Nintendo NX "doomed before it launches" without third-party support

New console from Mario-maker musn't use special controller like Wii or Wii U, says analyst.

Nintendo's next home console, codenamed NX, must have robust third-party support if it hopes to challenge the PS4 and Xbox One.

That's according to Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter, who said that Nintendo needs the support of games from publishers like EA and Ubisoft.

"If Nintendo gets the same level of support for NX that it got for the Wii U, it’s doomed before it launches," said Pachter, speaking to Siftd [behind paywall] as noted by Nintendo Insider.

"That’s much, much more important than the price. If they get third-party support, if they make it in such a way that everyone can port every game over and the incremental cost to make if for Xbox One, PS4 and NX is $1-2 million, every game will be there."

Electronic Arts was one of the first to publicly stop supporting Nintendo's Wii U, while Ubisoft gambled big on the console's launch but eventually held back software for it.

Pachter added that differentiating the technology from the current offerings from Sony or Microsoft would also hamper third-party support.

"If it’s a whole different language, or requires a whole different programming scheme, or requires something to do with the GamePad where you’ve got the controller different the way Wii U works, it’s doomed. No one’s going to support it."

"The more this thing looks like a PS4 or Xbox One I think the better it does, and, ultimately, the only people who are going to buy it are people that don’t have a PS4 or Xbox One. Or, people who have a PS4 or Xbox One, and want to play Nintendo games."

We don't know a lot about Nintendo NX, although reports suggest it's a hybrid machine and early dev kits are already in the wild.