[Customer]

Nintendo has filed a patent application for a “stationary” games console – thought to be the Nintendo NX – with the USPTO, it has recently been discovered.

The filing was originally made back in February, but was only published yesterday. According to the particulars of the patent, which refers to a prior application made in Japan back in February 2014, Nintendo’s claims apply to a “Stationary Game Apparatus, Game Apparatus, Game System, Recording Medium and Speed Control Method”, which includes a “controller with a display screen” as well as “Speed Control Processing”.

The abstract notes:

An example system includes an internal hard disk drive storing a program and/or data, a communication unit transmitting/receiving a program and/or data via a network, and a processor executing a program stored in the hard disk drive to perform game processing.

Interestingly, the synopsis goes on to state that “the example system is not provided with an optical disk drive for reading out a program and/or data from an optical disk,” while later in the document, a description reads: “[the internal hard drive] can store therein the game program and the game data”. Does this mean that the Nintendo NX could be the first major home console to go digital-only?

The fact that the filing also cites “high-speed communications” as being a method for distributing a game program from a server to the “game apparatus” certainly seems to suggests that this is the case.

Pictured below are two images attached to the application (click to enlarge). FIG. 1 shows “an example non-limiting block diagram illustrating a configuration of a game apparatus”, while FIG. 2 shows “an example non-limiting block diagram illustrating a configuration of a controller included in a game apparatus”.

Notably, the inclusion of a memory card slot is highlighted in FIG. 1, which Nintendo’s application suggests will be used, at least in part, to provide OS updates to those users without an internet connection.

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[Roosta]

This will be interesting although I hope there will be a way to lend friend games as I still prefer disc copies for this reason.

[Customer]

Nintendo's dead and we all need to accept it.

Smash is doing fine, and I'm sure if they shit out another mario game that would somewhat be decent I'm sure they'd raise sales.

[Saikou]

Smash is doing fine, and I'm sure if they shit out another mario game that would somewhat be decent I'm sure they'd raise sales.

Smash will never have a game that is better than Melee.
But that's just my opinion, not the sales figures'.

[Customer]

Smash will never have a game that is better than Melee.
But that's just my opinion, not the sales figures'.

I definitely 100% agree. Sm4sh is fine, but it will never amount to something like melee.

[Exkr]

I really prefer the older Nintendo consoles like the Super Nintendo and the GameBoy, I didn't like anything other than that. I like being able to buy second hand games and not paying full price, but that's just me.

[Skullmeat]

All the games will come on Amibos.

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Smash is doing fine, and I'm sure if they shit out another mario game that would somewhat be decent I'm sure they'd raise sales.

Smash was fun for about 3 days for me. Problem is, I'm a huge fan of combo based fighting games like BlazBlue and Killer Instinct. Smash isn't a fighting game, it only pretends to be.

I was waiting for the new Star Fox they announced, but they carrot dangled that for ages, and from what Ive heard of the demos, its not very good. (They did this crazy screen/gamepad deal, with 2 perspectives. The consensus among players is its confusing.)

The NX is a bad idea. It reminds me of what sega did in the mid 90's with the crapload of Genesis addons, and the Saturn. Sega never did fully recover from that.

[Customer]

All the games will come on Amibos.

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Smash was fun for about 3 days for me. Problem is, I'm a huge fan of combo based fighting games like BlazBlue and Killer Instinct. Smash isn't a fighting game, it only pretends to be.

I was waiting for the new Star Fox they announced, but they carrot dangled that for ages, and from what Ive heard of the demos, its not very good. (They did this crazy screen/gamepad deal, with 2 perspectives. The consensus among players is its confusing.)

The NX is a bad idea. It reminds me of what sega did in the mid 90's with the crapload of Genesis addons, and the Saturn. Sega never did fully recover from that.

Smash wasn't really classified as a fighter game, more of a brawler. See here.

I agree, the no disc drive thing sound like it could definitely flop if not done right to counter 100% downloads.

[Skullmeat]

Smash wasn't really classified as a fighter game, more of a brawler. See here.

I agree, the no disc drive thing sound like it could definitely flop if not done right to counter 100% downloads.

Regardless, people treat it like it is. I just can't get into it anymore.