Nintendo announces date for NX console

[TheYESDragon]

Nintendo's much-anticipated next-generation console will launch in March 2017, the company has said.

Codenamed NX, the console had been expected to launch in time for Christmas.

Analysts agree the new device is much needed after disappointing sales for the Wii U.

At an earnings briefing, Nintendo also announced it would release four more smartphone games this business year, as it diversified its business.

The Japanese video-game maker reported a 24 billion yen ($216m, £147m) loss for January to March, bigger than the loss it reported the previous year.

Research company IHS's director of games, Pier Harding-Rolls, said the date of the new console launch was a setback for Nintendo.

"Ideally, they would have preferred to launch in 2016 to catch the holiday shopping season," he told the BBC.

The delay could either be as a result of in-house games not being ready or problems with the hardware, he added.

Nintendo has had ups and downs with its consoles - with the Wii proving a hit but the Wii U failing to engage the public.

"When the Wii U launched no-one really understood what it was," said Mr Harding-Rolls.

"The two-screen experience wasn't communicated well, so whatever they are bringing to market this time has to be unique and communicated clearly."

The company said it could cease production of the Wii U by March 2018.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-36149049

I'm surprised that Nintendo even announced the release date right now, I would've thought they would tell us all at E3 but here we go. March 2017 doesn't sound bad, but then again I would've thought a late 2017 release would be better, release hype followed by holiday sales but Nintendo probably know what they're doing.

Zelda will launch simultaneously on Wii U and NX in 2017 as well, so there's even more news.

https://twitter.com/NintendoEurope/status/725224523973464064

It is possible that Nintendo did this to deflect pressure away from their poor financial report released today and to generate extra hype for NX.

There's also the Fire Emblem and Animal Crossing smartphone games coming.

Thoughts?

 

[Marc]

It's good to know they're waiting for their games to fully develop before releasing it, hoping loyal Nintendo fans would bite and wait for new games to purchase and play.

March 2017 sounds pretty good to me. I hope they reveal its official name some time this year tho.

 

[9070]

Literally shocked that it isn't coming out this year. There's no way it wasn't intended for 2016; something must have gone wrong. I'm pretty sure they delayed it to avoid competing with PS4K.

Not having their new console at E3 is a huge mistake, there isn't going to be a better time to show it. Worried about Nintendo tbh. Zelda is the only thing they're showing at E3.

They definitely delayed Zelda just to launch it alongside NX, no way that game won't be done this year.

 

[saltypepper]

New Zelda as a launch title?

I'm not really excited, Nintendo has been sort of meh, they're not really making standout games for now. Hopefully they'll realize this and then go back to when Mario Party wanted you to kill your friends (the memories ).

 

[3905]

Wii U is getting another Holiday season before we get an NX, yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay~
But the fact that the main highlight of E3 is Zelda U is kinda concerning, mostly because if that game is being launched aside the NX, it might discourage some fans for having to wait so long and buy a new console for a game announced in 2015. But nonetheless I'm still excited, and I'm fine with a March 2017 launch for the NX, though I don't plan to buy a new console at launch. Hopefully the thing does well and has a lot of fun games on it for us

 

[TheSpiritedWarrior]

I am fairly disappointed. I simply hate the fact that this game got delayed the game. I honestly do not know what nintendo was thinking, along with possibly not showing their console at E3. It sucks, but I am ok with because the wii u has another holiday season before it a new console comes out.

 

[swift789]

I'm fine with the release date except for the slight annoyance of another delay of Loz. I just hope Nintendo come up with some awesome new games for the NX because I'm definitely not getting it if there's only going to be Loz on it.

 

[423]

I find it rather strange that we still know next to nothing about the NX, yet we know when the console releases. How is that good marketing, Nintendo? Lol. Pretty sure it's safe to say that all of us were expecting some sort of details about the NX at E3 because it made sense, but Ninty decided to tease us for a little while longer and only showcasing a single game that not everyone is hyped for. Whatever the heck they're doing at this point, I hope it works, or else that's gonna be another generation down the drain.