by effectively leveraging the appeal of Nintendo IP.” - Iwata

“Even before the advent of smart devices, we employed touchscreens for our games with Nintendo DS, and we also adopted accelerometers for our Wii Remotes faster than smart devices did. By utilizing our unique know-how in areas like these, I believe we will be able to come up with unique propositions for consumers.” - Iwata

It's a big interview and TIME has another piece too (focused on Miyamoto) so check them out if you're interested. Either way, even though it's difficult to take his word for it, Iwata seems to be genuinely quite insightful about how all this works and you can tell he's been thinking about it for quite some time. I hope I can afford to have faith that this isn't going to go horribly. I'm especially glad to see him recognise that the digital mobile space is constantly evolving and especially glad to see that as always they are more interested in creating quality and impact than making money.

[JaidynReiman]

So a bunch of interviews have been taking place over the last day or so and unsurprisingly gaming sites are reporting each quote as its own news piece which makes going through them kinda tedious..

 

However, Nintendo have said some interesting and likely quite reassuring things about where they hope to go with mobile gaming.

This interview with TIME for example, here are some good quotes from it (that GoNintendo picked out)

 

It's a big interview and TIME has another piece too (focused on Miyamoto) so check them out if you're interested. Either way, even though it's difficult to take his word for it, Iwata seems to be genuinely quite insightful about how all this works and you can tell he's been thinking about it for quite some time. I hope I can afford to have faith that this isn't going to go horribly. I'm especially glad to see him recognise that the digital mobile space is constantly evolving and especially glad to see that as always they are more interested in creating quality and impact than making money.

I like the idea of small Mobile games because I'm more likely to have a phone on hand at all times than a console or handheld console. new 3DS is the first handheld console I'm really interested in adopting, and even then, I gave it to my wife once I found out that it can only handle one NNID. When I'm on the go and waiting for something, I often like to play a quick game on my phone here and there.

 

 

I'm excited for this. I think it could also prove interesting if they create a small game based on an obscure franchise, and then if it gets popular enough, create a larger full game based on that franchise. Maybe we could see Ice Climber come back, or Panel de Pon. Perhaps a micro F-Zero to raise interest in old franchises.

[Blue Blood]

tl;dr Nintendo does mobile gaming right, mobile experiences will be specially tailored to be easily approached and completed, aims to entice and attract audiences to Nintendo systems for proper games instead of make money. 

 

I'll believe it when I see the outcome, but in principle this is something I can't support enough. Looking forward to the next couple of years indeed!

[Conando]

This sounds exactly what Iwata was talking about doing earlier in the year, so I'm not really getting why some parts of the internet are so surprised (some shocked and appalled too). They're specifically tailored mobile games that are trying to drive consumers to Nintendo's hardware. It's not like Nintendo is putting Mario 3D World on the iPhone.

[ChikaBoing]

tl;dr Nintendo does mobile gaming right, mobile experiences will be specially tailored to be easily approached and completed, aims to entice and attract audiences to Nintendo systems for proper games instead of make money. 

 

I'll believe it when I see the outcome, but in principle this is something I can't support enough. Looking forward to the next couple of years indeed!

 

Who knows, that Sega of America guy who is in charge of mobile operations (Ethan Einhorn) also says and sincerly believes that Sega makes games that are good games first and foremost and not nickledimers.

 

And there is Pokemon Shuffle.

[Blue Blood]

This sounds exactly what Iwata was talking about doing earlier in the year, so I'm not really getting why some parts of the internet are so surprised (some shocked and appalled too). They're specifically tailored mobile games that are trying to drive consumers to Nintendo's hardware. It's not like Nintendo is putting Mario 3D World on the iPhone.

 

Because now that it's actually happening, it's both more interesting news for those who were already interested, and something for those who weren't interested before to actually care about. All the news before about Nintendo not being on mobiles was like saying "water is wet" or "Mario jumps on turtles". 

[JaidynReiman]

This sounds exactly what Iwata was talking about doing earlier in the year, so I'm not really getting why some parts of the internet are so surprised (some shocked and appalled too). They're specifically tailored mobile games that are trying to drive consumers to Nintendo's hardware. It's not like Nintendo is putting Mario 3D World on the iPhone.

I could potentially see a new 2D Mario game on a Mobile device, though. But agreed, we probably won't see 3D Mario games on them.

[SuperLink]

Who knows, that Sega of America guy who is in charge of mobile operations (Ethan Einhorn) also says and sincerly believes that Sega makes games that are good games first and foremost and not nickledimers.

 

And there is Pokemon Shuffle.

To be fair, usually when Nintendo says they focus on quality instead of money they mean it, they have the greatest consistent quality output of any publisher in the industry so for the time being I think it's fair to believe them here too.

 

Also I play Pokémon Shuffle semi-regularly lately, sometimes on and off for hours and unless you're determined to beat it all in one burst that game has never once urged me to use my real money in the way Sonic Dash and Jump Fever do every time you finish a stage.

 

It also doesn't have ads, the gameplay is smooth and doesn't drain the battery fast or heat up the system.. and it's not even developed by Nintendo. Compared to a lot of mobile games I've played, it's relatively harmless in a lot of ways.

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

My whole thing is, nowhere here does it say that Nintendo themselves are making the games, just licensing them, so I truly don't see this effecting the console or handheld games whatsoever, other than maybe, just maybe a number of these mobile games will get a cross release on the Handheld

 

 

Also project NX sounds more like the replacement for NNID, and a OS moreso than an actual system

[JaidynReiman]

My whole thing is, nowhere here does it say that Nintendo themselves are making the games, just licensing them, so I truly don't see this effecting the console or handheld games whatsoever, other than maybe, just maybe a number of these mobile games will get a cross release on the Handheld

 

 

Also project NX sounds more like the replacement for NNID, and a OS moreso than an actual system

Certain Nintendo partners such as Paon or Camelot could do some of them, though.

 

Camelot has already done all the games it can for 3DS except Golden Sun, and they can't do HD games.  Granted, if they maybe did Golden Sun and have it ready by next year and new consoles are released in 2017, they could then just continue Mario Sports games on the next handheld. Or they could be doing something else right now like DK64 3D (I only bring it up because they apparently showed interest in it years ago; other than these two things I can't think of anything else they're working on now). I'm not sure, really, but they're possibilities.

 

 

Another possibility, as well, is that some games could be built with Mobile in mind, but Nintendo could also release them on their own consoles. They'd be smaller games, but at the same time, Mobile has a bigger market. And people who have Nintendo's consoles could also try those, and then get the bigger games only on Nintendo's own consoles.