No, they decided their target market of 8-year-olds discussing games in the playground were the ones most likely to be using a credit card to import obscure games from the other side of the planet.
Yes 
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Nintendo Announces Nintendo 2DS
- Thread starter VOOK
- Start date
No, they decided their target market of 8-year-olds discussing games in the playground were the ones most likely to be using a credit card to import obscure games from the other side of the planet.
I have to say, the way the 3D functionality is handled on the 3DS is kind of brilliant in that it allows systems like this to exist. There's not a lot of systems where you can remove a key feature without loosing compatibility or causing a ton of confusion in games. Because of the depth slider, you won't get a bunch menu options that suddenly doesn't do anything, every games already supports 2D and the stereoscopic 3D is hardly ever referred to in games. A big part of the hardware power will be wasted in this device though, and I guess the risk is if this takes off, developers will be less inclined to optimize for 3D
Trent Strong
Banned
I'm really interested to see how this will sell, and what it will mean for the future of gimmicks in game consoles.
I think that's doing them a disservice, I think it's more like a 'diet 3DS'. It's an entry level system meant for anybody that wants a cheap handheld capable of playing a huge games library. Sure, it'll do best with kids, but I'd imagine that's true for the current 3DS too.
peanutbutterlatte
Member
Living up to your tag man. It's not for you.
Black-Wind
Member
I just don't get it ... why is this a thing?
W/E ... just want them to announce a damn US Pokemon 3dsxl bundle already.
W/E ... just want them to announce a damn US Pokemon 3dsxl bundle already.
Mihael Mello Keehl
Banned
If this thing sells alot...There will be tears, salty tears everwhere.
its profit margins.
3ds $150 reg - $100 sale
3ds xl $199 reg - $150 sale
2D POS $129 - $80 sale?
3ds and the xl probably has a BOM of under $70 at this point. the 2ds is stripped down and is probably $50 to make. releasing the 2ds lets Nintendo maintain pricing so they can reap the massive profit margins while hoping impulse buyers or those waiting for a price drop will get the 2ds. it's a big fuck you to consumers, instead of lowering prices as the system becomes cheaper to make they offer a crap version instead.
Liamario
Banned
It's called the Nintendo chunk.
efyu_lemonardo
May I have a cookie?
I'm guessing this was the Ace up Iwata's sleeve when he claimed unreasonable profits by the end of the fiscal year to investors?
I can't say I blame the guy, this actually might work. It's targeted at the biggest Nintendo handheld audience in the west, grade-schoolers with parents who don't want to spend too much. This together with Pokemon will cause a healthy boost in the install base, at least in North America.
edit: and there's more than one way to spin this move too. You could say it's a sign 3D was a huge gamble that didn't pay off for the company, and that this is a return to Gameboy era Nintendo of cheap primitive hardware aimed at kids and sold at high margins, as well as a partial acknowledgement that tablets are becoming the future of mobile entertainment.
You could also say this is a trimmed down version aimed at kids and that maybe in the future Nintendo will consider going this route with the rest of their hardware, by releasing two versions of a system: one basic and simple at a low price, and another more sophisticated with additional (optional) features that are more than just bullet points and maybe come with additional software or a deeper OS, aimed at adults and people willing to spend more for a higher quality experience.
Both these interpretations aren't mutually exclusive of course, but I'd say the latter leaves plenty of room for excitement. Think about a Gamecube vs. Panasonic Q situation, only in today's world that would mean additional services, and OS and network functionality, not just hardware.
Could be very interesting going forward.
I can't say I blame the guy, this actually might work. It's targeted at the biggest Nintendo handheld audience in the west, grade-schoolers with parents who don't want to spend too much. This together with Pokemon will cause a healthy boost in the install base, at least in North America.
edit: and there's more than one way to spin this move too. You could say it's a sign 3D was a huge gamble that didn't pay off for the company, and that this is a return to Gameboy era Nintendo of cheap primitive hardware aimed at kids and sold at high margins, as well as a partial acknowledgement that tablets are becoming the future of mobile entertainment.
You could also say this is a trimmed down version aimed at kids and that maybe in the future Nintendo will consider going this route with the rest of their hardware, by releasing two versions of a system: one basic and simple at a low price, and another more sophisticated with additional (optional) features that are more than just bullet points and maybe come with additional software or a deeper OS, aimed at adults and people willing to spend more for a higher quality experience.
Both these interpretations aren't mutually exclusive of course, but I'd say the latter leaves plenty of room for excitement. Think about a Gamecube vs. Panasonic Q situation, only in today's world that would mean additional services, and OS and network functionality, not just hardware.
Could be very interesting going forward.
I really doubt they are making that much money off the 3DS but if they are good for them I guess.
Agreed. By some margin unless there are stock issues.
These &!#% kids.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
I for one am disgusted that the long hyped 3DS successor is this. What is Nintendo thinking? Insane. Nobody will buy this ever forever. Nintendo should just go third party.
Watch as a trivial, if hideous, hardware revision aimed exclusively at the entry level and on-the-fence gaming market composed of the elderly, parents, and others on a budget sells wonderfully in unison with Pokemon, Mario Party, and the holiday season.
Add me to this camp. People are underestimating how significant a $50 off the price can be in this price category.
I think they said they reached profitability on the 3DS around the time the XL released? It's probably not much though.
Not only that, I honestly think there's something about the unabashed simplicity of the device that makes it deeply appealing.
This device is meant for your prey.
NingenJanai
Member
What a monstruosity, I don't understand Nintendo, I think this will sell very badly. They should release a much cheaper Wii U version without the tablet pad instead.
Riposte
Member
Huh, the price point would be perfect as a gift, but I really don't see that as something you'd take out of the house for anyone older than 10. Maybe I need to see it in person to be sold. Really weird to drop the flip design.
Also Two-Dual-Screens? Heh, I guess DS doesn't really stand for anything does it.
Also Two-Dual-Screens? Heh, I guess DS doesn't really stand for anything does it.
brosephimjoseph
Neo Member
I don't actually think it is as bad as some people are saying. It's an entry level machine, it's obviously not going to be an improvement on the 3DS.
It never did in the first place.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
Is this really true?
http://www.usgamer.net/articles/oh-so-thats-nintendos-next-move
Have they really made the entire screen a touchscreen, and then covered up the upper part of it in order to make it non-touch? Thus giving both screens that sort of less clear look the touch layer gives the lower screen on the DS/3DS? Sounds incredibly stupid to me. Why not only have a resistive touch layer over the lower part, and leave the upper part be just a screen? And even if the entire thing is a touchscreen, why would they cover up half of it with additional plastic? Just make it so that touches on the upper portion don't do anything.
Has Eurogamer got this wrong, or is the hardware design really this weird?
Eurogamer said:
http://www.usgamer.net/articles/oh-so-thats-nintendos-next-move
Have they really made the entire screen a touchscreen, and then covered up the upper part of it in order to make it non-touch? Thus giving both screens that sort of less clear look the touch layer gives the lower screen on the DS/3DS? Sounds incredibly stupid to me. Why not only have a resistive touch layer over the lower part, and leave the upper part be just a screen? And even if the entire thing is a touchscreen, why would they cover up half of it with additional plastic? Just make it so that touches on the upper portion don't do anything.
Has Eurogamer got this wrong, or is the hardware design really this weird?
What if the core market for this is all kids below 8?
ElectricKaibutsu
Member
efyu_lemonardo
May I have a cookie?
It's not weird at all, if you think of it as a cost saving move. I imagine it actually reduces the manufacturing cost by quite a lot, due to not having to split the PCB and deal with passing wiring through plastic hinges, and that's before mentioning the savings made by foregoing the parallax barrier screen. Does anyone know if they removed the 3D camera as well? Even though the optics were cheap, it's been mentioned in Iwata interviews that precisely aligning them was a complicated process as well.
Well the missing features like 3D (no way it can destroy eyes now!) and clamshell design (not very durable with younger children in my experience) could actually make it even more popular with some audience. Still I think it all boils down to the very low price.
OmegaTreeFish
Banned
As much as this thing just seems out of the blue and crazy to me, you have a point.
If I had some spare cash and it was less than £100 (which seems totally possible) I could actually impulse buy one of these someday. I only have a slight interest in the 3ds library but when the cost of entry is that low it becomes "why not" territory.
Off the top of my head I would like to maybe play SMT, MK and... im sure there is one or two others. At 3ds current price I am not going to but.... sub £100.... maybe on a birthday or something.
Sill looks really uncomfortable but its prob unfair to judge until you try one for yourself.
edit
thinking about it it might be something my wife would enjoy.
Opus Angelorum
Member
Mihael Mello Keehl
Banned
Its been ticking for years? Did you just wake up!?
IRAQcitizen
Banned
yup, more money for nintendo in japan. looks like knockoff lol
seriously i thought it was joke on youtube when i first seen the video of it till i saw it was actually from nintendo link
seriously i thought it was joke on youtube when i first seen the video of it till i saw it was actually from nintendo link
TinMachine
Neo Member
Woke up to this, was convinced I was still sleeping and having nightmares. Went back to bed again.
It still has all the cameras; It has to really to ensure compatibility. But who knows, maybe they've cheaped out on making the precise alignment, as you can't view the photos in 3D without transfering them to anther device, which 98% of the user probably never will.
But the 3DS *is* more fully-featured. It is 'better' in that regard. In a sense, the naming is correct: the 2DS falls between the DS and the 3DS.
Your 8 year old son is perfectly correct. The bit that *is* questionable is whether the ways the 3DS is better than the 2DS matter to him, of course. And I don't think Nintendo would mind too much if the idea coaxes some people into purchasing the premium product instead. ("Hey, it's the cost of a game!")
Thinking back to the early days of Geforce, I can't help but think "3DS MX".
Is there any possibility these are repurposed Wii U GamePad screens? The resolutions do seem to fit unless I've miscalculated.
MasterSheen
Member
It doesn't really look that offensive to me...
I took the DS in 3DS to mean Dimension screen, hence Three Dimensional Screen.
According to Nintendo, the DS originally stood for Developer System, not Dual Screen, but it has double meaning.
Zee_truly evil
Member
I actually quite like the design after multiple iterations of the flip design it feels refreshing to see this, I think I'll get it and I already own both the original 3ds and the XL.
Kageshinzo
Member
I still can't believe there are people here who can't understand why this system makes sense for Nintendo and why, for all intents and purposes, this will most probably sell by the truckloads.
Hell, I am almost convinced I'll buy three of these just to give to my nephews. People look at the device and say "That's so stupid; that looks cheap!" without pausing for a moment and realizing you can play all the awesome DS and 3DS games with it at such a low entry price.
But hey, knee-jerk reaction GAF, especially if it's regarding Nintendo. Remind me again why this place is so "esteemed" by the industry?
Hell, I am almost convinced I'll buy three of these just to give to my nephews. People look at the device and say "That's so stupid; that looks cheap!" without pausing for a moment and realizing you can play all the awesome DS and 3DS games with it at such a low entry price.
But hey, knee-jerk reaction GAF, especially if it's regarding Nintendo. Remind me again why this place is so "esteemed" by the industry?
Starwolf_UK
Member
Having the night to think about it. Nintendo need to get some help when it comes to product names. But I have no idea what would be non confusing for this. Maybe going for something like 3DS with the 3 crossed out and an arrow pointing to a subtitle (kind of like the Luigi U box) so it woud be something like 3DS Junior.
But hey Wii was a daft name but that didn't hold it back (but 2DS is a "confusing" one just like 3DS and Wii U).
But hey Wii was a daft name but that didn't hold it back (but 2DS is a "confusing" one just like 3DS and Wii U).
Somewhere in this thread someone posted an MS pain sketch that apparently someone at a Chinese factory made (no idea when and given how badly it was drawn...)What was odd is it looked rather round. I'm probably missreading a joke.
Because we're as good as it gets. Whether that means "we're just that good" or "everybody else is just that bad" to you is up in the air.
MasterSheen
Member
I know, but 3 Developer System or 3 Dual Screen don't make sense. It probably doesn't stand for anything, DS is practically a word on its own.
Allan Holdsworth
Member
The name is quite confusing but this makes sense for kids just in time for Pokemon.
I find it funny that people forget that the GBA and DS made a shit-ton of money at the $99-$129 price point. Hell, the DS Lite launched at $129 and that was the model that blew up the sales of the system.
There is no way in hell Nintendo is getting the 3DS\XL to a $129 price point without taking a financial hit that they're not willing to do.
People have told Nintendo that they don't want to spend $169-$199 for a 3DS, this is Nintendo's response to that.
I think this system will do great this holiday season.
Similar threads
- Poll