While The Inner Circle is primarily focused on Xbox, our staff is fond of other systems as well. As such you will occasionally see us comment on products outside of the Xbox ecosystem. It is important to remember that this is not a confirmed image and even if Nintendo did create this device it is not necessarily the final version which will be released to customers.
An image of what may be the controller for the upcoming Nintendo NX system has surfaced on Dual Pixels. Also reported by Destructoid, the new image reportedly shows off a relatively new display technology from Sharp, the manufacturer of the glasses-free 3D display on the Nintendo 3DS. Known as a Free-form display, this new type of screen can be made in virtually any shape unlike previous screens which needed to be manufactured in square or rectangular shapes. As you can see, the screen on this controller is rounded and the control inputs are positioned inside of the screen.
While there is already quite a bit of discussion about the validity of this image, the general shape and function are very similar to a patent application filed by Nintendo last year. The patent application features drawings showing a controller with hardwired dual analog sticks and buttons that are formed on the touchscreen as needed.
Thus you might encounter an enemy and a number of buttons appear for you to quickly grab an item from your inventory. The screen would then get rid of the inventory buttons and replace them with a new set of buttons for using your selected items. Some rumors suggest that the controller uses haptic feedback which will provide tactile stimulation. You might be able to feel a crack in a stone wall, for example.
Our Take: Nintendo is always experimenting with different ways to control our games. The R.O.B. Robot and Zapper packed with my first Nintendo Entertainment System are proof of that. Sometimes Nintendo’s wackiness results in awesome and unique game play experiences. Unfortunately, this could further weaken Nintendo’s position with third party developers. I have to wonder how many studios will devote extra time and resources to create features that can only be used on this console and not on systems with established consumer bases like the Playstation 4 and Xbox One. I for one am very interested in Nintendo’s NX reveal.
Do you think this image shows the controller for Nintendo’s next console?
