Ubisoft Continues To Pile On The Praise For Nintendo’s Upcoming NX Console

With Nintendo’s NX console expected to launch this spring, it’s hard to believe that we still know so little about it. We do know that it’s going to be “interesting”, because all Nintendo livingroom consoles are, but whether or not that interesting equates to “awesome” is something that’s yet to be seen. If Ubisoft’s CEO is right, though, the NX could be Nintendo’s biggest hit in quite some time.

During a recent investors meeting, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said that he “believes Nintendo will be back in the race with NX”. It’s clear that in recent years, Nintendo hasn’t enjoyed the kind of success Microsoft and Sony has, and in many ways, it’s unfortunate.

I think the success of NX is really going to depend on what the market wants. If people want a console with cutting-edge graphics, I think Nintendo is going to be pushed to the side yet again. Many who don’t care about graphics detail and like Nintendo probably already own a Wii U, so I can’t help but wonder what it is about the NX in particular that will make those who’ve overlooked the Wii U, and possibly the Wii, to jump back on the Nintendo bandwagon. As someone who’s been a Nintendo fan since the NES, and has owned every Nintendo console up until the Wii U, I am hoping Guillemot’s statements prove true and that I feel crazy compelled to own an NX.

Nintendo’s Wii U, released in fall 2012

I do admit, though, that the biggest reason I skipped over the Wii U isn’t because I don’t have interest in the games there; it’s because I am personally tired of Nintendo’s bizarre designs. Sure, the Nintendo 64 was all sorts of weird, but it wasn’t too weird. I purchased a Wii, but almost never played it, simply because I hated the focus on motion controls. When the Wii U dropped, I simply didn’t bother (which could simply be due to stubbornness, admittedly).

As unfortunate as that might be for me, I know that I’m not alone. In fact, Brett posted an article in advance of the Wii U launch highlighting these sorts of concerns. Nintendo can’t cater to everyone, but shouldn’t it try?

What we “know” (I use that term loosely) is that the NX could be some sort of mobile/console hybrid, and that it could sport NVIDIA’s Tegra mobile SoC. That NVIDIA infusion actually seems somewhat likely, as the company hasn’t released a new SHIELD product in quite some time. It could be that the company simply wants to shift all of its Tegra gaming focus towards Nintendo – a smart thing, considering AMD is found in all current-gen consoles.

One thing’s for sure: Nintendo’s NX is undeniably going to be “interesting”. Let’s just hope it’s the right kind of interesting.