Topic: What are the chances of a 3DS HD and would you buy one?

[Adrock]

I think we all expect Nintendo to redesign 3DS at least once. While I'm more than satisfied with the DSi, I was pretty pissed when XL was announced less than 6 months later. I don't actually treat my handhelds as portable on-the-go devices (I know, it's backwards... whatever). They're all consoles to me because I only play videogames at home or at a friend's house. I justify their existence as long as they have games I want to play.

Anyway, I think a 3DS XL is a given. The final 3DS model doesn't really lend itself for a more compact redesign as it's pretty packed as is so a model with larger screens seems like the most likely scenario. However, my question is: do you think Nintendo would not only increase the screen size, but the screen resolution as well, something they didn't do with the DSi or XL? This would undoubtedly drive the price up even more, but the games would sure look prettier. Nintendo would probably also have to include better cameras as pictures would look like crap on anything but the 3DS'sesses native resolution.

I think it's an interesting concept and certainly a possibility (I'm sure Nintendo thought about increasing the resolution for the DSi XL). I'm leaning toward "very slim chance of happening," but honestly, I'd totally buy it.

[TJ Spyke]

Not a chance of there being a 3DS HD, they would need to more than double the resolution of the screen for it to be HD. No games would be released just supporting that resolution (too many customers wouldn't be able to buy them), and I don't see publishers paying to support both. I do predict some kind of re-design after about 2 years, but I don't think there is any chance of the resolution changing with it. If I had to put a number on it, I would put it at like 1%.

[NWR_insanolord]

I would absolutely love a 3DS with the iPhone 4's Retina Display, and it makes me sad knowing that will never happen.

[Kytim89]

If, and only if, the technology got cheap enough for developers and Nintendo to implement into the machine then I think it could happen in a bout five to ten years.

[alegoicoe]

given the graphic quality of the games that have been shown, who knows the type of graphics that developers are going to get out the 3ds in two years when the platform is well know around the industry. So no, i dont think an hd 3ds would be here anytime soon. I think current 3ds specs are enough, given that the system is processing twice an image.

[Adrock]

Not a chance of there being a 3DS HD, they would need to more than double the resolution of the screen for it to be HD. No games would be released just supporting that resolution (too many customers wouldn't be able to buy them), and I don't see publishers paying to support both.

Do they really have to support both? I'm not terribly well versed in game development, but I imagined it would be similar to console games which can be played on both SDTVs and HDTVs and depending on the cables used (i.e. HDMI, component etc) which also affect the screen image. I'm not suggesting they change the specs (though DSi set a precedence even if few games take advantage of the extra memory and processing power), just the screen resolution. At that point, developers could write the games to take advantage of the larger screen real estate and resolution which would still play on an original 3DS. Older games would get stretched like they do on DSi/XL. I still don't think it'll happen. This is just how I imagined it would work.

[Mop it up]

I don't think they'll split the market by releasing a higher resolution 3DS system, just like they didn't release retail DSi-only games (well, a couple might have slipped out, I'm not sure).

[BranDonk Kong]

They wouldn't have to worry about existing games if they made an HD version. If you play a Wii game on Dolphin at 1080p, you don't have to go back in time and remake the game to support 1080p. If they revised it with a higher res screen, any existing game *should* work, it would just need to be upscaled, but that shouldn't affect performance (at least not by much) if they're using the same hardware, but at higher clockspeeds with more memory. The fact that the processors being used are underclocked (at least according to reports) kind of makes this seem like it may happen one day.

[DAaaMan64]

If by had do you mean 720p+ output? Your crazy and its not happening.

[TJ Spyke]

Exactly, publishers bitched at Microsoft for making them release every game at 720p or higher (720p is considered HD) for years until they finally agreed to drop that requirement. If Nintendo tried that you would hear the same complaining.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I think the idea of a Higher res, larger screen 3DS XL that upscales all content (with an mini HDMI out) sounds like a great idea for 2-3 years after release after a price drop on the original unit, but the chances of it happening with todays Nintendo are slim to none.

Success of the iPad and other tablet devices and continued pressure from Apple with it's iPhone 5 & 6 might make for some different decisions from a slightly different Nintendo a few years from now (after the next home console has been released), but todays Nintendo wouldn't do it.

[DAaaMan64]

Exactly, publishers bitched at Microsoft for making them release every game at 720p or higher (720p is considered HD) for years until they finally agreed to drop that requirement. If Nintendo tried that you would hear the same complaining.

WOT? The 3DS is absolutely, 100%, never EVER going to be able to output 720p.

[TJ Spyke]

Which is exactly why I said there will not be a 3DS HD. Maybe the system after that will be HD, but I think that it won't batter with the 3DS since I think they will still be able to make the games look great.

[DAaaMan64]

Which is exactly why I said there will not be a 3DS HD. Maybe the system after that will be HD, but I think that it won't batter with the 3DS since I think they will still be able to make the games look great.

I have a hard time believing any developer is gonna volunteering render in 1280x720 when they only need to render some tiny widescreen res. What would HDeee really do here on such a small screen?

[Adrock]

I'm going to be honest, I just called in 3DS HD because I thought it sounded nice. I was suggesting just a sharper screen with greater pixel density, rather than the ability to output in 720p or resolution. It wouldn't have to be HD per se, just have more pixels per inch. I was kind of hoping people would focus more on the "would you buy one" part rather than whether Nintendo would actually do it. I doubt it even though Nintendo has been doing some atypical Nintendo things lately which makes it seems more likely than ever before but still pretty unlikely. I guess that's better than nothing

[DAaaMan64]

I see.