Switch will not replace the 3DS, Nintendo says

The two platforms will 'live side-by-side.' 

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With all of the widespread attention that Nintendo's new console-handheld hybrid Switch is getting, some handheld fans have been concerned that support for the 3DS may be on the wane. Not so, Nintendo says.

"3DS has a long life in front of it," Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said in a Wired interview. "We’ve already announced games that will be launching in the first couple quarters of this year. There are a number of big games coming. And in our view, the Nintendo 3DS and the Nintendo Switch are going to live side-by-side."

Fils-Aime added that the two products are aimed at different audiences with different price points, with the Switch really a home console, despite its portability. "They’re going to coexist just fine. We’ve done this before, managing two different systems."

Indeed, several titles are planned for the 3DS this year, including Poochy and Yoshi's Woolly World, Ever Oasis, Dragon Quest VIII and Pikmin. Of course, Nintendo won't want to undercut a popular platform before a new one launches, no matter what its private plans may really be. So the reassurance is not surprising. It will be interesting to see how Nintendo supports the Switch, Wii U and 3DS going forward.

Contributing Editor
From The Chatty
  • reply
    January 16, 2017 10:49 AM

    John Keefer posted a new article, Switch will not replace the 3DS, Nintendo says

    • reply
      January 16, 2017 10:50 AM

      [deleted]

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      January 16, 2017 10:53 AM

      At some point in an interview with Reggie recently he stated that the 3DS will continue to make sense for the younger generation because it's affordable for kids to have one. That makes sense with their marketing shown so far, they're going after the young adults with expendable income.

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        January 16, 2017 11:10 AM

        They've already started to position Switch for kids too. Evidence being that they're already actively talking about the parental controls.

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          January 16, 2017 11:24 AM

          Yeah I don't see parental controls not being a part of any Nintendo system going forward. But I don't see every kid in a family having their own like a 3DS.

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        January 16, 2017 11:31 AM

        Yeah, They've got the Switch at $300, 3DS at varying rates between $130 and $200, and the 2DS under $100 right now, they're hitting most of the sweet spots.

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          January 16, 2017 12:51 PM

          Didn't the 3DS launch at $250? If that's right, then this isn't so far outta line from that to replace the portable platform.

          Yeah, Wikipedia says $250 at launch; which was 6 years ago. $50 bump in launch prices over 6 years. To me that sounds about right.

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            January 16, 2017 1:04 PM

            Yup, then it tanked and they dropped it $50 and it recovered. They didn't learn their lesson and did it again with the Wii U and it tanked and they didn't drop it by $50 and it never recovered. Hopefully the $300 price point isn't too hard to swallow 4.5 years later and the Switch doesn't tank so they don't have to immediately drop it $50.

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      January 16, 2017 10:54 AM

      I really hope this is lip service to keep remaining 3DS hardware/software off of shelves.

      If not, WHYYYYYYYY NINTENDO??

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        January 16, 2017 10:57 AM

        My thoughts exactly. The idea of consolidated development on the Switch from both the handheld and home console teams was exciting. Without that, I guess I'll revisit buying the system in a couple years after a price drop and a some good games have piled up.

      • Zek legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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        January 16, 2017 11:07 AM

        It's hedging their bets, if the Switch fails they can continue to make 3DS games and have their bases covered. In that scenario they're in trouble though. If the Switch succeeds they'll quickly phase out the 3DS and go single-platform -

        • Zek legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
          reply
          January 16, 2017 11:07 AM

          - they said the same thing about the DS not replacing the GBA.

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            January 16, 2017 11:38 AM

            DS was released for $149 at a time when GBA was selling for $79. I think Nintendo always has a low cost system?

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        January 16, 2017 11:36 AM

        As said above, right now they're selling 2DS for < $100. If they stop making portable systems, they lowest price system they would offer is $300?

    • reply
      January 16, 2017 10:59 AM

      This picture taken from a recent Nintendo interview says its all: http://s.mlkshk-cdn.com/r/97VP

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      January 16, 2017 11:06 AM

      They said this about the GBA when the DS was released. I'm taking it with a grain of salt.

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        January 16, 2017 11:14 AM

        [deleted]

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        January 16, 2017 11:43 AM

        Nintendo gotta hedge all the bets!

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        January 16, 2017 12:33 PM

        Yup. Let the golden goose die of natural causes.

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        January 16, 2017 3:10 PM

        [deleted]

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        January 16, 2017 3:34 PM

        Yup, they want to hedge their bets because the 3DS was such a successful platform. No point Osborning it until they are certain the Switch can carry that same audience.

        It was the same thing with the DS, they had no idea if that goofy dual-screen with touch idea was going to work over the GBA so they claimed the whole "third pillar" idea.

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        January 16, 2017 4:31 PM

        Seems like the case with most older gaming generations. If there's still stuff in the pipe developmentally they'll let it cycle through for a bit before really moving on.

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        January 16, 2017 4:32 PM

        Maybe the switch is the new GBA!

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        January 16, 2017 4:48 PM

        Wait but DS could play GBA games.

        That is not the case with Switch and 3DS, right?

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      January 16, 2017 11:13 AM

      Nintendo said similar comments about the Wii U. Right before they killed production.

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        January 16, 2017 12:33 PM

        I'm sad that thing is probably never going on fire sale prices. I'm sure its handful of games that I'm interested in will eventually be available on Switch anyway though.

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          January 16, 2017 12:52 PM

          I'm the same way. I'll keep watch to see if there's any kind of inventory blow out,but prob not. They've slowed up production to manage this. There are a few games I wouldn't mind picking up, but I'm not willing to pay much for the system and the games. I might be better off taking a system off some Shacker's hands.

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            January 16, 2017 3:23 PM

            Refurbished units are 200 from Nintendo. 215 if Super Mario 3D World is packed in

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              January 16, 2017 3:29 PM

              Ya, still too much. Maybe it'll come down by holiday when the Switch is the new hotness.

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                January 16, 2017 3:36 PM

                Its a seller's market for the Wii U. Prices should hold even better than the Gamecube did since more of those were made. The main thing that will depress its prices is if Nintendo goes crazy making Wii U ports for the Switch.

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                  January 16, 2017 3:44 PM

                  Hmmm. Well, we are already getting a number of ports. But, I don't think we'll get too many more 1st party ports. The bigger question if will they move franchises like Animal Crossing and Pokemon from the DS to Switch. I preordered with the assumption that they would. But, that might be closer to the mid-point of the Switch's life if the DS hangs in there really well.

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                    January 16, 2017 4:11 PM

                    Pokemon Stars seems certain. They would be idiots not to put a full Animal Crossing game on it (we'll see, lol).

                    I really hope at least a couple Wii U ports happen, so many great games that very few got to play. Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze and Bayonetta 2 both represent the best in their genres and they're on a platform with only about 15 million units sold.

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                      January 16, 2017 5:08 PM

                      The system screams for both franchises to move over.

                      Fingers crossed

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                        January 16, 2017 9:15 PM

                        The whole point of the system is to get all of their developers in one place. Where they can fumble is if they don't deliver on output or quality, both have which been very good for the last couple years (and split between two systems ofc)

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                          January 16, 2017 9:36 PM

                          Well, ya. We all see that. Just that Nintendo won't commit to that yet. At least not publicly.

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                January 16, 2017 3:41 PM

                Holiday? You mean 11 months from now? There won't be any more in stores by that point, they've stopped making them.

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                  January 16, 2017 3:46 PM

                  I didn't say it, but I was thinking the used market. Not new units being cleared out.

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                January 16, 2017 4:29 PM

                Used consoles maybe. If wanting new anything they will continue to increase in price since they have been out of production for quite some time.

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      January 16, 2017 3:19 PM

      * T H I R D P I L L A R E D *

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      January 16, 2017 3:45 PM

      It better. It's part of the reason I'm buying it. I hope all developers move development to the switch and make awesome games

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      January 16, 2017 3:59 PM

      There's always a year or two where the old system keeps getting support and new games. It will phase out eventually as devs move to the new system. Unless the switch does poorly and they pull the plug.

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        January 16, 2017 4:36 PM

        Yeah it seems to be standard practice.

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        January 16, 2017 4:52 PM

        Even the 360 got Rise Of The Tomb Raider, Far Cry 4, and MGSV. Its an ancient console with 512MB of RAM but such a large user base can't be ignored during that transition phase.

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      January 17, 2017 8:02 AM

      I think they really missed the boat here by not making the Switch able to play 3DS games. While I have no intention of buying a 3DS at the moment, when I eventually get a switch there's several 3DS games that I certainly would have picked up.

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