Rumors Are Flying of New Nintendo Hardware at This Year’s E3

I was skeptical of the “Nintendo Fusion” console rumors that started circulating earlier in the year, but with the Wii U becoming rapidly eclipsed by newer systems from competitors, I’m coming around to the idea of Nintendo cutting the Wii U’s life short. Now there are strong rumors suggesting that Nintendo will show this new console at this year’s E3.

Still, even I was a bit reluctant to believe these rumors. The Internet is rife with overzealous fans, even in the journalism world, who will trumpet Nintendo’s demise at the drop of a hat and insist they’re going to have to pull something out of their sleeve and soon. However, Videogamer.com is reporting that they’ve heard from a third-party software developer that Nintendo is readying a new home system for E3.

That, in itself, might not be too convincing, but now Peer Schneider of IGN has said:

They are absolutely going to show new hardware this year, there is no doubt in my mind… I’ve heard it from multiple people now. I’ve heard it from someone who used to be at Nintendo, I’ve heard it from somebody on the third-party front.

Now we’ve got more than one source, and one that’s pretty conservative with its rumors in IGN, saying that multiple reports are surfacing from those who may be on the inside of what Nintendo’s doing but not close enough that Nintendo can effectively keep them quiet. E3 is just over a month away, so if Nintendo is readying some new hardware, they would absolutely need developers to already know what’s coming.

Still, what is it, though? As usual, Nintendo won’t comment, so we’re left to speculate as to whether this new hardware is a revision of current hardware or an all-new system, and speculate we will.

I still think it’s a little early for new hardware no matter how poorly the Wii U is performing, but it’s hard not to see these reports and think something major is on the horizon. Even if they show off a new console, I wouldn’t be surprised if it didn’t make it to store shelves until the holidays in 2015, which gives Wii U owners at least another year and a half to soften the financial blow of their system becoming obsolete so quickly.

Nintendo has been trying out pricing measures to keep repeat customers happy, so maybe they’d offer Wii U owners a discount on a new system? It’s not a far-fetched idea, considering they’ve been giving away free games to drive sales on newer products, and they offered freebies to early 3DS adopters when the 3DS saw its price slashed.

If you just can’t stop thinking about it, Geek.com has some more speculation on just what the new console might be like based on the original Fusion rumors.

(via Geek.com and Videogamer.com, image via Nintendo)

Meanwhile in related links

• Take a look at the spec sheet of the original “Nintendo Fusion” rumor
• Nintendo has been considering flexible pricing structures for repeat customers
• They also denied smartphone game rumors, which they’ve now changed stances on