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Nintendo scrapped a handheld before DSi photo

Things that don't and will never exist are so much fun to talk about. For instance, during an interview with CNBC Nintendo President Saturo Iwata admitted that the company had scrapped a new handheld that they had not just been working on, but had actually completed. It appears that this handheld was going in a different direction than the DSLite and DSi as Iwata said that "when we are launching new hardware, the most important thing is to sustain the momentum. If introducing new hardware won’t do anything to do that, well…"

So it looks like they went with the DSi because it kept with the DS and thus would maintain the popularity of the system. Not too bad a choice considering the DSi's astronomical sales. One can't help but wonder what this other handheld was though. If you remember way back to when the DS first launched Nintendo claimed that they weren't abandoning the GBA platform, and that the DS was simply another way to game. Maybe this handheld fell more in line with the GBA or something. 

Iwata also speculates in the interview about Nintendo's next console, and whether they will continue on with the Wii or try to revolutionize the industry again. He spoke about the blue ocean where there are plenty of consumers instead of a red ocean where a feeding frenzy occurs over a small few. "We have the greater potential to create the blue ocean market when people are skeptical," he said. "So when we realize that other people are coming into [this] market … there are two things we [can] do. One is trying to intensify the fun nature of something we are already doing. The other is try to create a new blue ocean."

Also, don't be looking for a price cut on the Wii anytime soon as Nintendo thinks that their upcoming game line-up will spark new sales far better than a price cut would.


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8 comments | showing # 1 to 8

Mr Kite's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2009 23:04
Mr Kite
I've been hoping for a GBA 2 since the DS came out. Sad panda is me.:(
Endstiem's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2009 23:34
Endstiem
...as Nintendo thinks that their upcoming game line-up will spark new sales

What game lineup?
pedrovay2003's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/08/2009 00:56
pedrovay2003
@Endstiem

...Did E3 just pass you by? Nintendo's got plenty coming for both the DS and Wii, and for once, they're not all minigame compilations.
Jack Maverick's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/08/2009 02:08
Jack Maverick
Wow, I had to read the ocean metaphor a few times before I could fully understand it.

Anyway, the idea of a different handheld altogether interests me, but I don't think it would have been that bad. I wouldn't have minded seeing something more in line with the GBA, since I haven't seen that hardware be alive in quite a long time. But I get the impression that Nintendo must have saw the hardware in the line of the Virtual Boy to have scrapped it.

Oh well, bygones are bygones.
Chronic Logic's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/08/2009 03:05
Chronic Logic
It would've been great to see an alternate evolution of the GBA. A single screen, touch screen, dual analog stick handheld console. Oh wait, I think I just described the fabled mystical PSP 2.
EdgyDude's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/08/2009 12:54
EdgyDude
"...Saturo Iwata admitted that the company had scrapped a new handheld that they had not just been working on, but had actually completed."
If by scrapped you meant, held for when the time the DS and DSi end their life cycle, yeah, i'm sure they did.
Projectexodus's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/08/2009 23:10
Projectexodus
@Mr Kite

Why!? The DS can play games with just buttons just as well as the GBA. So why would you want to REMOVE functions?
rgathright's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/09/2009 11:40
rgathright
I am glad we did not get a new handheld. The Nintendo DSI is a definite improvement over the older Nintendo DS because it has bigger dual screens and two integrated 640x480 cameras. You will also like the web browser.

http://www.epinions.com/review/Nintendo_DSi_Black_Console/content_471199485572
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