After having to cut the 3DS’ price tag by $80 barely six months after its launch, its not too hard to believe that Nintendo is willing to take its latest handheld back to the drawing board to get it up to par with the Big N’s previous portables. Cue the rumors! 01net is reporting a major redesign coming to the 3DS: including a reduced focus on 3D, a second analog stick, and perhaps even a re-branding under a new name.
The French website (which also reported correctly on the Wii U, and not so much on the PS Vita) states the additional analog stick would be available via a $10 peripheral rather than built into the device. We have nothing remotely resembling confirmation for these claims, but the 3DS has been anything but a traditional Nintendo handheld. And with the reports of a special, pre-TGS 3DS meeting scheduled by Nintendo, the stage is set for a major news day.
(via Joystiq, Andriasang)
Think we can expect a new iteration of the 3DS to be announced, EGs? Comment below!
That would be a huge slap in the face to early adopters and would also cause doubt among investors. Sony didn’t put a second analog nub on the PSP until the Vita, so why should Nintendo try to do that with the 3DS. They would have to replace all the existing units with new ones or give out the add-on for free.
The add-on would also make it weird for developers as well to decide to develop for it or not.
Plain and simple, I think this is really fake and nothing more than a wish. It would have been smart for Nintendo to have that second slider on the system at launch, but then again, I am not Nintendo.
Nintendo has never been one to cave to fan demand… so I am not sure whether I buy this or not. Either way, it will be interesting to see what happens at the Nintendo meeting this fall.