Reggie: 3DS launching in 'major markets' by March 2011

When Nintendo of Japan made its first terse, cryptic announcement of the 3DS in March, it offered a vague release window: "during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011." At the time, we assumed that this time frame applied to the Japanese launch only.

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime kicked that assumption in an interview with IndustryGamers. "The one thing, for sure," Fils-Aime said about the 3DS release plan, "is that we will launch in all of our major markets by March 31, 2011." As for the specific release dates, Nintendo is still "making individual market decisions in terms of what's happening in Japan, what's happening in the Americas [and] what's happening in Europe." It's worth noting that the last two DS systems launched in the spring in North America: DSi on April 5 (2009) and DSi XL on March 28 (2010).

Fils-Aime also reiterated that the design of the device seen at E3 is not final, so don't get married to the analog stick placement or those shiny paint jobs just yet.

Nintendo 3DS

Reader Comments (47)

Texas Orange color, please.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze This. Oh man this. If they cut that orange I will cry. By far the best looking in my opinion.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

Orange and blue! BSU!

@Sally what?!?!?!?! he is cheating on me?!?!?!?!

Red or Blue people?! RED OR BLUE???!!! I honestly can't choose.

By the way this is definitely an LDP for me.

Choose the same as your first pokemon game, that's what I'm doing.

For all the people trying to reply to me:

Replying to replies doesn't work, please just do what you used to do and reply to the original comment.

@Shadowbender
what if you got yellow

I can't wait that long.

TO THE DELOREAN!!!

I think it'll come out in 2010. They don't want to hurt the sales of current models by announcing it yet, but they haven't announced enough games for the original DS to carry the holiday season without it. Plus, Zelda for Wii was delayed to 2011 so they don't really have any mass-market must-haves without it.

One year from now my love for the 3DS will be truly fullfilled!!!!

I WANT YOU 3DS!!!!!

@ArchiGamer

Don't we all?

I thought that thing was the slider, and not the analog stick. I am now officially confused.

@Funkmaster General Above the d-pad? That's the analog stick though Nintendo has dubbed it a "slide pad". The 3D toggle slider is on the right side of the top screen. Next to where it says OFF.

Please keep the sexy teal color, Reggie.

But... I owned both... I don't remember what my first one was. I'm just gonna pick...

TO BE CONTINUED!!??

They don't make Yellow. :(

but my first pokemon game was gold

Sony has until TGS 2010 to announce a PSP2 or else my thoughts of buying a N3DS are set.

@xiLeShadow

I'm willing to bet they are all running around like mad chooks at Sony HQ trying to put a 3D screen into the PSP2.

Good, enough time to save up some cash for it.

But... with all the apparent launch games.. Damn.

I just wished they fixed the Dpad, but with the Analog nub... Well... still.

The 3DS is beautiful as it is. In fact, I'd love to run my fingers through it's hair.

But I swear nintendo, if you put the on/off switch back on the side of the system, I will b*tch slap that beautiful slice of heaven off the side of a cliff. And I will not enjoy it.

I just wish they'd switch the damn A and B buttons. I'm really used to jumping with whatever button is at the bottom of the diamond, but NOOOO Nintendo has to map it to the A button which is in the wrong place. At the very least, make B the jump button.

Uhhhhhh.....

https://www.cliffracer.com/store/images/snes-controlpad.jpg

@TaintedKane

I seriously, have zero problem either way. I can jump from my PSP to my 360 to my DS and my mind just registers everything correctly.

Although I really wish that sony would have kept with tradition back in the PS1 and didn't switch the O (correct)'s functionality with the X (wrong)'s. Then we wouldn't be in this predicament.

I know that SNES controller is the classic A/B/X/Y but you have to admit after Playstation and Xbox a lot of people have gotten used to having X/A being jump/enter menu or O (Sometimes triangle)/B for backing out of menus. I haven't used a handheld in a long time before getting the DS Lite so I was a little confused but you do get used to it.

If you have played ANY Super Nintendo game, you would know that they used B for Jump and hold Y to run in any platformer, so your button layout image has no point.

Thanks for the reply fail, Joystiq. You make the site look stupid and the comment system still sucks.

@ MrCassian (If it gets there)

It clearly states Beta up top. The comment section is messed up right now. You know why? Beta.

I like the slide pad I still think it needs another one on the other side so we can port some FPS to it

@(Unverified)

It was mentioned in the interviews that they investigated using the gyro/acceleromter for camera controls, works pretty good apparently.

@(Unverified)

I want another slider for us left handed ppl. I can't hold a stylus with my right hand (feels to awkward) and it would suck trying to play games like metroid prime on this thing (if it uses the slider for movement)

I want that purple 3DS the most, but I know it's only going to launch in White and Off White.

@(Unverified)

Don't forget about pink.

I hope they come out with a nice white version of it at launch.

Thank you for the clarification

It's horrible for showing finger prints, but I still maintain DS looks best in Black, and 3DS the same.

comment system broke, meant to be a reply to mr alex

My head hurts from trying to figure out who's replying to who :(

Somebody wants another holiday of Original DS sales in the US me thinks.

I just hope there isn't a redesign soon after launch. I felt like a beta tester with my phat launch DS.

BEFORE March 31 2011. Could be anytime between now and then technically. I'm hoping for Christmas time.

Does anyone see the ugliness of the 3DS? I can already picture what the "3DS Lite" is gonna look like.

@fredgaso
Dammit fred, last night you said I was the only one for you.

Fan-friggin'-tastic - Gears of War 3 and 3DS within a couple weeks of my 30th birthday... could anyone ask for more?

@Axcalibur
If I was you I would ask for a pony.

Nintendo mothership says:
during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011

Reggie says:
is that we will launch in all of our major markets by March 31, 2011.

This is just reinforcing what Japan had already stated.

Reggie: 3DS launching in 'major markets' by March 2011

Nintendo 3DS

Reader Comments (47)

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:12PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:22PM Who Plugged in the Overlord said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 7:53PM D3m0sthenes said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:18PM fredgaso said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:19PM Shadowbender said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:24PM MrAlex said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 8:23PM MrAlex said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 9:13PM Special Agent Bob said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:19PM SmashZilla said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 9:44PM Buster Rod G said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:21PM ArchiGamer said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:23PM Shadowbender said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:21PM Funkmaster General said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 7:20PM chuckrich81 said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:22PM HappyFunBall said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:56PM MrCassian said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 7:06PM deadpixel1221 said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 7:27PM SitriStahl said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:29PM xiLeShadow said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 7:29PM Foetoid said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:30PM ZexionArmando said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:35PM Alexisonfire said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:46PM Fuzunga said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:48PM Alexisonfire said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 7:03PM Alexisonfire said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:55PM TaintedKane said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 7:31PM Metayoshi said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:56PM MrCassian said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 6:59PM Funkmaster General said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 7:07PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 7:09PM Raffi256 said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 10:23PM hardbread said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 7:12PM wcarnation said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 8:21PM Alexisonfire said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 7:19PM McDude said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 7:41PM Funkmaster General said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 7:23PM mrmobius said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 7:28PM SitriStahl said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 7:31PM Foetoid said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 7:59PM kenny goo said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 8:16PM minuscule said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 8:40PM morphinapg said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 9:27PM Misanthropic Gamer said

Posted: Jun 21st 2010 9:35PM Vault Boy said

Posted: Jun 22nd 2010 2:17PM Axcalibur said

Posted: Jun 22nd 2010 8:28PM Vault Boy said

Posted: Jun 22nd 2010 10:27PM Nook said

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