Yet another 3DS model announced - the NEW 3DS

[ExedExes]

2DS had another good use, so value was added

[dsheinem]

Maybe the reason I don't get your frustration is cause I've never been crazy about being current.

That's perfectly fine - I don't expect everyone to share my annoyance, but I also don't like to see it entirely dismissed, either. There are plenty of customers like me that Nintendo is similarly annoying with this new revision, and many of us are those who patiently waited for the XL in the first place.

[Blu]

As long as the transfer process to the new handheld is simple, I'll be in. I think we'll still get more by selling our XL's ours on our own rather than through trade ins. I really like the Super Famicom look and the Navy/Cobalt look and would really be interested in the way that little nubbin feels. If it's similar to a thinkpad mouse (there's some other piece of tech that has the same little analog stick and it was great) I'll be very surprised.

[Tanooki]

The 2DS doesn't apply just as the GB Micro doesn't. In both cases they lost the hinge, cut a speaker, gave a nice screen, a budget price, and it was just a small go to thing.

The New 3DS is your GBC and DSi type of boost, you get on board or you lose out.

I just don't get why people are getting all pissy about it and blaming the Apple model? It's the Nintendo model, Nintendo if anything tipped Apple off to abusing your regulars like this as they did it back with with the Gameboy->GBP->(GB Light Japan)-> GBC and the time spread between those releases was teeny. The iPhone starting it with Apple came out in 2007, but they didn't go to the next until the 3G until 2009 (10 for 3GS) so again Nintendo first as the DS->Lite->DSi roll was first there too. The model works, Nintendo proved it in handheld gaming, Apple reinforced and dominated by appearances doing that to phone/ios portable lovers just after. It's not some new and shocking development, it has been played out since the 1990s. Nintendo isn't good at marketing, Apple is king of the shady salesman pitch and it works wonders for both markets.

Just buy the damn thing or not, you're not being put to it at gunpoint, though perhaps it will be kind of out of convenience depending how Smash Bros uses it. Xenoblade though, if you could stomach keeping the Wii around you probably had it so I get that argument.


My only concern is transfer, I'm an ambassador on the 3DS. I know I could just buy and sell the other just after, but I'd rather as much as I despite the ground gamestop sits on, if they'd let me transfer in store before handing it over so I could get more and not deal with ebay -- I'd do it. I'm not sure how though, it doesn't use a normal SD card so is Nintendo going to pack an adapter for the littler card inside as they should.

[Opa Opa]

I don't understand why the "Apple model" is being brought up. The smartphone market and handheld console market aren't really comparable in terms of hardware necessity. And unlike the jump from 3DS->N3DS, last year's iPhone doesn't automatically become a brick when the new model is released. In fact, app developers make certain to support older models and OS's because it would be foolish to ignore the install base.

Once the N3DS takes off, I fully expect Nintendo to continually push the new hardware and drop support for the old like they always do.

[darsparx]

2DS had another good use, so value was added

Again a underrated system mentioned in the pic but I wouldn't buy a 2ds to save my life...i may be frugal but it still was odd when I heard about it....

[Ivo]

I'd prefer they not follow the "Apple model" of releasing faster hardware every year or two with its own set of exclusive software. I'd rather instead we'd get a truly next-gen handheld from them -- perhaps in another year or two, though.

That is a reasonable desire, particularly when as far as I know in the Apple case it only an iPhone 3 gens behind won't actually run a game (right? I'm not sure).

Besides, at least with my phone there's a whole system built in where I can sell the old one on the open market at the end of a 2-year contract

I'm not sure I follow you here, because you certainly can also sell your current 3DS in the open market? And presumably if Nintendo were to move into regular updates that more closely followed Apple's models (e.g. in not having exclusives to the very latest version, just that version running things faster) this would also be even more similar in terms of open market.

and basically use those proceeds to fund the purchase of my new one because of the "discount" given to people who buy a phone with a new contract.

I'm sure you understand that this "discount" is basically just making the contracts more expensive than they would be otherwise.
I can't speak for how it is in the U.S. but I know I had better conditions for getting a SIM card contract when I selected the option where I didn't get "discounted" hardware.

I suppose I can go ahead and sell my old 3DSXL as well and I am sure GameStop will have some kind of trade in thing, but Nintendo's wonky account system and method of transferring your games/licenses makes trading in at the time of purchase or before the new one comes out a non-option...which means the price drops and you end up spending more.

Nintendo's account system is a very reasonable complaint as far as I know, as most reports I've read suggest it is archaic and annoying to do migrations with.

Trading in at GameStop or equivalent is an unfair comparison when you are apparently willing to sell your old mobile directly. GameStop must absorb some of the cash you could pull out due to the additional middle man.

[dsheinem]

The smartphone market and handheld console market aren't really comparable in terms of hardware necessity. And unlike the jump from 3DS->N3DS, last year's iPhone doesn't automatically become a brick when the new model is released. In fact, app developers make certain to support older models and OS's because it would be foolish to ignore the install base.

Yeah, that's a good point. I suppose the "Apple model" would be that Xenobalde and other New 3DS games would still work on the old 3DS but with downgraded graphics/speed. This is more of an "abandon and ignore" approach...

[RyaNtheSlayA]

The smartphone market and handheld console market aren't really comparable in terms of hardware necessity. And unlike the jump from 3DS->N3DS, last year's iPhone doesn't automatically become a brick when the new model is released. In fact, app developers make certain to support older models and OS's because it would be foolish to ignore the install base.

Yeah, that's a good point. I suppose the "Apple model" would be that Xenobalde and other New 3DS games would still work on the old 3DS but with downgraded graphics/speed. This is more of an "abandon and ignore" approach...

But is it really?

Many new apps don't work on the last gen iPad or iPhone but some still do. It seems exactly the same to me. Xenoblade obviously wont run on the original 3DS but Monster Hunter 4 is allegedly a title that will run on both, just better on the n3DS (according to what people are saying on NeoGaf).

And either way it's too early to make the call I think. Just like the DSi, it might simply become a home for a few exclusive downloadable titles and just a few major games. No telling how 3rd parties will support this thing.

[dsheinem]

lots of stuff

Yeah, those are fair points.

The iPhone/3DS dichotomy to me boils down to:

-I can buy the iPhone 6 at "discount" and, that same day, probably sell my iPhone 5 on the open market for more than I spent on the iPhone 6. Additionally, if I wanted to go phone-less for a week or so beforehand I can probably make even more. Basically I can get a new phone for no money out of pocket.

-If I want to buy a New 3DSXL and sell my current 3DSXL the same day I'm going to be out some cash. Additionally, I can't sell my 3DS XL a week or so beforehand (when it is still the "top" model) if I want to keep my downloaded games because of the stupid transfer system. Basically I can't get on board with the New 3DS XL without spending a bit.

At least with the "Apple cycle" I have some flexibility and options to not really need to spend much of anything to upgrade...I may even profit from a new cycle. Nintendo doesn't give me that option.