What the NX isn't.

There has recently been a lot of speculation and rumor going on about Nintendo's next console. And I'd like to take a different approach. Let's talk about what the NX isn't going to be. Or, at least my take on it from what I know about Nintendo.

These predictions are based on pure hearsay. That's pretty much all we have to go on right now, and I'm not going to pretend that I have some magic information to share. But hopefully it'll spark some interesting discussion.


The NX will not compete with Microsoft or Sony. In typical Nintendo fashion, they'll try to steer clear of direct competition with everyone else. This is is actually a releteiy recent strategy for Nintendo. After the GameCube failed to compete with the PS2, everything Nintendo does seems to highlight the fact that they are innovators, not imitators. There is a recent rumor going around that the NX will not be as powerful as the PS4.

The NX is definitely not aiming to compete with the likes of PS4 on a power level. Absolutely sure of that now.

— Tamaki (@Doctor_Cupcakes) July 3, 2015

To me this is neither a surprise or a concern. I Don't think horsepower is all it's cracked up to be. The games on the Wii-U look fantastic without needing to blow us out of the water.

The NX will not be a combo handheld/home console. This rumor seems to be the most popular. And for good reason! It's a radical and tempting idea. And with the Wii-U gamepad being an intergral part of this generation for Nintendo, it certainly makes sense. However, trying to cram even a Wii-U powered console into a handheld is far too expensive for Nintendo. Well, not that Nintendo couldn't afford it, but since the Gamecube era Nintendo has created the cheaper of the 3 consoles. They're family friendly, and a $400 handheld just doesn't sound like Nintendo. Also, will it take fragile discs? expensive cards? online download only, and cut out retailers? It just seems too lofty at this point.

The NX will not run Android. Now here's where things get a bit personal. As much as I love Nintendo, they can be stubborn and prideful sometimes. And those characteristics show themselves strong in their hardware. It would be suprising at best to see Nintendo work with someone else's software. However, I'm not saying that I don't wish this would happen. I actually think it would be pretty cool! But it's just not in their nature.

So, what do you think? Are you convinced that Nintendo's next console will be a powerhouse handheld that runs Android? Let me know in the comments! I'd love to hear what you think. And stay tuned for my big NX prediction article coming soon!