It’s looking more and more like the forthcoming Nintendo NX console will rely on cartridges for playing and storing games.
The Wall Street Journal has it on good authority the Japanese giant is going back to the format it last embraced on a home console with the N64. Since then, the Gamecube, Wii and Wii U have all relied on an optical drive.
Also, the WSJ’s sources claim, Nintendo knows cartridges are harder to damage than discs, which is important considering young children are a considerable element of the company’s clientele.
Related: Nintendo NX: Everything we know
The report says: “Nintendo’s core fans include small children, who might scratch discs but find cartridges tougher to damage.”
Given the NX is rumored to have a portable element, that added durability and potentially reduced size is also important.
If gamers will be carting their cartridges around with them and whipping them out in public, optical discs don’t really feel like the most prudent option.
Will they be full-sized beasts like the 64 consoles or can we expect 3DS-like cartridges?
We won’t know for sure until March 2017.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.