The Nintendo NX is not going to be announced in the Japanese game giant's upcoming presentation at E3 2016. Instead, Nintendo has confirmed that it would be releasing its newest console in March 2017, a much later date than initially anticipated. With the rumored PlayStation 4 Neo and the Xbox One Slim alleged to be released much sooner, Nintendo fans are speculating if the NX's delay is a deliberate decision.

A late release for the Nintendo NX might ultimately prove beneficial for the gaming giant. After all, Nintendo did state that it is looking to launch the NX with a full suite of dedicated titles. In the history of gaming consoles, launching a machine with a lot of games at the ready has always proven to be a good decision. In fact, the absence of games in a console launch has also proven fatal to a number of upstart gaming machines in the past.

Apart from this, releasing the device after its competition also serves to give Nintendo some much-needed time to perform last-minute adjustments in order to make the NX far more attractive to buyers than its rivals. Considering that the rumored Xbox One Slim and the PS4 Neo are expected to launch before the end of the year, Nintendo would at least have a third of a year to modify a number of features in the NX.

As much as the delay would benefit Nintendo, however, it might also ultimately prove risky for the company. After all, with the firm's console sales not doing well thanks to lackluster sales of the Wii U, the Nintendo NX would have to a sure-fire hit for the gaming giant. Thus, releasing the device to a market that is already saturated with rival consoles might not be the best idea as well.

Plus, Nintendo has confirmed that it would not be selling the NX at a loss. This means that the upcoming console would most probably be priced at a premium. Again, with the current war between Sony and Microsoft usually spilling over to a war of prices and discounts, an expensive Nintendo machine, no matter how innovative, might discourage potential buyers.

Nevertheless, Nintendo has the most experience among the world's biggest console manufacturers today. Thus, if the company is making curious decisions such as moving the NX's release date back to March 2017, there is a very good chance that Nintendo knows very well what it is doing.