Nintendo Switch (Nintendo's next console)

Nintendo has patented a new controller design that features scroll wheels on its top two shoulders.

The patent document appeared online yesterday after originally being filed back in February of this year (thanks, NeoGAF).
Nintendo's documentation shows designs for a touchscreen controller similar to that of the Wii U, although with only two face buttons instead of four.
Each shoulder also sports a scrollable button to be used with the index finger of each hand, or with the thumb of one hand when the controller is held in portrait like a book.
The wheels could be used for scrolling through an inventory of items, for example, or zooming in and out of an environment.
Nintendo is likely now deep into the design stage of its upcoming Wii U successor, currently code-named NX, although whether this innovation makes it into the final product remains to be seen.
Last month it was revealed that the company had patented designs for a games console that lacked a disc drive. Its controller also had a display on it.
Nintendo will discuss NX in more detail next year, the company's late president Satoru Iwata said.

Nintendo Begins Distributing Software Kit for New NX Platform (WSJ)

TOKYO— Nintendo Co. has begun distributing a software development kit for its new NX videogame platform, people familiar with the matter said, suggesting the company is on track to introduce the product as early as next year.

The kit is used by third-party software developers to modify existing games for the platform or create new ones. Videogame console makers such as Nintendo like to have popular game titles ready when they start selling new devices.

Nintendo’s current flagship products are the Wii U, a console typically used in the living room, and the portable 3DS device. Both have been out for several years, leading analysts to predict that the Kyoto-based entertainment powerhouse will move fairly swiftly to bring out the NX.

“We are increasingly of the idea that Nintendo might launch the NX in 2016 because of the softness of 3DS and Wii U,” said David Gibson, an analyst at Macquarie Capital Securities.

A Nintendo spokeswoman said the company plans to disclose details of NX next year.

Square Enix Co. said in July that it planned to make the latest version of its blockbuster role-playing game Dragon Quest for the NX. That version, called Dragon Quest XI, is also planned for the 3DS and Sony Corp.’s PlayStation 4.

The exact shape of the NX hardware isn’t yet clear. People familiar with the development plans said Nintendo would likely include both a console and at least one mobile unit that could either be used in conjunction with the console or taken on the road for separate use. They also said Nintendo would aim to put industry-leading chips in the NX devices, after criticism that the Wii U’s capabilities didn’t match those of competitors.

Nintendo’s former president, Satoru Iwata, said in March that NX “is a platform dedicated for videogames.” Mr. Iwata died in July, and his post was assumed in September by Tatsumi Kimishima, a former banker who served as one of Mr. Iwata’s top lieutenants at Nintendo.

Mr. Kimishima is expected to carry forward the strategy of Mr. Iwata, a legendary figure for many videogame fans. In the months before his death, Mr. Iwata laid out plans to put Nintendo characters in games for mobile devices under a partnership with DeNA Co. and made a deal with amusement park operator Universal Parks & Resorts, which is part of Comcast Corp.

“Nintendo is no longer just a traditional videogame company,” said industry veteran Hirokazu Hamamura, a director at Kadokawa Dwango Corp., which publishes magazines about videogames.

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

If they don't make this an easy console to port the current and upcoming crop of AAA titles, the only people who'll buy it will be the same fee that bought the WiiU.
Heck, people are crying off the XB1 becasue while it has the multi plat titles its not got the exclusive content, a NX that'll do both might just make pots of cash.

Then I suppose they need to do something new with their IP, in particular an Amiibo enhanced range of Pokémon cards and a Pokémon open world RPG which would be a sure fire hit.

MilesMorales1 wrote: »

So you need, a more powerful console than XB1/PS4, but also cheaper. Hmmm. I'm sure Nintendo has been working on it for a while though, clearly the first party studios have been working on stuff for a while.

murphyebass wrote: »

The name will be interesting.

As much as it doesn't matter to me personally I think it'll need to match Xbox one and ps4 graphically / power wise to capture a wider audience.

3rd party support also necessary for the same reason.

Backwards compatibility with Wii U could be a huge selling point considering the great HD first party library that very few people have played apart from us avid ninty fans.

Probably won't happen but I really hope they keep the game pad compatibility as the off screen play has been a massive win for me. Poor splatoon has missed out on so many hours purely by not havin this function.

On a related as its Nintendo but completely unrelated note as its nothing to do with the new machine Mario Maker is ****ing amazing fun. If anyone with a Wii U does not own this game you are missing out big time.

murphyebass wrote: »

Yeah it's a tough one for them really isn't it.

Based on it probably being released with Xmas 2016 or imo probably 2017 it's not inconceivable that they could make a machine more powerful than the other two.

Would this give it the edge or potentially put it in dreamcast kinda territory I wonder.