We know that Nintendo will share more on their next “dedicated game platform” in 2016, but the system, codenamed NX, may be launching sooner than expected.
Taiwanese website Digitimes reports that Nintendo have opened talks with their supply chain partners “to start pilot production in October,” which will see Foxconn Electronics manufacture the console. Pegatron Technology are “aggressively trying to snatch some of the orders” according to their sources, although both companies declined to comment.
That order is expected to be finalised by March 2016, with mass production starting around June 2016 ahead of the NX’s official launch in July.
The website lists that Nintendo may place orders with component suppliers such as Macronix, PixArt Imaging, Coxon Precise Industrial, Nishoku Technology, Delta Electronics, Lingsen Precision Industries and Jentech.
However, there are errors in the Digitimes report. They claim that Nintendo announced that they would release NX in 2016, but company president Satoru Iwata only promised that next year will be when they reveal their plans for the console.
Also, Nintendo will apparently look to ship 20 million NX systems within the first year, which, while we don’t yet know what it will be like, seems a significant early investment given the Wii U’s lack of success.
The predicted July launch similarly goes against the company’s own analysis of their retail trends, with Nintendo of America’s Charlie Scibetta recently sharing: “We do the bulk of our business in the holiday season, probably about 60% in October, November, and December. You want to launch games when people are in the mood to buy.”
This isn’t the only rumour to swirl surrounding the NX, with Fortune reporting that Nintendo pitched the hardware to third-party partners at E3 2015.
Well, I hope Nintendo takes it’s time releasing the NX. So it can work out kinks, in every aspect of the console. So when it comes out it feels complete, when your using it. But besides that , I’m glad their goal sales in a year is 20 million. My rationale is if they aim, high, they’ll take high steps to reach that, ultimately leading to a good console that will probably sell at least 15 million units.