DS to Have Life After 3DS, says Nintendo

I'm glad they'll keep supporting the DS. I wish they did that with GCN but... oh well.

Yeah, companies usually bring out a few big games while the next system is out. It's normal.

Yeah, so I guess there's still just hope that some of those RPGs currently only in Japan may come to the U.S., right?

didn't they say that about the GBA when the DS came out?

The DS will die once Nintendo sees 90% of people have a 3DS

@Zranoll: The DS was supposed to be just a "third pillar," existing along with the GBA. Then when Nintendo realized there was no more sales to be gotten out of the GBA, they phased it out. So, in a sense they did say the same thing about the GBA.

@SuperPeach: Yeah, I was thinking when the 3DS came out, Nintendo would move it's DS projects to the 3DS and tell everybody else to do the same like they did with the GCN after the Wii's launch.

That's a smart move. But if they REALLY wanted to make a whole bunch of money, then they would cancel the "backwards compatible" thing on the 3DS and only have it play 3DS games. But then, people might not be interested, so it's a risky move...

I actually seem to remember it took a year or two for the GBA to really get phased out since the DS could run GBA games and there really weren't that many DS games in the early months of its existence. I know I played the heck out of my GBA SP until I got my first DS lite for Christmas one year.

I think the early success of the Wii was a big factor in the GCN getting phased out so fast. It just made sense to have your game published for a successful platform rather than one that was generally deemed a failure (even though the GCN had tons of great games).

Its backwards compatible so I'm not surprised.

They missed the Christmas opportunity with the 3DS so they want to make sure people will stll buy DSs during this important part of the year instead of waiting for the 3DS. Makes sense...

What I don't get is how that's related to piracy...

Edit: Also one has to wonder, how exactly will the 3DS handle DS games? The original DS ran GBA games with a much smaller screen size due to differences in screen resolution. The quality of the image was better than on a GBA-SP but I'd rather play GBA games on the SP just because of screen size... Something similar willl probably happen with the 3DS which has a much better resolution than the DS, so in the end it may turn out that playing DS games will be better on an actual DS...

Probably just want to make sure the money-printing feature on the 3DS works just as well as the DS' before they drop the system altogether.

@zranoll

Well, the GBA did get support for at least 2 years after the DS came out. Sure, it did get phased out eventually, but I'd say the still kept their promise in the end, and I'm sure the DS will still get a few years worth of support before it's phased out as well. And by then, maybe there'll be enough games out on it to make it worth everyone's purchase.

@maka Mr Iwata believes that people pirate games because there isn't enough great software to make them go out and purchase it legally instead.

As long as I have a 3DS it doesn't matter.

Good we still need Professor Layton and the Specter's Flute!

I am not joking.

Pokemon Black/White

"We'll stop piracy by making more great games that are easy to pirate!"

Glad to see the DS won't completely die. I didn't want to have to share my 3DS with my brothers all the time because they couldn't get new games.

You guys realize that this is plain right?

What he actually says is that , when the 3DS gets launched. They wont stop for 100% of the developing at the time of the launch.

This means you will see some cheap games arriving towards DS like they did with every handheld when they got fased out.

Not to forget he always, announces after every handheld or console revision the same thing. Thats in order to keep the DS sales steady.

3th party developers will not be interested in the DS anymore ( the big titles ) because the system has no future at all anymore.

Every handheld system got this treatment of nintendo.
When the gba came out, nintendo announced that gbc would still be getting top titles.
A half year later, the shelves where going empty in shops. and a year later the product wasn't even at the shops anymore. Only a few games left.

Thats how it will go exactly with the DS.

Maybe some nintendo games will get easy ports or another mario side scroller or party game. But those will be serieusly cheap budget games.

Expect crap Nintendo titles that most people ignore in their support. Any AAA games, or even AA games will be made for the 3DS.

When the DS came out, or Wii how many AAA Nintendo games came out for the GBA or Cube? Twilight Princess? Yeah, but that's because it WAS a gamecube game.

the only ds game on my mind is pokemon white, so I'm happy to move on completely. If I remember right, the gba got about a year and a half to two years into the ds cycle, up until the gameboy micro.

Well this is good to know. Because I think I might upgrade from my DS to the new Mario 25th anniversary red DSi XL, but yah, I dunno about the 3DS. So this is good news!

"Edit: Also one has to wonder, how exactly will the 3DS handle DS games? The original DS ran GBA games with a much smaller screen size due to differences in screen resolution. The quality of the image was better than on a GBA-SP but I'd rather play GBA games on the SP just because of screen size... Something similar willl probably happen with the 3DS which has a much better resolution than the DS, so in the end it may turn out that playing DS games will be better on an actual DS..."

Check the shop channel 3DS movie, when he scrolls up and down. You see how the upper screen gets a frame around it.

Same with happen with DS games.

I dont see why you would keep stuck on the DS tho, unless you got a DS lite for GBA games. The screens from DS lite = superior compared to the gba sp version. specially the backlight.

I never used my gba anymore, after i bought the DS lite.
Same will happen with 3DS. DS wont get used anymore. only ds lite for gba games.

And about the christmas part, you nailed it there.
Christmas is comming, with no 3DS. Everybody holds there money because buying a DS atm = waste of money. It has no future anymore.

By announcing this, they hope to increase the sales at those holidays. Because it looks awfull atm for the DS itself.

@27

read some reactions, if you buy a DSi XL because you really think you gona get AAA titles. Then you will be heavy dissapointed. IF i was you i would hold your cash. Because your DSi XL isn't worth anything when the 3DS gets announced throught tv and media to the general public.

Ha! Yeah right, Nintendo. You said the same thing about the GBA.

@Gatygun

There are already plenty of quality games with dates around or after the projected 3DS launch, Such as Okamiden, that new Kirby game (in the West at least) and I'm sure there'll be otheres. The GBC and GBA also had great games that came out after a new system was launched, such as Shantae (GBC), Mother 3, and various RPGs that got late localizations on the GBA. Same with the PS2, which got a bunch of great games Post-PS3, though most were niche (but great if it's your niche). Sure, it's "phasing out" (there's no 'f' in phasing), but that doesn't mean that there won't be anything worthwhile, and that's all he's really saying. Honestly, that's a good thing, since most consoles and handhelds take a while to build up a quality line up of games, and while the 3DS has plenty of good games announced for it, we don't know when they'll all come out. Personally, until there are enough quality titles available to buy on the 3DS, I'm probably gonna just continue buying, playing, and enjoying DS games, just as I had done with the GBA when the DS came out, and just as I had done with the GBC when the GBA came out. Honestly, I'd rather have fun than stare at a useless piece of plastic all day. I already went through that with the DS. It's not fun.

This should've been obvious when we saw new DS games at the conference.

Also I don't know who thinks that GBA games suddenly dropped in quality after DS came out. I guess King of Swing, WarioWare: Twisted, FE: Sacred Stones, Drill Dozer, and Minish Cap all sucked. Does Japan count? I guess Mother 3 and Rhythm Heaven suck too!

It makes sense. They want software sales from people who don't want to (or can't because of stock shortages if it sells like the Wii) buy a 3DS at or near launch. I think the support will be mainly crappy 3rd party games (the 10 year old demographic "Imagine" and "Petz" shoot for won't have $200-$300 to buy the launch game) will continue for a while. Probably lots of 3DSWare will be doable on DSiWare too, seeing as those services lend themselves to puzzlers and other simple games. You could even see some real quality games ported over, since it's fairly cheap to develop for and there's such a massive install base.

The length of support will depend on how quickly the 3DS gets snapped up. If it ends up costing over $250, I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't see a similar phenomenon to the PS2, where you are STILL getting games for it (though at this point it's mostly Dora the Explorer type stuff), because the PS3 wasn't reasonably priced for most people until the Slim came out this year.

This is DEFINITELY good. Example: when the DS originally came out, they continued to make Game Boy Advance games for a little while. One title, TMNT was better on GBA than any other system, including DS. And you could play GBA games on DS, so it was like you got to choose 2 versions of the same game. Just like you'll be able to play DS games on 3DS. More choices for games = more chance of finding a good game.

That's fine, because remember, DS games are compatible with the 3DS.

I'll believe it when I see it. They always say things along these lines whenever a new console is about to come out, and then it never turns out to be true. Remember the claim that the DS was going to be the "third pillar" along side the GBA and GC - then in reality it went on to completely replace the GBA? yeah...

I'd rather they just let the DS die out. It's lived it's life--trying to balance two portable systems is going to get weird, especially given the technical gaps between the two.

Theres still mario vs. donkey kong mini-land mayhem, kirby ds and professor Layton and the spectre's flute to come so the ds will probably have at least another year of quality releases. I'm also hoping that radiant historia gets localised.

@fishman100 How would that ever be benificial?

I'll be playing the big DS titles on my 3DS, thanks.

Yeah completely expected. However I don't expect any DS games to be released past 2012. I'd say they'll continue all of 2011, then phase out in 2012. Hell maybe there will be a couple early 2013, but then that's it. This happens every time with every Nintendo system. Only the NES lasted a few years longer than normal, leading to hard to find good games of that era nowadays. It's a shame too, because if they would have kept the GBA just another half a year or so they could have released Mother 3 in the West! Same thing with Mother 1 if the SNES wasn't on the horizon and that stupid Sega didn't start the console wars then it would have been released (however maybe thanks to Sega we ended up getting a SNES anyway with the competition).

The PS2 stil sees some releases, so why not? It's all a matter of the console's popularity. If it wasn't popular, the company lets it die. If it was, the company continues to support it.

I think support will die quickly. The 3DS isn't just a more powerful console, it brings another dimension to gaming. I think developers and, yes, Nintendo, will be falling all over themselves to get games out for the new hardware ASAP, to capitalize on all those early buyers who are looking for new games. I think after next spring, the only new DS games will be low-grade third-party stuff targeted toward young kids whose parents don't see the need to shell out $200 for new hardware.

yeah it'll probably be like GBA where there will be a few more great games but pretty much nothing else.

Thats good to hear hopefully the ds goes out with style.

Good to hear that Shovle ware can still load the last of there games on the DS.
just like they did when The GBA was Dieing....

I hope we get EBA 2 on DS or on 3DS

Don't forget Okamiden for the DS in March

I found that great, anyways the should start forgeting the DS and base more on the 3DS.

thats good news. but they should only do it for a year or two

I'm not buying it. Nintendo have said this before. GBA and the SNES first springs to mind. When everyone have a 3DS, the DS is history.

It's logical that Nintendo is saying it though. Saying otherwise means no sales during the holiday season.

I think the reason why the GBA lasted so long after the DS came out was because it was out only three years when the Nintendo DS debuted so it had some time left.

The Nintendo DS will probably fade away very quickly since it's been going on for six years, which is a remarkable streak without a true successor.

I think that they are going to go the way of the Super Paper Mario.

Announce a huge game for both the Gamecube and the Wii. Then they cancel the plans for GCN to force you to buy the Wii.

@WarioFan: what new DS are you talking about?

@39 : Concerning MOTHER 3.
You know that there is a possibility that Nintendo can do two things: either a) Release MOTHER 3 in Virtual Console for the 3DS (they do imports for Wii Virtual Console... why won't they do it for the 3DS?) or b) Release a 3DSWare version of it (IF of course 3DSWare does exist... because I don't know if they announced it yet).

Well, it worked with the PS2. It sometimes sells more than the variations of PSPs do. Keep making platforms that did really well, and people will buy them--people that missed out when it was still active. I need to get me some Kingdom Hearts and Shadow of the Colossus.

Just like they kept their promise of not discontinuing the gameboy line when the DS came out? Yeah... I don't believe them.

The DS came out in 2004 adn there were still new GBA releases until 2008. Sure they dropped it eventually, but not immediately. And there WERE quite a few high profile post-DS GBA titles released. Zelda: The Minish Cap, Pokemon Emerald, Warioware Twisted, all of the FF GBA games... Those all came out after the DS launched off the top of my head anyway, and I'm sure there were more. People read too much into a statement that a company will continue to support a platform. They won't support it for the entire life of the 3DS, but as it's a successful system it will probably get another 2-3 years easily.

They'll keep it going until it becomes the best selling system of all time, and takes the title from the PS2.

I suck at numbers like these but didn't the Wii and/or the DS already outstrip that?

I agree that this is not a surprise. The 3DS will be priced so high that Nintendo will continue to have a "budget" line for those who don't want to buy in at the high price.

I expect that games like Mario vs. Donkey Kong or Mega Man Star Force will continue to be released for a couple years. For all those that say the GBA got shovelware after the DS released, I think Nintendo published a total of 17 games on GBA after the DS, including LoZ: Minish Cap, Mario Tennis, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, WarioWare: Twisted, Drill Dozer and the Final Fantasy remakes.

However, there was a general 3rd party slowdown, with Atlus the biggest quality supporter of the GBA post-2004.

I don't see supporting 3DS and DS as an issue as they make it out as back in the day most people used to have a budget version and their top version of their games. Anyone remember when Nintendo supported both the Nintendo NES and Super Nintendo at the same time , Commodore had their C64 and Amiga lines , Sega had their Master System and Megadrive.
Having a budget line as long as they carry on releasing quality software is a fantastic thing. I mean I remember having a Super Nintendo and still wanting to buy NES titles because they were just good. I actually played Super Mario Bros 3 after I completed Super Mario World =).

Bottom line is choice is good

All those Nes/SNes titles, mostly puzzles.

Anyway, this will be good. I have a feeling though this will only last, if for long @ all, until demographics show a high 3DS to DS ratio.

I won't be buying a 3DS when it comes out, I just bought my DSi XL a month ago. I would love it if they kept supporting the DS/DSL/DSi systems just as they are now.

I doubt this will happen, it's merely a front to make the existing DS userbase feel better. There wont be anymore big titles, just masses of shovelware and old game compilations. Don't look forward to it...

This is why I admire Sony's ten year plan for its consoles. I doubt I'll be getting a 3DS because I'm perfectly happy with my DSi XL and (currently) Dragon Quest IX.

Nintendo Does keep it's preceeding generation consoles going for about a year after the next one comes along. DS games for another year after the 3DS comes out.

they can kill the ds if they think about making super smash bros 3ds

YESS!!!!! YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!!!! MUSIC TO MY EARS!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU NINTENDO!!!!!!!!

i have a 3ds and they have already started to make major titles for it. like pokemon x and y, mario 3d land, and zelda ocarina of time 3d. plus you can buy retro games for it as well. i think the nintdo ds is slowly fading. sorry for those who enjoyed the ds, as the ds lite was one of the first systems that i started taking gaming seriously.