Its just a thought, and I know weve heard possible rumours about it, but I think the new 3ds is just a way of extending its life by a year or 2. While nintendo prepares an ultimate combined handheld/console combo.
It makes sence (for a change from me) and if its true it give us a rough time scale for new hardware release.
Theres no way they can long the 3ds for anymore than 2 years even with slightly updated hardware and a new thumb pad or whatever it is.
If im right (IF) what do you want to see from the new hardwares and what games suit a home and out and about console?
P.S I know the WII U is still new, and I still love it, but you know.....x
Not quite, but you're close. Nintendo has stated that their next handheld and console are going to be "like brothers", which probably means a sort of PS4/Vita relationship. So they'll probably share many of the same games but be separate devices sold separately. Taking that into consideration, I think it's likely that they're planning a simultaneous release, so you may be right about New 3DS being used to extend the 3DS' lifespan.
The way the usual console cycle runs the portable releases are out of skew with home console releases. It's almost like clockwork and there's little reason for us to assume that things are going to change dramatically. You get about a 5-6 year gap between new releases with the new portables launching between the two console generation launches.
Usually towards the end of the cycle you'll get a minor revision which keeps people interested for a couple more years. If they follow what they've been doing since the early 90s we know what to expect. The 3DS will get replaced by its successor sometime around 2015/16. The Wii U will keep chugging along and will get replaced by its successor around 2018/19. But they won't talk about this in any detail because, while it's obvious, nobody will buy a 3DS if they know it's going to be replaced in a year.
As for the New 3DS and its place in all this? I suspect that it probably will be part of a push to get more integration between their two systems. I wouldn't be surprised if we see more games that work on both in the way that Smash will. My guess would be that they will then extend this link between the two systems beyond 3DS and into it's eventual successor in a couple of years. Then further down the road the Wii U's successor will do the same with the 3DS' successor. Sony is already doing this with PSP -> PS3 -> Vita -> PS4
While I do think their plan is to eventually combine their portable and console devices as much as they can, I don't think they are thinking short term.
Just look at the Wii and DS. The Wii was immediately outdated, because it was basically a slightly souped up GameCube. The DS was actually fairly up to date when it came out. The PSP had better graphics and such, but the DS was still a relatively good jump ahead from what was commonplace at the time. Ultimately, the devices got outdated fairly quickly, but that benefited the amount of software each device got tremendously.
What I'm trying to say is, is that they'll be pushing 3DS and Wii U as far as possible, as long as the market allows it. I think the New 3DS is a short term fix for a much farther goal Nintendo has. What that means, is that New 3DS is probably a quick reaction to where the market is headed, which has come alot sooner than anyone probably thought, but I don't think we'll be seeing another 3DS revision or handheld from Nintendo in a very long time after the New 3DS. It's an update to an almost 4 year old device. The New 3DS could easily last another 4 years, so I'd say New 3DS is what they plan to stay with until they absolutely have to upgrade. It's practically a half gen device similarly to what DSi was, but the technology is more capable than what DSi was, so I think they'll push it much further this time around.
As far as Wii U is concerned, they'll let it run further. The New 3DS COULD be setting up Nintendo for a combined portable and console platform, but I would think 4-6 years; not 2, and it's only on the handheld side of things. Nintendo won't release a new console within 2 years, so it makes absolutely no sense that they would release a combined platform when their current console will run alot further than that, if you get what I mean.
The idea I had in mind, was that the New 3DS would be "catching up" their portables to better match consoles for the next go around. So basically, the New 3DS and Wii U will coexist for as much time as possible. Once Wii U is on it's way out, so will the New 3DS. If they want to combine platforms, it would be most effective to release them as closely to each other as possible. That's why I think we're seeing the New 3DS in the first place.
As far as things are going now, they are already pretty much setup to start heading into the combined platform thing. Look at 3DS being used as a Wii U controller for Smash Bros, for example, the eShop, or Miiverse. They are already trying to better tie their platforms together, and I think New 3DS strengthens that.
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It doesn't make sense to have the two platform cycles line up that much. It's a huge investment you're asking of people when they launch and it means that mid-cycle you don't have a lot to talk about. Worse still that point towards the end of the cycle where all of the R&D is going towards the next platform? You don't have another platform to talk about.
For example when the Wii was starting to fade starting in around 2009 there was 3DS content to talk about. When the DS was winding down starting in around 2007 there was Wii content to talk about. Right now the 3DS is starting to hit its peak and when it starts to slow down some more they'll have the Wii U's peak to talk about. It makes sense.
When they talk about moving the two platforms closer to each other I don't think it should have been taken as literally as some have taken it. I think we are starting to see it with the 3DS now with games like Smash. What makes people still think there needs to be a "hybrid console" for this new direction to be a thing? It might be a thing but I don't see why it HAS to be a thing. I don't even think it's particularly likely TBH.
I think the New 3ds is a stopgap and life extender. The 3ds has had significant os changes thanks to the influence of the WiiU. It needed a hardware revision to accommodate that. Also this allows Nintendo to likely retire the 3ds the same year of the wiiU which is at least another three years from now so that they can release the new handheld and console with the more integrated os at the same time. I think Nintendo is looking to take a middle approach to Sony's infrastructure. They want a system duo that can communicate and share interface features such as miiverse and accounts, while still (hopefully) keeping that nice handheld/ console experience divide.
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I think its entirely possible this could be a life extender to keep the platform viable until they can laugh a successor alongside the next console and I think integration will go beyond shares accounts/os Nintendo is going to be looking for the next thing to distinguish it from the competition. What I'm curious to know is how QoL will link into this if at all?? Also for anyone who has said that Nintendo would not release a hardware change so close to a successor I think the GBA Micro is a great example of a time where they have.
I think they should have doubled the screen resolution at the same time. (For new 3DS exclusives). With exactly double the pixels then the old stuff won't look any worse. (Maybe the 3DS makes it not practical).
PSP games on the Vita are great for that reason.
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I doubt it's 2 years away because they haven't made enough money back from it yet and new hardware is going to hurt their bottom line. They're making profit on 3DS hardware so they probably think a revised model will allow them to justify a high price and also encourage people to upgrade. They probably want this to be like the GBA SP or the DSi.
I only posted this to get my avatar as the forum's thumbnail.
And yeah, I'd bet money Nintendo is pulling a PS4/Vita situation, except the handheld won't be left to die presumably.
Yeah, I think Nintendo will probably be smarter about how they handle cross platform than Sony was. They're probably going to design them in a way that the handheld has some unique features and the console has unique features too, that way they each have their own selling point and exclusive games to capitalize on it. Otherwise they cannibalize each other, you'd have no reason to own both consoles because they play the same games.
It doesn't make sense to have the two platform cycles line up that much. It's a huge investment you're asking of people when they launch
It is, but nothing really says you need to buy both of them immediately anyway. If they have the same games you won't be missing as much. Also, Nintendo will probably have some sort of bundle deal for both of them, for say maybe $500ish. That'd be somewhat fair.
and it means that mid-cycle you don't have a lot to talk about. Worse still that point towards the end of the cycle where all of the R&D is going towards the next platform? You don't have another platform to talk about.
For example when the Wii was starting to fade starting in around 2009 there was 3DS content to talk about. When the DS was winding down starting in around 2007 there was Wii content to talk about. Right now the 3DS is starting to hit its peak and when it starts to slow down some more they'll have the Wii U's peak to talk about. It makes sense.
When they talk about moving the two platforms closer to each other I don't think it should have been taken as literally as some have taken it. I think we are starting to see it with the 3DS now with games like Smash. What makes people still think there needs to be a "hybrid console" for this new direction to be a thing? It might be a thing but I don't see why it HAS to be a thing. I don't even think it's particularly likely TBH.
If Nintendo needs constant upgrades in order for their consoles to sell, that's their own fault. The benefit to this, and the reason Nintendo is doing this in the first place, is to double up on game development for both the handheld and console so they can get games out quicker. So that means less hardware droughts and that they can keep momentum going pretty much the entire generation.
That was what I was thinking too. The New 3DS extending the lifespan of the handheld.
I mean why not? It hss everything. It's alot stronger than our old 3DS so if developers need extra power, there it is.
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Topic: Is the new 3DS a sign that nintendo is preparing a new combined handheld and console launch within 2 years?
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