Posssible DSII design Q2 2009

[Ronka]

According to IGN.com Nintendo may introduce new DS redesign next May or April 2009. But they are not sure it it's a redesign version of current DS or the successor of DS, but according their source the later has bigger chance to see the light next year.

a possible design of DS redesign/DSII will have a widescreen high resolution screen and slimmer profile.
It is backward compatibility with existing DS games, which means it will still use current DS cart as medium.

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/09/9-04-08dsmock.jpg
http://gear.ign.com/articles/907/907463p1.html?RSSwhen2008-09-04_103600&RSSid=907463

[Viper]

Not gonna happen. The changes to the DS to create the DS Lite were necessary while the changes notated with regards to this update are not only not necessary but would have a negative impact on the DS as a console by removing 79 million units from future titles that would use both touch screens.

Anyone with any sense of how market strategies work will see this as absolutely false on multiple levels.

[Zeep]

DS redesign's never going to happen. The system's already been going strong for 4 full years, by the time sales slow down enough to warrant a redesign it's going to be time for a new system altogether.

also, that mockup sucks. it looks like it would be really uncomfortable to hold. I also like how they used a screenshot from the Mario Kart arcade game on the top screen and a cropped screenshot from Mario Kart DS on the bottom. and how the stylus is bigger than the thing itself.

[Pro A.]

And that new system should be coming around soon. It'll be 5 years come 2009. The unwritten law should be taking effect soon.

[Mr. Coww]

That law has of 5 years never truely effects handhelds. First how many companys have had systems that have lines. Most are one system ideas that end when the Gameboy kicked its ass. Lynks, Gamegear(which was technicaly a portable Mastersystem anyway), Wonderswan though did have a few versions, NeoGeo Pocket, and theres plenty more that didnt get a truely new system.

[Zeep]

And that new system should be coming around soon. It'll be 5 years come 2009. The unwritten law should be taking effect soon.

the unwritten law used to apply back when only gamers played games. that's not true anymore. now the DS is still selling like crazy even 4 full years after launch. unless something happens that REALLY slows down its' sales momentum i wouldn't expect to even hear about a new handheld till at least late '09.

[Pro A.]

That's fair enough. There seems to be a different... spirit to this rule with handhelds. The DS and the original Game Boy have been the exceptions, but I think Nintendo will move on soon with something that is close in spirit to the Wii and especially to its motion sensitivity.

[Michael]

Actually Pro A. I really don't think we'll see a handheld akin to the Wii from Nintendo. Motion controls are fine unless they degrade perception, Ie just the ability to see in your games, and lets face it, just having a tilt function or something close to the motion plus integrated their next handheld would have limited functionality in the end, because it's a portable system. It would just impair you ablility to see the games. It's sort of the same reason why I think nintendo didn't make there own console controllers for the Wii giant touchscreens. You'd focus away from the action and there wouldn't be any sort of direct imput to the system, only shaking or tilting, hoping the action works out in the end.

If the Wii is any indication I don't think Nintendo wants that seeing how seemless the Wii's and Ds's interface and gameplay are. I see the next handheld from Nintendo being more of a streamline jump and not a huge one, fix all the problems with the current model and add more too it. If they do add I don't think they'll be huge innovations, or at least not central ones that effect gameplay on a scale of say motion controls or touchscreen ones. If there's anything else they can add to the current model, I believe it will be unique. Otherwise they'd choose a new model that would stay in the vein of unique capabilities of a handheld.

[Mr. Coww]

The next leap in portable gaming is removing all buttons and replacing them with a touch screen that adds texture and depth to the face. Then you could have instant buttons for anything and make blink or the like.
Just think of all the cool crap you could do with that.
Any one whos played Duke 3D knows the end of level trigger now if the screen made a button that looked like that and you physicaly had to interact with, hell id be one happy dork.

[Zeep]

Apple is already trying to push the iPod touch and iPhone as exactly what you guys are describing: a handheld gaming system with one giant touchscreen and motion sensors. Problem is, you can only release so many tilt-your-iphone-to-steer racing games before people will get sick of spending even $5 on them.

[tokoshi_x]

All I really need in the next DS is better graphics and maybe bigger screens, everything else I'm fine with. Anyway, the DS is too strong right now to even need a successor or another redesign.

[Viper]

The DS just passed the GBA in sales and shipment levels will have it over 100 million by the end of the year. A replacement is not coming anytime soon.

[Mirai]

I'm counting on the DS going strong for at least another year or two as me and the missus are getting each other a DS for Christmas.

[Zeep]

Well I hope you're willing to change that plan, because the DS redesign was just announced today. It'll be out in the US and Europe sometime next year.

[tokoshi_x]

With this redesign of the DS though, a DS2 won't be happening anytime soon. Unless you want to call the DSi, the DS2. The DSi is adding some new elements to the DS with its camera features and downloadable options. With these, I don't see how Nintendo could release something like a DS2 anytime soon, at least for 2009 and maybe 2010.

[Viper]

Yeah, DSi is just model 3 for the DS line.