CRES's Thoughts On: Recent New Nintendo 3DS News or DAMMIT NINTENDO JUST RELEASE THE DAMN THING ALREADY!

Available Now (expect in America)

Okay, before I begin. I just beat Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker clearing both the original game's story as well as the new campaign, so expect that review sometime in the future. But because of that I am going to start playing another 3DS game, Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven and even before I start playing the game I already found two things I never thought I'd see. The first is that the game comes with an reverse-able "Inside" cover, which means when you open the game case up, you'll see the super-deformed models of the main characters inside the holes of the case so that they can cut down on the plastic. The second is something I thought I'd never see again: An ACTUAL physical Instruction Booklet complete with story and character introductions and illustrations. I thought we had done away with these in favor of digital instructions on the game cart. I'm sorry, but I can't help but feel nostalgic flipping through an Instruction Booklet with full colored artwork and screen shots from the game. It's just makes me feel giddy. Anyway, on to what really matters: some weird articles that floated up this week where Nintendo of America finally admits that the New Nintendo 3DS (the non-XL model that is) actually does exist. What does this mean for the release of the smaller customizable system? Lets find out.

The best of Gaming Journalism... Oh God.

The first of these two articles comes from Kotaku. On the 22rd they posted an article relaying information from an interview they did with Nintendo of America President Reggie "My Body is Ready" Fils-Aime where the conversation turned to the New 3DS and its absence from E3 in particular and its absence in America in general. After telling him about the massive popular demand of the system that is not only smaller and more portable than it's larger XL version but also has replaceable faceplates that can be exchanged for game or character specific versions available, Reggie had this to say:

"So we've got nothing to announce here. We've certainly taken note of all of the readers and consumers that expressed desire for the base model. We analyzed the results in Japan and saw the lion's share of the volume was on the XL model, and that's with no 2DS existing in the Japanese market. And so as we thought about: 'What's the best line-up for us?' We thought the new XL and 2DS would be our best line-up. Not going to make any promises but, you know, I would suggest to your readers that they stay tuned and maybe some special SKUs might show up." (SOURCE)

For those of you who are wondering "SKU" stands for "Stock Keeping Unit" and is a common term for market inventory.

As soon as this article hit the internet Nintendo fans and other gaming media outlets immediately jump at this as a sign that the New 3DS will hit America soon. After all, after months of silence about the topic, the President of NoA himself almost flat out said that the system will be announced soon. This gave hope to all fans who where wanting the smaller system ever since the XL was announced back in January.

Unfortunately, those hopes where dashed by another interview, this time with the Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales Scott Moffitt at the iDigitalTimes only three days after Kotaku released their article. After talking about the upcoming games for the 3DS and the rational behind having the 2DS, 3DS XL, and the New 3DS XL as our options, the question of the New 3DS was popped and Moffitt responded with this:

"With Nintendo, every market and every region makes their own choice of what their hardware lineup ought to be for their market and makes the best guess they can for what will satisfy the needs of gamers in that market. So I'll never say never, but if we see a consumer need for that and fill out our portfolio of hardware offering on the portable side we will consider bringing them in. But right now our lineup, we believe, satisfies the needs of the widest variety of gamers in our territory." (SOUCRE)

So there you have it. Reggie hints that we will get it, Moffitt sees no need for it, and once again the fans are in for a rollercoaster ride of emotions as the system of their choice seems out of reach.

Some of the faceplates available for the New 3DS.

Now what are my thoughts. Well, first off to address the Fils-Aime interview, we may be jumping the gun to think that this is a sign that the New 3DS will hit this side of the Pacific (or is it the Atlantic?). After all SKU can also refer to the New 3DS XL or even a New 2DS. Now I do agree that is it unlikely that in a part of an interview that was focused on the New 3DS to suddenly be about a New 3DS XL when hinting about a new product that might be coming out. But keep in mind that Reggie DID say that he "can't make any promises" which would be an odd thing to say if something was a sure thing, and it makes me wonder WHY he "can't make promises" about this. Either it is a "don't count your chickens until their hatched" mentality, or they are still in the process of deciding whether they will release the smaller system or not.

On the other hand with the Moffitt interview, we see a lot of the same old rhetoric that we've heard before when the New 3DS was discussed in the past. "Every market makes their own choices," "We are a different market," "We are trying to satisfy the needs of the gamers." It's the same song and dance we've heard for a while and it's getting tiring because the New 3DS DOES have a market here, there is a NEED that is not being met with the 2DS, 3DS XL, and New 3DS XL and that is for more portability, more customizing, and more comfort for certain gamers.

Right now, we have gamers who want to have the New 3DS experience, but CAN'T because the XL system is uncomfortable for them. In fact, for some of them they CAN'T play the XL because it is physically painful. These are gamers who are not being served. There are also gamers who want to carry their portable system with them where ever they go, but both the 2DS and 3DS XLs are TOO LARGE to carry comfortably. These are gamers who are not being served. There are also gamers who love to customize their stuff. They can already buy custom wallpapers for their 3DS's HOME menu, and LOVE the New 3DS's faceplates. I mean some of them are really BADASS like the Xenoblade Chronicles one and the Fire Emblem Fates one. These are gamers who are not being served. And then finally, you have gamers who are like me, to whom it is a major preference. I love the faceplates, but more than anything else I just prefer a smaller 3DS. I find the original 3DS size to be the perfect size for a handheld system, and with my 3DS slowly but surely breaking down after all the years of use, I want to upgrade to a New 3DS: but I DON'T want a New 3DS XL. I am a gamer who is not being served.

I HOPE the SKUs Reggie was talking about are these bundles

Nintendo of America made a mistake when they chose not to release the New 3DS in America. Right now, we can only hope that Reggie's comments are him acknowledging the mistake they made and are trying to correct it by trying to release the New 3DS. We can only hope that Scott Moffitt's comments are just me repeating the old Nintendo of America rhetoric because he was unaware of the steps Reggie is making to correct this need. However, just hoping it will come to past may not be enough. I say continue to make our voices heard. Make it clear that there is a demand for the New 3DS. Make the market need large enough to make Nintendo of America to correct it's mistake. Afterall, it may just need one last push for this to become a reality.

Until Next Time.

-CRES, Seriously, how can this NOT sell!