Big (and great) news for fans anticipating the release of Nintendo’s next game console, known currently as the ‘NX’. The Wall Street Journal has posted a report stating that the company has started distributing developer kits so that third parties can get to work making the magic for the forthcoming console, expected to debut some time in 2016 (likely holiday, but no confirmation yet.) The report is behind a paywall, but the gist is that the kits are going out so that there will be enough titles at launch to entice consumers. At present, the plan is for the NX to be similar to the Wii U in that it will be a console supported by a bundled mobile device that can be used with the system and also independently in certain respects. It’s uncertain what that entails yet since we haven’t seen any software, but it stands to reason that Nintendo believes it was on to something with the Wii U’s tablet and isn’t quite ready to let go of that model just yet.
While we don’t know exactly who is getting these dev kits right now, the reveal that they’re going out at all is exciting. It means that they are looking to get the NX on shelves soon and want to have titles in support of the launch so that consumers can buy with confidence, knowing that there will be games to play right away. Nintendo has stated that they intend for the NX to be a ‘gamer’s console’, and while we’ve heard this from them before (it was their supposed mission statement with the Wii U), they’re still dedicated to recapturing the market share they once held with the Nintendo Wii, which was a blockbuster success because it tapped into an enormous consumer base that hadn’t been reached before. We already know that Square Enix will be developing a version of Dragon Quest XI for the Nintendo NX in addition to a version for the 3DS and the Sony Playstation 4. I don’t know about any of you but seeing the NX launch with a Dragon Quest game would make it a day one purchase for me.
As news of this developing story continues to emerge, we’ll be sure to keep you in the loop. Make sure to check back for updates and get ready for the Nintendo NX, because it’s on the way.
