Nintendo denies DS revision…for E3
Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 at 3:02pm by Jake
Over the past few weeks rumors have been circling of a “new” DS model to be shown at E3. It all began with a in-depth prediction by Hirokazu Hamamura of Enterbrain (Japanese Famitsu publisher) that Nintendo will be showing a revised model with “larger screens, “faster hardware”, and “onboard storage”. However, soon after the internet exploded over this “rumor”, Nintendo of Japan quickly shot it down with their normal default press answer
“We cannot comment on the specifics of what will be announced at E3, but at the very least there won’t be anything like what Mr. Hamamura suggested, so would like to clearly deny this. We’re having a hard time understanding what kind of evidence [Mr. Hamamura] had for saying this.”
This statement coming from a company who denied a rumor of the DS Lite, only to announce the model a week later. I’m still thinking along the lines of Mr. Hamamura. All the signs are present. Nintendo has virtually dropped first party game support for the platform, lack of true Wii-DS support, and it’s been 4 years since the DS was launched.
Nintendo will never drop support for “grandma’s” DS games (+65 million sales), so a dramatic revision that keeps the touch screen format is not out of the question at all.
Do you think we will see a “new” DS this E3?
April 16th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Nope
April 16th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
it’s too early for the next generation of the DS to release, but I can see another redesign releasing as soon as the DS Lite starts to slow down in sales.
April 16th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
But, but… What would you change??
The DS Lite was easy: there were a dozen things wrong with the original DS! But I can’t see anything you could change on the Lite. Maybe make the GBA slot deeper so the catridges are not sticking out, but that is hardly a problem that calls for a whole new DS. And changing the resolution or graphic power of the Lite would create an unecessary higher cost for the portable and the games that used that would not be backwards-compatible with the older DS models.
Nope, I don’t see it happening…
April 16th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
The GBA SP was a great redesign, but they still came out with the Micro.
I’m expecting a new model as well, but not a DS2.
April 16th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
I will see if I can obtain more info about this soon…I’ll put it in a thread.
April 16th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
No. Not a DS2, but another “Lite” change. Add screens, more power, storage, etc…, but keep support for DS titles.
April 16th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
I may be the ONLY IDIOT out on the Infendo field right now who says that a new DS system WILL EMERGE out of the depths of E3 this year. I mean, hey, a new Nintendo system usually drops from Nintendo’s gates about every 4 - 5 years. Same as to handhelds. Sorry to disagree with everyone here, but I STRONGLY believe that a new DS, possibly DS 2 will be shown at Nintendo’s Press Conference show at E3 2008 this year. Who knows, it might be able to play games in GCN like graphics like how the ORIGINAL DS played games with N64 like graphics, only better.
April 16th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
These things are still selling like mad, why bother with a new model? It would only serve to confuse the casual market, and alienate all those who just purchased the current DS version.
April 16th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Yes, why make a new one when the current model is still selling like madness?
Although my white DS Lite’s touchscreen is all scratched up from Elite Beat Agents, so I’m thinking about buying a new one. I’m sure the latest model/redesign will be announced the day after I make that purchase.
April 16th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
It would make me sad if they brought another, I only just hopped on the DS bandwagon last November.
April 16th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
I hope not. I’d MUCH rather hear about a firmware upgrade to allow better Wii/DS integration.
April 16th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
but… if they do offer a new handheld, I hope we dispense with the “dual screens because it’s cheaper than one big one” crap? There were few games on the DS that I wouldn’t rather have played on a larger single screen. It often felt that the game only utilized a “gameboy’s worth” of pixels. I love my DS and I really dig stylus games, but then I play God of War on my PSP and I just say “why can’t my stylus-based DS look like THIS?!?!?!?”
April 16th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
i’d not be surprised by a redesign, but don’t expect a ds2. in fact, i don’t want to see a ds2. i feel my system has legs yet and don’t want to have to consider upgrading.
April 16th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Look at when GBA came out. GBC was doing great b/c of Pokemon, yet they still decided to keep it fresh and release Advance.
Still a DS w/ a cahange of resolution would change the standard compatibility. I just feel a redesign coming.
April 16th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
There’s gonna be a motion control add on for DS! ha ha!
April 17th, 2008 at 7:39 am
Its gonna happen. A DS2 would be awesome!! It would be a pretty good move by Nintendo too! Please let the DS2 be true!!!
April 17th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Nope, I still don’t see it from these comments… Even motion control can be added to the current Lite design by selling it in a catridge for $10!