The Super Smash Bros. game for Nintendo 3DS is seen at the 2014 Electronic Entertainment Expo, known as E3, in Los Angeles, California June 11, 2014.
The Super Smash Bros. game for Nintendo 3DS is seen at the 2014 Electronic Entertainment Expo, known as E3, in Los Angeles, California June 11, 2014. Reuters/Kevork Djansezian

Nintendo has often been seen as a company with consoles that cannot quite compete with the newer and more powerful Xbox One and PS4. However, fans held out hope when the company announced a new portable device in the works, dubbed the Nintendo NX.

Even after official announcements proving the device’s existence, Nintendo has been very sparse on the details for the new console. There has been recent talks that the Nintendo NX is already making its way into the hands of game developers as software kits. And for analysts, this is the seal on the deal that hints at a 2016 release date.

The timing of the console compounded with the current lifespan of Nntendo’s other devices are contributing to this, Express reported. Specifically, the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS are already of an older generation, and there is a need for a more powerful device.

Other rumours about the Nintendo NX puts the device as a powerful console, wherein reports have mentioned “cutting-edge” chips as part of its design. According to MyNintendoNews, an NX tech demo for the new console reportedly needs a lot of power that can only be met by a PC with cutting-edge chips.

Nintendo did not elaborate further on this, and neither did those who witnessed the demo and the alleged power that the Nintendo NX required. The report also posited that any more information regarding the chips may be released closer to the date, which is still next year.

For now, speculations have abounded on what the Nintendo NX will be like. There have been previous reports that it will be a hybrid of a console and mobile device. It appears that there will be two components to the Nintendo NX. The Verge reported that it will be a console and a mobile unit. The latter is said to either be used alongside the console or used separately as a mobile standalone.

What is confirmed is the possibility of some of Nintendo’s much-loved games coming to its newest console. Earlier this July, Square Enix has announced that it is looking at bringing “Dragon Quest X” and “Dragon Quest 11” onto the platform, thought this is still under consideration.

Nintendo NX news (Credit: YouTube/Nintendo News Network)