There is a long history of misinformation in news stories and Nintendo. I’ve seen stories saying Nintendo was going to be bought out by someone (which is impossible since Yamauchi and friends own the stock). One story was a made-up tale of Iwata telling people inside the company that ‘Apple is now the enemy’ (which isn’t how Iwata would act at all).
If that 3DS story is so laughable, why are the 3DS fans (all three of them) getting angry at it? Why aren’t they just having a laugh riot over it? You don’t get angry over absurdity. You laugh at it.
If there is any truth to the rumor story, it would be half truths. Iwata said to wait four months after the price cut to see how the 3DS would fare. I have no doubt that is still the case. The story makes it sound that this direction has already been decided (which it hasn’t). It is very possible that a contingency plan has been worked up if the 3DS doesn’t gain momentum after the massive price cut which may include rebranding and putting out a model without the 3D output (people do not realize how expensive that 3d output is in its cost to the hardware). But there is no way such a plan would go into effect until performance of the 3DS is determined after the price cut and games like Super Mario 3dLand and Mario Kart 7 come out.
“But Malstrom, no console has changed its identity within its first year and launched a new model.” It most certainly has happened. In fact, the DS did this.
The 3DS advocates keep pointing to the DS early sales performance as proof that all is well in 3DS Land. But the DS history says the completely opposite.
The DS was presented as a portable N64 complete with a Mario 64 port. I remember this because I was clear that I had no intention of buying the thing. I’m no fan of the N64 so I wouldn’t want a portable N64. But the identity of the system changed very fast to a portable SNES and the software Nintendo put out on the DS stopped being 3d. The DS Lite came nearly a year after the DS came out.
And why is everyone forgetting that the DS was publicly called the ‘third pillar’ by Nintendo? Had the DS failed, Nintendo would put out another Gameboy very quickly. So it isn’t out of the question that should Nintendo deem the 3DS to be unable to succeed (which they haven’t gotten to that point yet, we must wait four months since the price cut), Nintendo could declare the 3DS a ‘third pillar’ and replace it with something else.
I don’t think Nintendo will tolerate failure in their handheld market. If the handheld doesn’t move numbers, they aren’t just going to sit there and watch their market collapse or Sony’s Vita steal it (a very strong possibility in Japan where handhelds rule the gaming market). Nintendo has always been a very fierce competitor.
I don’t take the rumor seriously. I just think it is interesting enough to post. I do find people’s reactions to it to be quite amusing. The 3DS defenders are fun to watch. I really wish I could take the DeLorean back to days before the 3DS price cut and declare a huge price cut was coming just to watch them say, “Why would Nintendo do that? The 3DS is performing like the DS did.”
Eurogamer has now run this story. Since they probably read French, they have done a better job illustrating the story than Babelfish. One thing I did not know is that 3DS dev kits are very limited.