Yeah that was my first thoughts as well.

Nintendo does do their own thing and will look for a new blue ocean. That is what their other device is for, a new blue ocean in health / life improvements.

NX is stated as a dedicated gaming console. It may have a new controller OR it may decide to somehow build off of the gamepad idea (the portable portion) and the pro-controller (core gamer focus). I think WiiU proved Nintendo was moving back to a "normal" gaming controller as both of its controllers are dual analog with similar layouts to what has become the accepted control option.

To me, what is obvious is the blue ocean will be focused on inter-connectivity between smart-devices and dedicated consoles. It will be more about the gameplay options and bridging of said devices than a controller.

Oh, well yeah. Long term, Nintendo said it was going to be releasing products with shared infrastructure. When you say "NX family" you mean that their next updates to wiiu and 3ds will be similar. To that I can agree, but up to 2018, I'm not so sure. I think we'll see maybe the WiiU successor in a couple years, but I guess it really all depends on the potential profitability of the system. Once they get the engine going, they'll probably make decisions from there. WiiU has a lot of potential still unrealized. They could probably get to 20m+ from the system before updating.

I don't think there is a "blue ocean" out there.

What demographic doesn't play video games today?

Casuals/extreme non-gamers/housewives/women play smartphone games en masse, so Nintendo's entry into the smartphone gaming realm addresses that need. The market area that the Wii/DS filled is now filled and even expanded upon by smartphones, so that's not a blue ocean.

Sony/MS basically own the traditional gamer space. That's obviously not a blue ocean.

You can't just say "blue ocean" and then not have an actual audience to back it up with, it's just a meaningless buzz word otherwise.

I mean unless Nintendo is planning to make games for pets or erotic/sex based games ... these are actually legitimate blue oceans because no one is making games really for said audience, but obviously Nintendo isn't going in that direction.

I think with NX it's more just about being different from Sony/MS and hoping that's enough to garner a profitable hardware slice of the pie for Nintendo. They'll try the unified platform idea in unison with some wacky new gimmick/controller that hopefully works out better than the Wii U tablet did for them.

I have read this twice and still are unsure what the author is trying to say. May someone please provide me with some assistance?

If Nintendo is looking for my grandmother again, I'll be looking for some other place to play games lol

This article is a joke right? Might Nintendo try to create a new market? I m sure they are always trying to and/or working to that direction- but everything else in the article seems like an April fools post- none of it makes any sense-

Pretty sure QoL and iOS/Android will take care of that for Nintendo. 

In a way they kinda have the freedom to make NX whatever they want so long as it has a decent shot at profitibility. 

That sounds terrible. Thankfully his guesses are just guesses.

"In marketing language, a gimmick is a unique or quirky special feature that makes something "stand out" from its contemporaries. However, the special feature is typically thought to be of little relevance or use. Thus, a gimmick is a special feature for the sake of having a special feature. It began, however, as a slang term for something that a con artist or magician had his assistant manipulate to make appearances different from reality. Such things as the manipulating of a gaming wheel led to the idea of a "gimmick" being used. Musicians often use gimmicks such as Slash's top hat, Angus Young's schoolboy uniform and Deadmau5's mouse helmet.^[1]"

Let's do a checklist:

- The gamepad is unique, since no other console slapped a screen on a big controller. It's quirky too, unusual at least. It surely stands out.

- "Little relevance or use". It didn't changed significantly the gameplay in most games. It's basically inventory and mini-map, something that still can be done without it (and some could argue that at least the map is better on the TV itself).

- "A special feature for the sake of having a special feature". Right now, it's basically what the gamepad is doing.

That's from Wikipedia. Here's my dictionary. That's exactly the meaning of the word and it fits perfectly. The second and third sentenced that I cited are exactly what I said in my previous post. And with a source to back it up.

Actually Wii Mote is less gimmicky than the gamepad, if you ask me.

Sure you could play games like resident evil on other consols with a normal controller, but playing it with the nunchucks made it much better on the wii.

Meanwhile.... no game ive played so far, has made me think.... this gamepad is GREAT! how could I ever have lived without it.

Gamepad = expensive annouying screen you have to look at instead of tv, to see your minimap.

And its not nearly as comfortable to use as a normal controller. When I play on the wii, I usually hog the normal controller and force my brother on the gamepad.

To me atleast, gamepad is a failed design. I think nintendo should have used a normal controller and sold their consol 100$ cheaper.

Also you cannot compair Nunchucks to gamepad, because the nunchucks where much cheaper, so the overall cost of it didnt effect the consol price as much as the gamepad does. The gamepad needs to go, nintendo tried it this gen and it failed. Hopefully they realise this and dont make same mistake next consol.