Nintendo’s upcoming NX console will be a portable, handheld device with detachable controllers that uses cartridges as its choice of physical media, multiple sources have told Eurogamer.
On the go, NX will function as a high-powered handheld console with its own display. The screen is said to be bookended by two controller sections on either side, which can be attached or detached as required. Here’s an illustration from Eurogamer deputy news editor Tom Phillips.
When you get home, you can connect the system to your TV for big screen gaming. A base unit, or dock station, is used to connect to the brain of the device.
Nvidia is said to be providing the core technology for the platform. According to the website, the unit will be based around Nvidia’s mobile-oriented Tegra processor, with development kits currently using the Tegra X1 chip found in the Shield Android TV console and Google Pixel C tablet. Eurogamer adds that it should offer a relatively lower level of performance compared to existing current-gen consoles, as Nvidia’s Tegra technology is built with delicate balance between performance and power efficiency in order to maintain battery life.
As for cartridges, Nintendo reportedly reccomends a 32GB cartridge, which is small when considering the size of many modern games.
One source has told Eurogamer that there are no plans for backwards compatibility given the radical change in hardware design and internal technology.
Another source said the system would run on a new operating system from Nintendo.
NX is due out worldwide in March 2017. Eurogamer says an official unveiling is currently slated for September.