Topic: Nintendo's NX console to skip E3 (UPDATED)

With their recent investors meeting, Nintendo has revealed some things about NX (and other parts of their business).

• NX is releasing worldwide in March 2017
• Zelda has been delayed to 2017 & will release on both Wii U & NX.
• As for E3, NX will not be featured, and the Wii U version of Zelda will be the only game on the showroom floor (other post-E3 games like Metroid Prime: Federation Force & Paper Mario: Color Splash, the latter of which is releasing in August, won't be playable, for example).
• Fire Emblem & Animal Crossing will be getting smart device entries hitting this fall/autumn.
• They are selling their controlling interest in the Seattle Mariners (a major league baseball team in the U.S.). The team has an estimated sale price of $1.2 Billion (maybe the sale is to make up for estimated money lossed by essentially skipping this Christmas season?).

I'm on my 3DS, so I can't post links, but the news is everywhere on Nintendo Life (& I'm sure on other news sites that cover more than just one platform).

UPDATE: Saw over on Nintendo Life that Nintendo has revealed more info on their E3 plans, and that they will indeed feature more than just Zelda.

In addition to the new Zelda, they'll be showing Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE (Wii U), Monster Hunter Generations (3DS), Pokémon Sun/Moon (3DS), Dragon Quest VII (3DS), and "more" (there will be a total of two days of Treehouse footage covering these games).

Not to surprised about them selling the Mariners. There really was no reason for them to own the team really. The only reason they did was because the president before Iawata liked baseball and wanted to own a team. Sadly he never went to a game.

I don't really think the shift to March 2017 is a deal-breaker, it will at least allow the NX to stand on its own merits without PS4K or PSVR stealing any of the media hype. Also, more time means more resources to polish any launch software.

The people who lose out are the hardcore Nintendo fans, in the short term that is.......the rest of 2016 will probably be bare bones, and if anything, a November 2016 launch date would have probably kept most of them satisfied in the Nintendo ecosystem, and not eyeing up a purchase of any competing consoles......obviously that's gone now, to a degree.

Have to wonder if the changes at the ownership level for Seattle will have any effect on the on-field product. Robinson Cano has a huge contract but hasn't really lived up to expectations and the Mariners would probably love to get out of that deal to some degree. Guy should've stayed in New York, his swing was perfect for Yankee Stadium. In all my years watching the Yankees he was the best second baseman we had and it's not even close. Alfonso Soriano was a good hitter but his defense left a lot to be desired, Cano was the real deal at the plate and in the field.

On topic... I don't think skipping E3 effects Nintendo NX too much. This year's show was going to be what it always is, a bunch of third party news and Sony and MS slinging mud. And if Sony and MS both do have new hardware information to share beyond just the PSVR, then it's possible NX would've been overshadowed anyway. I don't love Nintendo's approach but the people acting like this is the final nail in the coffin are hilarious. Typical internet gaming community overreaction. Just like the one to the PS4K. I'm taking the wait and see attitude with all 3 of the console manufacturers right now.

@Gamer83:

Well, to be honest, if the NX fails to take off, this could very well be Nintendo's last stab at the console home market. Of course they would still make software, but yeah, if sales are akin to the Wii U, or worse, say goodbye to that box under your TV.

That being said, I'm cautiously optimistic on the NX. I think most of that Wii arrogance is gone, and they know they have to pull this off right.

Yeah, I can totally understand the March launch, especially if it just wouldn't be ready by Christmas (and hey, 3DS ended up just fine), but I find a complete E3 no-show (for NX, that is) to be a real puzzle.

Ever since the event began, has a console ever not featured there in the year before it's release?

The NX skipping the holiday season is somewhat fine. True that it could have hit the holiday crowds, but with Sony releasing two things and possibly Microsoft doing the same, the NX would find itself lost. However, March is a weird time period too...it's fine for the ones that would have income tax returns, but for people that just spent a ton of money over the holidays, it's kind of a dumb mistake to release a console around this time. I know the 3DS released around this time, but it took a while to kick off, and I don't think the NX can afford to make a slow start (possibly could lose the third-party support again). Nintendo definitely needs this console to do and sell well, or they'll likely figure out other things to do...whether they become 3rd party or just a handheld company (3DS-type handheld).

As for the only one game being playable at E3, I technically don't care, but as long as they show enough gameplay of other games that are coming out, it shouldn't really be a big deal. Sony and Microsoft will be showing off a ton, and the other game companies will be showing off their gems...maybe nintendo has something else up their sleeves.

Missing the crucial Christmas period will mean a lot of potential lost sales. But if they do not have games in place then there is no point in launching. Suprising there will not be a showing at E3 thought they would want to build up the hype.

Just seems weird to announce the release window in a tweet. I believe they did that before the investor meeting. I think they mentioned the e3 plans, too. Just weird.

what saddens me is that now is certain that we are not going to be seeing Nintendo games on PS4 until at least 2018... I think that if it had launched to terrible sales in holidays 2016, they would have gone third party by the end of 2017 but now no matter how bad launch sales are they'll wait until holidays 2017 before considering going third party

@DualWielding:

I would rather have Nintendo stay independent as a software/hardware developer. It's good to have a grenade that you can throw in the Sony / Microsoft trench every now and then......mix things up.

@sub12: I agree - I do think they stand seperately from MS and Sony (for good or bad). A lot of people consider a Nintendo device to compliment their PS or XB.

Of course, that is the big problem for Nintendo - they have lost the ability to appeal as the one console people should buy. I am interested though. I kinda regret not getting a Wii U - it is the only Nintendo home console I have not owned but in the end, I went PS4.

@Rudy_Manchego: I wouldn't mind if it was cheap but paying $300.00 or more for a console just to play a few Nintendo games is not justifiable for me... partly because I'm not interested in some of Nintendo biggest franchises like Zelda, Mario Kart or Smash Bros

The problem with Nintendo is that they are a victim of their own success. Back in the earlier days of the NES and SNES they could tell consumers what they want and consumers would go along with it. Now times have changed and Nintendo just doesn't want to listen to consumers. While at times its nice to do your own thing it isn't good when you alienate people. People don't want gimmicks like touch pad controllers and such. They want a Nintendo system that can keep up with an Xbox and Playstation and be able to play their Nintendo games on too. One that developers like Rockstar and Ubisoft will want to put games on.

I personally don't think it will make March. I simply can't fathom why they're not showing it at E3 if they plan to have it out nine months later — that was the same gap between the PS4 announcement and launch.

More to the point, they didn't share financial guidance for the system, meaning they can delay it out of the fiscal year if they need to.

I don't follow the Nintendo news as closely as the Sony stuff so I could be completely off base, but this whole scenario with the NX strikes me they're behind schedule.

This. It's really not asking that much is it?

I think Nintendo are about to release a Phone.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20140121023.pdf

Heres the patent information, and the timing is pretty much spot on. We are now 2 years down the track and Nintendo have announced a release date. Sounds spot on to me. If you look at the patent, its clear the main object will have interchangeable buttons - so you can remove them when on your travels, but back at home you can stick the analouge sticks or additional buttons on.

I don't think they will show anything at E3 - as the PS4 and Xbox will no longer be the competition. Apple and Samsung will be.

@themcnoisy: It wouldn't be surprising. Keep in mind that Nintendo has evolved several times on what they produce. Originally they started out as a card game company, became a toy company then a video game company. This could just be their next evolution.

@get2sammyb:
When everybody was up in arms about it I suggested the same thing. It's entirely possible Nintendo is just giving the March target date to let people know the system is 2017 not 2016. I'm expecting a delay into August or September and that way Nintendo will still have an opportunity for an E3 showing. That said, if it does stay on track and make March, it's not impossible we'll see the system at an event before then. E3 is still big but people don't seem to realize it's not the end all be all anymore. There's Gamescom, TGS or Nintendo could hold its own event where Sony and MS won't be able to steal the headlines.