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3DS

3DS Destined for 2011 Release?

by Neal Ronaghan - August 17, 2010, 8:03 am EDT
Total comments: 31

Nintendo revealed their fall release dates and there doesn't seem to be a window for the 3DS to fit into.

Nintendo revealed the release dates for what appears to be their game lineup for the rest of 2010 today. The release dates seem to cut down the chances of the 3DS coming out in 2010, which means it's even more likely that Nintendo's next handheld won't hit until 2011.

The premium release date of the Sunday before Thanksgiving (November 21), which in the past has been populated by a marquee title or a new system, is occupied by Donkey Kong Country Returns. The prior weeks in November are also booked solid, with PokePark, FlingSmash, and Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem releasing the three previous weeks.

Nintendo doesn't usually double up on releases on the same day, and the fact that all of November is more or less booked solid seems to make the odds of the 3DS launching in the month very unlikely. The only apparent chance we have of seeing the 3DS in 2010 would be if it comes out after Black Friday, which wouldn't make sense.

While I could very easily be proven wrong, all of this information seems to narrow down the North American release of the 3DS to Q1 2011. It might still come out in Japan this year, as their release schedule is currently unknown. For those who haven't kept score, the official word from Nintendo is that the 3DS is coming out before March 31, 2011, which is the end of the fiscal year.

Talkback

PaleMike Gamin, Contributing EditorAugust 17, 2010

Everyone should have just listened to Reggie when he said "next year" on Fallon.


It was never coming out this year.

CalibanAugust 17, 2010

Who cares. It's going to be released within the year, so it's all good.

GKAugust 17, 2010

I don't have the money to buy it this year anyway. Besides, the wait gives developers more time to get their stuff bug-free & ready to play.

vuduAugust 17, 2010

Quote:

Nintendo doesn't usually double up on releases on the same day, and the fact that all of November is more or less booked solid seems to make the odds of the 3DS launching in the month very unlikely.

For what it's worth, the GBA SP was released on the same day as the Wind Waker.  That said, I still never thought the 3DS was going to be released in America in 2010 and I still feel the same way.

Yea, but the SP wasn't a brand new system. I'd be flabbergasted if Nintendo busted out DKCR and 3DS on the same day or something to that effect.

DeguelloJeff Shirley, Staff AlumnusAugust 17, 2010

How about on the same day as FlingSmash?

When the DS was released it was very close to DKC2 on the GBA, like 5 days apart.

Besides there's nothing tying them to the days of their major game releases.

In fact, here's an old press release for Nintendo's Fall lineup for 2004, and keep in mind that the DS had not been confirmed for 2004. and would only be so later that September.

http://www.nintendospin.com/news/nintendo-announces-extensive-q4-software-lineup/

I'm not saying the 3DS is definitely coming out this year, but their release list from August isn't enough data for it not coming out this year either.

BlackNMild2k1August 17, 2010

Quote from: Deguello

I'm not saying the 3DS is definitely coming out this year, but their release list from August isn't enough data for it not coming out this year either.

I was gonna make this exact same argument, but I didn't feel like looking up "proof" and I'm sure most of the NWR staff has me on ignore anyway.

Yea, but if the 3DS is coming out this year, I would be lots of money on it coming out on the Sunday before Thanksgiving/Black Friday. Historically, Nintendo releases their big ticket game or system on that date. Off hand, I know the Wii and DS were released on that date. Also, the window around the DS launch in 2004 was clear outside of a GBA port of a 10-year old DKC game, which isn't comparable to a brand new Donkey Kong Country.

I really want the system to come out this year, but to me, this is the nail in the coffin. It's too big of a release to be pushed out in December, and the November lineup has a big-ish game coming out every week.

Also, our Nintendo rep said something about how they're only focusing on DS game lineup and the DSiXL this holiday season. That could be PR speak, but I doubt it.

DeguelloJeff Shirley, Staff AlumnusAugust 18, 2010

Quote:

Also, the window around the DS launch in 2004 was clear outside of a GBA port of a 10-year old DKC game, which isn't comparable to a brand new Donkey Kong Country.

That's not true either.  Nintendo was releasing Final Fantasy I and II, Metroid Prime 2, Mario Tennis, and DKC2 (which was more major than ou're masking it out to be) all in the same November.  Nintendo Released the DS in the midst of all of this.

I'm not saying that they won't release anything around the 3DS, but I'm saying they won't release the 3DS on the same day as another big-ish game. And if the 3DS would most likely hit on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, I don't think it's landing on the same day of DKCR.


Now if something got delayed or shuffled around, I could see it.

If they had any intention of bringing the 3DS out this year, they'd have given DKC Returns a different date.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorAugust 18, 2010

Quote from: Deguello

Quote:

Also, the window around the DS launch in 2004 was clear outside of a GBA port of a 10-year old DKC game, which isn't comparable to a brand new Donkey Kong Country.

That's not true either.  Nintendo was releasing Final Fantasy I and II, Metroid Prime 2, Mario Tennis, and DKC2 (which was more major than ou're masking it out to be) all in the same November.  Nintendo Released the DS in the midst of all of this.

For what it's worth, the DS was able to play the big GBA releases at the time and the DS's launch software was... lackluster.  So any big GBA releases was probably thought to be good for the DS as well.

PaleMike Gamin, Contributing EditorAugust 18, 2010

So I'm curious... why does everyone ignore the fact that the president of NOA told us it would be next year already?

Quote from: UncleBob

Quote from: Deguello

Quote:

Also, the window around the DS launch in 2004 was clear outside of a GBA port of a 10-year old DKC game, which isn't comparable to a brand new Donkey Kong Country.

That's not true either.  Nintendo was releasing Final Fantasy I and II, Metroid Prime 2, Mario Tennis, and DKC2 (which was more major than ou're masking it out to be) all in the same November.  Nintendo Released the DS in the midst of all of this.

For what it's worth, the DS was able to play the big GBA releases at the time and the DS's launch software was... lackluster.  So any big GBA releases was probably thought to be good for the DS as well.

Have you ever noticed, at least recently, the systems that sell well have bad launch lineups, and the systems that don't sell well have great launches? The PS2 had a pretty weak launch lineup, as did the Wii (outside of Wii Sports and a port of Twilight Princess), and the DS, which will go down as the best selling game system ever, had maybe the worst launch lineup of any system that wasn't a total flop. Meanwhile, the Dreamcast and GameCube both had fantastic launches.

Because NoA as a whole still won't confirm that it's not coming out this year. Reggie's comment either was his desire or an off-hand remark.

TJ SpykeAugust 18, 2010

So because NOA's PR arm hasn't said anything, we shouldn't believe the president and COO of NOA? He has said it will not be out this year, so to me that is confirmation that it won't be since he is the head of NOA.

You of all people should appreciate the distinction between an offhand comment on a TV appearance and an official statement by the company.

TJ SpykeAugust 18, 2010

Yes, but Nintendo has not come out and denied it. The only thing they did after that was re-state their comment about it being out before March 2011. Lack of denial is often a confirmation of something being true.

FZeroBoyoAugust 18, 2010

Nintendo is branching out their releases so that we'll have stuff to play this fall and then the new system next year. It makes sense after a bit of thinking.  :D

The possibility of a 2010 release looked very slim from E3 onward. Nintendo has a pretty bad DS lineup for the holidays, but that hasn't stopped them in recent years. They'll probably do a price drop or bundle to keep stimulating DS sales until the 3DS launches.

LittleIrvesAugust 19, 2010

Even though the DS launched amid many great games, we should remember it wasn't perceived to be the juggernaut it would eventually become.  It was still an unknown quantity.  If nobody showed up to buy it, Nintendo still had those other big games to boost them up.  But the 3DS has way more enthusiasm behind it already.  Which lends some credence to Neal's theory.

Do I want the 3DS in November? OH YEAH.  Will we get it?  I'm still cautiously optimistic, but a Feb 2011 release seems more likely.

SarailAugust 19, 2010

February's a good month for a birthday gift. ;)

CericAugust 19, 2010

As one of the 6 people in Cookeville,TN to buy a DS on launch night I resent that...  Anyways.

I don't think its coming out this year for a simple economic reason.  Shipping is currently having a hard time meeting demand since they slashed deep during the down turn and are skittish to expand back.  That means everything over seas cost more to ship and takes longer to get her.  Nintendo knows the 3DS isn't going to be like the DS and having only 20 units in a 100 mile area wouldn't cover the demand like the DS launch.

Though on the flipside, Launching the 3DS when Kinectic and Move comes out would probably take sales from those enhancements since early adopters would probably be the same for each market.

Ian SaneAugust 19, 2010

I don't think the 3DS is coming this year and I really don't think it should.  The DS launch was rough.  The only first party game was a port of an N64 game and the PSP managed to launch with more games then the DS had accumulated in its several month head start.  I think some people tend to figure that since the DS was such a huge success that emulating it in any way is a good idea.  Therefore having a similar launch for the 3DS would work out fine.  I disagree.  I think Nintendo dodged a bullet there and the DS succeeded despite the poor launch.

I question if the 3DS has the ability to have a decent launch this year and I think a weak DS-style launch is not a good idea.  It's for the best that Nintendo not rush it.  It isn't like the competition is breathing down their neck.  They don't have to rush this.

n-phageAugust 19, 2010

To add further support to the possibility of the 3DS not coming out this year, there is an interview with Cammie in the September issue of Nintendo Power.

When asked:  Communicating what's great about the 3DS to consumers will present a unique challenge.  Any thoughts on that?

She replied:  We haven't really started working on our sales and marketing plans.  I've got to focus on selling product through the holidays.

While that certainly isn't confirmation that it isn't coming out this year, it definitely seems to be suggesting it.

That quote's bullshit, though; of course they're working on the marketing. Unless they aren't going to hit their "end of the fiscal year" mark they'd have to be, and even then they probably would be.

TJ SpykeAugust 20, 2010

I assume maybe she meant stuff like making the commercials, creating signs for stores, etc. I think she wasn't counting brainstorming ideas.

BlackNMild2k1August 20, 2010

Quote from: insanolord

That quote's bullshit, though; of course they're working on the marketing. Unless they aren't going to hit their "end of the fiscal year" mark they'd have to be, and even then they probably would be.

Cammie is but a young Padawan and has a loooooong way to go before she can properly deliver the cryptic non-answers with blatant redirects expected  and required of a Master Jedi.

TJ SpykeAugust 20, 2010

Ahh, the good ole days with Perrin Kaplan where she could find 10 different ways to answer a question without giving any actual info.

Spak-SpangAugust 21, 2010

Well, I think there is almost no chance of Nintendo releasing it this year. 

Not, only for the reasons mentioned in blog.  But also adding to the fact, Nintendo stated they wanted a large launch lineup.  That would mean Nintendo would be launching the Nintendo 3DS, their launch titles, and the other launch titles already scheduled for Nintendo.  That is a lot of push for November...even if it is holiday.  And they will be competing with Xbox 360 and PS3 lineup for money.

So, we if Nintendo launches this year.  You have cannibalization of your own holiday offerings.  Heavy competition from Xbox 360, and PS3.  Lower 3rd party support because their games aren't ready yet.  All of these sounds like a lackluster launch plan to me.

However, if you plan on launching around March.  You can carry the momentum of the holidays and have a stronger launch with your own titles and 3rd party titles.  PS3 and Xbox 360 won't have any large competition against you, and you can push back your normal March releases later in the year...making that month strictly for launching the new hardware with very strong software and hopefully 3rd party support.  The 3DS will also carry just grow in support through the year, and Nintendo can have a killer Christmas on it...after hype has spread and early adopters have shown the system to their family and friends. 




I would also like to say I completely agree with Ian.  Though dodge a bullet is pretty strong, since developers still had confidence in Nintendo handhelds, and will continue to have confidence in them until one fails.

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