AMD working on new x86 CPU for a Nintendo console?

Link

Some sources are saying it's pointing to Nintendo as they will be the last to switch processors and 2016 will be the 4th year since the Wii U has been out. So far nothing has been confirmed from Nintendo, but at least they're making a new console and hopefully they can learn their mistakes from the Wii U.

Chances are that this new console may not have Backwards Compatibility as this new console will have a whole new architect that Nintendo has kept since the GC.

Also, I'm not getting my hopes that Nintendo will add-on extra features or make this console at least powerful than the Xbox One or even the PS4. I'm thinking that Nintendo will try to keep costs low at minimum of $300 and may also try to bring over Wii U, Wii, GC adapter controllers along.

Lets hope that make the console strong enough to get 3rd party games or it's a no buy for me.

Hm, intriguing.

I don't think so, but at least the same architect will allow for easy porting of 3rd party games. Also, since 4k is on a rise, I don't expect Nintendo fully embracing it neither.

Let's hope Nintendo stops being dumb.

We all know you'll just get it on another console anyways, so drop the charades and just admit it doesn't appeal to you.

You know they won't lol.

Just curious though. 3rd party games. You can get them on PS consoles, Xbox consoles and PC. What would be the added appeal of getting them on a Nintendo console? I understand that Nintendo as a business should want to do this. But as a gamer, what would be the added appeal for you?

Just stepping away from the SW bs for a second, I fully understand that lacking 3rd party is crap for Nintendo. Just not sure how it affects you and your purchase decision.

I only ask because I'm finding myself in the opposite situation. Everything is basically becoming a 3rd party box. I have no interest in the Xbone. Playstation consoles have been my primary since the PS1 came out, but now I find myself wanting to sell my PS4. Every 3rd party game I want is coming to PC and will be better for it. Now the only console I care to hold on to is the WiiU because of the exclusives.

Likely setting up for a 2017/2018 release. The WiiU, despite abnormal sales, still has a good 2 years in it I think.

Good question. As a primary Wii U owner (got PC but only buy the rare games for it like Fallout/Skyrim) I'd buy them. But since the 3rd party ports that Wii U has got has been pretty iffy (almost all 3rd party AAA games on Wii U have terrible frame rates) I tend to wait for them to be on sale. I preordered Bayonetta 2 because I knew it was gonna be a good game. So I guess to answer your question I'd buy 3rd party ports if they were decent. I'm not asking for parity with X1/PS4 or whatever future consoles they make, but they need to be playable. And if they are going to be a poor port of said game I think they should be lower in price to reflect the quality of the port.

Hopefully it's a good deal better than the crappy CPUs they provided for X1 and PS4.

i HIGHLY doubt they want to keep falling into obscurity by waiting till 2017/2018. Look for a late 2016 release.

@ConanTheStoner:

The 1st party isn't cutting it for me. I could leave it and not miss it. Buying 1-2 games a year like I'm doing now for the Wiiu makes the console not worth it.

If they were smart they would be working towards having easy 1080p/60 fps. Whatever the games today are running at on PC. Use those specs then go from there. If they are going to do this new system thing they need to do it either soon or later. Sooner means more time to establish a userbase before the X2 comes out and before Sony can roll out PS5 as a cloud service. In this way Sony and Nintendo will form a symbiotic partnership. Sony games will be on Nintendo Systems, and both will help each other to sell consoles/games. Nintendo is the one that has to pay for hardware development, and Nintendo gets added publicity from having Sony games on their console.

And if its going to be an APU it better be a good one. The PS4 and X1 have really given me a bad impression of APUs.

Cool, but then where does 3rd party come in and change that?

That's what I'm asking. Why would Nintendo having 3rd party support make you suddenly change your tune if you can get those games everywhere else?

Because people would rather buy one system than two.

Oh I hear that man. I dream of the day that I can just buy one platform for all my gaming needs. Aside from the Xbone, I've owned every relevant console since the Atari 2600. I hate having to fork out the cash every time, but I also hate missing out on good exclusives.

My question was really geared more towards Heil personally, wasn't just a general question for everyone.

I know he owns plenty of platforms. I know he's not big on Nintendo games. So why would he buy a Nintendo console for the multiplats?

Nintendo once dominated the console wars, even their slogan was "now your playing with power." I think Nintendo is they play their cards right can take that title back. Innovation is one thing if optional, for hardcore gamers though, keep it traditional in regards to controllers and such.

Nintendo's main and only problem has always been the same, everything about them is archaic/outdated/traditional/conservative and that is very limiting. And they want to have so much control over everything like a dictatorship that 3rd party's avoid them like the plague ever since the PS1, when they all jumped ship and never looked back.

The only way Nintendo can be successful again in the console market is if they are able to create another gimmicky console that appeals to the casuals but I doubt it. Or if maybe they stop being so old-fashioned and get with the times.

Funny, because various 3rd parties are coming off as dictators due to how they treat their customers. In addition, they are gaining far too much power (although no where near as much as the consumer, who are helping in spawning these actions to begin with).

For me, it might have meant I get a Nintendo console instead of the other two. It might make it a primary console again for people.

I say meant, because the other two were so bad, I went to the PC, so all 3rd party games I'll get on the PC from now on.

The problem was, I didn't want to buy a console just for one companies games, but that's exactly what happened with the other two now. It's just the few yearly exclusives on the other consoles as well which is of any worth imo.

I guess that's what makes the Wii U the better combination with the PC, less shared with it. I see what you're saying about wanting to sell your PS4. I want to sell my X1, but I'd lose so much money, that at this point I'm better off just leaving it. However I've cut right down on usage, getting games for it, paying for any subscriptions...

But I think this is my last gen buying a physical console. Next gen I might get PS Now and/or the Xbox equivalent if they're available on non console hardware devices.

The problem with PS and Xbox consoles, is that they've turned into weak PCs. Even the hardware is now entry level PC parts. They don't have much of an identity, they don't do anything the PC can't do and all the games are available on the PC now. The uniqueness is gone. Before consoles used to have so many games that wasn't on the PC. And PS had its Japanese identity which is largely gone now compared to how it used to be. Consoles used to be completely different from the PC.

I see console gaming (Wii U not included) as 'PC gaming lite' as in a simpler variation. I don't even mean it in an elitist way, it's just how it looks to me. Blame Sony and MS, they took the PC friendship too far.

@HalcyonScarlet:

Man we're EXACTLY on the same page lol. Such an odd turn of events, but I guess we could all see it coming since early last gen.

On the one hand it saddens me because I do miss the days of consoles doing their own thing.. having their own identity.

Then again, it's not so bad. Finally we're approaching an era in which you don't need multiple boxes to have it all. Between PC and Nintendo I'll pretty much be set for this gen.

It would be hilarious if Nintendo laid it down and announced an uber console with top of the line specs and whatnot.

Never going to happen though.

More like idiotic.

To digress a bit, when you started gaming on the PC, was it a surprise at how much nickel and diming goes on in consoles (Xbox and PS)? Because I had no idea how hard MS were doing that until I went PC, and now PS is similar to that. It's crazy how much money I realise I wasted last gen as well. And DLC is the worst trend to come from consoles. You can end up spending twice to price of the game just buying extra content now.

Everything is free or cheap on the PC. I had no idea it was quite like this.

I have been thinking that way for quite a long time. Reason why I have a PC is because of money, sure a lot of people can throw in lame excuses like running games or having to waste money for powerful parts. IMO, it's a much better investment in the long-term as my PC was built in 2011 and still can run today's games at a decent setting.

Why I have a heart for Nintendo? They have been in this industry for a long time already, and their roots wasn't from making PC hardware or software like Sony and Microsoft. What makes Nintendo standout than the competition is their Arcade roots and understanding that it's better to have fun than to be impress with computer power.

Ugh... AMD.

I prefer to game on a console, but I only get one per gen. I would get Nintendo's if it had equal 3rd party support to the other systems and there were enough people playing online to fill up rooms.

Since the WiiU had 3rd parties at launch, I really think if they had released a killer 1st party title (Zelda, Kart, or Smash) that attracted millions of buyers it might have changed everything.

I just wish that Nintendo built a home console that can attract third-party support. How can Nintendo attract third-party support for handhelds (e.g. Bravely Default), but for some reason is unable to do so for home consoles.

AMD is fine if they "the console companies" are willing to pay for the material to support the increases in performance from better and faster hardware.

This, a lot of people put the blame on AMD for such crap parts in the consoles, in fact it's Sony and Microsoft that didn't want to shell out for better hardware, there's nothing wrong with AMD, in fact their APU's are the best on the market.

OT: I think it's great Nintendo might go X86, lets hope its powerful compared to the competition and the company have the games in the first year of release. Great games out of the gate is what excites people to buy a system, that and the games looking like graphical masterpieces, people want to know that you NEED to upgrade to the new console to play a game(s) that look that amazing.

Considering a release would be at minimum 2 years its hard to see if the new console would be a WiiU all over again or not. It seems late to party that is going on now and too early for the next one. I think if Nintendo came out in 2 years for example with a "short term" project to basically be a currernt gen machine that CAN run at 1080 with 60fps and some decent exclusives just for the sake of not allowing Sony or Microsoft to try and buy their way in then I think as this current gen has really been flat imo then Nintendo could get themselves back in the race in regards to mainstream western gaming. I'm directing this point to the home console market and obviously not their dominance in the handheld market.

wow it's been out quite long and we still haven't seen a new Mario, or a new Zelda, by the time the big hitters come out for the Wii U, we'll be looking ahead at there new console, it's a slightly worrying it's taking them this long to get there big hitters out the get.

I was thinking about getting a Wii U next year, I think I may reconsider and just hold out for there new console.

I'm staying strong and i'm still saying if Nintendo made a beast of a console to rival Sony and Microsoft, which is easy to develop for, then third party will be back and I honestly believe it will blow away the competition even from a Sony Fan, I'd love a decent Nintendo Console which isn't fixated on Gimmickry

The WiiU already has two new Marios. NSMBU and SM3DW. Most of their other major franchises have already seen release as well.

The only big hitters we're really missing are Zelda and Metroid.

lol preach. If it isn't this excuse it'll be another one. Next it will be 'The Online isn't as good as Sony/MS. Or they'll complain about the hardware price even though its more powerful than both. Or it will be that their friends are on other said consoles so it defeats the purpose of buying the 3rd party games on the next Nintendo console. Or it will be that the controller isn't as good as the X1/PS4 controller. All this is is Nintendo answering the graphic whores bluff and doing everything the 3rd party devs and 'mature hardcore' gamers asked. All this might do is make them admit the truth that they had no intention of buying a Nintendo machine.

Well I wouldn't class NSMBU as a new big hitter for mario when that game is just a clone of every mario game there has been since the snes and 3D world is great but it's still the same set up as the classic games but in a 3D world, I was more thinking of a new Glaxay type reinvention game which would be a big hitter, but Zelda and Metroid are taking there long ass time to come out, by the time they hit, it will be well into half way for the console, I'm thinking 2017 will be the new launch of a nintendo console. It's a good console, I'm even thinking of picking one up next year, when i get some free cash to splash,

Still think Nintendo need to lose the gimmicky stuff and nail a top end console to rival Microsoft and Sony and I honestly believe with there great first party line up and a top notch third party gathering they could be the console to beat.

Galaxy wasn't exactly an reinvention but an evolution of previous games. Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine and ... yes, Super Mario Galaxy. The open world - sorta - Mario games are the Mario game everyone buys a Nintendo console for.

I have never heard of that source and I can't seem to find the article anywhere I know to be credible. Buckets of salt. We'll see in a few years, but I seriously doubt Nintendo will drop IBM's processors and go full AMD.

So, this isn't quite confirmation that AMD is working on an SoC for Nintendo's next console, but given everything that I know about the industry, it seems highly likely.

-Clickbait Article

@Heil68:

Aren't you a "manticore"? If so, then why it's a no buy for you if it won't have third party support, since you already own everything else to cover that?

If they're going for PC architecture and a lot better hardware than what they currently have then they can get a lot of third party support. However, it's too early to create hype for it. It'll be years before we hear something about new consoles from anyone of these three console companies.

Because DAT SDC BITCHESSS OHHHH SONY HAS US COVERED PS4 FTWIN

Nintendo should be partnering with Nvidia. It makes more sense for both companies. Nintendo gets a better deal on the console setup, while Nvidia benefits on the Nintendo portable side--as this life cycle is 5+ years with almost guaranteed marketshare plus major cost reduction over this time.

Well I have a WiiU so there goes your theory. At least I tried.

Wonder if this is the new Nintendo "donut" console they working on?

I know it wasn't a true reinvention, but how many games can Nintendo bring out for mario which is pretty much the same old snes game but with upped graphics, I'm not saying it's a bad thing and I do like them games but it's just not enough for me to invest when there isn't much more from the big hitters yet which interest me.

How many Call of Duty's have been made, but with upped Graphics? Same can be said for all of today's games. Nintendo's first party just sells, and if they stopped making Mario games, they'll lose more than just hardware sales.

It'd be sick if Nintendos new Console had backword emulation with wii/wiiu and had better hardware than ps4 and ppl started putting games in better graphics on it

nintendo comes late into this gen the graphis card an ram beats the ps4 what will sony do? they also have better exclusives an the graphics so sony would have nothing if multiplats went to that console

x86 is the way to go. They may lose BC with the Wii and WiiU but if they stick with x64-86 they'll have BC from here until they stop making consoles. That instruction set isn't going anywhere.

assuming this is true of course:

i think its the ARM cores nintendo is looking at. if AMD can also supply a GPU that can work in a handheld (difficult with GCN. its a bit of a pudding power use wise) then it would suit nintendo nicely.

if nintendo can get, basically, the same hardware in their next handheld and console then it would be ideal for them. the console would be more powerful of course (more cores, faster, more GPU power, more ram etc.) but it would make reusing tech and assets between the 2 platforms all the easier.

it would also make it easier to reuse the current console hardware as their next handheld (nintendo try to hit their previous console with their current handheld hardware wise. they dont quite hit it but they are not a million miles off either). this will cut down on R&D costs and such like.

3rd parties wouldnt be thrilled but, then, it doesnt matter what nintendo do, 3rd parties wont be thrilled and nintendos customers will continue to go "meh" with 3rd parties.

power wise ARM cores should be able to meet nintendos requirements for games (if they can continue to get good results out of the decrepid wiiu CPU then modern ARM cores should be a breath of fresh air for them).

@Wasdie: Agree. Scaling between consoles is also easier for developers, even if the consoles have different power. And since the competition actually were very safe with they're power target, Nintendo has no problem with getting similar or more powerfull hardware than the competition. There is really no other way to go except AMD, or else the costs will be too high, and the hardware too weak and complex.