While the DSi XL hasn't even hit store shelves in the U.S., rumors of a succesor to the DS line of gaming systems have been circulating since last year, when we learned that the new system could be landing this year. Even more recently, we've heard rumors of dev kits for the system being in developer's hands at this very moment. Where better to get confirmation of this fact than at a conference for game developers that is full of said game developers? Raymond Padilla thought just that, and asked around. He got a lot of interesting answers.
According to his sources at GDC, the DS2 is indeed in developer's hands and they are not having any trouble developing for it. This is because it's practically a GameCube, power-wise, and everyone knows how to develop for that because they've already done it (here comes the Wii insult) twice (burn). This is a little strange, since the DS is a chip-based system, but he reports that "the people familiar with the dev kit made it sound like there wasn't much of a learning curve on the new system" and that devs who "worked on GameCube or Wii games will find it easy to create with."
Padilla also gathered that the DS2 has a built in accelerometer and two bigger, higher resolution screens that are closer together so that they can be more easily used as one screen. The biggest bit of news, however, is that the devs all say that they'll be done with their games by the end of 2010, meaning we very well might be seeing an announcement at this year's E3 and a roll out of the new handheld by the end of the year.
The DSi is still going really strong, so I'm not sure why Nintendo would need to do this, but as they've proven plenty of times before, people are willing to buy new DSes over and over. With the DS2 being an actual upgrade in system power, it wouldn't surprise me to see this one fly off the shelves just as quickly. I know I'd be getting one.
We'll end this with one word: RUMOR.
Nintendo DS2 Information Unearthed at GDC 2010 [Raymond Padilla, via Shacknews, via 1Up]
Contest:
2:00 AM on 03.14.2010
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So long as I can play my old DS games on it, I'm ready for the next one. I do hope they have a Game Boy, GBA and DS channel on this version, that's all that's really lacking on DSi.
Aye, I got quite a collection, so it would be a shame to be stuck.
I, for one, wouldn't mind some decent 3d in a handheld! Pocket Gamecube would rule.
Yeah, it sure would be great if Sony tried something like that.
Oh, wait..
Yeah, it sure would be great if Sony tried something like that.
Oh, wait..
See what I did there? Yeah, I'm tired.
I would love to see a DS successor but the end of the year might be too soon for Nintendo with their sales still going strong for the current DS.
My DSlite's L shoulder button doesn't work anymore, so I must have a new DS soon. Pocket Gamecube... :) it sounds so nice
An announcement of a ds2 would OWN natal or sonymove.
Dear god. Yes.
TheDirtyHobo: Sadly, I thought the same thing (rather than thinking about new games). I'd love to play Sonic 3 & Knuckles and The Dig (both of which I own legally, thank you very much) properly on the move!
The fact that I've been desperately needing to replace my broken DS lite and now I don't know if I buy a DSi XL or to wait and see if there's a new one?
Groan...
PS: I, for one, don't care about backwards compatibility.
Also, will this be another nail in the PSP's coffin?
The Pokemon Company being alleged to have a dev kit for this, then announcing a brand new generation of Pokemon games, usually console specific (GB/GBC/GBA/DS) though the first two you could argue were on the same handheld.
Then the rumours also saying it wouldn't be shown at GDC, which it hasn't been.
It just seems to likely to be untrue. The DS has been out for 6 years now, and in my opinion the DSi XL is a throwaway iteration for a niche audience who doesn't already have a DS; it's both the paradigm and obvious opposite of the GBA Micro.
Oh yeah and, portable Gamecube = portable Wind Waker = jizz in my pants.
Don't want to spend $200 for a XL if the new system is around the corner with better graphics.
@lewness, VGFreak1225: i'd skip for at least until E3, yeah
I have old eyes and I am clearly not a child, so I would appreciate a large stylus that is like a pen.
So, everything about the DSi XL is appealing to me. Better battery life, humongous screens, ginormous stylus.
And here we have all this rumor stuff with the DS2. It must have large screens, must have at least DS-backwards compatibility (I think this is guaranteed since we've always had this with each new hardware revision...)
My only question... Will the first gen system be worth it? There's such a vast library of games to play on the DS now, will we feel the need to go to the new one? It was a painful process to peel ourselves off of the GBA and move to the DS. I see the same here.
In fact, it almost double reinforces my reasons for getting an XL. If there is a new system coming at the end of the year, there has to be a large amount of new features and content that will be available on day one for me to get all excited about getting it day one.
I've already been proven right about being too early to the party here on this. I sold my DS Phat about 3 months after I bought it. Sold my original PSP a year after I got it. Getting a handheld too early hasn't borne out well for me.
So. If they show up at E3 and say that we get GBA/GB games on this thing on the DSiWare store, then yeah, I might feel a twinge of buyers remorse, but I doubt it'll be as bad as it could be.
Seeing as E3 is close, I'd exepct an announcement/finished product then for DS2, with a possible end of 2010 launch. Nintendo know Apple are hot on their heels with iPhone/touch/pad, with a new version probably out in June 2010. DS2 would want to combat that. If Nintendo can make it more open to indie development, that can only weigh in their favour (doubtful at best.
That's right Nintendo, whip that GC tech some more. I'll still buy one anyway, as I need more Ouendan.