With details of the NX rumored to be announced this October, I find myself feeling like it’s 2006 again and Nintendo is about to reveal the next ‘Revolution’. Can Nintendo really make as big an impact as previous generations with their latest console?
TRIAL AND ERROR
The game industry is in a very strange place at the moment. The more announcements we get from Sony and Microsoft about future iterations of their current consoles, the more I get the idea that they’re just winging it to see where it takes them.
BEST BEFORE…
More recently, Sony confused the public with the announcement of the PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro. Microsoft is planning to release their next version of the Xbox One, nicknamed the Scorpio and rumored to be at least twice as powerful as the PS4 Pro, in December of 2017. Is this the era of consoles that only stay relevant for 2-3 years? Only time will tell if consumers will bite the bullet and jump on this trend of mid-generation upgrades.
A NEW NINTENDO?
And then there’s Nintendo. After looking at the success of Pokemon Go at re-igniting 3DS sales as well as games, the big N is dipping their toes in the App Store pool with Super Mario Run. This will without a doubt capitalize on one of the world’s most famous mascots in an effort to remind the public that they can play those types of experiences on their home-consoles. I believe Nintendo are finally able to find a sweet spot between mobile and console gaming so as to make everything work in their favor, without literally selling out and becoming a third-party company that sells its franchises to the competition.
SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?
This harmony, combined with a (hopefully) stable NX announcement can really establish Nintendo again as the company that is trying to provide new experiences instead of trying extremely hard to be a budget PC-like powerhouse like Sony and Microsoft. It is evident that those two companies took a very different road than Nintendo and it is my opinion that it won’t lead them anywhere. After all, how many generations can pass before people just don’t see the point in upgrading? VR, HDR lighting and 4K Netflix is not enough. PS4 games out now already look fantastic and I can name quite a few PS3 titles that still blow my mind with what the developers achieved.
A GAMER’S HOPE
All in all, I haven’t been this excited for a console reveal for a long time and I guess that’s what’s missing from gaming nowadays. I miss the time when our minds could be genuinely blown with unpredictable announcements and innovations. Nintendo, if you’re listening, I hope you get it right.