Topic: Nikkei Says Larger 3DS Redesign Potentially Coming This Summer

[NWR_Neal]

UPDATE: Nintendo responds, says report is based on speculation.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/30431

UPDATE: Nintendo responded to Nikkei's report, saying that it contained a number of errors and was based on speculation. The company then said people should pay attention to their pre-E3 and E3 events for their official announcements.

I guess we will find out if Nikkei was right very soon. The original article follows:

The 3DS will likely get a redesign, according to reliable Japanese newspaper Nikkei.

The new system, possibly coming out as early as this summer across all regions, will have a 4.3-inch screen, which is 1.5 times larger than the current model. The announcement of the new design is expected to come from Satoru Iwata at Nintendo's E3 press conference tomorrow.

Nikkei has previously accurately reported on both the 3DS and the Wii U before their official reveals. While we'll likely have to wait until tomorrow for an official confirmation, it's looking like a 3DS redesign is imminent.

[Adrianwii]

Way too early for redesign. I don't think the rumor is true. Maybe 2013 they will release it but this year is the Wii U's year.

[Kairon]

If it's an "XL" that doesn't count as a redesign in my book, but another hardware model that coexists with it.

[Pale]

Sweet. BIGGER PIXELS!


(Sorry. I had to.)

[Luigi Dude]

Nice, now I can finally buy a 3DS.

Way too early for redesign. I don't think the rumor is true. Maybe 2013 they will release it but this year is the Wii U's year.

In Japan the original DS was released on December 2nd 2004 and the DS Lite was released on March 2nd 2006.  There was exactly only 15 months between the two.  The 3DS was first released in Japan on February 26 2011 so the 3DS has already gone on longer then the original DS did before the DS Lite came out.



So the 3DS getting a redesign now isn't too early at all because it's following a similar timeline with the original DS when it came to when the first redesign came out.

[LandStalkerNigel]

it might be possible that the larger screen is also to accomodate for the extra circlepad? Larger screen = larger chasis = more room for the extra circlepad

[Pale]

I would love a smaller form factor 3DS. Maybe leave the touch screen as is but shrink the top screen to be the same width as the touch screen with a beautifully small DPI.

I know I'm in the minority though.

[Ian Sane]

Sweet. BIGGER PIXELS!


(Sorry. I had to.)

Nintendo's approach to this stuff reminds me of how old people reacted to widescreen TVs when they were first introduced.  "Well I don't want the black bars.  Make it fill up the screen."  "But, Dad, (because this was always who we had this conversation with), the original show was not in this ratio so it will stretch and look weird."  "But it's cutting off the sides with these black bars.  I want to see the whole thing."  "You already CAN see the whole thing!  This is it!"

"Well the screen is bigger."  "But the resolution doesn't change so the image will just look blockier."  "..... but the screen is bigger."

[Kairon]

I would love a smaller form factor 3DS. Maybe leave the touch screen as is but shrink the top screen to be the same width as the touch screen with a beautifully small DPI.

I know I'm in the minority though.

The GBA Micro was a thing of beauty. I wish I owned one.

[Adrock]

This is something I would definitely get eventually but I'm more than happy with my 3DS now and I just bought the Circle Pad Pro. With Wii U coming out this year, I don't have the funds to buy another 3DS. I expect to be wowed tomorrow. Really, all they have to show is Mario, Zelda, and/or Metroid and Nintendo can just take my money. I'm not hard to please. I love new hardware.

[Tora]

Wouldn't this potentially ruin the display?  Don't get me wrong, I think the screen being bigger is great, but with out the sharpness of the display and pixels being larger, the resolution would be considerably worse, thus making the 3D effect, together with the resolution less effective.  Considering that the default resolution can't be change, it's built into the game card.  If this is legit, Nintendo should still keep the smaller one on the market for people who want to pay less and have better picture res.

With it being 0.5 times larger, the pixels would be 0.5 times larger.  Making the display significantly worse.  That is the equivalent of making a 1080p video 720p.   Not a huge flaw, but I think I'll be buying the smaller one when I get money.  Not to mention this is FAR to early for redesign, It hasn't even been a year and a half. 

From my knowledge the 3DS doesn't even have a flaw significant enough to warrant a redesign (Aside from the battery.)

[Tennindo]

Nintendo is know for this. it took 2 years to get the DSlite, and another 2 years for DSi and a year for the XL. if you count the Game boy remakes then thats also about 2 years. So chances are we will see a new remake by spring next year, but they can show it off this years at E3 and possibly release it by this fall/winter. This will also give Nintendo a reason to jump the 3DS price up to $200 or more. As rumors have been saying about a 3DS price jump back to $250.

[TheBigK]

Yes! I've been waiting for an announcement like this. My hands are big and get cramped easily while playing for extended sessions, which is something I never experienced with the DSi XL. I hope this rumor turns out to be true!

[Adrianwii]

I most likely won't buy this since I am saving money on Wii U and its games. Plus, I am happy with my current 3Ds. The 3DS just needs more games. But I still wished they would wait until Spring 2013 to release the redesign. 

[KDR_11k]

Sweet. BIGGER PIXELS!


(Sorry. I had to.)

Makes playing GB and DS games at 1:1 pixels much more feasible, no?

[Kairon]

I stuck with my DS Phat for 6 years. I may be a Nintendo fanboy, but I'm just not that excited about these sorts of things.

[Chozo Ghost]

A bigger screen is nice, but what we really want this revision to have is the dual analog pads.

[Kytim89]

Here are thing that I want from the next 3DS system:
 

• Better LCD screens.
• Better bottom touch screen.
• More internal memory (4GBs)
• Doubled RAM and other specifications.
• SDXC support.
• Volume and 3D slider buttons in the form of "+" and "-".
• Stylus holder on the right side of the system.
• Matte finish to replace the glossy surface of the system.
• Improved cameras.
• Better buttons.
• Textured d-pad like the NES d-pad.
• Better speakers.

[Ceric]

Here are thing that I want from the next 3DS system:
 

...
    

• Volume and 3D slider buttons in the form of "+" and "-".

...
[/list]

No

[Pixelated Pixies]

I think this says more about me than anything else, but when I saw this headline I read it as 'lager 3DS'. Now that would be a redesign!

[Mop it up]

I'm not sure I believe it, though it also makes it sound like it'll just be a bigger 3DS and nothing else. So it may be more of an XL type thing where both models remain on store shelves.

[spitman]

I wish they would release a 3DS with a 1 inch screen so the people whining about pixel size would be happy.

[UncleBob]

I would love a smaller form factor 3DS. Maybe leave the touch screen as is but shrink the top screen to be the same width as the touch screen with a beautifully small DPI.

I know I'm in the minority though.

The GBA Micro was a thing of beauty. I wish I owned one.

You should own three.  Like me.