Nintendo NX Secrets Revealed?

A number of sources have leaked details of Nintendo’s mysterious NX console, which is set for release next year. According to Eurogamer, more than one insider has confirmed that the NX is a cartridge-based, high-powered, portable handheld console which can be ‘docked’ at home, connected to a TV, and played via two detachable controllers.

It seems the NX will be powered by an NVIDIA Tegra processor – presumably an X1 – which would make it a powerful handheld gaming platform, but will struggle to compete against Sony and Microsoft’s current-gen consoles. The news puts paid to rumours that the NX would contain an AMD x86 chip, making the hardware more powerful than the PS4. 4K output also seems remote.

The report suggests that NX game cartridges will have a 32GB capacity – less than a dual-layer Blu-Ray disc, and thus less than most modern console games – which suggests that either the console won’t be carrying the same games as the PS4 and Xbox One, or that it will have a large onboard hard drive and Wi-Fi for downloading the rest of the game data. Nintendo was said to be considering making the NX digital download-only, but decided against it.

Another rumour has been seemingly dispelled – namely, that the console would run Android – with the news that Nintendo has developed a proprietary operating system for the NX.

Eurogamer contacted Nintendo in an attempt to confirm these reports. A Nintendo spokesperson said:

“Nintendo has not made any new official announcements regarding NX which is due to launch in March 2017. As such [we’re] unable to comment on the various rumours and speculations circulating.”