There’s been a lot of buzz on the Internet about the upcoming Nintendo NX, even though we don’t actually know that much about the device yet. Rumors are plentiful, as can be expected when a Nintendo product is involved, but official information is a lot scarcer and there are some unknown factors that have been a bit worrying to fans.
Recently, we’ve seen new rumors indicating that the device could possibly be a combination between a handheld and a regular “desktop” console. That would be an interesting move for Nintendo, and it could certainly give them a chance at breaking some new grounds, but if it’s true, it will hopefully be done in a tasteful, thought-out manner and not as a gimmick.
After all, originality alone doesn’t sell well, as we saw with the Nintendo Wii. The console saw some moderate popularity, mainly in Nintendo’s own communities, but in the end it lost to the Xbox and PlayStation by a large margin.
It looks like Nintendo will have some strong aces up their sleeve with the NX though, as there are recent reports that the console will have a selection of “Pokemon” games available. It was implied that these will be entirely new games, developed specifically for the console, but at the same time it would probably also be a great idea to throw in some ports of older classics from the franchise.
We’ve been seeing a major revival of the “Pokemon” franchise lately, with many player re-experiencing it and others discovering it for the first time. And while the popularity of “Pokemon GO” seems to be on a decline, it still did a good job putting the franchise’s name back in the headlines.
At this point, Nintendo can easily utilize the situation by releasing more titles, especially if they do something that crosses over with “Pokemon GO”. The company is known for taking a more creative approach to their marketing in some cases, so we fully expect to see some interesting teasers once the games start rolling out.
We don’t expect that the “Pokemon” brand will single-handedly “save” the Nintendo NX though, and the company will definitely have to put some hard work into the device if they want to see it succeed. There is a lot on the table right now, and handheld consoles are especially a market that can be leveraged successfully, so we expect this console to make a big splash once it’s out.
With about half a year left to go until the NX arrives to the market, there will probably be some more press releases about it in the coming months. Nintendo should definitely not take the quiet approach here, as the company stands to lose a lot if they let the rumor mill dictate discussions about the platform.
In fact, many seem to agree that Nintendo could strongly benefit from a massive marketing campaign which showcases all the major features of the console. Something that keeps the NX in the news on a regular basis in the months leading up to its launch could make or break this release.
It may sound obvious, but from what we’ve seen from Nintendo in the past, especially around the release of the Wii, they should definitely think carefully about their approach to the market. Nintendo are known for being a bit more secretive about their work and that’s fine, but there is a time to be loud and they should seize that moment.