Nintendo has yet to reveal anything about its upcoming console, NX, so the only things we know about it are from rumors and musings that have surfaced on the internet over the past several months. Now, thanks to UK supermarket retailer Tesco, the latest rumor is that the console will be revealed either this week or the next, after Tesco posted a landing page for the console on its site.
Is this more of the same or is there actually some truth behind the rumor? Let's start with the basics.
Earlier today, Tesco said on its page that the "Nintendo NX Wii U" will have a placeholder release date of Dec. 31, 2016, and originally listed the price of the console at $452.07. However, the site quickly caught the error and removed the price, which was also likely to have been a placeholder amount, before removing the listing entirely.
Here is what the page looked like before it was deleted:
There's no doubt the date and price were placeholders - the Nintendo NX is set to release globally in March 2017 and it's highly unlikely that Nintendo would release a new console that would have a price comparable to the PlayStation 4 Pro or Xbox One S. For comparison, the PlayStation 4 Pro costs $399.99 and the Xbox One S ranges in price from $299 to $399. A Nintendo console costing more would be unprecedented, and would run counter to what Nintendo did with the Wii and Wii U in the past.
However, if any UK-based retailer would be privy to insider knowledge about the NX, then it would be Tesco.
Back in 2013, Nintendo UK teamed up with Tesco to help alleviate poor Wii U sales in the region. To accomplish this, Nintendo booked in-store space, sent a five-page leaflet to 300,000 past customers who bought a Wii in the past, and gave away vouchers offering discounts on certain games.
In addition, there have been rumors floating around for the past few weeks that suggest the NX would be officially unveiled in October. Considering that retailers usually put preorders up on their sites once such an announcement is made, it gives further credence that Nintendo might be up to something big.
So what's going on here? Honestly, this looks like a mistake on Tesco's part, though we'll have to wait until the start of October be absolutely sure.
