Nintendo NX Console May Ditch Discs For ‘Retro’ Cartridges

The hotly anticipated Nintendo NX games console could return to using retro-style cartridges in favour of discs, rumours suggest.

A report from Taiwanese site Money-Link suggests that Macronix, Nintendo’s long-time maker of ROM chips, is ramping up production later this year leading to speculation that it will be producing cartridges in time for the NX launch in 2017.

Macronix has been Nintendo’s chip supplier as far back as the days of the legendary N64 console and also produces the cartridges used in its handheld 3DS device.

Using cartridges instead of discs would enable Nintendo to make the incoming console smaller and lighter than rivals like the Xbox One and PlayStation 4

The fact that Panasonic, which usually provides disc drives for games consoles has made no mention of working with Nintendo on its new console backs up the claim that cartridges will be used instead.

This wouldn’t be the first time that Nintendo has chosen cartridges over discs, having resolutely stuck to the former for its N64 while Sony and Sega switched to CD-ROMs back in the ‘90s.

Nintendo hasn’t commented on the rumours but recently confirmed that the console will launch in March 2017.

The gaming giant has also promised to unveil more information on the much-rumoured console at this summer’s E3 gaming show in Los Angeles.

Image credit: Nintendo