Nintendo's next generation console could use Google's Android platform as its operating system, if a new report turns out to be accurate.
So far, Nintendo has only confirmed the codename of its next console — NX — and the fact that it will not launch until 2016, but no other information is official at this point.
Japanese newspaper Nikkei, however, now claims to have more details on the matter. Spotted and translated by NeoGAF user duckroll, the Nikkei report cites an insider source and reveals that the Nintendo NX may run Android.
In fact, Nikkei's source said that the OS powering the Nintendo NX is "loaded with Android." At the same time, the insider suggests that the Nintendo NX could simply be based on Android, but without delivering a direct implementation of the OS as found on smartphones and tablets. Considering that the operating systems, apps and menus of the Nintendo Wii U and 3DS are rather sluggish, it would make sense for Nintendo to go for a customized version of Android in order to ensure its NX runs smoothly and without issues.
"This would be able to speed up getting all game developers on board," the source further noted.
According to Nikkei, this decision to load the Nintendo NX with Android stems from the fact that the Wii U console is not compatible with other gaming hardware. This made things more difficult for developers, because creating a title specifically for one console considerably raises the development costs. With a more open platform such as Android, these hurdles would be history, and developers could easily go for a multi-platform release like they do on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC, for instance. Developers would have notably more flexibility in making content, while Nintendo would get a more open platform that's already popular with third-party developers.
Without an official confirmation from Nintendo, however, this purported Android-powered NX console remains in the rumor state for now. Nikkei has a good track record when it comes to leaking unannounced plans to the tech world, but that can't guarantee the accuracy of this information. As always in such cases, take this news with a grain of salt.
