Nintendo filed patent for gaming console without disc reader

[FireGrey]

No discs doesn't necessarily mean cartridges. It could be download only.

The patent shows an external module labelled "Memory Card".
It also shows how it contains 2 components, one of which is put into memory and the other stored and accessed using the "Identification Information Obtaining Unit".
Oh and lets not forget that there is a module labelled "Card Slot".

The only thing I don't understand about this is why would the game apparatus PSU be connected to the controller connection unit as such a big thing.
The only way it could make sense to me is if they were using wireless charging.
The rumor that the NX handheld would be doughnut shaped makes me think that maybe they will put a dildo charging unit on the console to allow it to charge multiple handhelds at the same time and this diagram furthers that idea.

 

[Vipera]

DVDs=/=BluRay=What consoles actually use these days

A 20gb bluray is still a lot cheaper than a 16gb card.

 

[ultimatetemper]

Seeing how Nintendo's online infrastructure (and their entire "philosophy" on online play) is still stuck in 2000, I highly doubt they'll manage to successfully go "all digital" with whatever this patent pertains to.

Nintendo's online infrastructure is the best of the three big brands, and even more, it's free.

 

[TecXero]

Nintendo's online infrastructure is the best of the three big brands, and even more, it's free.

I don't even do online gaming and I know they're not. They have little to no voice communication in games, they still seem to have stability issues (I still see people complaining about MK8 or Splatoon desyncing and lag), and overall they're still very barebones. That stuff doesn't matter to me. Though, I wouldn't mind the crossbuy feature PS4 and Vita share. More price drops wouldn't hurt either.

 

[raulpica]

A 20gb bluray is still a lot cheaper than a 16gb card.

Definitely, can't wait to see yet another N64.

Nintendo wants to be Steam, when truthfully their current online infrastructure is not even on par with XBOX Live on XBOX1.

Whoop de do, better grab the popcorn, this one is going to crash and burn badly.

 

[WiiCube_2013]

No discs doesn't necessarily mean cartridges. It could be download only.

That's just not the Nintendo we know.

Also, this is part of the patent and rather interesting:

[0028] The card slot 19 of the game apparatus 1 may receive or discharge the memory card 7 such as an SD memory card

The Wii and Wii U both have an SD Card slot but this may be the time Nintendo switches to their own proprietary game cards finally.

 

[Lucifer666]

I rarely buy physical copies anymore, unless I feel like I need one and if I don't, I sell it back and buy the digital copy instead.

i only do it cos I'm poor and secondhand games are cheap

 

[KingVamp]

1) All digital Please no.
2) Make their own game cart. Same capacity and price as CDs. Which would be crazy and neat. Maybe you can play a portable version of the game on the handheld and play you handheld games on the TV.
3) Wii U mini
4) Means nothing

 

[FAST6191]

A 20gb bluray is still a lot cheaper than a 16gb card.

http://www.pacificdisc.com/PricingBluRay.html

Can't find anything on aliexpress right now but more general vendors
http://www.digikey.com/product-sear...t=0&page=1&quantity=0&ptm=0&fid=0&pageSize=25

It is not uncompetitive, especially if it is going to be more funded by the end user/reused.

 

[the_randomizer]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_64

pretty sure they made this mistake already ohh a decade and some change ago

The carts weren't the issue, the issue was limited texture cache and storage, but carts now hold several gigabytes in size, so....

No discs doesn't necessarily mean cartridges. It could be downlod only.

That would block bollocks, because unless it was like Steam where it was tied to an account and not a console, only then would it work well.


Digital download only be damned, until people can redownload as often as they need to without repurchase games, I refuse. And the whole N64 thing, space was the only reason it lost, hardware-wise it was quite powerful and now carts can hold many GB, it wouldn't be an issue.

 

[Vipera]

http://www.pacificdisc.com/PricingBluRay.html

Can't find anything on aliexpress right now but more general vendors
http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en?pv142=1094&pv142=482&pv142=495&FV=fff40027,fff80434,2380161,23801e2,23801ef,238039d,238039e,2380446,2380458,2380459&k=nand+flash&mnonly=0&newproducts=0&ColumnSort=0&page=1&quantity=0&ptm=0&fid=0&pageSize=25

It is not uncompetitive, especially if it is going to be more funded by the end user/reused.

Cheapest card I found following that link is a 2gbit card for 4$. Double the price for a 25GB bluray...

If you've seen something else please let me know. That site looks awful.

 

[loco365]

I seriously hope they don't go all digital. Not only would it cause a lot of headache, but people that want to get games for it can't just go to a store and get a digital copy. They have to get all tied up with credit cards and whatnot to get the digital copies. People that aren't as tech savvy may have issues with this. If they do at least make the switch to a different physical medium that may be okay.

However, this does not rule out an optional optical disc drive attachment for the NX just like the DD was for the N64. If the rumor of having a gaming console for less than the going price of a N3DS is to be believed, there's going to definitely be some sacrifices. I think a disc drive is one of them.

 

[FAST6191]

Cheapest card I found following that link is a 2gbit card for 4$. Double the price for a 25GB bluray...

If you've seen something else please let me know. That site looks awful.

The site is a fairly standard catalogue type format for those that need a compare and contrast/quick refinement. Most dealing with it would hold it is one of the better interfaces of electronics vendors. Around 5USD will get you into the 32GB range. Depending upon what goes you might also be able to double up on cheaper memory modules. Not a price beater by any means but within the realms of competitiveness and random access times are considerably better than optical media as well (though I suppose the 360 style install to hard drive then becomes an option).

 

[laudern]

Whatever the NX is, if it can not play third party games as good /better than the ps4 or even xbone, with no major redesign needed, it will fail.

If I were ea or Activision (are they still around??), I wouldn't bother risking it.

 

[Taleweaver]

Next E3, nintendo will announce that the final follow-up CEO for Iwata will be...

Gabe Newell.

The NX will be a partnership between nintendo and steam: nintendo will provide the hardware (on valve's specs), valve will provide steamOS. Valve will handle account management, nintendo will handle the first party support.


You've heard it here first!

 

[Geno Breaker]

Nintendo is probably not going to go all digital. Internet infrastructure, especially in America, can't support that for a mainstream console with awful download speeds and data caps. Nintendo probably wouldn't even have the servers for it, considering what happened with Smash DLC. Not to mention they wouldn't get money from retailers unless they set up kiosks, which would increase the risk of pirating. If this is the NX, I'm betting the "memory card" stuff would be like a game cart for the NX portable like the PS TV. Iwata already mentioned the iOS in regards to the NX architecture being "shared". Maybe it will be a New 3DS situation where a game gets improved on the better console?

 

[Deleted User]

Next E3, nintendo will announce that the final follow-up CEO for Iwata will be...

Gabe Newell.

The NX will be a partnership between nintendo and steam: nintendo will provide the hardware (on valve's specs), valve will provide steamOS. Valve will handle account management, nintendo will handle the first party support.


You've heard it here first!

I would burn all my Nintendo consoles and become an Xbox fangirl if that happened.

 

[the_randomizer]

Rather Valve CEO than EA to be honest.

 

[Deleted User]

I don't even do online gaming and I know they're not. They have little to no voice communication in games, they still seem to have stability issues (I still see people complaining about MK8 or Splatoon desyncing and lag), and overall they're still very barebones. That stuff doesn't matter to me. Though, I wouldn't mind the crossbuy feature PS4 and Vita share. More price drops wouldn't hurt either.

Halo lags way more than Splatoon. I've rarely encountered lag in Splatoon. Oceanic gamer BTW.

Also, what if it is a Wii U revision with no disc drive and more storage space?

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Rather Valve CEO than EA to be honest.

I never tried Origin, Battlefield etc, but I am really looking forward to Star Wars Battlefront so ATM I would rather have EA

 

[TecXero]

Halo lags way more than Splatoon. I've rarely encountered lag in Splatoon. Oceanic gamer BTW.

Also, what if it is a Wii U revision with no disc drive and more storage space?

I was only going off of other's complaints. I don't play games online so I'm not really worried about that. I don't like the idea of digital only unless they're willing to go DRM free. See my earlier posts about my opinion on that.