Nintendo will reportedly launch a new portable console this year

Reports suggest Japanese giant Nintendo will launch a new standalone hand-held gaming device in 2016, expected to be unveiled at E3.

Reports suggest Japanese giant Nintendo will launch a new standalone hand-held gaming device in 2016, expected to be unveiled at E3. (Reuters)

Japanese gaming giant Nintendo is reportedly prepping the launch of a new hand-held console this year, according to Hiroshi Hayase, a senior principal analyst at market analytics firm IHS. It is expected to be the first of the two next-generation consoles, a part of the much rumored NX project.

"We expect a small recovery in shipments of flat-panel displays for game devices because of Nintendo's new game hardware expected to be released in 2016," said Hayase in a report published by Wall Street Journal .

Hayase did not reveal any information about the size of the portable console's display, though did mention that it would standalone product unlike the Wii U GamePad, which cannot function without a Wii U. Nintendo reportedly declined to make any comments, but analysts suggest that it might be unveiled at E3 in June.

Meanwhile, well-known industry analyst Dr Serkan Toto who has a good track record with his predictions for the Japanese gaming industry recently tweeted that "Bandai Namco is currently developing several NX titles.".

And if that weren't enough, one of those titles could be Smash Bros. He also added that it could be an upgraded version of Smash Bros., which might feature Bayonetta as a bundled DLC character along with some new challengers.

Bandai Namco is currently developing several NX titles. Smash Bros is planned to be a launch title. I am not sure about the date - yet ;).

— Dr. Serkan Toto (@serkantoto) January 28, 2016