PlayStation and Xbox both have their own unique controllers, but over the last twenty years, they’ve remained mostly the same in design. Sure, the DualShock 4 received a fairly major overhaul with the introduction of the PlayStation 4 in 2013, but it’s still using the same general shape, button layout, and design that they’ve been using since the launch of the original PlayStation. They only changed things around a tiny amount, keeping the same overall shape and design, while adding a ton of new features and functionalities.
Speaking of functionality, the Sixaxis was the first controller to actually try and do something a little different from its predecessors. It introduced motion sensing, which at the time was a pretty big deal. Of course this came at the unfortunate cost of having no rumble functionality with the original launch model Sixaxis controllers, but this was later remedied with the release of the DualShock 3.
Yet, while the PlayStation 3 introduced new controller functionality, they didn’t change the design of the controller itself. They made some minor changes to the triggers, and added a new PS button, but the core experience remained the same.
And that’s where Nintendo is different.
Unlike the other two console manufacturers, Nintendo has a strong tradition of changing things up as much as they possibly can. From the original Nintendo Entertainment System pad, to the current feature-rich Wii U GamePad. Nintendo does things differently. They always have, and with the recently announced Nintendo NX making headlines around the world right now, it’s only natural to assume that the codename NX will once again change the very face of what makes a video game console, a video game console.
While the Nintendo NX is currently a mystery, it is safe to assume that it will be a very hands-on approach to gaming, requiring actual physical activity to interact with on-screen content. While I had originally predicted that Nintendo would launch a new handheld in 2016, and in my prediction I mentioned augmented reality as a prime focus moving forward. It’s very logical for Nintendo to release a sort of hybrid console, one with the portability of the Nintendo 3DS, and the power and TV connectivity of the Wii U. It may also act as a second controller, or an optional accessory to Nintendo’s current systems, since Nintendo has confirmed that the NX isn’t intended to replace its current lineup of hardware, but to instead compliment it. If you analyze that particular statement, it tends to point towards Nintendo’s new Quality of Life range of technology and services. Perhaps the NX is the NeXt evolution of full-body gaming, or augmented reality.
The NX code name itself implies a massive change to the current concept of gaming. Nintendo has a history of providing code names for consoles that had the potential to change the industry. Project Reality, aka Nintendo 64, was the most powerful video game console at the time, significantly beating out the Sony PlayStation in raw graphic capabilities.
And then we had the Nintendo Revolution, which later became known as the Wii. As you’re likely well aware by now, Nintendo literally revolutionized the video game industry with their motion control technology. They forced Sony and Microsoft to come up with their own comparable technology, which resulted in the Kinect from Microsoft, and the blatant ripoff known as PS Move from Sony.
And now, Nintendo’s at it again. The Nintendo NX. It could very well become the Next Revolution in gaming, possibly requiring hands-on interaction.
What do you think the Nintendo NX is? What do you want it to be?
Leave a comment with your thoughts!
Oh, and if you’re reading this article, please remember to enter into our May 2015 giveaway. We’re giving away a free copy of Rogue Legacy on Steam to one lucky commenter.
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