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Nintendo has announced that its next console, dubbed “NX”, will be released next March. No word yet if the working “NX” title will stick with the final release.

I think it’s time for Nintendo to go the route of Sega and transition into a software company. They’ve lost the hardware competition with Sony and Microsoft, and in my opinion, they won’t be able to compete again.

There’s money to be made with Mario, Zelda, Super Smash Bros. and Star Fox games appearing on Xbox and PlayStation.

Follow Jeff on Twitter: @JeffLane22

Posted on 7 By Jeff Lane Entertainment Posted in Entertainment

7 Comments »

  1. It would be such a shame if they become a software only developer – I have some fond memories of getting the SNES as a kid! I think I read somewhere that Nintendo began as a card game or shop in the late 1800’s? I remember their history as a company being an interesting story.

    For a time the Wii console made them a genuine competitor to Microsoft and Sony as it had an appeal to casual gamers. I guess the emergence of the ‘app’ on smart phones has that corner of the market now.

    Maybe they still do well enough in Japan to warrant a new console?

  2. Honestly I can’t see Nintendo going the same direction as sega, Nintendo are worth about 18 billion and apparently worth more than Sony.

    Nintendo stopped trying to compete a long time ago and settled for making a mint from their exclusive titles, they seem to be happy being the 2nd console for people who buy multiple.

    Plus they know people have to buy their product to play their games, and I have fallen for it everyone since the original nes…

  3. Nintendo is already starting to branch out somewhat with their new mobile games department. I think a natural progression for them would be to have a home console but also have many of their games on PC, as well.

    I have mixed feelings on Nintendo getting out of the console business. On one hand I would like to not have to buy multiple systems in order to play some of my favorite games, but at the same time I wonder if the overall quality of Nintendo’s games would suffer from becoming just another AAA company.

    It’s easy to forget that just one console generation ago the Wii was far and away the best selling console over the Xbox 360 and the PS3. I’m not sure they can repeat that kind of success again, but they were capable of it not that long ago.

    With all the talk of having cross-platform play for big multiplayer games (something that already exists between PS4 and PC as well as Xbox One and PC) it’s within the realm of possibility that the way consoles exist right now could drastically change over the next 10 years or so. I think they’ll still exist, but it will be like buying a Dell vs. an HP vs. something custom built on the PC side. They’ll still play all the same games theoretically.

    I think a precursor to the way it will probably be is what we’re currently seeing with the recently released Steam Machines.

  4. Is it possible for Nintendo to maintain market share as the “family friendly” console?
    Pretty much every household in my family (brothers, sisters, cousins) bought a Wii for their kids and for Netflix. None of them were big gamer families. The children can start Netflix Kids movies and cartoons on the Wii themselves without parents help.

  5. They haven’t lost anything. People said this a few years ago. Then they released the Wii. The Wii is one of the best selling systems of all time. Unlike Sega, Nintendo made a ton of money off of the DS and the 3DS is doing fantastic. I’m sure the money they made from that more than makes up for the Wii U sales. Also, Nintendo always finds new ways to make money. They created the Aniibos, they have their app which already has 100 million plus users. They have the Pikman series and I’m sure Splatoon will but become another big money making franchise ; Fire Emblem is becoming popular in the west.

  6. Nintendo is a warrior. I think they will continue to find ways to stay relevant, especially considering how different their console is to Sony and Microsofts efforts. Nintendo can continue to be viable in 3rd position.