Updated 3/24/2016:
Iiiiiiiiiiit's fake. The creator of the supposedly first leaked image of the NX controller has posted a video on YouTube, detailing how they created it using 3D modelling tools and Photoshop (interspersed with Dumb and Dumber clips to really nail the point home), then posted a link to the video on a huge Reddit thread about the original 'leaked' photo. The video is below if you care to watch how someone got the entire Internet in a frothing rage.
The other, higher-res photos? They're fake too, and the creator detailed his work in extensive fashion, effectively teaching you how to make your own fake NX controller. Fakes all around. Heck, the device you're reading this article on could be fake too. What if I'm fake? What if you're fake? Is life a simulation?
Things to ponder as we wait for the official reveal of Nintendo NX.
Original story:
Photos of what people are claiming to be the Nintendo NX controller have started cropping up on Reddit and Imgur, suggesting a lucky few have gotten their hands on Nintendo's next console early. But are these images real, fake, or somewhere between? Let's take a look at two supposed first looks making the rounds and see what we can uncover.
This picture first appeared online last week, and it wasn't long before people started questioning its validity. Destructoid ran the picture through software aimed at detecting photoshop alterations, and while it does not appear that the image has been heavily tweaked, there is evidence of the image being saved multiple times over, and there are inconsistencies with lighting.
TechnoBuffalo writer Joey Davidson is meanwhile convinced that the image is fake, and that whoever made it also included an image of ET (yes, the beloved alien) in the controller's reflection.
It's also been noted that the image present on the controller is pulled from an Unreal Engine 4 demo, though I personally don't count that as a strike. What gets me is how close the object shown is to the patent design spied a few months back. Patents almost never resemble final products so closely, and the added date on the corner reeks of trying too hard to look credible. So far, things aren't looking good. However…
These pictures popped up today, with Redditor perkele37 giving a few supposed details. They claim that only the upper 'nubs' of the sticks move, similar to the analog sticks on the 3DS or PSP. They also write that the controller features haptic feedback that feels similar to Apple's "Taptic" technology present in iPhone 6S models, and that there is a 3.5mm headphone jack on the bottom. These claims fit well with what we've heard Nintendo NX described as: a unification between handheld and home gaming.
Lastly, perkele37 claims this is dev kit material, meaning the design isn't final. If true, I have to breathe a sigh of relief at that, because my hands are cramping up just looking at it. Proper grips along the side would be nice. My only question with these photos is the seeming split between materials shown on the second image. The Nintendo NX controller will supposedly use Sharp's free-form display technology, so is the left corner made of something different or what?
Whether real or fake, the images have got the Internet abuzz. Hopefully Nintendo will give us something official sooner rather than later.
Seen something newsworthy? Tell us!
