Tencent Digital Faced with the underwhelming performance of the Wii U, Nintendo has redirected its efforts toward developing a new generation of game consoles known as NX. While details about this upcoming system remain scarce—other than the fact that it won’t run on Android—recently uncovered patent applications may offer some insight into Nintendo’s vision for the future.

The patent in question outlines an "independent game console" that relies solely on hard drives and external memory cards for storage, marking the first time in 20 years since the Nintendo 64 that a console might not feature a disc drive. According to Nintendo, the growing availability of high-speed internet makes optical drives obsolete. Players could simply download games directly to their device with just a few clicks, eliminating the need for physical media. Why carry around discs when you can access everything online?

Although this patent isn't directly linked to the NX console and doesn't confirm whether it will include a disc drive, the idea of a digital-only system is becoming increasingly plausible. Especially for a device expected to launch within the next couple of years, moving away from optical drives could make sense. Current consoles still use them, but this outdated technology is gradually being replaced. It's slow, costly, and complicates game updates. By ditching physical media, Nintendo could keep prices low while embracing a more modern, streamlined approach to gaming.

This shift also aligns with broader industry trends. More and more companies are moving toward cloud-based gaming and digital distribution. Nintendo, known for its innovation, may be positioning itself at the forefront of this change. Whether or not the NX includes a disc drive remains to be seen, but the direction seems clear: the future of gaming is digital.