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[jman2050]

in this thread i learnt that apple fanboys are far more annoying and delusional than any in the console space.

I was the one warning you all several years ago that in Apple fanboys were going to make other console fanboys look remarkably docile in comparison if they had any reason to invade their space. And here we are.

 

[szaromir]

Kobun Heat's argument is a bit silly. His constant "everyone was wrong in 2004, so everyone is wrong now" is annoying. That said, Nintendo did create an opening for Sony. There's now a huge gap between $129 DS and $249 3DS, obviously poor online implementation in 3DS is another one. It'll be interesting if Sony again intends on one-upping the competition on tech front once again or rather create something more suited for mass market.

 

[Azelover]

Some people are confusing videogaming with a technology industry once again.

Videogaming is all about entertainment, just because you have a couple of technology companies(MS, and now Apple) doesn't mean that has changed. Of course technology companies will have better technology, but gaming is about entertainment and that will also never change.

 

[Cheech]

I don't disagree that 3DS launch window software is comically awful, but Ocarina of Time is not launch window.

TECHNICALLY, their big "launch window" games are Pilotwings, Steel Diver and Nintendogs+Cats.

ALSO technically, even though Ocarina of Time is clearly a laughably low-effort excuse to make people pay for OoT for the billionth time, it is NOT "exactly as it was in 1998." Even I can't say that, and I've been a vocal critic of its joke-worthy graphical upgrade.

Fair enough. I thought it was a launch window game. I was using OoT because it is the singular game I see people most excited for when discussing the 3DS.

I hate pissing on peoples' good times, but man, the 3DS smells of a half hearted effort.

 

[AceBandage]

Fair enough. I thought it was a launch window game. I was using OoT because it is the singular game I see people most excited for when discussing the 3DS.

I hate pissing on peoples' good times, but man, the 3DS smells of a half hearted effort.

It's probably Nintendo's largest leap in gaming since the N64...

 

[dream]

Okay, so the Xbox 360 then, is dominating?

Isn't it?

And this isn't an Apple vs the world thing. It's a mobile industry thing. Even Sony is releasing their portable titles on PSN - day and date with retail.

 

[plagiarize]

And there are yet still many people who want to play the $40 games.

Which is why both markets will continue to coexist.

having gone through this argument with 'non games' on the DS, with Wii games, and more recently with Kinect games, i've come to accept that some people just cannot comprehend it.

GAF (and people like them that spend lots of money on games) will never be happy with JUST small titles. however popular small titles become in any marketplace, the current market for hardcore gaming isn't going anywhere.

it's like how low budget horror movies haven't stopped hollywood blockbusters from being made.

you have to look at sales of traditional games in isolation if you want to know whether or not they're going anywhere... however much market share they lose to iOS gaming doesn't mean anything if they're still doing the same numbers and forever shall it be.

books still exist. radio still exists. theatre still exists. cinema still exists. all are still large and profitable markets.

 

[Deku]

They bought it because It Only Does Everything.

That's important when people have tight budgets and limited hours.

That sounds like a blue ocean to me. This perhaps answers kohler's question of where the blue ocean is.

Though the way you attack a market like that is not to immitate the device your trying to peel them away from. As there is going to be very low value for the marginal idevice consumer who maybe has 1-2 game app, to consider a gaming machine with 100 equally cheap apps as being better. (this is assuming the best case absolutely happens and Nintendo builds an estore with hundreds of $1-2 apps)

That's probably the biggest logical pitfall of Kobun's article.

I should re-iterate though that I understand where he is coming from. But the timing, tone and framing of his arguments seem rather alarmist/contrarian to me, than being an honest dissenting opinion.

 

[Eteric Rice]

obviously poor online implementation in 3DS is another one.

Other than the lack of accounts, whats so poor about it? The fixed the biggest issue their online system had.

 

[jman2050]

Other than the lack of accounts, whats so poor about it? The fixed the biggest issue their online system had.

it's not Xbox Live evidently.

 

[Majine]

It's probably Nintendo's largest leap in gaming since the N64...

What? The Wii was a significant leap for Nintendo, what does 3DS do in comparison? 3D has been around for awhile you know, and so has the dual screens.

 

[plagiarize]

Other than the lack of accounts, whats so poor about it? The fixed the biggest issue their online system had.

everyone said the DS and the Wii couldn't succeed without solid online support. remember that?

i can't help but think this 'Nintendo need to do what other people are doing' argument goes against the whole 'the 3DS isn't disruptive enough' argument.

 

[Cosmonaut X]

Kobun Heat's argument is a bit silly. His constant "everyone was wrong in 2004, so everyone is wrong now" is annoying. That said, Nintendo did create an opening for Sony. There's now a huge gap between $129 DS and $249 3DS, obviously poor online implementation in 3DS is another one. It'll be interesting if Sony again intends on one-upping the competition on tech front once again or rather create something more suited for mass market.

The problem with the idea that Nintendo have given Sony an opening in terms of price is that - based on all the rumours we have to date - the PSP2 is going to be a powerful, high-spec device. It's also unlikely Sony are going to be able to push it out and take a loss, considering that they're only just crawling back into profitability.

Unless they've managed to put together a beast of a machine that is surprisingly cheap to manufacture, I can't see them sneaking in under $250.

 

[AceBandage]

Other than the lack of accounts, whats so poor about it? The fixed the biggest issue their online system had.

They fixed SEVERAL big issues with their online.
Not just that you now only have to swap codes once, but you can also see who's on and what they're playing.
Yes, it's taken them longer, and yes, it's not XBL or whatever, but it's a huge leap forward regardless.

What? The Wii was a significant leap for Nintendo, what does 3DS do in comparison? 3D has been around for awhile you know, and so has the dual screens.

Besides implement a functional online system, uses modern shader technology instead of ancient hard to use TEV, supports better downloadable content, delivers a fully function and multi tasking OS?

 

[Grampa Simpson]

BS. There was never a RE game, Street Fighter, nor DOA game on PSP.

Street Fighter Alpha 3 Double Upper. (or max or something).

 

[EatChildren]

What? The Wii was a significant leap for Nintendo, what does 3DS do in comparison? 3D has been around for awhile you know, and so has the dual screens.

Outside of cinema stereoscopic 3D does not exist in any wide spread, affordable, mass market device.

 

[outunderthestars]

In one generation Sony went from first to last by overestimating the value consumers would find in their device. They crammed as many features as they could into it then doubled the price of their hardware and the market went with a cheaper alternative.

Nintendo is pretty much following the same path with their new system. They have packed a ton of features into the machine, and pretty much doubled the price. I am not saying it isn't going to sell, but does anyone out there think that they will see the same sales volume as the DS enjoyed?

 

[jman2050]

In one generation Sony went from first to last by overestimating the value consumers would find in their device. They crammed as many features as they could into it then doubled the price of their hardware and the market went with a cheaper alternative.

Nintendo is pretty much following the same path with their new system. They have packed a ton of features into the machine, and pretty much doubled the price. I am not saying it isn't going to sell, but does anyone out there think that they will see the same sales volume as the DS enjoyed?

Expecting any gaming device to sell 150-200 million systems in its lifetime is foolhardy. Putting the DS as a minimum benchmark is highly disingenuous.

 

[Amir0x]

Fair enough. I thought it was a launch window game. I was using OoT because it is the singular game I see people most excited for when discussing the 3DS.

I hate pissing on peoples' good times, but man, the 3DS smells of a half hearted effort.

I think there are two clearly distinct areas of debate in this.

1. Nintendo's software-side effort in the launch window - let's say, first five months of games - is definitely embarrassing. It has no compelling system seller software unique to 3DS like Wii Sports was for Wii. Brain Training/Nintendogs was that DS, but they didn't come out near launch. At best, one has to imagine Nintendo will be cooking something up down the line. Nintendogs sold DS hardware, 3DS needs something unique to define ITS hardware. So far, there is no game that demands the use of 3D, or suggests the type of amazingly compelling on-the-go gaming that only this platform can offer. In fact, I'd say it's alarming just how poorly thought out the software side of things is for the 3DS. It's off to a better start than DS was software wise, but that's like saying fucking Courtney Love is an improvement over fucking crack Amy Winehouse. Maybe?

2. Nintendo's hardware-side effort is a noteworthy effort, imo. I mean, it's finally packing SOME power under the hood. It's gonna be outclassed by PSP2, but that's ok because it's also not going to be an infinite dollars. It's got that 3D gimmick, which I don't care for, but which is probably going to appeal to some people. It's got an analog stick and several forward-thinking applications and features. On the hardware side, I'd say they put in a damn good effort. The price is still too high, but now it's not out of mass market perception.

 

[luoapp]

An online store is only one half of Apple's success on online business, the other half is the semi-open platform. Is Nintendo willing to open up their 3DS to myriads of small, amateur developers? Somehow I doubt it.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

In one generation Sony went from first to last by overestimating the value consumers would find in their device. They crammed as many features as they could into it then doubled the price of their hardware and the market went with a cheaper alternative.

Nintendo is pretty much following the same path with their new system. They have packed a ton of features into the machine, and pretty much doubled the price. I am not saying it isn't going to sell, but does anyone out there think that they will see the same sales volume as the DS enjoyed?

Double $150 is $300, for the record.

 

[AceBandage]

In one generation Sony went from first to last by overestimating the value consumers would find in their device. They crammed as many features as they could into it then doubled the price of their hardware and the market went with a cheaper alternative.

Nintendo is pretty much following the same path with their new system. They have packed a ton of features into the machine, and pretty much doubled the price. I am not saying it isn't going to sell, but does anyone out there think that they will see the same sales volume as the DS enjoyed?

Bigger question: Will ANYTHING ever see those kinds of sales again? The DS was beyond huge in the gaming market.

 

[kinggroin]

First it was blood. Next, it was storage. Then It was online gaming. Then it was horsepower. Now its digital distribution with easy access to cheap low budget games.

 

[timetokill]

Article is decent, headline is not.

 

[Why For?]

I'm noticing a lot of the same mindset from pre-Kinect launch.

When will people understand that pointing out a products flaws doesn't assume the same person also think it will be a commercial failure.

Nor does it MEAN it will be a commercial failure.

Kobun's article has merit to it, but that doesn't mean the 3DSwon't be successful. Hell, most of GAF pointed out the obvious flaws of Kinect, but that sure as fuck didn't mean it wouldn't sell.

3DS will most likely sell, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have issues/flaws/things that could be improved.

 

[plagiarize]

In one generation Sony went from first to last by overestimating the value consumers would find in their device. They crammed as many features as they could into it then doubled the price of their hardware and the market went with a cheaper alternative.

Nintendo is pretty much following the same path with their new system. They have packed a ton of features into the machine, and pretty much doubled the price. I am not saying it isn't going to sell, but does anyone out there think that they will see the same sales volume as the DS enjoyed?

i bet you the 3DS has a better first year than the DS had. how's that?

 

[Mockingbird]

Just cause you have to do a system update to get the e-shop it does not mean it will not be out at launch.

The wii needed a system update out of the box. IT had one available at launch. If you didn't update it you wouldn't have access to saving via sd memory card.

 

[Eteric Rice]

In one generation Sony went from first to last by overestimating the value consumers would find in their device. They crammed as many features as they could into it then doubled the price of their hardware and the market went with a cheaper alternative.

Nintendo is pretty much following the same path with their new system. They have packed a ton of features into the machine, and pretty much doubled the price. I am not saying it isn't going to sell, but does anyone out there think that they will see the same sales volume as the DS enjoyed?

You have to remember that the DS came in a time when it wasn't acceptable for a portable anything to be over $200.

Now a days its pretty common.

 

[boomerisgod]

Longterm cost of ownership is actually a bit less once you factor in the price of software.

$40 - $50 a game is hard to support when your child plays a game for two hours then never touches it again.

One could own an ipad and be perfectly happy only downloading free apps.

She also cannot lose an app, unlike a $40 cart the size of a large postage stamp.

One could, but then they wouldn't be a gamer or part of the demographic that Nintendo is targeting. Sure my Dad would be happy downloading only free apps but he's also never ever played a console game.

Will Apple convince those who are okay with buying 40 dollar cartridges to ditch that for free apps or cheap games? I highly doubt it if those games are just shallow imitations of the more expensive ones.

Anyway, If I buy a game on a console and only play it for a couple of hours, I can easily re-sell it and make 80%-100% of what I spent back. So the lifetime costs of both are probably much less than one would think.

 

[EatChildren]

In one generation Sony went from first to last by overestimating the value consumers would find in their device. They crammed as many features as they could into it then doubled the price of their hardware and the market went with a cheaper alternative.

Nintendo is pretty much following the same path with their new system. They have packed a ton of features into the machine, and pretty much doubled the price. I am not saying it isn't going to sell, but does anyone out there think that they will see the same sales volume as the DS enjoyed?

The PS3 situation was completely different to what the 3DS looks to be in. Sony were a year late with a system that, at launch, appeared to do next to nothing over its nearest competitor. Software, an important part of selling a system, had taken a significant blow due to lost exclusives and a weak launch line-up. Simply put, compared to the Xbox 360, another gaming platform, there was little reason to buy a PlayStation 3 at such a massive price hike.

The 3DS has no direct competitor just yet. There is no device on the market offering the same software, same experience, same gimmicks, and same target market.

 

[UncleSporky]

So hey GAF.


I know nobody on forums really cares about any glassesless 3D effects, but ordinary consumers are going to be blown away once it's out in the wild.


And that's one path Apple can't follow without significant changes to their hardware: they won't be able to properly serve 3D content unless they add buttons!

 

[Deku]

In one generation Sony went from first to last by overestimating the value consumers would find in their device. They crammed as many features as they could into it then doubled the price of their hardware and the market went with a cheaper alternative.

Nintendo is pretty much following the same path with their new system. They have packed a ton of features into the machine, and pretty much doubled the price. I am not saying it isn't going to sell, but does anyone out there think that they will see the same sales volume as the DS enjoyed?

The 3DS did not have its $599.99 momement. Obviously things are fluid and Sony could come out next week with a $199 portable and lose another billion to screw with Nintendo. But that's not going to be very likely.

And if you want a taste of what 'wisdom' of the enthusiast community circa 2004, note the conventional wisdom that 3DS online will be absolutely crap, despite the biggest hinderance to DS online being fixed, and that everything on-line will be subpar, despite the fact a major 3rd party is launching with what is arguably one of the most robust on-line game on a mobile platform.

That sort of gut instinct 'this is how it is cuz nintendoz the sux - and I speak the trutz' line of thinking is what cause the largest meltdowns in GAF history.

 

[szaromir]

The problem with the idea that Nintendo have given Sony an opening in terms of price is that - based on all the rumours we have to date - the PSP2 is going to be a powerful, high-spec device. It's also unlikely Sony are going to be able to push it out and take a loss, considering that they're only just crawling back into profitability.

Unless they've managed to put together a beast of a machine that is surprisingly cheap to manufacture, I can't see them sneaking in under $250.

I'm aware of these rumours and I'm quite staggered if they are true. If PSP taught them anything, you'd think is to go for a mid-powered device with long battery life that is comfortable to hold and finally is quite affordable. Surely expensive gadgets sell well, too (iPad), but you'd think a handheld gaming system should be in an impulse-buy range.

 

[kman3000]

In one generation Sony went from first to last by overestimating the value consumers would find in their device. They crammed as many features as they could into it then doubled the price of their hardware and the market went with a cheaper alternative.

Nintendo is pretty much following the same path with their new system. They have packed a ton of features into the machine, and pretty much doubled the price. I am not saying it isn't going to sell, but does anyone out there think that they will see the same sales volume as the DS enjoyed?

I'll bet you anything that it will do even better.

 

[-KRS-]

This thread fucking exploded.

 

[Majine]

3DS is obviously going to be pretty frontloaded when it comes to sales, but I have a feeling the sheer dominance of the original DS may cannibalize on the 3DS.

Imagine seeing two machines in the store that look similar and share a similar name, one is alot cheaper than the other.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

3DS is obviously going to be pretty frontloaded when it comes to sales, but I have a feeling the sheer dominance of the original DS may cannibalize on the 3DS.

Imagine seeing two machines in the store that look similar and share a similar name, one is alot cheaper than the other.

Still, this is something that every successor has faced. The PS1 had a really similar name to the PS2 and was way cheaper than the PS2 as well.

 

[Fredescu]

Good article Kobun, if you're still reading.

The DS did some things to appeal to a broader audience and all the 3DS has added to that is some sweet graphics. Personally I like that idea, but I doubt the general public will. The mums that bought it for Brain Training aren't going to upgrade for 3D. The 3DS won't be near as successful as the DS was. Perhaps that's what Nintendo expects and they'll save the big changes for their next handheld. Who knows.

 

[UncleSporky]

3DS is obviously going to be pretty frontloaded when it comes to sales, but I have a feeling the sheer dominance of the original DS may cannibalize on the 3DS.

Imagine seeing two machines in the store that look similar and share a similar name, one is alot cheaper than the other.

Two demo units side by side at Wal-Mart, one with 5 people clustered around it at all times and the other one just sitting there.

 

[jman2050]

3DS is obviously going to be pretty frontloaded when it comes to sales, but I have a feeling the sheer dominance of the original DS may cannibalize on the 3DS.

Imagine seeing two machines in the store that look similar and share a similar name, one is alot cheaper than the other.

Considering that the DS by that point will probably be far more profitable than the 3DS, why should this be considered a bad thing by Nintendo?

 

[Tathanen]

1. Nintendo's software-side effort in the launch window - let's say, first five months of games - is definitely embarrassing. It has no compelling system seller software unique to 3DS like Wii Sports was for Wii. Brain Training/Nintendogs was that DS, but they didn't come out near launch. At best, one has to imagine Nintendo will be cooking something up down the line. Nintendogs sold DS hardware, 3DS needs something unique to define ITS hardware. So far, there is no game that demands the use of 3D, or suggests the type of amazingly compelling on-the-go gaming that only this platform can offer. In fact, I'd say it's alarming just how poorly thought out the software side of things is for the 3DS. It's off to a better start than DS was software wise, but that's like saying fucking Courtney Love is an improvement over fucking crack Amy Winehouse. Maybe?

I don't really feel like getting the quotes, but in the final sections of the huge 3DS Iwata Asks they say that they consider the 3DS hardware to be the equivalent of their "Touch Generations" software. That is, those games were meant to be something immediately accessible to anyone of any age group of demographic, but they think the very feel of the 3DS itself, with its 3D capability (beyond games and into video and photos as well), will provide that immediate sense of accessibility. To the point that they're discontinuing the Touch Generations line. The point is, I think they don't feel the NEED to launch with some "system defining" software, in that they consider the hardware itself (and presumably its built-in software) to be what defines it. At least to such a degree that it'll sustain itself through a launch period, after which "the games" will presumably begin to arrive.

Not saying I agree or disagree, but I'm pretty sure that's their thought process.

 

[AceBandage]

3DS is obviously going to be pretty frontloaded when it comes to sales, but I have a feeling the sheer dominance of the original DS may cannibalize on the 3DS.

Imagine seeing two machines in the store that look similar and share a similar name, one is alot cheaper than the other.

This happened when the DS came out, and the GBA was still selling like no tomorrow (even beating out newer systems for a while).
Getting people to see the difference is all on Nintendo's marketing.

 

[Gravijah]

I'll bet you anything that it will do even better.

You think the 3DS is going to outsell the DS?

 

[SirPenguin]

Everything in this article screams disingenuous. I read the whole thing to try and give it a chance, but I cannot see this as anything other attempting to play devil's advocate to garner hits.

The article begins like a man with multiple personalities. It praises the 3DS, showers it with admiration and says that not a soul has critisized it. I then cringed when I learned that would be the entire fucking basis for the article. Seriously? Is this 10th grade Writing Workshop? Did you really base your argument on the fact that because no one dislikes it, it will fail?

It then launches into a new paragraph claiming, "oh no, that isn't the only reason I think it'll fail...after all, it looks like a last-gen product!". The disconnect between that paragraph and the one about the PSP is jarring and feels like two different arguments trying to marry each other. I mean he makes one comment about the PSP's graphics being the only thing "next-gen" about the system, when is entirely off base for about a billion reasons.

Instead of following up further on that point, the article then dives headfirst into another argument, this time about mobile gaming. Somehow he tries to relate that with the fact that the eShop won't be available for launch, and fails in making a meaningful connection. Somehow he finds the time to talk about how more and more gamers are playing iOS games, which will...somehow...make us not want to play real games?

Oh, guess we're done talking about Apple and how the landscape of gaming is changing, back to digital distribution! He continues to stretch his incredibly thin point until it resembles gold leaf paper. I mean how many paragraphs can you honestly write about the fact that the eShop won't launch with the system? At some point you begin speculating about speculations. It's not a good thing when you have to fill paragraphs with vague, accountable questions!

Alright, you know what, my brain just entirely shut off when the 4th personaly of Mr. Kohler came out and said, "YEAH, ALRIGHT, SO IT'S MAGIC, BUT HOW LONG WILL THAT LAST, REALLY?" What a compelling argument! Oops, guess we're back to talking about the PSP. The 3DS is just like the PSP! Oh, no, wait, new paragraph. Uh, the 3DS is nothing like the PSP! Uhhh, shit, reaching my word count, better find a good way to end my article which largely compares the 3DS to the PSP and claims it's last gen!

After many revisions and software tweaks, PSP has made some significant improvements. But it was fundamentally broken when it launched in a way that 3DS will not be. 3DS will be a well-designed piece of hardware, fun to play with, the sort of thing that makes you want to pick it up. Nintendo’s track record is almost impeccable in this regard.

Also, 3DS is unique among its peers for more reasons than the 3-D display. Six years on, the signature two-screen, touch-panel design has not yet been exceeded or even copied. Many iPhone games have very clever and intuitive control schemes that use the touch screen, but certain types of games just need buttons.

perfect. Now to just continue my amazing technique of listing positive points about the system while then asking, "BUT WHAT IF...". Annnnd, scene.


I made a joke up top about this being a 10th grade Writing Workshop piece, but I think it's less of a funny joke now, and more of a reality. I'm not even going to buy the 3DS until the next revision, but this article is shameful and clearly meant to drive hits. What a load of garbage.

 

[jman2050]

Yeah I think the 3DS is going to be business-as-usual and sell gangbusters but I would not bet anything that it would outsell the DS when all is said and done.

 

[EatChildren]

3DS is obviously going to be pretty frontloaded when it comes to sales, but I have a feeling the sheer dominance of the original DS may cannibalize on the 3DS.

Imagine seeing two machines in the store that look similar and share a similar name, one is alot cheaper than the other.

No DS demo unites Vs. glassesless 3D demo units. Its merit in offering something unique for gameplay are debatable, but people shouldn't underestimate the impact glassesless 3D is going to have on consumers.

 

[AceBandage]

Yeah I think the 3DS is going to be business-as-usual and sell gangbusters but I would not bet anything that it would outsell the DS when all is said and done.

In Japan, I bet it'll be bigger.
The West is up in the air, though.

 

[outunderthestars]

Expecting any gaming device to sell 150-200 million systems in its lifetime is foolhardy. Putting the DS as a minimum benchmark is highly disingenuous.

ok, if it is foolhardy to assume it would do as well as its predecessor, why is somehow blasphemy to assume that it won't do as well?

Do you think that the person who bought a ds for brain age will by a 3ds if they already have a few games on their android/wp7/ios device?

What percentage of the ds market would that be? I think the people arguing that smart phones are not going to effect the 3ds/psp2 are foolish. Nintendo has had an incredible run over the last few years, fueled by the influx of casual games and gamers. Will those people return for a second round?

What about children? 6-12 year olds surveyed this year rated the ipad as their most wanted gift. that was followed by the ipod touch, then computer, DS, then smartphone phone, then iphone. I don't think it is an absurd statement to say that Nintendo will have a harder time selling a device that is more expensive that their more devices that are more desired and can be found at a lower price.


I see pitfalls ahead for both Nintendo and Sony.

 

[jmdajr]

Other than the lack of accounts, whats so poor about it? The fixed the biggest issue their online system had.

don't even need to say anything else. deal breaker for me. I'm not onboard until this get remedied. Is it a deal breaker for nintendo..maybe not. Personally, I just think - no bueno.

 

[Cosmonaut X]

3DS is obviously going to be pretty frontloaded when it comes to sales, but I have a feeling the sheer dominance of the original DS may cannibalize on the 3DS.

Imagine seeing two machines in the store that look similar and share a similar name, one is alot cheaper than the other.

Yes, I found it quite challenging choosing between a PlayStation and a PlayStation 2...

Seriously - Nintendo are going to have to do some work to convince certain segments of the market that the 3DS is worth the current asking price, but there's a huge audience out there that will pay that kind of money for what is (as of today) a one-of-a-kind device, supported by one of the foremost games publishers in the world.

They've probably priced it out of the mass-market, cheap-handheld range, but they have the DS family in that slot and can afford to take some time before bringing the 3DS down to that pricepoint.