Nintendo NX Release Date and News Update: New Nintendo Console Rumors Abound

Jul 10, 2015 04:17 PM EDT

Nintendo NX rumors continue circulating on the web, despite a lack of release date information. Right around the time of E3 2015 in June, Nintendo confirmed the existence of a new console codenamed NX. Naturally, the NX designation will be dropped once the console nears completion. For now, gamers will have to wait for more news updates from Nintendo.

Release Date Uncertain

Recently, Forbes expressed doubts concerning a rumor suggesting that Nintendo NX will be out by July 2016. The publication pointed that the release schedule was "insanely fast", and that the current Wii U consoles was just four years old. Usually, a console's shelf life is around five to six years.

Rumors originated from Digitimes, which cited alleged insider sources. The Taiwanese publication claims that Nintendo plans to launch the NX in July 2016, and that the gaming company plans to sell 20 million units within the first year.

Back in March, Nintendo's chief executive officer Satoru Iwata formally announced the existence of NX at a major press conference. He also said that more Nintendo NX details will be released in 2016. In short, rumors will surface in the months leading up to the next official reveal. Even though it is fun to speculate, gossip should always be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Will NX Be Weaker Than PS4

Last week, Unseen64 tweeted that Nintendo NX is not on the same "power level" as the Sony PlayStation 4. The writer of the post also said that he got his information from "talking to the right people".

A weaker NX console may be fatal for Nintendo, which has seen a significant loss of revenue from disappointing Wii U sales last year. Even so Wii U sales increased in the United States this year, but just by 20 percent. This development was the mostly likely the reason behind Nintendo's refusal to slash Wii U prices.

According to iDigiTimes, Nintendo has a longstanding reputation of releasing slightly underpowered platforms. For instance, the Wii U's performance is comparable to Sony's PS3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360. It remains to be seen whether the recent Nintendo NX performance prediction will actually pan out.

Previously, Unseen64 was responsible for a number of unconfirmed leaks from within Nintendo. More recent leaks involve details behind the rumored demise of Project H.A.M.M.E.R. This full report can be seen in a video posted on YouTube. Bear in mind, that the sources cited in the report are anonymous.