In an interview at E3, Kotaku pressed Nintendo of America’s President, Reggie Fils-Aime, about the New Nintendo 3DS and its limited release in North America. Since the American launch of the New Nintendo 3DS in February, fans and collectors have been clamoring for the smaller-screened New Nintendo 3DS (instead of the XL), largely due to the smaller size, interesting button color-scheme, and swappable face-plates. While Nintendo has no official announcements, Reggie did say:
We’ve certainly taken note of all of the readers and consumers that expressed desire for the base model.
While this isn’t much of a hint, Reggie let the following slip after he was pressed again:
We analyzed the results in Japan and saw the lion’s share of the volume was on the XL model, and that’s with no 2DS existing in the Japanese market. And so as we thought about: ‘What’s the best line-up for us?’ We thought the new XL and 2DS would be our best line-up. Not going to make any promises but, you know, I would suggest to your readers [at Kotaku] that they stay tuned and maybe some special SKUs might show up.
What do you think? Should we be getting our hopes up regarding swappable face-plates in our near future?
I would definitely get the non-XL if they release it!
*facepalm*
River hath been cried
me too. i want the white model.
I actually spoke to Nintendo about this today.
…..That’s all I’ve been waiting on! I think the XL is great & all. BUT THE SMALLER NEW 3DS HAS THE INTER CHARGEABLE FACE PLATES!!!
I bet at years end they’ll be in the U.S. probably between $159 & $174.
Whine enough and you get what you want.
Idk, from what meyamoto said they didn’t really get why the Wii U didn’t work. Its the cheapest of all 3 systems and ps4 still sells at higher volume. Its has the most generic boring games, has almost no features (compared to Xbox one) , and honestly other then newer Hardawar their is nothing special about ps4, from ps3…..so honestly Nintendo shouldn’t think about stressing low cost and not working about graphical power. Because clearly that’s the only reason tue ps4 is selling (that and the very few exclusive games) I think the key to the NX well be switching to X86 so its easy to port games and issue updates. And just improve every thing the Wii U /3ds had (new handheld should be X64) other then AR/VR I think they should just stick with the controllers they have, just make updated versions of them. From there they should only focus on being more online/cloud friendly . And keep being open to new ideas from new staff, third party, and ways they can bring down cost/time of development. Finally they need to advertise and stress these are new updated devices
Get no hopes up. Also I was planning to get the reg version but I got the XL new 3ds at launch and don’t regret it. Its worth the extra money. I had the standard 3ds before my new 3ds xl and it is really quite small. New 3ds XL is great for gamers while I can see the regular being a more casual option. The only gripe I have about the XL is the glossy finish on the exterior but I got over it, and I always have my microfiber cloth to wipe it.
the standard new3ds has larger screens than the OG model, plus the bumps to prevent the bottom screen to scratch the top screen. This is already enough for me to want the base model.
Plus the interchangeable faceplates which I find really appealing.
I do have an XL though, but the base model is better for taking around with me while the xl will be played at home.
More options to choose from for the consumer and the company makes money of us with the plates, looks like a win-win situation to me.
This is exactly what I was waiting for! I don’t want to get the bigger version, can’t carry it around.
I don’t really get why people who already own a 3DS would want to buy this, seeing how Nintendo doesn’t even bother bringing out exclusives for it, or games that make significant use of its extras. Is the improved 3D effect really worth $160 to people?
The only reason I bought one was because I was able to get the Majora’s Mask edition. Otherwise, it’s pretty depressing how little Nintendo is taking advantage of the better tech. What other games are going to specifically work only for the new 3DS? I know Xenoblade does, and I thought I recall reading that the new Metroid game would, but….2 games so far? Disappointing.
Oh yes, limited editions are an exception, I understand why people would buy those. :p
But yea, Xenoblade is the only game exclusively for the new model right now, which is disappointing indeed. As for the Metroid game, as far as I know it only supports the c-Stick of the New 3DS, but it works on other models as well, so it’s not an exclusive for the new one.
There are more then 2 games that make use of the new 3ds look em up ya fuckin retard
I got it because I was tired of my regular standard 3ds and wanted to upgrade to an XL but luckily they announced a new 3ds XL that’s a more powerful console before I did that. I was hoping they’d announce new 3ds exclusives at e3 but nope.
The better 3D effect was a huge selling point for me. Luckily, my regular 3DS was breaking down on me, so if I was going to buy a new one, it might as well be the updated 3DS with better 3D. lol But yeah. The fact Xenoblade Chronicles 3D is the only game for the n3DS right now is ridiculous. I sure hope they don’t intend to release a port of The Last Story for the n3DS, though. I would prefer that port go to the Wii U. Unlike XC, The Last Story has graphics much more suited to HD. Oh & an update to the online multiplayer would be nice. It’s a huge missed opportunity that the co-op was used only for boss fights.
Yea, if you needed to replace your old model anyway, going for the New 3DS definitely is the better option.
As for The Last Story, I’ve had multiple opportunities to buy it for my Wii, but I just never did. So I’d certainly welcome an HD remake for the WiiU. :p
That’s never happening. You might as well just get it for Wii. Haha.
Yea… it’s just wishful thinking, LOL.
And I don’t think I’ll buy it for the Wii anytime soon, right now it’s just too expensive for an old game.
Lol what? It’s $30 on Amazon though.
More like 68,90€ on Amazon Germany, lmao.
I guess I could look into used games, but I don’t know.
I get where you’re coming from. Nintendo did say that there will be more exclusives in the future, but they don’t want to divide the 3ds user base yet.
I believe they already did somewhat divide the 3DS userbase back when they annonced the new model along with Xenoblade as an exclusive. Also, if they tell people the new model is going to get exclusives, they should keep their word instead of leaving those who did upgrade from the original 3DS with empty promises.
But but but….Nintendo told us we don’t want this!
Here’s the deal, Nintendo.
Release the normal New 3DS in North America and you will have my money. Simple as that.
mine too times 2
couldnt care less until a high powered handheld comes or a hybred type system
I did not buy my New 3ds yet because I don´t like the larger version. I prefer the regular one. If they launch the regular I will definetely get one, even if its a bundle with any game
I like my 1st party games retail. With download, anything could go wrong.
This could have been a killer announcement at E3.
It’s out everywhere else in the world. Only you yankeedoodles would give a shit. And last time I checked the USA isn’t the whole world. It’s news fit for a local Nintendo Direct not a fucking E3 announcement since it isn’t even A NEW PRODUCT.
“It’s news fit for a local Nintendo Direct not a fucking E3 announcement since it isn’t even A NEW PRODUCT.”
lol you didn’t see Nintendo’s E3 presentation, did you?
It couldn’t have made the E3 event any worse. He actually makes a good point I think. You know, you don’t have to be a dick just because there’s a opportunity for it.
Oh for fucks sake, just announce the damn thing already. Give us some spectacle of hope after that train wreck of a conference!
At E3 all the 3DS stuff had a New 3DS symbol alongside New 3DS XL on it so i though that was confirmation enough.
Anyway im only happy if this is true so i can collect the cool faceplates
Get ready for the regular New 3DS to come to US 2 months before the new handheld…
If they release a Federation Force bundle, I will buy.
Please don’t be some kind of monkey’s paw wish in that we get the New 3DS regular size and only plain color plates to choose from.
I pity everybody who only wants this because of the changeable face plates. What a STUPID reason to want the small one instead of the XL.
However, I do think the changeable face plates should have been on the XL as well. I don’t see any sense in why they wasn’t.
That means they would have to make 2 different sizes of the SAME faceplate. That’s a waste of time when the XL already gets special edition designs. It lets the regular size stand out.
How is that a stupid reason? Some people like to be able to customize their handheld and make it look good instead of having the same old 2 colors like everyone else does.
Of course it’s not. Remember the Xenoblade plates with Black 3DS? That shit looked cool.
But sacrificing the larger screen just to customize the outer appearance? That just doesn’t seem logical.
Yes it does. I had an XL and it was great at first. But a few months later, I started to dislike it. It felt a little bit too big and I didn’t like the stretched out pixels.
I myself have never seen (or had) any of the problems that I hear people saying about the XL.
Having a greater surface area, the XL is a lot more likely to break than the regular one thats more compact and light. That’s why I bigger isn’t always better.
More likely to break IF it falls I mean.
I want it because it’s cheaper and seems more appealing in some areas than the big ass XL that doesn’t even improve the screens pixel resolution.
Finally, hope we get a definite announcement soon. Nintendo, take my money again.
If they announced this at E3, it would’ve improved the show. But it would still be a clusterfuck for Animal Crossing, Wii U and Metroid fans.
Sounds like “Hyrule Warriors Legends” is getting a limited edition N3DS (small)….
“Special SKUs” sounds like you really shouldn’t get your hopes up.
Personally, I like my N3DS XL.
Working pretty good huh? Damm it! I should just buy one, it just sucks because I wonder if you can have two systems shared with your Mii. That would be gnarly.
Are you kidding me. You should have just released both versions at once! Well, not spending another 200 dollars
Good thing I waited because I knew this would happen.
They should’ve done this from the start.
Doesn’t matter… No need to buy it unless you are in desperate need of a Xenoblades 3D experience.
I would upgrade to it one last time for better performance (hopefully the same for older games) but that’s it.
Is that the only game really available for the New 3DS XL ?
They promised more n3DS exclusives but Nintendo has promised us a lot of things recently. So right now, as far as I can remember, Xenoblade Chronicles 3D is the only exclusive for it.
Could we be getting a regular New Nintendo 3DS and not XL? if so Nintendo announce it already
Thank god. This needed to happen.
Honestly this doesn’t do anything for me, I love my 3DS xl at the moment. Iv got enough games im in the middle of to last me a year or more, and there’s still other’s im going to want. I don’t personally feel the need to update systems for a couple of games made for the enhanced model. Not yet anyway. To be fair tho, I would consider it due to the amount of games I have stored on it. Might as well start fresh for the updated games for the New 3ds xl
I’ll say this, if Nintendo continues to not allow SNES games and Game Boy Advance games for the New 3ds xl it’ll be a deal breaker for me sadly.
I wanted the white with faceplates since the small talk of possibly a new 3ds… before we even heard it’s, not so well chosen, name. When I heard the XL would not have face plates, I was sad, but knew I wanted standard size anyways… then when I found out NA wasn’t going to get it, I was heart broken.
I have refused to buy the new XL, even after my “old” 3ds xl broke after an accident, because I refuse to funnel my money into a something I was not for… I did want to support them after this poor decision by buying the product they tried to sell me in place of what I wanted.
It is pretty sad that I have been slowly learning japanese just so I could import a Japanese new 3ds because EU and AU release dates are usually a bit after the NA release dates… or some games are not released at all in those regions…all because Nintendo of America doesn’t want to take my money by providing the product I, as well as others, have been asking for.
that’s nice so how bout some more Wii U games theres too much for 3DS
I’ve seen others provide the argument that you can’t fit the “new” 3DS XL model in your pockets due to the size. From my experience it fitted well in my pockets and I’m only 5.8ft tall. The stretched pix elation I don’t find pleasant however, especially when I turn the 3D on, it looks worse but it’s got a better battery, larger build so it can fit my gorilla hands… slim gorilla hands and improved performance though it’s not a huge boost, it’s there. Waiting for some things to load aggravated me. If I had the regular model man, I would had gone crazy!
Either way I wish we could buy faceplates for the “new” 3DS XL model too but then again I can see why they didn’t, in order to uphold the industrial designed image of the XL, to give it that more adult flavoured tint. At least modern industrial designed products is what the majority of the Americans find appealing for the older demographics here. I like the red model as well but if I had that limited edition MH one… oh man, I’d probably use Facebook just to show it off. I never use FB by the way. Still, I appreciate customization as you can personalize your handheld with plates that represent our favourite franchises or designs. I would get the Xenoblade one if I could.
NEW 2DS!