Some people put forward the idea that NX will be a "fusion console", functioning as both console and handheld.
Others have suggested it's not hardware, but something more like Steam, or other similar "platforms".
Still others think it's just the next home console. Or the next handheld.
And then there's the "third pillar" ideas. And a few even think it's a mobile system of some sort.
So... what exactly will it be, and why? Is it just how you want it to be? Or do you have some evidence you want to put forward?
Me? I'm starting to wonder if it might not be a third pillar of a different kind. Reggie has recently made a point to observe that the current VR plans are "not fun", "not social", "just tech". What if NX is Nintendo's second foray into VR? Perhaps Nintendo decided that trying to add VR to an existing system as a peripheral just wouldn't work, and are deep in development of their own VR system.
What's more, VR would be the perfect target for a "third pillar" system. You have home consoles, which are really there for the multiplayer experience, and handhelds, which are good for gaming on the go, where you need a small form factor and the ability to play anywhere without risk. And then there's VR - the system that is the natural choice for single-player experiences and online play.
Of course, one of the challenges to VR is making the input process feel natural. I can't imagine standard controllers giving you a particularly effective control scheme - sure, you're seeing things virtually, but you're still shooting a gun by pressing a button that you can't see. On the other hand, more "intuitive" systems like Wiimotes, etc, run the risk of user injury due to not being able to see where they're swinging their hands. I could imagine this being one of Nintendo's key efforts towards NX, and also why they'd be avoiding making VR just a peripheral for an existing system.
It would also explain why they refer to it as a "platform" rather than a "system" (or other similar terms), and why they'd even think about holding Metroid off until NX (Metroid would *have* to be a launch title on such a system), while making sure to release Zelda on the Wii U.
Remember that mysterious tech acquisition Nintendo made? Early 2014? A year later, they announce the existence of NX. What if their mystery acquisition was something to do with VR?
Anyway, that's what I think NX is going to be.
