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[DidntKnowJack]

Wow, you personally lost all credibility when you said VR is a gimmick.

VR is nothing but a gimmick. Just because a lot of people are being suckered in by it doesn't make it any less so.

 

[HawthorneKitty]

If it's real why not wait to see it in action before writing it off?

Are you new to the Internet?

 

[dukeoflegs]

I want someone to remove that black tape from either of the controllers so we can see the logo.

 

[LegendofLex]

The feel and shape of a button. But not the tactile feedback or accuracy. Because you're still pressing down on fluid-filled rubber domes, which sounds atrocious for gaming.

For the rest of your post, I agree. This is a proposed solution for a problem that never existed.

Eh, I'm not so sure about that.

For families (I think most people would agree that this is the bulk of the audience Nintendo has historically captured and the only one they'll likely be able to make inroads with again), a game console has to justify its existence in the home. A good way to do that is to make a controller (and a console) that doesn't just feel like it's in the way but is actually usable by everyone in the family.

I think it's pretty easy to say that the Wii U GamePad failed at this: it was big, it was bulky, it was way less attractive/appealing/well-designed than the phones people were already using, and there's really no reason why anyone in the family would be compelled to pick it up and try it out because the games just weren't there to support that behavior and it's too much of a "controller" to be appealing to non-gamers.

But this is indeed a problem that both DS and Wii were made to solve (and were successful at it!):

http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/wii_remote/0/1

Iwata: Miyamoto-san, what was the key concept for you when you started making the [Wii] controller?

Miyamoto: It was the idea of accessibility. Rather than make something that would make people wonder if they could use it or not, I wanted to make something that would make people want to pick it up and try using it. Of course, I also had to keep my own experience of making video games in mind. It was absolutely essential to make something that would also work with older games. I also spent a lot of time thinking about what makes a design accessible. It was in this context that we started to question everything about conventional controllers, including the idea that a controller had to be held with both hands. This was something that you had mentioned from the beginning of development, wasn't it?

Iwata: Yes, it was. There was even some ideas that could be considered to be extreme.

Miyamoto: It was a good opportunity for us to think outside the box. Although these extreme ideas did not lead us directly to the final controller design, they were the important ideas in breaking down old conventions and expanding the scope of our discussions. This was good in the sense that it allowed us to consider ideas such as not using hands at all, or even putting the controller on your head, for example. Of course, going too far in that direction would just lead to something that is different just for the sake of being different. An eccentric design like that might work well for some games, but could never be used as a standard, making it a difficult choice for a console's primary controller. So we wanted to come up with a bold and daring design that would be within the bounds of reason.

Iwata: So, this is what you meant by accessiblity. The task ahead of you must certainly have seemed difficult, but what actually caused you to start moving in the direction of the current controller?

Miyamoto: Well, there are several overlapping factors. First of all, Mr Takeda suggested using a pointer. In the subsequent discussions, Mr Ikeda talked about making it into the current straight shape, kind of like a rod. This was perfectly in line with my train of thought.

Ikeda: Mr Miyamoto would bring out his mobile phone during meetings and say enthusiastically "Can't we make something like this?" (laughs)

http://kotaku.com/5543591/the-birth-of-the-ds-and-the-wii

"What's keeping people from touching game machines? What's making them run away?"

Their discussions started there. Recent game systems had button-encrusted controllers that were too complicated. Software that used complicated technology was becoming more common, and the gap between experienced players and beginners was growing wider all the time. It scared people off-or worse, made them actively dislike videogames. Their discussions grew to encompass the themes of games.

While adventure games like Mario were fine, was that really enough? What if games included themes that related to the lives of ordinary people? Would people who considered gaming a waste of time embrace it then? As they converged on the company's new direction, the idea came to Miyamoto: dedicate one of the displays to touch control.

One screen would be used for intuitive, approachable controls, and the other would be the main display. The system would be easy for anyone to control, and it would allow the development of new kinds of games.

[...]

In the first half of 2003, when Iwata and Miyamoto were dreaming up designs for the Nintendo's new dual-screened portable system, they were also deep in discussions with the head of integrated research, Takeda, about a new home game system.

Takeda was Nintendo's hardware pro, responsible for the development of every home game system from the NES to the GameCube-but this time, Iwata had given him new orders.

"Takeda, listen — this time we can't just focus on making a more powerful system."

"So you're telling me to go off the tech roadmap?" Takeda asked.

"That's right. Let's get off it."

It went against every piece of received wisdom in the videogame industry...

Iwata was telling Takeda to stop planning designs based solely on technological progress. What he was suggesting now was an entirely new approach; it was something that had never been tried before.

Instead of designing a console around fundamental performance, the new system would expressly seek out technology that would endear itself to families-a "Mom has to like it" approach to development.

"Videogames drive Mom crazy-she has to pick up the controllers once the kids are done playing, they've already got multiple consoles plugged into the TV and she doesn't want another one. They're a nuisance, as far as she's concerned. We realized that if we wanted to grow the gaming population, we had to build a console that no one in the family hated."

[...]

For the Revolution to live up to its codename and revolutionize the game industry by expanding the gaming population, it would need something special.

The DS, with its dual screens and stylus controls, lowered the barrier to videogames. The Revolution needed to do the same thing. The controller would be at the core of its interface, and it could not be less than perfect.

Certain aspects of the controller were decided early in its development: It had to be wireless, and it could not be intimidating.

When Iwata was talking to Miyamoto and company about the circumstances that were leading to gaming's decline, the first thing that came to the president's mind was a TV remote control-a piece of technology the entire family used.

People who didn't play videogames never touched game controllers. The wires that snaked out from the console were nothing but a nuisance to them, and if controllers dared to be left about, they were put away. But the TV remote never bothered anybody. As Iwata considered the difference between the two, he realized the new controller would have to be wireless.

Then he wondered if people found controllers intimidating because of the way they looked.

Game controllers were constantly getting more complicated; in addition to the standard direction pad and buttons, they were now encrusted with all manner of analog control sticks and triggers, placed seemingly everywhere. Was that alone enough, perhaps, to drive people away from a videogame?

The new controller had to be simple and approachable. Iwata also felt that, like the DS's touch screen, it needed to facilitate direct, intuitive controls-and Miyamoto and Takeda agreed.

 

[The_Lump]

Kids are gonna love it! I actually showed a picture of the other day's leak to a couple students of mine. They were like "Whoooaaa!" haha

In all seriousness, at least 40% of WiiU's problem was that the Gamepad looked like something Disney would use as a Fisher Price movie prop.

 

[MK_768]

Lightning in a bottle. The market that fell for it has long moved on and are not coming back. Good luck in trying to get another flash in that pan, though.

Listen, I'm not disagreeing with that. I'm disagreeing with the notion of sticking with the diehards. The diehards are there for Mario, Zelda, Smash, etc. Give them a way to play them and they'll come. Look at the Wii U.

I think it's possible for NX to do worse than Wii U, but it's unlikey imo. I only say that because that's a hard accomplishment to achieve lol.

Anyways, I wouldn't say Nintendo can't have another lightning in a bottle, however unlikely it is.

 

[hwy_61]

BATCH #3

I'm on TEAMREAL.

Hook a brother up!

 

[TheGrue]

Good luck with this in your pocket!

I don't even put a wallet in my back pocket. Why would I try to put this in there?

 

[ZOONAMI]

Wouldn't it be pretty tough to pull that off considering there are only 5 days between the leaks lol

Coordinated fakers? Or same person who made them?

When a photo is released has nothing to do with when something was made either... so...

 

[BitStyle]

Well this thread was a trip. I'm still on #TeamReal though, I just hope that this console controller maintains a level of affordability so that I wont have to pay $100+ If anything happens to it.

 

[frankie_baby]

Wouldn't it be pretty tough to pull that off considering there are only 5 days between the leaks lol

If it is a fake then both fakes presumably originate from the same faker

 

[Guiberu]

Sticks look rather different. Convex vs Concave top, by my eyes.

 

[ryanthelion123]

I think his point is that saying motion controllers were a gimmick and VR isn't is hypocritical, especially when the same arguments can be made for both (not perfect in its first implementation, not suitable/ideal for certain types of games, etc). I think

Well, Wii's iteration of motion control was very limited. I remember being so hyped for the Wii because of the possibilities it had, but really not many games made good use of the controller because it was severely weak.

We can see that the motion controls available now are extremely practical.

And it should also be said VR doesn't necessarily mean motion controls.

 

[Stimpack]

It looks like hot garbage, and it's blowing my mind that anyone can actually like what they're seeing here.

 

[ryanofcall]

Well since nintendo likes to invent new stuff, why not come up with a screen they can bend. Then, for whichever game you're playing, the screen would bend outside a little on button locations, maybe even with buttons you can actually press. It's certainly very futuristic, but then again "bendable screens" are a "thing in development" in the smartphone market already, why not use that to simulate buttons. It's a very unlikely theory, but we always get what we don't expect from Nintendo.
I'd be fine with not having any physical buttons if they give me any kind of feedback to (blindly) tell where the buttons are. This is only one possibility, really.

 

[Omnii-chan]

If that is the final controller and it's a situation like with the Wii U gamepad where it is mandatory for almost every game... I'm out.

 

[curls]

Looks interesting. I always found the idea of push buttons limiting for any real interaction.

 

[BY2K]

Fuck it, put a #TeamNXFake on my Spy.

 

[dmr87]

Let's just say that I won't use a controller with touch buttons.

 

[Matticers]

Dear Nintendo:

Please keep being experimental when it comes to software. But give us a normal #%@$ing controller to use. They work. They work really well. Enough with the gimmicky bs.

PS - Make a new God damn Waverace.

Amen.

 

[brau]

BATCH #3

Looking awesome dude! thanks

 

[Fourth Storm]

So I'm trying to figure out why what I thought was a microphone slot in the first leak, is not present in today's leak. Anyone else notice this? Or am I just crazy?

Excuse the poor MSpaint skills:

I actually think the white one looks more like a retail product.

Maybe the white NX is the handheld (running a mobile tech demo) and the black device is the NX home console controller.

A mobile SoC is no cheap inclusion, if it's any good. Nintendo need a dumb terminal unit for the home console.

 

[MK_768]

If it's real why not wait to see it in action before writing it off?

Because that requires brain activity.

 

[Celine]

On the real...

I pray this works and it's the most successful Nintendo hardware since the DS handheld. I actually miss Nintendo being at the forefront. Hell even the Wii's sales would be fine.

lol
How many gaming system do you think have sold more than 100 million units ever?
As of now three home consoles and two handhelds.

Nintendo wishes to have another crack to break 100M barrier.

 

[Cyriades]

Lol, yes, why isn't it a gimmick?
VR doesn't work for FPS games, i know I've a dk2 for 2 years already, and you?
You personally lost all credibility

Dk2 hasn't been out for 2 years.

 

[bomer]

So... Is this a handheld or what? I am super keen, design looks very vita-esque but boy am I ready for Nintendo Handheld that doesn't have a display from 1999.

 

[ryanthelion123]

VR is nothing but a gimmick. Just because a lot of people are being suckered by it doesn't make it any less of a gimmick.

VR is a paradigm shift in how we play games and what we define as gaming. It might be slow to take seed, but it will change a lot even outside of gaming.

 

[TheSlySoul]

Well, Wii's iteration of motion control was very limited. I remember being so hyped for the Wii because of the possibilities it had, but really not many games made good use of the controller because it was severely weak.

No doubt, Motion control was something that could have worked if developers knew how to utilize it.
With VR, it might get a comeback but we shall see.

 

[AndrewPL]

Can you imagine having young kids who want to play with this thing? They'll likely break it really quickly.

 

[Mpl90]

Guys, what was the estimated distance between the two analogues? I can't remember now and there was a photo posted here, but it's such a huge thread XD

 

[ZOONAMI]

If that is the final controller and it's a situation like with the Wii U gamepad where it is mandatory for almost every game... I'm out.

The gamepad is mandatory for basically none of the games released for wii u, so yeah, nice try.

 

[StoppedInTracks]

Some people don't seem to realise we've been able to game on smart phones and iPod touches and tablets for years now and the most satisfying games are the ones that use the touch screen in ways, like swipe and tap etc and not fake buttons or fake dpads. Fake buttons are bad, it's why some companies make bluetooth pads and screenholding pad handheld things with buttons and stick sand dpads, because it's shit without them. It's why there are some companies that make little button and stick things you attach to the screen over the fake buttons so you have "proper" buttons to use in those games.

Everyone going "wow, innovative, 10/10 move, keep it up Nintendo!" go whip out you iOS or Android smartdevice and maybe try booting up a platofrmer that uses traditional inputs (buttons and dpad). Maybe load up an emulator if you can and try playing Super Mario Bros or World and see how much worse it is than on an actual pad. Maybe try and play an action game in the style of DMC or Bayonetta (if any even exist on those devices).


Now, if they do use the "buttons pop up" thing that would be cool in a "wow, technology is crazy" way and be a million times better than touch screen fake buttons, there is how they feel, are they like, squishy? are they like popping bubble wrap in that they are very clicky? Can you mash on them?

And even then, you get the issue of button placement. If every game has it's own popup buttons that can be different shapes or in different places then it creates an issue with muscle memory and knowing what button to press/where to press without looking at the controls on the side of the pad.

Like, you could have a Mario game that just has run and jump, simple. But what are those buttons called? Are they A and B? Run and Jump? 1 and 0? Then you boot up Dark Souls 4 and now you need to press X and O and Y. Now you play something else but A and B are flipped, not the Nintendo way but the Xbox way. It can just cause confusion on the same console. People already struggle going between Xbox and Wii U and PS they could have this problem now between games on a single system.

Good post but stopped reading right there.

There will be little to none 3rd party games on NX especially From Software games.

 

[LegendofLex]

If that is the final controller and it's a situation like with the Wii U gamepad where it is mandatory for almost every game... I'm out.

The list of games that require the GamePad is much shorter than the list of games that don't. In fact, I'd be comfortable claiming it's shorter than the list of games that didn't just counting games from the launch lineup.

 

[Kissenkopf]

Wouldn't it be pretty tough to pull that off considering there are only 5 days between the leaks lol

Not really if you are motivated and good in working with these materials. You don't know if this thing is even filled with anything other than air. Why don't we get a photo of the back? The top? Why don't we see those amazing shoulder buttons?
Why did the leaker made a photo of the unit and it wasn't turned on like the first one?
I don't trust this source one second till they show me a video of the god damn thing.

 

[Sarobi]

I think it's real.

 

[8-Bit Sunset]

I don't even put a wallet in my back pocket. Why would I try to put this in there?

It was merely to illustrate how unportable it would be.
Now however posters are telling me that this is an actual controller and not portable.
I'm confused as if it were not portable, why the screen?

 

[Parapraxis]

Sticks look rather different. Convex vs Concave top, by my eyes.

Not enough information to make that conclusion. First image is too crappy.

 

[Zero²]

Well at least it's pretty!

 

[Peterc]

Dk2 hasn't been out for 2 years.

Ok almost 2 years, and I like it.

 

[Valkyr1983]

The gamepad is mandatory for basically none of the games released for wii u, so yeah, nice try.

Outside of ZombiU i cant think of any

although New Super Mario WiiU had this dumb thing where 2 players or more required one to use the gamepad

 

[Mihael Mello Keehl]

Good post but stopped reading right there.

There will be little to none 3rd party games on NX especially From Software games.

Too much for your heart huh? Got offended and had stop reading 😂

 

[The_Lump]

BATCH #3

I'd appreciate a Team Real please!

 

[Anarky]

Isn't the surface too flat for tactile buttons?

 

[Big One]

The gamepad is mandatory for basically none of the games released for wii u, so yeah, nice try.

Also the gamepad is actually a comfortable controller despite it's appearance. It's light and easy to use, comfortable to hold. I don't see how anyone can use it and seriously have issues with it form factor wise.

 

[Kouriozan]

Ahahaha, this thread.

 

[Plum]

I actually think the white one looks more like a retail product.

Maybe the white NX is the handheld (running a mobile tech demo) and the black device is the NX home console controller.

A mobile SoC is no cheap inclusion, if it's any good. Nintendo need a dumb terminal unit for the home console.

I'm thinking the opposite actually. The white one looks too hard-edged whereas the black one has that matte finish at the bottom and generally a much nicer looking design. Black consoles are also much more marketable these days.

 

[oti]

#teamtree

 

[ntropy]

I want to not believe

 

[Ashodin]

Nope. We do not know that yet.

True, but it's likely. Nintendo would want to fix problems with touch screens not having buttons.

 

[pinkurocket]

I see a good Splatoon controller tbh.