Topic: Nintendo Set to Stop All Production on Regular 3DS XL Units in Japan

[Daan]

With the arrival of the New Nintendo 3DS, the previous model's end is imminent.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/39124/nintendo-set-to-stop-all-production-on-regular-3ds-xl-units-in-japan

Nintendo will end production on its line of regular 3DS XL (or LL in Japan) handhelds very soon. This was revealed on the company's Japanese website earlier in the week.

All the color variations: Mint White, Black, Blue Black, Pink White, Red Black, Silver Black and White will no longer be manufactured. All the other versions of the standard Nintendo 3DS XL have been discontinued already and will not return.

The move does not impact the availability of the original Nintendo 3DS, of which five colors are still widely available. What this means for the West is another topic of discussion, and we will update the story if we hear more.

[KITT 10K]

When are they supposed to come to North America?

[Khushrenada]

There's been no announcement of the New 3DS coming to North America yet. Probably in an attempt not to sabotage 3DS sales this holiday season. With the 3DS XL being discontinued, they will clearly have to announce the NEW 3DS coming sometime very soon in 2015. Perhaps it will be a February launch like the original 3DS was. (Or was that March?) Anyways, it's probably an attempt to sell off as much stock of the old 3DS before flooding shelves with the NEW.

[Mythtendo]

3DS came out in March. We know the New 3DS is coming to North America, just not when. Hopefully they announce it soon.


This announcement is not surprising, they always do this. When they released the DS Lite, they eventually stopped making the original DS. Then when the DSi came out, they eventually stopped making the DS Lite.

[Adrock]

The move does not impact the availability of the original Nintendo 3DS, of which five colors are still widely available.

This is strange. I thought 3DS XL/LL routinely outsold the regular 3DS. I would have expected both models to be discontinued though the regular New 3DS is leaps and bounds better than the regular original 3DS so if anything, I would have expected that to be discontinued first. At least there was a reason to keep DS Lite in production after DSi came out since it had a GBA slot.

In any case, I may actually pick up a New 3DS next year. My original regular 3DS that I gave to my brother apparently has a wonky L button (it works as long as it's pressed a certain way). Hand-me-downs have been how I've been justifying upgrading to new models. I already used that excuse when I upgraded to the XL, but it looks like I get to use it again.

[Khushrenada]

Yeah, my R button is pretty much gone. If I spend 20 seconds blowing away at it, I might get a click or two and now my L button is going. Sometimes it works, sometimes I have to blow on it and will get a bit more usage until the next time I have to "wind it up" again.

That's right. I played and completely beat Smash 3DS without having working shoulder buttons meaning I couldn't grab and had limited Shield abilities. Can't wait to get a proper working system again. It's going to help with so many games.