One: It is the last console designed or influenced by Iwata. This means it will not be directly competing with Xbone or PS4. It will not be a ‘power’ machine.

Two: Nintendo’s console direction has been to declare independence from the TV. Nintendo sees the television as an artifact with the rise of smartphones, tablets, and everything else. There is no need to create a system that attaches to the TV because the TV is no longer the center of things.

Three: Nintendo bought or got into a partnership with DeMa, a Japanese online company. This partnership might provide the backbone of a new Nintendo online structure, i.e. a real account system.

Four: Zelda: Breath of the Wild will be a NX launch game. Breath of the Wild chooses not to use the Wii U screen which indicates there is only one display for the NX. This means there is no screen-on-controller and there will be no dual screen handheld.

Five: NX version of Breath of the Wild has enhanced visuals (confirmed by Reggie at E3 2016). Either NX is more powerful than the NX, or it does something graphically different.

Six: NX was delayed in order to get software ready for it. This means…

A: Nintendo intends to launch NX with a ton of software.

B: Software is taking longer to complete which is the trend throughout the game industry at the moment. If B is true, this means the NX may be more powerful than the Wii U. But if B is also true, it means Nintendo is going to struggle to put out games on a consistent manner.

And that is pretty much it.

For launch games, we know there is Breath of the Wild. This likely means Nintendo will not put out another single player adventure type game out for launch (unless Pikmin 4?). It is HIGHLY likely another launch game will be a party type game, a multiplayer type game.

If Nintendo was serious, they would have a soldier type game as a launch. This means a Call of Duty or other FPS type shooter.

I could tell Nintendo was very serious in 2006. Today, I sense Nintendo is not interested in those 2006 moves. Nintendo is more in ‘ark’ mode. They see existential threats to the business model and are creating an ark to deflect those threats. Microsoft’s Xbox is already being destroyed by them. Sony’s PlayStation is going to face a rough time should the TV fail to be the center of things.

I expect the marketing will be all done and ready. When NX is shown, it will be like sipping water from a firehose. The marketing campaign will be intense from the get-go. Nintendo literally cannot afford what happened to the 3DS and Wii U to happen again. They need a strong launch. I guarantee you that they will show the console. After Wii U’s reveal, there was so much confusion whether it was a new system that NOA sent out a tweet photo of Iwata holding the console!!!

Since it will just be one console, it cannot fail. Nintendo will have, in their eyes, a bullet proof launch title list. Breath of the Wild will be one. I imagine a party game, a type of Wii Sports like game, may be a second. I don’t think Kirby will be a launch game. I do think Nintendo needs an online FPS game at launch. Nintendo may have done a special deal with Ubisoft or EA for such a game.