Sony seemed to make a concerted effort to puts its weight back behind its handheld brand a few months back in response to the iPhone's popularity, and now Nintendo appears to be following suit.
We heard about the previously slimmed down DS Lite and DSi going phat again last week, in the shape of the
large-screen DSi XL, and some more intriguing hardware news is now filtering out of Nintendo.
Speaking to the
Financial Times, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata spoke of his interest in adding an 'always on' 3G data connection to the DS, similar in vein to Amazon's Kindle device (which, interestingly enough, Fraser predicted in this week's
Pocket Gamer Report over on The Escapist).
Nintendo has remained resolute in its refusal to go down the mobile phone route, which is perfectly understandable, but connected devices are becoming something of a prerequisite in the games industry and by bundling the costs of the 3G data into the price of the device (as the Kindle does) this could be a very exciting way for Nintendo to close the technology gap with the iPhone.
"Only people who can pay thousands of yen a month [in mobile phone subscriptions] can be iPhone customers," Iwata explained. "That doesn't fit Nintendo customers because we make amusement products. In reality, if we did this it would increase the cost of the hardware, and customers would complain about Nintendo putting prices up, but it is one option for the future."
As always, it'll come down to convenience over cost, but the notion of a 3G connected DS with no subscription fees is undeniably intriguing. Give us your thoughts below.
PsiPhiTy | 3 November 2009
Aww come on... and this has nothing to do with Piracy? Not that I support it, cause I DON'T BUT..... this wreaks of following n the footsteps of Sony PSPgo... and we all know how successful that's turning out to be.....
When I recently lost my DSI with all it's DSiware down loads and realized there was no re getting those without BUYING THEM AGAIN... I instantly swore and oath against anything like what they're suggesting...Digital download will become a norm in due time, but I for one will not fund the development of the science/methodology/whatever......
CaptKirk | 6 November 2009
Yeah nintendo are dumb like that because with the psp you can re-download stuff you have already paid for.
DSdude | 19 November 2009
i think that a 3G on the DS is a good idea. they have already made the pictochat in the DS (which is kinda useless coz you need to be really near the person you wanna "chat" with, so why bother wasting your DS battery?). with a 3G technology on the DS, and with no subscription fees, it will fully utilize pictochat. though the DS will sound like a phone in this case, still, it isn't, coz as long as the card slots are there for the games, the DS will forever show an image of a gaming gadget. :D
