Nintendo NX certainly seems to be the hybrid handheld console that rumors previously suggested, but a new wrinkle may have just been revealed by YouTube personality boogie2988. Through his alleged industry connections, here’s what we know.
Speaking at Retropalooza earlier this month, boogie said "I've talked to people [at Ubisoft] who have used [the NX]...He said...Let's say you could play Assassin's Creed once you have your handheld plugged into your console. And then, you could then detach the thing and take it with you and play the Assassin's Creed mobile game out of your pocket.” It was further described as “taking a form of the game with you as you go.” The full quote can be watched below around the video’s 32-minute mark.
The idea of the NX being a home console and a handheld was made known by Eurogamer a few months ago, but we get a slightly different version of the feature from boogie’s hypothetical example. Notice he says that “a form of the game” can be played akin to the Assassin’s Creed mobile experience.
While the content provider may be deliberately trying to keep Nintendo’s secret in this case, this scenario differs from what many gamers expect. Up until now, the industry-wide assumption has been that the mobile/console games people play on NX are essentially identical. In other words, playing The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild on the big screen was assumed to be the exact same as a session on the train. What’s implied here, however, is that the NX’s mobile aspect could be more restricted. Instead of being able to complete the whole game in either fashion, maybe only a portion of the campaign can be handheld. The handheld parts might also be separate “mobile form” companions to the console build.
Beyond intending to mislead, there are always reasons for rumors like this to be taken with a grain of salt. For one, we don’t know who boogie’s source at Ubisoft is or if he or she can be trusted. As one of YouTube’s most popular gaming content providers, it seems reasonable to think these connections exist, but it’s hard to say for sure.
Regardless, as more reports of NX hybrid portability pour in, it’s almost safe to confirm the feature at this point. Late last month, Pokémon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara said “NX is trying to change the concept of what it means to be a home device or a handheld device.” With this added reference from Ubisoft, there’s even less room to argue against the idea.
Beyond its features, other sources from the developer have been equally chatty about NX. Company CEO Yves Guillemot recently claimed the system could put Nintendo “back in the race” against its competitors. He also sad that Nintendo has learned from the Wii U’s mistakes to produce better hardware in the next generation.
The Nintendo NX is expected to release in March 2017.
What do you think of this latest rumor? Might the NX portable features be restricted? When will the hardware be revealed? Tell us in the comments section!
