Nintendo 3DS owners rejoice! The popular handheld device will not be discontinued after the release of the Nintendo Switch.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Nintendo’s President Tatsumi Kimishima confirmed that the Nintendo 3DS will still be a part of Nintendo’s ecosystem, at least for the foreseeable future. Kimishima said: “Thanks to our software, the 3DS hardware is still growing. So that business still has momentum. And certainly rather than being cannibalized by the Switch, we think the 3DS can continue in its own form.”
The original Nintendo 3DS released in 2011, launching at a higher than usual price point of $249.99. Since it’s released, the system has received numerous hardware revisions including the Nintendo 3DS XL, the New Nintendo 3DS XL, and the Nintendo 2DS. We commented on the potential of the Nintendo 3DS receiving the cold shoulder, especially considering the handheld device is now approaching its sixth birthday.
The interview also spoke about Nintendo’s interest in Virtual Reality, with most of the current-generation platforms experimenting with their own VR add-ins. While the statement that Tatsumi Kimishima provided was vague, it didn’t rule anything out for Nintendo’s Future.
“I can’t say that we have no interest in VR because VR offers new ways of playing, but that depends on what kind of software can be played.” Kimishima stated. “But what kind of software works, that’s only something you only know once you actually experience it. And our games are ones that are usually played for a long time.”
We still don’t know what is in store for the Nintendo Switch. We should hear more information on January 12th, where Nintendo is scheduled to hold an event explaining the Switch in full detail.
The Nintendo Switch releases in March of 2017.
Source: Bloomberg
