Rumored new DS model at E3

[Joshawott 7]

Not too long ago, Nintendo of America's Reggie Fils-Aime teased at a big Nintendo announcement at this year's E3. A recently released report from Bloomberg Japan speculates that Nintendo is planning to upgrade its Nintendo DS to a new model, or even an entirely different handheld altogether.

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Hirokazu Hamamura, the president of Famitsu's parent company Enterbrain is predicting that Nintendo is doing one of the following to its popular handheld, Nintendo DS: remodeling it a la Nintendo DS Lite, or creating an entirely different next generation console. Hamamura also speculates that it will be announced this year at E3.

Nintendo did not reply when approached with the rumor.

The latter prediction seems unlikely, as the DS continues to dominate over its competitor, Sony's PlayStation Portable, so the former seems more probable. After all, Nintendo has a long history of reiterating the DS' predecessor, the Nintendo GameBoy.

Nintendo DS has sold almost 70 million units worldwide since its first release in November 2004, with over 50 million of that number sold under the Nintendo DS Lite remodel, which was first released in March 2006.

This year's E3 Media and Business Summit is set to take place July 15-17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Source: [url="http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3167360"]1UP[/url]

*The original Bloomberg Japan report was in Japanese, and this article is taking on its English translation. I haven't seen the Japanese version yet, but if I find it, you'll be the first to know what I find out.

UPDATE: Nintendo has said that claims a new DS model will be unveiled at E3 this year are "purely rumour and speculation". Anyone find that phrase familiar?

[Adr990 2]

I read ever in a magazine that there comes a new DS model..
That had extra big screen and buttons for old people

[Joshawott 7]

Well you know Nintendo be tryin' to please the old folk.

[Gingerlink 2]

the announcement Reggie teased was a game, but that doesn't rule out the possibility of something like this...

[Twili 0]

It better not be a new friggen handheld.
I only bought my DS last year.

[Joshawott 7]

I've also read that the new DS model is to be Mii compatible. Miis will be able to be used in an upgraded PictoChat version. This is implying that whatever Nintendo is planning, they're trying to increase interconnectivity between the DS and Wii.

Source: [url="http://www.dbtechno.com/gaming/2008/04/14/new-nintendo-ds-to-feature-mii-integration-with-wii/"]DBtechno[/url]

[FLIP 0]

-_-" Why. I see no need, there's the original DS, and the DS Lite.

What now? DS XTRA Lite? pssht.

Can't they think of something more constructive than just another DS.

[ma118uller 0]

IGN says has official word that this is false[marquee]YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! I LOVE MY DS LITE![/marquee]

[Gingerlink 2]

I don't think there's ever anything to say that a rumour is false, just unproven and not backed up, we may still see something like this upcoming...