Nintendo DenieS DS reDeSign

by Christopher Grant { Jan 16th 2006 at 12:45PM }

It looks like today won't reveal a new DS unto us, the redesign faithful. Speculation increased when Lik-Sang joined other notables in anticipating a new DS redesign; they differed in their right around the corner release date. Apple fans have known for years that shortages=new models, but apparently Nintendo never got that memo.

Nintendo of Europe told Gamesindustry.biz that earlier rumors and speculation were "pure rumour and speculation." Transatlantic spelling differences aside, Nintendo isn't telling us anything we didn't already know. Perhaps due to the increasing popularity of their handheld phenom, Nintendo is wary of a redesign. Why mess with a good thing? Instead they'll follow the Game Boy model: exhaust the existing audience for your product, then create a whole new audience with a redesign. In other words: our money's on no redesign until sales slow down.

[Thanks to everyone who tipped us!]

Tags: Nintendo DS, NintendoDs

Related From Joystiq

Miyamoto thinks his college degree wouldn't get him a job at Nintendo today
3 days ago
Tecmo dates Again, dusts off Monster Rancher DS
16 days ago
Nintendo might be considering hybrid HD/SD console
22 days ago

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

sharpfish @ Jan 16th 2006 1:12PM

All will be revealed in the fullness of time. I have a DS (with one dead pixel) and it's not that old - I may be tempted to buy a redesigned one but I'm not in a hurry. :)

Dennis Morgan @ Jan 16th 2006 1:17PM

I just bought a DS and it's fantastic, I can understand why it's so popular now

no redesign needed

omg @ Jan 16th 2006 1:26PM

i cant believe this, i already had the money saved to buy the new one no matter what it looked like

Wolf @ Jan 16th 2006 1:35PM

Oh well... Big N can just wait for my $ as well.

John @ Jan 16th 2006 1:45PM

I'm looking forward to buying our 2nd DS, but I will not buy one until the redesign. I think the current system can be improved on. Knowing Nintendo, they always tweak the Gameboys or come up with totally new redesigns after a few years. As soon as the new ones out, I'm in for one!

Thanks,

John

http://www.deliveryblog.com/

existonfile @ Jan 16th 2006 1:54PM

They should release the redesign with Tetris DS as the pack in game. The strategy worked like gangbusters for the original Gameboy, I don't see how it could be any different here. At least they would get my money again, that's for sure.

Tesla @ Jan 16th 2006 1:54PM

I'm glad that there hasn't been a redesign yet and hope there never will be. I really hate when people say that the PSP is too expensive. Many people I know buy the latest GB/GBA while trading in their old one. The wall of old Gameboys at your local videogame store a testament of that. You buy a new slightly upgraded piece of hardware often enough and you're paying as much if not more for a GBA compared to one purchase of a PSP.

Just food for thought as duck and raise up my fanboy flame shield.

Tesla @ Jan 16th 2006 2:00PM

Forgot to add that I happily own a DS already (which does get played more often since Nintendo finally came out with some good DS games that have a large enough playtime I might add).

rich @ Jan 16th 2006 2:01PM

And I was planning on getting the new one. waCK! I guess ill wait till they release it during the rev launch.

san @ Jan 16th 2006 2:04PM

"All will be revealed in the fullness of time." Hey, another Mothman Prophecies fan!

Seriously, I've been waiting thanks to you people for a couple weeks to buy my *first* DS. But I'm going to get one soon, anyway, redesign be damned.

Ocho @ Jan 16th 2006 2:20PM

If this were a higher-priced system, I might see this as unacceptable. Currently, I enjoy my DS enough to endure the handcramps caused by lackluster design, but would gladly spring for one that's not so clumsy.

I can hardly believe this system came from the same company who made the Gamecube controller and the GBA SP. They can do better.

portnoy @ Jan 16th 2006 2:21PM

I'm waiting for a redesign of the PSP or a price drop before I buy one. As for Tesla, I own a GBA, GBA/SP, and a DS and it still cost lest than a PSP. You are on crack dude.

AbleJames @ Jan 16th 2006 2:22PM

Well, I guess I'll have to get one soon then. I thought I could wait for the redesign, but I've been buying games in anticipation, and now I have Elektroplankton, Feel the Magic, Castlevania, Phoenix Wright (last one in NYC, yeesh), Trauma Center, all waiting to be played.

Sucks because I think the DS looks pretty dumb. Goes to show you that you can make a system that's beautiful and sexy, but if you release crap games at a high price and you'll still lose out to an ugly system that's nonetheless cheap with great games. (i.e., Tesla, your unprovoked flamebait is accepted!)

Jacob Adlon @ Jan 16th 2006 3:20PM

I was hoping that their would be a re-design because the DS is great but it's kind of bulky and if they could find a way to make it a little smaller without loosing any quality that would be awesome.

Meat @ Jan 16th 2006 3:59PM

hmm. I thought it was going to be a good idea, and probably a very good time for this redesign...I find when I'm playing that the buttons are too tiny feeling under my thumbs, and onehanding the system and pad with my left while I use the stylus with my right is simply too unweildy. I've had problems with hitting the power button before because of it...

Tesla @ Jan 16th 2006 6:09PM

portnoy,

GBA at release $99.99

GBA/SP at release $99.99

Nintendo DS at release $149.99

Total: $349.97

Sony PSP at release: $249.99

I think you are the one on crack. Only if you bought them all yesterday would they even possibly be under $250

Nintendo DS: 129.99

GBA SP: 79.99

Leaving you with less than ~$50 dollars to spend on a GBA (which is easy on Ebay).

All three when you bought them? I highly doubt it's under $250.