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[BogusMeatFactory]

No system would be delayed a couple months because it adds a completely different game element. That would be an insane amount of work and redevelopment of all the software to encorporate it properly at launch. NX wasn't delayed to begin with as there was never a release date to begin with.

Oh hey, since we are on the subject when did Nintendo say it is a console handheld hybrid. Welcome to the real world everyone, where it does no good to answer questions that aren't posed and to hypothesize how the video game industry works as if we are experts. We don't know Jack and we aren't going to know until they tell us. What is the point of this discussion?

Here is my theory, the nx is a maracca based system.

[Exhuminator]

I've heard most of the internal bits of the Xbone/PS4 are highly standard compatible stuff (Sony certainly learned their lesson after the Cell). So it's probably easier than it all sounds.

Concerning Sony and Microsoft, it's likely not too difficult to make a beefed up version of their current consoles. But is this really doing either the early adopters or the developers any favors? It comes off like a desperate attempt to keep up with PC technology, probably spurred by publishers who want to make PC the lead platform, and don't want to be held back by lesser powered consoles they also need to maintain port parity to. So now let's have to worry about buying tiered iterations of a console, and pay $60 a pop to be a beta tester while downloading 30+ gigabyte patches / OS updates all the damn time. Man seriously fuck the eight gen. Ya'll can have that shit. I don't blame anyone for sticking with PC for modern gaming from now on.

But we still have to see what Nintendo's doing with the NX. Let's keep guessing. It's fun! For some good reading... here's the best two threads on NeoGAF about it (with sources):

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1171059

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1214267

[BogusMeatFactory]

I've heard most of the internal bits of the Xbone/PS4 are highly standard compatible stuff (Sony certainly learned their lesson after the Cell). So it's probably easier than it all sounds.

Concerning Sony and Microsoft, it's likely not too difficult to make a beefed up version of their current consoles. But is this really doing either the early adopters or the developers any favors? It comes off like a desperate attempt to keep up with PC technology, probably spurred by publishers who want to make PC the lead platform, and don't want to be held back by lesser powered consoles they also need to maintain port parity to. So now let's have to worry about buying tiered iterations of a console, and pay $60 a pop to be a beta tester while downloading 30+ gigabyte patches / OS updates all the damn time. Man seriously fuck the eight gen. Ya'll can have that shit. I don't blame anyone for sticking with PC for modern gaming from now on.

But we still have to see what Nintendo's doing with the NX. Let's keep guessing. It's fun! For some good reading... here's the best two threads on NeoGAF about it (with sources):

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1171059

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1214267

Microsoft and Sony are taking a page from Apple's hardware handbook. New iteration every year at full price and encourage consumers by making the previous iteration operational but very obsolete performance wise.

[Xeogred]

I've been meaning to casually mention it here lately, but I'm actually kind of interested in the PS4 Neo.

Call me a goomba's uncle.

[Tanooki]

I've been meaning to casually mention it here lately, but I'm actually kind of interested in the PS4 Neo.

Call me a goomba's uncle.

Uncy Goomba.

Bogus has a good point, those 2 are clowning their user base by thieving the Apple (and Nintendo handheld side) playbook. Outdate a system at a faster pace, allow the older to still run stuff in a degraded form, and eventually cause it just to not work at all -- yet each time give no break on price if not raise it a bit. Yet again another reason why it's better to piss hundreds now on a computer versus a closed media clone box with a corporate logo on it. Sure you get a few exclusives, but all the best of the rest more and more now are hitting the PC and in finer form.

[Sarge]

I actually hope they don't include VR. I mean, everyone is clamoring for Nintendo to stop with the gimmicks, and we're talking about VR as a must-have?

[Reprise]

No system would be delayed a couple months because it adds a completely different game element. That would be an insane amount of work and redevelopment of all the software to encorporate it properly at launch. NX wasn't delayed to begin with as there was never a release date to begin with.

I agree with your first point, as it does sound sketchy, but as for there never being a release date, that's not true. Nintendo announced the release date as March 2017, worldwide.

[Tanooki]

I remember them saying Spring but not the actual month when I saw that last, but now that you mention it that sounds familiar. My b'day is in March, maybe I can sucker a relative into buying it. I won't feel too bad if it goes down in flames among non-casual gamers (or Nintendo only gamers) like the last 2 Wiis did.

There's no way in hell they could do VR under what I'm thinking they'd go with hardware wise with their android leanings and with a date 9 months out the amount of retooling and starting over seems super unlikely VR is even a consideration. Then again if the stories at all hold true about a more consolidated single format perhaps with 2 tiers (hh vs little more beefier console like Nvidia tablet vs console for shield does) they wouldn't be above doing what they do with GBA, DS, 3DS and going all Apple on that crap which now Sony/MS are scamming hard on with their half breed consoles for 4K support.

[ElkinFencer10]

half breed consoles for 4K support.

I love that word choice given the negative connotation it has.

[isiolia]

Concerning Sony and Microsoft, it's likely not too difficult to make a beefed up version of their current consoles. But is this really doing either the early adopters or the developers any favors? It comes off like a desperate attempt to keep up with PC technology, probably spurred by publishers who want to make PC the lead platform, and don't want to be held back by lesser powered consoles they also need to maintain port parity to.

I don't think that's exactly the case.

I think, in part, it's because the state of console development - or development in general, really - has made it more readily doable. Things are more abstracted from the hardware, which is probably a good thing for the long-term. Say, why MS has backwards compatibility running where Sony doesn't.

While it's easy to say consoles are turning into PCs...they've always been special-purpose computers, and still are. It's just no longer practical to do things like they could 20 years ago, but the same is true for PCs.
The far more substantial competition now though, is from mobile devices. That's what I think they want to stay out in front of. PC gaming has always been there, doing what it does, and largely it hasn't changed how consoles have worked. Mobile has iterated very quickly though, and come to represent a large chunk of the market.