We still have some waiting to do before we find out more about Nintendo’s next console.
Nintendo announced today that it will run a Nintendo Direct livestream on September 1, focusing on upcoming releases for its aging 3DS handheld system. Nintendo specifically told GamesBeat in an e-mail that the NX, the codename for its next console (one that we don’t know much about), won’t be discussed during the presentation. The Japanese company usually has at least one surprise announcement during a Nintendo Direct, often revealing a new game. The 3DS was actually the best-selling system in July thanks to the new release Monster Hunter Generations and renewed interest in old Pokémon games thanks to the Pokémon Go craze.
Upcoming 3DS games include Pokémon Sun and Moon, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice, Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past, Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse, and Mario Party: Star Rush. We could see any of these during the broadcast.
The 3DS is in its twilight years. The portable released in early 2011, making it more than five years old. It has been a success for Nintendo, selling around 60 million units worldwide, but some fans and analysts think that a successor could be coming soon.
Specifically, rumors suggest that the NX could be a hybrid portable/home console. If this is true, the NX could become a replacement not just for the floundering Wii U but for the 3DS as well. However, the 3DS still shows signs of life. As we noted earlier, it was the best-selling system in July, according to The NPD Group.