Nintendo NX Development Does Not Include Shigeru Miyamoto

The creator of Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Donkey Kong is taking a break from console development. In an interview with Forbes magazine, famed developer Shigeru Miyamoto revealed he is taking a backseat for the development of the Nintendo NX, the next hardware platform from Nintendo.

The Inquisitr has already covered why Miyamoto believes the Wii U failed, and the next step is building excitement for the Nintendo NX, which we know next to nothing about. Miyamoto and Shinya Takahashi (head of Nintendo’s Software Planning & Development) are being tightlipped about the new hardware platform which was officially confirmed at Nintendo’s E3 2015 live stream press briefing. Nintendo President of America Reggie Fils-Aime confirmed the Nintendo NX was in development, but he said the world would have to wait until next year for more details.

“We’ll talk more about our next system, code named Nintendo NX, more in 2016,” – Reggie Fils-Aime

Shigeru Miyamoto is also known for some of the most important hardware innovations in Nintendo’s console history. The first analog controller for the N64 with the iconic “three-pronged” form was one of his contributions as was the Wii remote and nunchuck interface. Despite a successful history with hardware ideas, the stumbling of the Wii U may have caused Miyamoto to take a step back from this next hardware endeavor.

Speaking to Forbes, he stated, “I’ve pulled myself back out of some of the hardware section and I’m really focused on some of the software that I’m involved in-for example, the new Starfox game. Of course I am observing and looking at the hardware, but I am not actively participating and making decisions.”

There is blessed little we know about the Nintendo NX development and barring a serious leak from the house of Mario, we are not likely to get anything concrete until 2016. The only thing we know for certain about the console is the concept behind it. During the last Q&A with investors, Nintendo President Iwata stated the following, “Because we are calling it a ‘new concept’, we are not thinking of this as a ‘simple replacement’ for the 3DS or the Wii U.”

Whether or not the Nintendo NX is a true replacement, the Wii U has sold just shy of 10 million units as of this writing, placing it far behind the 22 million mark of the previous worst selling Nintendo Console; the GameCube. The PlayStation 4 is currently sitting at 22 million units with the Xbox One at 10 million.

Sites like TechRadar and Wired have been postulating as to what the Nintendo NX could be with its “brand-new concept.” Those with a longer memory will remember that Nintendo dabbled in VR already with the Virtual Boy and motion controls are now passé. Analysts are already cooling on VR for wide market appeal, and dedicated portable gaming hardware like the PS Vita and 3DS are on their last legs as every parent and kid have an iPad or another smart device. The speculation is that the Nintendo NX will be a console-portable hybrid, allowing gamers to take their games with them on the go. These speculations will have to remain as such until we know more next year.

[Image By Mark Davis / Getty Images]