Nintendo announce: Nintendo NX

[AlNom]

Presumably, if it won't even be introduced in more detail until 2016, we can probably assume Samsung/GF 14nmFF for the process.

I have some doubts about that being inexpensive enough in that time frame for the likes of Nintendo when they won't be selling at so high a premium as say... Apple. Speaking of which, Nintendo would probably be fighting the rest of the mobile market for fab space on the latest node.

 

[Entropy]

If it's AMD, I'm guessing it's an APU similar to what's in X1 and PS4.

I would be very surprised indeed if they went x86 for a handheld device. If Intel can't produce a worthwhile mobile chip on their 14nm process (Cherry Trail is some 5% up from Bay Trail, so already crushed by its mobile competition on less advanced processes), I doubt AMD can.

 

[Scott_Arm]

Is it handheld? Sounds like it's probably a console, since they're moving into the mobile game space on smartphones.

 

[Entropy]

I have some doubts about that being inexpensive enough in that time frame for the likes of Nintendo when they won't be selling at so high a premium as say... Apple. Speaking of which, Nintendo would probably be fighting the rest of the mobile market for fab space on the latest node.

Well - it's already in use. Samsung is looking to transition to 10nm at the end of 2016, so capacity for the lifetime of the device should be ample and of moderate cost. If they want to save more money, they can do it on die size, memory, flash capavity and so on. Remember that we are guessing that AMD will supply the chips, so GlobalFoundries makes a lot of sense.

 

[Entropy]

Is it handheld? Sounds like it's probably a console, since they're moving into the mobile game space on smartphones.

Could be, and of course then all bets are off concerning capabilities, since they have a much wider spectrum of power draw to target. 20W or 200W? So a stationary device allows fantasy land speculation. Given the relative sales volumes of their handheld vs. stationary platforms, my money is on a handheld, battery powered device. Which narrows down the potential capabilities in the late 2016 to 2017 time frame quite well.

 

[AlNom]

If they want to save more money, they can do it on die size, memory, flash capavity and so on.

Yeah... tiny chip I could see. They may not even target 1080p or higher resolutions either, lessening pressure on other factors.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

Ds and vita are dead but 3ds still steadily selling last time I remembered

Vita is dead? That's weird because I've been playing a lot more Vita than PS4 ever since I bought the PS4. And there's at least 3 games coming up for the Vita within the next quarter that I'm planning to buy, and for the PS4 there's probably only one game throughout 2015 that I'll be buying - Persona 5.

Regardless, we know Iwata has been dropping hints for a while that for the next generation of Nintendo consoles, they would use the same "hardware platform". It remains to be seen what "hardware platform" means to him, but we should expect at least the same GPU architecture between home console and handheld.
With AMD claiming a console design win for 2016, I think it's pretty obvious that this console will have an AMD SoC.

This means either ARM or x86, but for me it definitely means that GCN (or its evolution of sorts) will be in Nintendo's next handheld.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Is it handheld? Sounds like it's probably a console, since they're moving into the mobile game space on smartphones.

The mobile games are mobile targeted. The portable console experience with buttons still needs a home. Perhaps a portable home hybrid something-or-other?

 

[Entropy]

Realised that all readers might not be aware of the ties between AMD and Global Foundries, nor that Samsung and GF share technology at the 14nm node allowing second sourcing in either direction

 

[orangpelupa]

i mean in the context of "still selling".

about nx and amd quibs... long ago nintendo announched that they want the mobile and hime console are cross platform right? one software can work on all.

but with amd saying its x86 and arm... do nintendo will giveup native games and run it like android dalvik?

 

[Deleted member 13524]

I've been looking at this mentioned in the last page and I'd like to highlight a few things:

(...)we projected earlier this year that we would have at least one to two semi-custom design wins and I’m pleased to report that we have those design wins, the work to design the products that has already started, the contract assigned and those parts get introduced in 2016.
(...)
So the 2016 semi-custom design wins will have parts 186 one ARM goes beyond gaming.
(...)
I’m not going to give too much detail. I’ll say that one is x86 and one is ARM, and at least one will be on gaming, right.

At the time, we assumed that only one was going to be about gaming and the other one was not, but that's not what Devinder Kumar said. Saying at least one doesn't mean the other is not.
He also said that one would go beyond gaming. Saying "beyond gaming" doesn't mean it's not also about gaming.
By then, most of us assumed that the "beyond gaming" semi-custom design would be about servers, but being beyond gaming doesn't mean it's not capable for gaming either.

And now we can also connect this news:
Nintendo planning to launch a Quality-of-Life/Health platform in the fiscal year 2015 (up to March 2016).
QoL platform from Nintendo.. does that sound like beyond gaming enough?

And then there's all these clues from Iwata stating that in the future, both handheld and home consoles would have the same architecture, right?



So here's my theory:

1 - The Nintendo NX platform is not one but two consoles who use the DeNA/Mobage's as online platform for social gaming, matchmaking, etc.
2 - Both consoles have their SoCs made by AMD.
3 - Handheld is ARM, home console is x86
4 - Both consoles share a GPU architecture: GCN. This could mean a lot of cross-developed (and cross-buy) titles.
5 - The home console (x86) goes beyond gaming, meaning it'll be accompanied by hardware, software and services dedicated to Quality-of-Life / Health / Ambient Assisted Living.
6 - QoL/Assisted Living hardware should be really varied and be based around home automation (optical sensors, actuators for doors/windows, etc.), Wii Fit-esque peripherals for exercising, heart-rate monitor could be making a comeback, etc.
7 - The QoL life thing will also depend a lot on online interaction, which is another reason why they got DeNA onboard

 

[east of eastside]

14nm SoC
PS4/X1 level performance
AMD IP
Global Foundries mfg
ARM 8 core CPU
30~40 watts power consumption

Iconic console shell, retro looking, not the sleek wedge look of recent consoles.

Smart Device, NextDS, NX software/app fusion synergy.

Traditional controller primary, NextDS as second screen controller

Cartridge based, NextDS cartridge slot

Amiibo support primary to console/controller design.

 

[onQ]

I'm guessing it's either a VR console , a controller-less console or a console with mostly touch & motion controls. it has to be different,

 

[BRiT]

My take on this ...

Intro to public in 2016, hardware out in 2017, performance still below xbox one, online experience still significantly behind x360, ps3, ps4, xbox one.

 

[Shortbread]

PS4/X1 level performance

I would expect Nintendo's "NX" project to carry beefier spec's than PS4/XB1. It would be counterintuitive to release a new machine (late 2016 / early 2017) only to match 3-4 year old hardware. :yuk:

 

[Scott_Arm]

I would expect Nintendo's "NX" project to carry beefier spec's than PS4/XB1. It would be counterintuitive to release a new machine (late 2016 / early 2017) only to match 3-4 year old hardware. :yuk:

The Wii/Wii U track record suggests they may just do that. I'm hoping that's not the case this time around. A standard x86 + GCN APU would be great, especially if they use Vulcan as the API. Nintendo could finally get good ports of multiplatform games.

 

[BRiT]

I would expect Nintendo's "NX" project to carry beefier spec's than PS4/XB1. It would be counterintuitive to release a new machine (late 2016 / early 2017) only to match 3-4 year old hardware. :yuk:

And yet that's what exactly they did with the WiiU, except it was with 7 year old hardware. So that's cutting their time-range in half! That's a huge jump for Nintendo.

You're setting yourselves up for utter disappointment.

 

[shredenvain]

And yet that's what exactly they did with the WiiU, except it was with 7 year old hardware. So that's cutting their time-range in half! That's a huge jump for Nintendo.

You're setting yourselves up for utter disappointment.

I agree somewhat. I think the console will either be similar power wise to the X1 or between the X1 and Ps4.

 

[Rangers]

Guessing they would go with a mobile chipset maybe. Something like the Nvidia shield? 20 watts and all that, right up Nintendo's alley.

Except the semi-confirmed AMD rumor gets in the way of that.

Anyways they said something in the announcement about a new concept, so I'm not seeing a strictly traditional console. Maybe shifty's tablet console idea in some fashion, or otherwise trying to tie in to tablets/mobile, sounds about right.

VR I dont see. It pretty much goes against everything Nintendo stands for. It's based on cutting edge technology for example. Oh yeah and Nintendo made negative comments about how VR isolates players too. And their IP totally doesn't fit either (although VR 3D Mario...drool...could be a new Mario 64, but will never happen).

 

[Cyan]

I've been looking at this mentioned in the last page and I'd like to highlight a few things:



At the time, we assumed that only one was going to be about gaming and the other one was not, but that's not what Devinder Kumar said. Saying at least one doesn't mean the other is not.
He also said that one would go beyond gaming. Saying "beyond gaming" doesn't mean it's not also about gaming.
By then, most of us assumed that the "beyond gaming" semi-custom design would be about servers, but being beyond gaming doesn't mean it's not capable for gaming either.

And now we can also connect this news:
Nintendo planning to launch a Quality-of-Life/Health platform in the fiscal year 2015 (up to March 2016).
QoL platform from Nintendo.. does that sound like beyond gaming enough?

And then there's all these clues from Iwata stating that in the future, both handheld and home consoles would have the same architecture, right?



So here's my theory:

1 - The Nintendo NX platform is not one but two consoles who use the DeNA/Mobage's as online platform for social gaming, matchmaking, etc.
2 - Both consoles have their SoCs made by AMD.
3 - Handheld is ARM, home console is x86
4 - Both consoles share a GPU architecture: GCN. This could mean a lot of cross-developed (and cross-buy) titles.
5 - The home console (x86) goes beyond gaming, meaning it'll be accompanied by hardware, software and services dedicated to Quality-of-Life / Health / Ambient Assisted Living.
6 - QoL/Assisted Living hardware should be really varied and be based around home automation (optical sensors, actuators for doors/windows, etc.), Wii Fit-esque peripherals for exercising, heart-rate monitor could be making a comeback, etc.
7 - The QoL life thing will also depend a lot on online interaction, which is another reason why they got DeNA onboard

Liked this posts, most of it sounds quite reasonable. I also think they are two consoles. But I wonder what's the point on killing the 3DS, it is selling well. Nintendo are killing the WiiU with this move, though.

Nintendo lost this generation, maybe Iwata's wife left him and the final blow for the WiiU is the release of the Nintendo NX -I love the name-.

I would expect Nintendo's "NX" project to carry beefier spec's than PS4/XB1. It would be counterintuitive to release a new machine (late 2016 / early 2017) only to match 3-4 year old hardware. :yuk:

And yet that's what exactly they did with the WiiU, except it was with 7 year old hardware. So that's cutting their time-range in half! That's a huge jump for Nintendo.

You're setting yourselves up for utter disappointment.

That's what worries me. At least Nintendo have time on their side, as the console isn't yet out. Mind you, before reading @Shortbread post, I thought this generation was so young, but hell,do the years fly!