Smells like a fall 2016 launch if they are already briefing third parties on it.

It's actually fairly in line with the Wii U. Developers were briefed on the system around April 2011. It launched in November 2012. 

So now we have developers being briefed in June 2015 or so (maybe even earlier?), which points to a November 2016 launch. 

More or less the same time line. 

Nintendo has said they don't want to show the system because they don't want the gimmick/"novel idea" of the machine stolen. That and Wii U/3DS sales are too fragile right now, no point in showing NX just to upstage the Wii U/3DS and lessen whatever holiday sales they were going to get. 

Nintendo: "Hey Activision, check out our a new game system."

Activision: "That looks really cool, I can't wait to make games for it."

Nintendo: "Oh wow, really?!"

Activision: "Yup, the new Skylanders is going to look great on it!"

Nintendo: "Oh well.. how about the new Call of Duty? Or Destiny? I think it'll go great with-"

Activision: "You know, I just remembered, I have a thing to go to so..."

More than a year likely just means fall 2016 people...

At the very least, it's a good indicator that the NX will be significantly more powerful than the Wii U and on par with the PS4/XBO, as anything less definitely wouldn't garner "positive response" from 3rd parties.

Could mean a million different things. 

Third parties were initially very positive about the Wii and motion gaming too. 

We kind of have to know what the NX is. My suspicion is it's not a conventional "giant box" game console like some people would expect. 

My personal guess is its a handheld-portable solution *first*, with the ability to have those same games run at home on the TV for those who want it *second*. Throw in some kind of control gimmick on top of that, and voila ... NX. 

the nx has to have these important pillars in order to succeed:
1. Great online service aka nintendo network needs to be more like xbl and psn

2. Hardware that's as easy to program for like the ps4 and xbone but at the same time be more powerful than both the ps4 and xboner at least 3-6 times more

3.No more gimmicks like the tablet just make something for the core gamer kinda how sony did the main reason why the ps4 is so successful is because they first catered and focused on the core gamers

Well, I don't mean to say they can't, but it seems to give 3rd parties less time to prepare games, unless they plan to make ports for the NX, or they can have games ready in 1 to 2 years. I don't think easy ports will be enough to bring 3rd parties over though. They still need to sell well enough.

If it lines up like the Wii U, it sounds like Nintendo will fail again with 3rd parties....

If they"re just starting talks now, a 2017 release is starting to sound more likely than 2016. That would make the 3DS their longest lasting handheld, presuming NX Home and NX Portable will be launching side by side.