As the console generations march on and we move closer and closer to a digital-only world, there are always conversations going on regarding whether or not a major player in the game could be nixing physical media entirely. There were rumors that Nintendo could be doing just that with their upcoming NX console, though now it has been confirmed that that is not the case.
GameStop CEO Paul Raines has revealed during the company’s most recent earnings call that the NX will have physical media. He said the following:
“I would say that the fact that there are rumors of that type just confirms for you that this is an important console for next year. It will have physical media, we will play a role in it, our pre-owned business will also play a role. So we’re excited about that.”
They then briefly discuss the possibilities of the NX using cartridges rather than discs, as rumors that popped up earlier this year suggested that Nintendo could be returning to the cartridge format. GameStop’s Mike Mauler sounded off on what this would mean for them, revealing that they would be on board with it. He said the following:
“The only difference would be on the refurbishment and pre-owned side. And actually, cartridges are much simpler to refurbish and repackage. So there is somewhat a little bit of an advantage if it went in that direction on used.”
The Nintendo NX is set to launch in 2017, with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild being a launch title for it.
- This article was updated on March 8th, 2018
