Nintendo now distributing NX dev kits

Select developers around the world have begun to receive development kits for the mysterious new Nintendo NX platform.

The Wall Street Journal, via NeoGAF, reports that SDKs have been shipped and work will soon be underway on titles for the new machine, which Nintendo has teased will be a “brand new concept” for a games platform.

There’s little in the way of new information on the device, although sources “familiar with the development plans” tell the WSJ that it is likely to combine a console and mobile unit that can be used together or separately. Patents have also suggested that it will not use discs.

There are also claims that Nintendo aims to put “industry-leading chips” in the NX in order to keep up with the competition from Xbox One and PS4. This fits with news that Nintendo has joined Khronos Group, the organisation behind the new Vulkan graphics API.

The only third-party developer known to be making games for NX is Square Enix, which has announced it will be Dragon Quest XI to the new device.

The NX is expected to be unveiled next year and could be on shelves by Christmas 2016.