It's been about 13 months since the US release of the New 3DS XL

[Daddy]

17 if you count the JP release.

Given my previous 15 months +/- 2 months between release or announcement of one DS and a new one, I'd estimate that we can expect an announcement regarding the DS between now and late july.

I'd most likely place it at, or at least closer to E3 in June.


I was spot on for the last 5 or whatever fucking releases. 

[don't let's]

I still haven't even owned a regular 3DS yet

[Daddy]

I still haven't even owned a regular 3DS yet

I still have the original DS from 12 years ago.

the previous release schedule has made me completely unwilling to invest in a new DS lol

[C.Mongler]

Between now and then the NX portable at least will be announced so yeah sure 

[Hiro]

yeah the NX is supposed to be announced shortly before E3, which is a likely replacement for the 3DS, so yeah this should be about right

[Kalahari Inkantation]

this might be the year they buck the trend, if only because the wii u's situation is far more dire than the 3ds's is and so they'd probably want to focus on replacing the wii u first

i think it would be crazy of nintendo to release both a new handheld and new home console in 2016, but we'll see i guess

[Samus Aran]

this might be the year they buck the trend, if only because the wii u's situation is far more dire than the 3ds's is and so they'd probably want to focus on replacing the wii u first

i think it would be crazy of nintendo to release both a new handheld and new home console in 2016, but we'll see i guess

nintendo might just be crazy enough to do it

[Hiro]

"might"

[Daddy]

It's a trend that has really been in place for 12 years but given the state of the Wii U, and the change of leadership in the company, I could also see them breakign the trend.

If they are going to continue the trend, E3-ish is an obvious time for an announcement to be made. It's pushing it towards the late end of that cycle, but times it with a major industry event. If nothing is announced at E3, and instead focuses on the NX, I'd agree the trend probably has been broken and we won't see any announcement in 2016.

I don't really foresee nintendo making a NX portable and maintaining a separate DS line at the same time.

They tried that with the GCN, Gameboy, and DS back in 2004-2006 with the "three pillars" and pretty much saw almost all development for the gameboy cease.

[bluaki]

17 if you count the JP release.

for what it's worth, Japan's most recent 3DS-family hardware launch was less than a month ago.

The 2DS was first made available in Japan on February 27, 2016, exclusively in bundles for Pokémon Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow.

but it's not exactly a new release since the rest of the world has had it for almost two and a half years. Similarly, US only just got the smaller New 3DS in September (about a year after Japan).

That said, yeah, I expect a new Nintendo handheld soon. I'd probably say Wii U is still holding up much better in terms of hardware than 3DS, but they both seem to have dwindling software support as if in preparation for successors.

[6M69I69B9]

i'll miss the reign of the 3ds

it honestly is my favorite console of all time

[Kalahari Inkantation]

imo the original ds is infinitely better (except when it came to zelda) but maybe i'm just a nostalgia whore

[Daddy]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Nintendo_portable_consoles

Look at the release dates of the gameboy line compared to the DS line.  You have 7 releases over 16 years for the GB line vs 9 11 for the DS line.

Whether Nintendo continues the DS line with the next announcement or really does a "NX portable", which is doubtful, Nintendo needs to calm the fuck down with its release schedule.

While not as a drastic as a cell phone, it leads to minor fragmentation in terms of games being developed for a particular version that may or may not have the "enhanced" features. It bolsters sales for a while but when it comes to a gaming console where people could get 2-3 years out before any revision or 5-6 before any major console, it eventually leads to a deterrence of adoption.


A focus on improving online game play, which they're still lacking in, and a solid game lineup would get them further than milking its users into dropping $200 every 18-20 months on a handheld.

[6M69I69B9]

imo the original ds is infinitely better (except when it came to zelda) but maybe i'm just a nostalgia whore

well including the 3ds' backwards compatible feature with ds and dsi, it had a fantastic library of games

all in one

i bring it with me everywhere

hopefully if some nx portable exists, i can transfer all of the shit i have on there. 

[C.Mongler]

imo the original ds is infinitely better (except when it came to zelda) but maybe i'm just a nostalgia whore

are you talking about this monstrosity?



because EUGHHH