The next-gen console race is now in full swing, but NIS America president and CEO Takuro Yamashita thinks that the current pair of handheld systems - 3DS and Vita - have some time left before they need replacing.
Speaking to MCV at Gamescom, Yamashita said he felt it was the right time for publishers and developers to shift total focus onto next-gen platforms, but abandoning the ageing 3DS and Vita is less sensible.
He feels that the two consoles have a few more years of profitability left in them:
Generally speaking about the West, I think the right time has come for major game publishers to shift their line-ups to PS4 and Xbox One.
Talking about the handheld devices in the West, PlayStation Vita and 3DS will fade out in the next two to three years.
He explains that developers and publishers could find a gap appearing on handhelds as their rivals rush to make AAA games on the PS4 and Xbox One. By focusing on 3DS and Vita, smaller companies could find a highly receptive audience:
There is still a chance for Vita or 3DS games in the West. I bet you that the small publishers can benefit without having strong competition if they continue to publish games for Vita and 3DS.
Nintendo's next console - dubbed NX - is rumoured to be an all-in-one solution, which means that the company may retire the 3DS early, potentially making Yamashita's prediction a false one.
Do you think he has a point? Could the 3DS last for another few years, or does it need replacing now? Let us know by posting a comment.
[source mcvuk.com]
Comments 98
So... does this mean the NX isn't a handheld for sure now?
Edit
I read NIS as NoA.. lol
I bought a 3DS and sold it years ago. So far I've been able to hold off from buying one to play some newer games, and I will continue to hold off until NX is revealed.
I hope the 3DS doesn't die right away after the NX comes out if the NX ends up being a handheld or a hybrid.
Is there really any need to rush? make some stuff for the N3DS, it is suppose to be better then the original...right?
The 3DS is only 4 years old (4 and a half) thats too soon, we have not yet seen the 3DS pushed to its potential I feel
I can't disagree with that, there's plenty coming out for me, there is titles that have still to be localized (Rhythm Heaven I'm looking at you) and still time for others to come out. I'd say 1-2 years rather than 2-3.
I sure hope so. It my favorite system by far and I've owned quite a few. I'd take another 5 years but even I know things need improvement.
It could last another 5 years if Nintendo wanted it to but in reality the next handheld will prob be here next year if it even is a handheld. It's all about the $$$$ at the end of the day.
The poor vita is dead on its butt for a while, no matter how fancy it is, people just don't want it sadly (much like the WiiU :neckbeard: )
I honestly have no idea why I bought a New 3DS XL. Should have saved money and kept my regular 3DS.
As much as I love the 3ds I am honestly ready for a new handheld. I hope the NX is actually a handeheld that on par with the ps4.
@Undead_terror
Well in terms of horsepower the New 3DS has:
1. Quad instead of Dual core CPU
2. Double the memory
.... that's it. I personally don't think the 3DS can live forever. Two years from now is probably about right for how long it could go on. Though I wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo cut it shorter.
I could make do for another 2-3 years on my Vita and 3DS. As far as the 3DS is concerned, I have a lot of games and time on the system so the thought of having to replace it an re-buy all my stuff if its compatible is not a welcome one. I love the two systems though, and while there's little hope for a successor to the Vita(which is quite sad), I hope Nintendo releases another duel screen handheld if the NX isn't an all-in-one. I will miss the 3D if they decide not to include it with the next system though.
@troj27 The 3DS is quite under powered, so I'd say we have certainly seen it pushed to its limits already.
It could last 10 years... if they just produce the right games. Hell I'm still playing the SNES because the game are so awesome and I'd be buying new snes games if people still developed for the console lol
It kind of totally depends on what the NX is and its price point. Until then its pure speculation as to how much life is left in the 3DS. But yeah, even if the NX comes out next year and has an air of portability, the 3DS could continue as a platform for niche games that don't need fancy production values and desire lower development costs.
The Vita will likely live on as a niche console, supported primarily by Japanese publishers and indies. I see several upcoming games that will release variants for both PS4 and Vita, plus the handheld nature and lower development costs of the Vita over the PS4 makes them popular in Japan amongst its relatively small but dedicated market. I mysself have seen my Vita game collection grow faster this past year than for any other system.
But yeah, I think the 3DS and Vita have a few more years left but I think they will likely be the last dedicated portable systems. Sony will unlikely make a direct Vita replacement whilst Nintendo may go for a hybrid or in an all new direction.
One can only imagine at this point.
I suppose the 'Guru should chime in, right?? Well NIS makes a valid point, as a smaller company NIS is likely to take advantage of the last years of the 3DS and Vita more so than other AAA big name developers. After this year's e3, you can see the 3DS has aged a lot in the last five years, but Nintendo seems committed to bringing it through 2016 (and hell, I'd say more so than the U). However...we still don't know what the NX is!!!!!!!!!!! I (duh) want it to a handheld. But it could just as easily be a console as it could be a handheld!!! Or both! So I don't know...with the New 3DS Line....a year certainly sounds reasonable, two years...sure maybe, but probably not longer without a replacement. I think we will see the last of the last 3DS game(s) in 2019-2020, but hey, we shall see...we shall see.
It doesn't really sound like he's saying this in a positive sense. He pretty much says they'll be gone in two or three years but there's still a chance for smaller publishers to put out games on them as there won't be competition from big publishers.
I don't think either needs to be replaced (I don't think Sony will do another handheld at all), but I'm still positive NX will replace both the 3DS and Wii U, despite what Nintendo says. It's the DS replacing the GBA all over again.
Well, despite the report that NX will launch in 2016, it's more logical and made sense to expect it in 2017. So there is 2 years before NX, and then the end-of-life support for another year or two.
The 3ds could last a few more years
IF
Nintendo supports it with multiple high quality games or remasters, can you honestly say that the 3ds best years are ahead of it after this E3? I'm ready for a change, I bought the New Nintendo 3ds XL and it feels like a waste of money, the 3ds's best years are behind it, by holiday 2016 there should be a new handheld from Nintendo (or whareverse NX is supposed to be)
More Vita and New3DS, please!
One year? Definitely. Two years? Pushing it but reasonable. Three and above? Uh no. The 3DS is great mainly because of it's library, it alone is not some cutting edge massive hit device that can stand the test of time. Make another handheld on par what the Vita can do and THEN they probably leave it alone for about 10 years.
I will agree with him on the part about smaller publishers though.
@skywake Weird how the original DS had better support over the 3DS. The 3DS library is a bit underwhelming compared to the DS.
Nah I disagree. Haven't touched mines all year
@skywake Forgot increased single threading speeds among other things, but yeah, pretty much.
@troj27 Games like Ironfall, Hyrule warriors and MonHun X already pushed it to it's limits. They're decent, but don't expect any better unless its a new 3DS exclusive.
we only got 1 new 3DS game so far...and its one I can now play on Wii U.
Disappointed doesnt even cover it.
I don't know how big NIS are as a developer but I'm assuming they're of a respectable size. After reading what he has said, I find myself asking if he knows what the NX is. I mean, assuming rumours are true that Nintendo has been showcasing it to developers at conferences etc.
Also, the 3DS is getting pretty old. Just release its successor already...
I honestly feel like I'm kinda over my 3DS. The vast majority of my game playing is done at home, and I'd rather play on a big flatscreen than on a handheld, so my Wii U sees tons more use from me right now. Plus, the system really is starting to show its age to me, especially since I ended up deciding against getting a N3DS.
There are still a few games I'll get in the future, mainly RPGs, but other than that I don't see myself spending a ton on my 3DS anymore.
Even if the NX is an all-in-one solution I seriously doubt that Nintendo will roll it out in both console and handheld form at the same time. My prediction is that NX will be released first as a console only and the handheld version will lag by 18 months or so.
Shed loads of Scope for 3DS still. Games like Sub wars, Ironfall, Kid Icarus, resident evil revelations show that the hardware can handle some top tier online experiences with smooth gameplay.
Bring dead space, Mass effect, Battalion wars, Streets of Rage 4, Metal gear Portable ops 2, Army of 2, Hired guns, Elder scrolls, GTA, more Resident evil, Street Fighter, Soul calibur, Armoured core etc the Machine can handle it (especially the new model).
3rd parties just need to believe.
Totally surprised by the above comments. The 3DS has never struck me as underpowered. If the NX is going to be partially handheld, then I understand replacing it. Otherwise, I feel as if the system still has 3 years in it.
Something to keep in mind is that console sales overlap. Even if Nintendo released a new console handheld next year the 3ds would still be on store shelves for at least a year afterwards. Games currently in development will still be released upon completion and not simply abandoned. The 3ds install base means a lot of potential sales still available. So yes the 3ds will definitely last another 2 years.
It only has ONE exclusive game in retail and ONE exclusive game for the e-Shop. It doesn't have much support at all technically speaking.
One thing Nintendo did wrong though is release the more powerful 'new' 3ds which fragments the software landscape. 2 years from now how many games will be just for 'new' 3ds? I don't consider a console still being relevant if the console can't play newly released games. That's why games made for Xbox 360 today will still work on the first model of 360. Fragmentation isn't good.
What ever happens, we'd better be able too transfer our Data from our 3DS/Wii U's too the NX.
For 3DS that sounds about right, though 3 years sounds optimistic. I expect 3DS software releases in Japan and localizations in the west to continue to dwindle as we approach 2017 with the final software drought starting in America first. Europe should be seeing its final 3DS releases at a similar time to Japan; about a year after NA.
The Vita however, because it designed to be relatively powerful, should last AT LEAST another 5 years. Vita development is definitely picking up a ton of steam in Japan and, like PSP with DS, it should continue seeing releases long after the 3DS has died. Thankfully we have more publishers focused on localizing Japanese games this gen than last gen so in the west we can hopefully expect the Vita to continue getting games for 5 more years as well.
Considering that 3DS's successor will most likely be barely more powerful than Vita like how 3DS is barely more powerful than PSP (due to lowering costs and maximizing profits while sticking in some weird, rarely used gimmick), the Vita should still look attractive for Japanese devs to work on.
@CamWFC91 Same here. Got the Majoras Mask 3DS and gave up my Zelda Between Words 3DS. Stupid mistake in my opinion when only Xeno works for the newer one...
@MrCanzine Nintendo did the same thing with the DS by releasing the DSi in 2008.
@King_Octorok
Well going from DS to 3DS it won't seem like the 3DS is underpowered since there's a generational difference in power between the two. However once you've opened up your horizons and are able to compare the 3DS to its direct competitors, indirect competitors, and to consoles of ages past you'll see that's it's extremely outdated.
It's still a great handheld, mind you (though...only once you've found a model you like...a lot of them are pretty iffy imo...my favorite is the Standard New 3DS...most perfectly built handheld by Nintendo since the Game Boy Micro imo), but it's undeniably underpowered and, in my opinion, woefully overpriced.
@Red_Blood_Crush Yep and now Xeno is available on the Wii U e-shop
2-3 years? That seems optimistic. 1, 2 years tops seems more likely.
I'm glad to hear this. The 3DS should go on another 3 years or so. But they really need to make a push for the Dragon Quest games and I mean all of them! Not just some of them. Let's get Dragon Quest X out to North America and Europe to show us what the system really can do with a true online MMORPG. It's ridiculous that it's not ported yet. But I'm real glad to hear it can go on another 2 to 3 years
@FragRed true, I wasn't aware of that. Though looking into it there appears to be very few DSi only games but with the new 3ds there may be more developers going after not only the better hardware but also extra button features. Hopefully that's not the case here. Either way I'm not buying a new handheld until next generation with all this uncertainty floating around.
Why do You keep stating that the NX is 'rumoured to be an all-in-one solution'? There are no evidence pointing towards this, and it's nothing but pure conjecture. I've played enough Ace Attorney to know when to shout 'Hold it'!
Sure, some might say it would be nice to have both handheld and hom console in the same package, but I don't know if I could see it work, let alone Nintendo giving up the handheld space for it to happen.
"But Mr. Lyngstud fellow, it wouldn't be giving up on handhelds if it was both!"
Oh, but I think it would! The console would no longer be a dedicated handheld system, and would most certainly be sold as a home console, at the price of one. This would mean that those looking for an affordable handheld, Nintendo's trademark from the Game Boy to the 3DS, would have no such option any longer.
Maybe they could make it possible to buy the handheld on it's own and dock it at home, but I think that would defeat the purpose of the concept to begin with, and it would quite possibly cannibalise sales of the home console as well.
Too long, didn't read?
I don't think the NX is very likely to be a combined handheld/home console hybrid, and I don't think any evidence has been provided to prove that it is. Pure conjecture at best. (Still love all the writers on the site, though) ;-"
@Lyngstud you have to keep in mind that it's likely because of the mobile market in mind that it would be a hybrid, not us. But don't worry, they would maintain the integrity that we know and love as fans, while giving way to making new forms and functions on the NX that appeal to the mobile market. ITS NOT JUST ABOUT US ANYMORE.
I consider the Vita more of an accessory to the PS4 than a games console on its own (just my opinion). Heck, even Sony has started calling it a "Legacy System". (source: http://www.technobuffalo.com/2015/05/29/sony-ps-vita-legacy-platform-what-does-this-mean/) Most of the games I would like to play are already available on PS3 via Cross-Buy.
I can see the 3DS still kicking in a few years, as Nintendo handhelds often stick around a while after their successors comes out (depending on demand).
The mobile market is the one that overtook the console gaming industry in the first place, anyway. But Nintendo seeks to take their unique strengths and try to convert them to our consoles.
Seeing as the 3DS is my favorite console of all time, this is good news. It'd be nice to get some New 3DS exclusives...
well so far only one title is an exclusive, Xenoblade chronicles. Sure, I got 155 hrs on it and this is one of my top 5 best games I ever played, and I love it. But still, it is the only title so far and soon the console reaches 1 year of age.
It can definitely last a good 2 or so years. That's going off of localisations alone. In NA they can add quite a few releases just by localizing Dragon Quest and Yokai Watch games. As far as Nintendo goes, there's still another main series Pokemon game and things like WarioWare, Starfy, Advance Wars (unlikely), and Golden Sun (unlikely) that they can do.
This year for the 3DS:
-LBX
-Rodea the Sky Soldier
-Hatsune Miku Project Mirai DX
-Project X Zone 2
-Animal Crossing Happy Home Designer
-Chibi-Robo Zip Lash
-Zelda Triforce Heroes
-Stella Glow
-Legend of Legacy
-Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden
-Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon
-Sonic Boom Fire & Ice
-Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympics
-Yokai Watch
Then in 2016:
-Final Fantasy Explorers
-Hyrule Warriors Legends
-Mario & Luigi Paper Jam
-Metroid Prime Federation Force
-Fire Emblem Fates
-Bravely Second
There's still plenty of games that need localized:
-Rhythm Heaven
-Yokai Watch 2
-Yokai Watch Busters
-Yokai Watch 3 (not released yet)
-Etrian Odyssey V
-Dragon Quest VII
-Dragon Quest VIII
-Dragon Quest X
-Dragon Quest XI (not released yet)
-Dragon Quest Monsters 2
-Monster Hunter X (will probably get a Monster Hunter X Ultimate)
-Monster Hunter Stories (not released yet)
-Monster Hunter Diary: Poca Poca Palico Village DX (not released yet)
-Disney Magical World 2 (not released yet)
-The Great Ace Attorney
-Zero Escape 3 (not released yet)
There's probably a bunch of others too.
I hope it doesn't go away anytime soon... I love my 3DS... 😔
Vita and 3DS are niche JRPG machines that keep on giving and that couldn't make me happier!
"Could the 3DS last for another few years, or does it need replacing now?"
I hope it doesn't have a replacement soon. I just bought a 3DS this month and I hope new games continue to be made for it. It is just as fun as a home console, great system. Lots of potential for the 3DS, I feel like I have a handheld version of a GameCube or a more powerful version of N64. So please Nintendo, if you ever read this, please keep the 3DS around in the market for a long, long time.
Of course it can, its has no real competitor.
If they woudl have pushed the N3DS a bit more, i guess you could even add another year on top.
But so far, its been rather obsolete...
This all depends on what NX is revealed to be, could be a Nintendo phone for all we know. I am 100% certain that Vita is Sony's last handheld though, really can't see them ever trying to launch another one.
@Lyngstud Nintendo life called for a hybrid and have been predicting this for God knows how long.
They are never gonna change their stance even though is still no evidence to back this theory up.
Didn't the Vita already fade away in the west?
Ditto! I couldn't agree more with you, @ekreig.
I have dozens and dozens of hours worth of backlog for my 3DS, but as long as devs continue to make great games for the system, I'll happily continue to buy them!
The 3DS could very well still be profitable, especially for smaller companies a year or two after the NX releases. It's got a large enough install base, I wouldn't be shocked to see it still supported (if not with major 1st party releases) for at least a little while after NX releases.
I think the Vita will have quite a few years left in it because it is so well supported in Japan. There is a lot to trickle down and be localised. It is now a niche system in the west but it is successful in its niche. Small companies like NIS must find some degree success in releasing the sorts of games they do here or surely they wouldn't bother. Sony have given up on the Vita so it is already companies like NIS' playing field.
The 3DS is less well supported by third parties but gets a big, big push from Nintendo. How much longer it has legs I guess depends on how quickly they decide to shift gears to its successor. Still some big titles to be localised though.
@Lyngstud I have always doubted this whole hybrid idea. Nintendo themselves only said it was something they had looked into, and I think somewhere Reggie even said it was a home console, perhaps a slip of the tongue. I will look into finding a source for that just to back it up, if I can.
Anyway Nintendo said the NX will be affordable - you can't do home and handheld in one at an affordable price, not without making a big loss per unit and Nintendo won't want to make big losses from the outset, not after the Wii U and how long it took to get back into profit. Also AMD has pretty mentioned last year that a big gaming company was to be using their X86 chipset for an upcoming system, so again I don't buy it being a hybrid or even a handheld. The 3DS is still doing well enough for Nintendo not to worry just yet.
Makes sense. 2-3 years from now would be mid-2017 to mid-2018. Nintendo's next handheld will definitely be released within that time frame.
I highly, highly, HIGHLY doubt Sony will EVER release another handheld. That would give Nintendo 100% of the handheld market, which would sound bad on paper, but given Sony's treatment of the PS Vita over the last 3 years, they might as well surrender what's left of their handheld market to Nintendo.
And can we all please let go of the "NX is a hybrid" fantasy. Nintendo themselves has confirmed that they have no intentions of making a singular device built to succeed both the 3DS and Wii U. Sure, their next handheld and home console will almost certainly share the same architecture, OS, and software development tools (aka "brothers in a family of systems), but they won't be the same thing. NX will either be a handheld or a console (or maybe NX is the name of the "family" that the handheld and console are part of).
I think Reggie suggested it would be a console.
I thought the N3DS was the successor of the 3DS (or at least an extension of the 3DS line). This is why I have a hard time believing that the NX will be a hybrid handheld/console.
That being said, I could totally see the 3DS family going for another couple of years, so long as excellent games keep coming out. My backlog is such that I will definitely have enough to play for that long anyway. I'm glad though, because the 3DS is my favorite system yet!
@IceClimbers
Project X Zone 2 has been delayed to 2016. Also, Zero Escape has been confirmed for a western release.
Other than that, your list of upcoming 3DS games was quite comprehensive. Shows that it has quite some time left on the market.
@OneBagTravel
"It could last 10 years... if they just produce the right games."
Yes please! The 3DS is a great system. Producing a new console every 5 years is like tradition, but it's not even necessary at this point. I wouldn't mind a neat gimmick and way better specs for the next home console, but for handhelds, upgrades don't really matter that much. It would be nice to not have to keep buying handheld consoles.
@westman98 Ah, missed that. Yeah, overall they can easily stretch the lifespan of the system in North America and Europe via localisations. Japan on the other hand will likely be more sparse. The list of course doesn't include unannounced games, of which I expect a few from Nintendo. Yokai Watch 2 can be stretched out if they want by releasing the first two versions first and then the 3rd version later, though I suspect that they'll only localize the 3rd version.
I could see it happening soon. The Vita has PS3 graphics and the 3DS seems to have Wii Graphics. Since they are now consoles mainly in the past, it would seem fit to up the graphics of the portables (if Sony is even bothering to make another) and create something better and bigger. For right now, with the list of 3DS games coming out this year and the first quarter of next year, I could see it fading out by Christmas of 2016, giving it another year at least.
Release the standard New 3DS in the west instead of the XL and perhaps more people will support that it will last longer.
3DS is printing money in Japan, and is still doing decently in the West. Nintendo won't retire it until it absolutely has to.
That doesn't mean the new system isn't well out by then... Usually there's still a few games left on a system a year or so after its obvious new or newer replacement has been launched.
I expect the 3ds to be sequeled by new hardware, so to speak, by the end of 2016.
I sure hope the 3DS's good years aren't behind it since I certainly don't plan on retiring mine any time soon. Especially since the New Nintendo 3DS was just released this year. Removing it from circulation wouldn't make any sense to me, even with a rumored all in one console to be revealed.
Should would be nice is NIS could give the 3DS some Disgaea love.
Wait...if the 3DS has around 2-3 years left, and the NX IS both a handheld and a console, (not saying it is that though) we might be able to figure out when the NX will come out.
If the NX Is being announced in 2016, and work has already started on the NX, It MIGHT just be that the NX is coming out in late 2016-2017. I'm sure I'm wrong, so you can just dismiss this rant.
@FragRed It will be a hybrid, how many Wii U owners wanted to play FE Awakening and Luigi's Mansion 2? How many 3ds owners would love to play Pikmin 3 and Bayonetta 2? Don't you see that if Nintendo are developing for one console we will get twice as many games. Their biggest problem has been releasing enough quality games but if they develop for one hybrid console then problem solved!
NX will be out by Christmas next year too, calling it now.
NX means Nintendo Cross Play
@andyg1971 Sorry but no, it doesn't. That name stems from a rumor that has already been debunked. And besides Nintendo Crossplay being a lousy name, NX is a codename used during development only, as they always do, so that name won't be used in the final product anyway.
And it definitely won't be a handheld or a hybrid; too many hints dropped by too many people in the know to even consider that as a possibility. The only other option that is left is that NX will not only relate to the console but also to the entire architecture/platform, that is supposed to be shared across several devices.
I do agree with you that we might see it rather soon, though. E3 2016 should give us more clues to that, but it is quite possible that we will find out some more details before that event.
NX is a great name compared to Wii or Wii U
@andyg1971 I meant Nintendo Crossplay, not NX, I already added that to the previous comment. By the way: there is a reply button...
First chip put in it should be a Super FX chip, I am fed up waiting on Starfox!
@TheRealThanos We will have to wait and see I guess but I still think it will be a hybrid or if not a home console with the option of purchasing the handheld portion at a later date.
I couldn't say, the New 3DS never got released in America, so how would NIS America President have a clue what he's talking about?
@andyg1971 I was thinking along those lines too, a few months earlier, but now with all the hints dropped and quotes all over the internet from official sources I have come to the conclusion that I have.
A good friend and very smart man once taught me the concept of deductive reasoning and it is a way of thinking that is not only logical, but has the highest percentage of getting things right, no matter what the subject of conversation is. It is simply a top down way of thinking, funneling all options towards one outcome, by filtering out the (more) unlikely ones, leaving you with the most logical answer in most cases.
Not saying that I am right, just that logically speaking, there's a reasonable chance.
Obviously things can change once we know more, but with what info we have now, it points to a console or a (software)platform that can be used on any device, as per the quote from mr. Iwata saying that in the new environment, console and handheld would be like brothers, hinting at scalable software that can be used on both systems. That would be something different from a hybrid, and probably more effective too.
Just for the sake of argument, hop on board this train of thought: a software architecture based on x86, just like the others, for maximum compatibility and not only more options for using the available game engines and related software/middleware, but also for keeping the door open for third party developers, regardless if they come back or not: at least the option will be there. The reason I go with x86 is that there will not be another PowerPC architecture since that is now effectively an obsolete technology. (although there are some similarities with ARM chips, but that is another story)
So, when they go that route then every engine or piece of software used can be scaled to fit the platform it needs to be on, be they handheld or home console. Those same engines are nowadays also used on smart platforms, showing how versatile and scalable they are.
All you need to do is tone down some options and effects and even the most powerful game engine (arguably Unreal engine 4) can run on anything that is compatible, and that is a pretty wide range of devices.
Taking in all that, costs can be cut considerably and hardware could also be made more powerful for lower costs. And revenues on games developed will be higher too, since development time will diminish considerably.
So, you could have the same game running on both a handheld and on a home console, where the game would simply take advantage of the hardware, scaling up or down as needed. And besides these games, there could still be a considerable percentage of specific games for each platform to differentiate between the two, but essentially, you could take your home console games with you on the handheld.
Because of the x86 architecture, backwards compatibility is also no problem, since that could be done by emulation. (the Dolphin emulator runs very smoothly, even on an average gaming PC, which is comparable to a PS4)
And there are even more advantages, but this is already quite a slab of text so I'll quit now, sorry for that...
Hope it gives you some food for thought, though...
@andyg1971 Just one small thing to add: ask yourself that, if the rumors about Nintendo showing the NX concept to third parties at this last E3 is true, and considering that those were parties of importance, why would they be enthusiastic about a handheld or yet another weird type of architecture?
@TheRealThanos Ok you have piqued my interest, especially the scaling up or down as needed bit. We seem to be getting closer to a general agreement here, by the time it's released we will be in full agreement I reckon.
@Varathius xenoblade isn't 3ds exclusive, and hes talking about 3ds in general not new 3ds only.
I give the 3DS about 4 more months to last, after about a 3 or 4 year period.
@EllenJMiller I cannot overstate how good the new Rhythm Heaven is. I've been playing it non-stop since I imported it.
Just keep it around long enough for us to get Etrian Odyssey 3 Untold. It would drive my OCD nuts for that to be on a different system.
@Hero-of-WiiU
It never had a start in the West to begin with... I bought one, and I don't regret it because I've played some great games on it, however, it's been totally irrelevant in the Western market since day one. Some would say since before day one.
3DS on the other hand, I'd say I agree with Yamashita. It's got at least two years left in it, and could probably go for up to 5 more years if Nintendo wants to stick with it that long.
I currently has games cover in dust waiting for their turns to be in my 2ds so even they stop making game for 3ds, it would still be fine for another year or so.
Plus, Nin handheld is backward compatible anyway.
I'm only 20% through my DS backlog, you guys. Don't even get me started on the 3DS one.
The console has plenty juice left in it, its biggest weakness is that Nintendo is deliberately (or stupidly) underutilizing its resources, such as the VC, as they seem to be doing only the things that would bring in Big Bucks Now (high-risk at times), instead of Stable Bucks Forever.
There's still life in the 3DS. Even when NX comes out, I will wait for a revamped design. My experience tells me to never buy any Nintendo handheld when it's launched. Early Adopter always get screwed by Nintendo. A better redesigned model is just 1.5 years down the road.
Let's end the incompatible architecture and platform problems of previous handheld vs. console hardware from Nintendo as soon as possible.
3DS has graphics that are truly embarrassing in today's portable device world. It's very, very late in its life as far as my own perception goes. Will it still make money for awhile anyway? Of course. But it's time for new, in my opinion.
@andyg1971 Glad to have given you something to think about and thanks for being open-minded. Now if only we could fast forward a couple of months to see and hear more of what it will actually be, instead of having to wait for almost another year...
@TheRealThanos Absolutely, exciting times ahead 😉
i'm confused why they'd need to upgrade the hardware. kid icarus uprising looked great and had loads of content. either that or i played the ever living hell out of the multiplayer to get my play time that high... i haven't played it in a while but it was a very impressive game to me.
Well, so long as good games keep coming up, but I'd rather see the "NextDS" sooner than later.
My biggest gripe with 3DS is the 240p resolution.
"3DS Can Last For Another Two To Three Years In The West"
It won't happen!
Tap here to load 98 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...