According to reports this week, Mitsumi, a primary manufacturer for Nintendo, has submitted several FCC filings for an upcoming DS handheld, which many believe is the new 3D-enabled 3DS.
Nintendo's 3DS will be released a full two months in advance of Christmas this year, CVG can reveal.
UK industry sources have today informed us that the platform holder is readying an October launch for the system - which it will announce at E3.
@Powertrade, To add to your analysis : In US, GBA managed to sell additional 11.6 Million since DS launch (Nov 2004 - Sep 2007). I believe the same thing (residue selling) will still happen with DSL/DSi/DSiLL when 3DS launch.
@Powertrade, I see no reason why Nintendo would stop manufacturing the DS line in fiscal 2011 because they are releasing 3DS. I think you will see DS Lite go down to 99.99, DSi go down to DS Lite's current price or a bit lower, and DSi XL go down to DSi's current price or bit lower. While 3DS will probably be $179.99-$199.99 at launch.
@Powertrade,If it truly is a replacement and is (as I believe it will be in August/September) then the current iteration is going to be curtailed during the peak Xmas season...so I don't see the current version selling close to its norm for fiscal 2010.
DS Lite Announced Jan 2006 ... on sale March 2006...a 2 month delay. DSi Announced Oct 2008...on sale Nov 2008.. a one month delay DSXL/LL Announced Oct 2009...on sale Nov 2009...a one month delay.
Given the above I don't see why a June reveal of the 3DS would result in the product not launching fairly soon after.
In today's WSJ article on the new Nintendo 3D device, it mentions DS has sold "more than 125 million units" with sales peaking in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009. Sales for this fiscal year (ending March 31, 2010) are forecast by Nintendo to be at 30 million units (vs 31.2 million units the year before).
I think if the new 3D device results in a complete end to manufacturing of the DS line in 2011, DS sales should top out at 155 million world wide. If sales continue through FY ending 2012 at 50% of current (post the next gen release), DS would be at 170 million. I'm thinking sales will decline a lot faster if the new 3D version is meant to be a complete replacement.
@Powertrade,Well...that is what I'm betting on...It will have (from the sounds of it) software that will use a core functionality that won't play on the DS and DSi...I guess we won't truly know until E3.
"- It's an all-new line of hardware, not simply a new model of the DS. Despite having the letters "DS" in the name, it's a working title, and the use of terms like "backwards compatible" and the fact it's succeeding the "Nintendo DS series" sounds a lot like this is the first of Nintendo's next generation of handheld gaming devices."
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