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Nintendo's mysterious NX is reportedly a portable console that connects to your TV

Nintendo's mysterious NX is reportedly a portable console that connects to your TV

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Cartridges, detachable controllers, and more

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The picture around Nintendo's next major piece of hardware is getting a little clearer: a new report from Eurogamer provides a number of new details on what the NX might look like. According to the report, the NX will primarily be a portable device with its own built-in screen, but it will also feature a somewhat radical design in the form of controllers that can detach from the device. You can then use those controllers to play games on your TV using a docking station that connects to your living room display. The site says the main unit will look something like this:

Eurogamer NX illustration
Eurogamer

The portable-focused nature also means that the NX will include a number of other features that set it apart from modern consoles, according to Eurogamer. Chief among these is that the NX will use some kind of cartridges in place of discs, much like Nintendo's 3DS handheld, and it will also be powered by Nvidia's Tegra mobile processor. And contrasting previous reports, Eurogamer says that the NX will use a brand-new, Nintendo-developed operating system, and not a version of Android. Because of all these changes the device reportedly won't feature any kind of backwards compatibility with Wii or Wii U games.

"It's something unique and different."

Nintendo has previously said that the NX would be a significant departure from the Wii and Wii U, and this report seems to go along with that. "It's something unique and different," explained Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima. "It's something where we have to move away from those platforms in order to make it something that will appeal to our consumer base." Previous reports also similarly claimed that the device would be some kind of mobile / console hybrid.

We still don't have much concrete information on the device — aside from the fact that it will launch next March and will be home to the next Zelda adventure — but it might not be too long before we find out. According to Eurogamer, Nintendo plans to officially unveil the NX in September.