The mass production for Nintendo's next-generation console Nintendo NX will not commence in mid-2016 as planned, according to a report by Digitimes.

Citing sources from "the related upstream supply chain," the publication said Nintendo delayed the mass production to early 2017 to develop the Nintendo NX into a device that can "gain advantages in the upcoming video game and mobile game competitions."

In order to do so, Nintendo will incorporate Virtual Reality (VR) support and will also improve the overall gaming experience of the device. The interesting bit is that the publication referred to the console as "video game/handheld."

According to the publication, the Nintendo NX will be a merger of video game and mobile gaming. It will sport a 5-inch to 7-inch display and will include a controller and a joystick to aid mobile gaming.

The Nintendo NX can also be connected to a television for users to use it as a video game system. But to make the console more versatile, Nintendo is now adding VR functionality.

Because of this, the Nintendo NX will no longer be released on March 2017 as previously planned. A much later date of availability is to be expected. This is the second time the launch was delayed.

The Nintendo NX was first scheduled to be released holiday this year, but Nintendo said that it will push back the launch in order to wait for a crop of titles to be developed for the console.

The company's decision to push it back once again comes as little surprise since Nintendo is adamant to perfect the Nintendo NX before it releases it to the public.

Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima said (via Games Industry Biz) last month that they won't make the same mistake they did with Wii U.

He stated that selling the Nintendo NX "at a loss at launch would not support the business, so we are keeping that mind in developing NX."

"We are planning with the expectation that NX sales will compensate for much of the impact on sales from reduced Wii U hardware sales," he went on to say.

It goes without saying that the Nintendo NX will not be at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2016.