Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Did the controller for Nintendo’s next console just leak? [updated with more images]

Gabe Carey
By

nintendo console controller possible leak 2 1024x576
Kotaku / Gabe Carey
Last year, I reported on a patent for Kotaku, filed by five designers at Nintendo, that appeared to contain the blueprints for the controller on Nintendo’s next console. Code-named the NX, rumors have circulated since 2014 that Nintendo’s next console would be a hybrid, fusing elements of both traditional consoles like the Wii U and portable hardware akin to the 3DS.

Updated on 3/23/2016 by Will Fulton: Two more photos leaked on Reddit today, adding legitimacy to the first image and giving a clearer look at the device.

Recommended Videos

Now that we’re getting closer to this year’s E3 press expo, however, it should come as no surprise that we’re beginning to see actual leaked photographs of the hardware that’s expected to be announced around that time. While these haven’t been confirmed by Nintendo itself, and more than likely never will be, Reddit user Idriss2Dev has posted an image, allegedly of the NX’s official controller, leading to retaliation from the gaming company’s most dedicated fans.

Related
1 of 3
nintendo console controller possible leak nx 3
Reddit / perkele37
nintendo console controller possible leak nx 2
Reddit / perkele37
nintendo console controller possible leak nx 1
Reddit / Idriss2Dev

It’s a rather convincing image, especially when taking into account the graphic we saw in last year’s patent. It appears to bear the LCD (or OLED) display shown before, though notably absent now are the ergonomic grips, leading to a number of complaints on Reddit.

“It looks too ugly and [uncomfortable] even for the crazy Nintendo of recent years,” writes Reddit user Balduf. “If [it’s] real Nintendo has finally lost it.”

Perhaps as a concession, a few features seem to have been added since the patent’s emergence as well, including a front-facing camera, a connector on the top for charging, and what look to be two speakers on the front in addition to a built-in mic. The on-screen buttons, nevertheless, still remain present.

All in all, the controller is not conventional by any means. When compared to Nintendo’s current Wii U gamepad option, the removal of real, physical buttons might be a letdown to traditional gaming enthusiasts. That said, let’s not forget that even the Wii U has a Pro Controller option.

Still, this is a leak from Reddit, so any reports on the image should be taken with an endless serving of salt grains.

It’s not clear yet when we’ll see an official NX reveal from Nintendo, but if past hardware announcements are any indication, E3 2016 would presumably be the appropriate venue. And, with Wii U sales still lower than any other current-generation console, it wouldn’t be unrealistic to assume Nintendo’s next console will see a hard launch later this year.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Gabe Carey
Gabe Carey
Former Digital Trends Contributor
A freelancer for Digital Trends, Gabe Carey has been covering the intersection of video games and technology since he was 16…
Nintendo’s eShop closures are a necessary, but messy move
A Nintendo Wii U gamepad flat on a table.

Nintendo last week announced its intentions to shut down the Wii U and 3DS eShops, the systems' digital storefronts, in March 2023. This decision was disappointing for hardcore fans who stuck with Nintendo during that rocky era and extremely worrying as many of the games available on the platforms won't be preserved.
More significant Wii U games and a handful of 3DS titles were ported to Switch, but many titles are still stuck on those systems and can’t be ported. Once the digital storefront shutdowns, digital-only titles will be gone forever, and physical copies of these titles will get more expensive and harder to experience. Fans and game preservationists have not been pleased by this decision, with the Video Game History Foundation giving the most candid response.
https://twitter.com/GameHistoryOrg/status/1494398068346654720
Following this announcement, Digital Trends spoke to an industry analyst and game preservationists to get a better idea of what exactly caused Nintendo to shut down these stores and to learn how it could do a better job at preserving its legacy.
Why is Nintendo shutting down the 3DS and Wii eShops?
Officially, Nintendo’s FAQ on the eShop closures says “this is part of the natural life cycle for any product line as it becomes less used by consumers over time." The answer doesn’t get into specifics and might confuse those still playing games on the system or fans of games only available on Wii U or 3DS. Omdia Principal Analyst Matthew Bailey explains Nintendo’s user base argument in more detail, highlighting the massive gap between the number of people playing the Switch as opposed to the Wii U.
“While Omdia expects the number of Switch consoles in active use to exceed 90 million on a global basis this year, the Wii U’s global active installed base will drop under one million in 2022,” he explains. “Even when you include the more enduring 3DS family of consoles into the equation, the Switch still comfortably accounts for over 90% of Nintendo’s total active console install base.”
If one is going off just the numbers, it’s sensible that Nintendo would want to focus on the majority of its players. Bailey admits that “Switch users are already reaping the benefits of Nintendo’s singular first-party development focus on one platform.” Still, one might argue that Nintendo should just let the eShops remain up even if it isn’t actively updating or maintaining them.

Unfortunately, Nintendo doesn’t see that as possible due to cost and security issues. Game Over Thrity, a Twitter user with over 20 years of experience working on IT projects and infrastructure, shed some light on what might have influenced Nintendo’s decision-making in a thread.
“As these systems age, they require patches, security, special contracts, updates, and personnel that know how they were built (and maintained),” his Twitter thread explains. “As time goes on, there are security holes, servers, code, infrastructure, etc., that can’t be brought up to modern standards. It becomes a constant struggle between maintaining legacy systems, paying people to do so, and trying to keep up with global regulations. It’s not cheap by any means. They can’t just ‘leave the lights on’ and stop supporting them. What if someone hacked the payment processor?”
With every passing year, the Wii U and 3DS eShops likely became more expensive to maintain and an increased security risk for the video game publisher. Instead of investing the time and resources into pleasing a smaller amount of players, the easier option is to turn everything off entirely. While he isn’t affiliated with Nintendo, Game Over Thirty’s assessment aligns with what we’ve heard from Nintendo and Omdia.
"The Wii U’s global active installed base will drop under one million in 2022."

Read more
Nintendo is ending Wii U and 3DS eShop service
Photos of the 3DS eShops

Nintendo has announced the end of its eShop service for the Wii U console and 3DS handheld. The eShop will stay live on those devices until late March 2023, after which players will no longer be able to purchase games or download eShop apps and services for those devices.

After the closure, players will still be able to redownload games and DLC that they already own, use online play, and download software updates.

Read more
Nintendo 2DS XL vs. Nintendo 3DS XL
new nintendo 2ds xl review 13703

Although the Nintendo Switch poses as a great portable console and reigns supreme in popularity, Nintendo isn't ready to let their handheld consoles fall to the side. Since the Switch's release, the 3DS has gotten a plethora of great games, including Metroid: Samus Returns, WarioWare Gold, Luigi's Mansion,Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, and Hey! Pikmin.

It wasn't a total surprise when Nintendo announced a new 3DS to add to their family of portable consoles. The Nintendo 2DS XL was announced just months after the initial release of the Switch. Additionally, Nintendo continued to provide support for its 3DS platform. Those of us who are in love with the Nintendo handheld consoles have a chance to continue to pick up these systems and find new games to explore.

Read more