Nintendo NX Specs, Release Date & News: Rumor Round-Up

Nintendo has been keeping mum about its next console dubbed as the Nintendo NX. However, rumors are rampant, and right now, there's nothing that the company can do to stop them.

Although there has been no confirmation about the specs and features yet, Tech Times noted that there are already a couple of patents that are out which may give us a glimpse to what's coming.

The first, discovered by Nintendo Enthusiasts, is an "information sharing system" which is like a social app for players to share their achievements with one another. The tech will allow them to share gameplay leading up to the next achievement, with the option to adding messages as well.

The second patent is the look of the controller, which was reported by NeoGAF. It is said to be for an "operation apparatus" that shows it being held by the player with at least one hand. The image of the patent showed a handheld controller with a screen at the center, flanked by two joysticks.

The Nintendo NX is also said to be powered by an AMD chipset, which comes as no surprise, considering that Nintendo and AMD have already previously teamed up for the Wii U. As early as 2014, Tech Times noted that AMD financial officer Devinder Kumar already hinted at new chip designs that may be used to power a new gaming system.

That being said, there's a lot that we still don't know about the upcoming console, and Nintendo is not going to officially release details until 2016, as noted by their late CEO Satoru Iwata. She revealed the console at a press conference last March, but other than telling fans that the NX is a "dedicated game platform with a brand-new concept," nothing else will come out of the company.

However, Digital Trends did note that Nintendo has already begun distributing software development kits to developers. Sources told the Wall Street Journal that developers can use the kits to create new games and adapt old titles from previous platforms.

The release of developer's kits also almost -- but not quite -- confirms that the Nintendo NX may be out by the end of 2016. David Gibson, a Macquarie Capital Securities analyst said, "We are increasingly of the idea that Nintendo might launch the NX in 2016 because of the softness of 3DS and Wii U."

Of course, none of the details have been confirmed; they are merely rumors and teases, and until Nintendo makes the official announcement in 2016, all we can do for now is wait.