Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata says the gaming giant will not leave Wii U and 3DS owners high and dry as the firm works towards the next-gen NX console.
Speaking at an investor meeting, Iwata says the company will still prioritise users of its current consoles as it prepares to debut the NX console next year.
The chief executive said (via Cheesemeister): “The NX is new hardware, and will start from zero.”
“However, the 3DS and Wii U have install bases. Immediately cutting off software for previous hardware upon the release of a new machine is inefficient.”
Iwata may be stating the obvious, but the statement remains newsworthy given the Wii U’s continuing struggles and the importance of Nintendo’s next move.
“We will continue making 3DS and Wii U software while preparing for the NX,” Iwata added. “We are prioritising satisfying customers who purchased the Wii U.”
That’s good news for loyal, long-suffering Wii U owners who’ve seen third-party interest in the platform drop to an all-time low and delays for big-name first-party titles like The Legend of Zelda until 2016.
Nintendo doesn’t plan to unveil the NX console until next year, with an E3 2016 launch a serious possibility.
Details remain thin on the ground right now, but below are TrustedReviews’ gaming editor Sam Loveridge’s hopes for the all-important machine.
Read more: Nintendo NX: Here’s what we want to see
Nintendo fans, share your hopes and expectations in the comments section. Meanwhile, you can take a look at how Mario might look on the NX in the video below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUKcSiAPJoQ
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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.