Monday, November 14, 2005

Revolution release rumours and DS makeover

How soon can Nintendo churn out a new system? Some guy on the GameSpot forums claims he overheard a Nintendo representative talking to the store manager in a ´Best Buy´ in Lexington. This is what was apparently discussed:
The rep (and Im absolutely positive this is the real thing), said the system would be selling for $249.99. There will be one controller and one add-on nunchuck style attachment. I suppose Ninty will be relying on the Gamecube pads for classic gameplay unless you buy a classic attachment. Im not sure if this is new news or not, but Im positive this will be the price.

They also talked about shelf space and what they would need in order to display the system properly. In listening, I overheard a June 2006 date mentioned for release. Seems funny they are talking shelf and kiosk space this early. Perhaps, Ninty has some in store surprises coming up relatively soon. The only other thing I heard from the conversation that might be of any interest is that the displays are "unconventional" as compared to typical kiosk displays.
It´s been pointed out in other posts that the likelihood of display stands being discussed at this time is very small. Also, it would be a little early to talk directly to stores about pricing and release dates when the date is well over half a year away. I myself believe this story to be bogus. The claim of a June release date, however, does match the inside information SPOnG had for us some weeks ago.

Speaking of SPOnG, they have new information that a redesigned DS will come out very soon. And it may match the Revolution in terms of style:
“A new DS is just months away,” we were told. “It’s not a secret at Nintendo anymore that the design of the original alienated a lot of potential customers – customers the DS was aimed at. As the machine expands, a redesign is certain, and closer that (sic) you might expect – by E3 it will have been revealed. Think iPod and you’ll get the idea.”
That a redesigned DS is in the works is no secret. Nintendo execs have been mentioning this lately and I have been told this myself. They learned their lesson in terms of style, they told me.

Now, I don´t normally post news concerning the DS here. I do see some relevance to the Revolution here, though. It seems clear to me that Nintendo will utilize connectivity features between the DS and Revolution. Hence, it will make sense to match these two systems in terms of style. The iPod comparison supports this. This also shows how soon Nintendo can churn out a new system. Albeit a revamped version of an existing platform, Nintendo seems more and more able to deliver products soon after their announcement. Further proof that Nintendo is going for the Apple approach of announcing products and launching them soonafter. And if that is true, a June release date for the Revolution doesn´t seem to be completely out of the question. Even though the story above seems more than unlikely.

Source: GameSpot forums, SPOnG

Thanks to: Connect Revolution

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

I always thought the DS was a pretty sleek machine. After all, they already did a redesign right before they released it, which was a big improvement on what they had shown earlier. Sure, maybe it could look better, but the DS is no ugly duckling by any standard. It's one of the nicest looking Nintendo products, if you ask me.

Anonymous said...

There is always room for imporvement however. It is a bit bulky, and if they can modify the DS to mimic the sleekness of the Revolution it will be a welcome change.

The rumored $249.99 falls in my predicted price range ($199.99 - 249.99), and it will undercut both the XBOX 360 & the PS3, so that is no big suprise.

Well, it looks like I've got a lot of saving to do for next year!!

$249.99 - Revolution (high estimate)
$149.99 - New DS incarnation
$$$$$ - Games!

Anonymous said...

Well about the rumor, I can only say this (and it might hurt), I have already read it a few weeks (or o couple of months) ago, this is where it's going to hurt, I read it at Serious Gamers 007 blog!!!
So that pretty much makes it fake, why? well if I remember correctly it was SG007 who heard the chat!!!

Blizz419 said...

if it originated from SG007 then it is definatly fake, though it is anyway like falafelkid said the chances of nintendo talking to store managers this early is not very likely, 249.99 does match my estimate though, but really thats just an educated guess and its what they launched the cube at, and a redisgned DS would be cool.

Anonymous said...

But I already have a regular DS!

Blizz419 said...

So Dont I, But a redesigned one would make an excellent second one, so that i can always play multiplayer with my girl or friends that dont own a DS

Anonymous said...

DS x REV

Well...My guess is that Rev. will be able to stream nes/snes/n64 games to the DS... In sum, you'll be able to access your Revolution wherever you are through the wi-fi service and play the games you've downloaded.

Anonymous said...

That Best Buy story seems beyond bogus. All of those decisions are dealt with at corporate and not on an individual basis at each store. That would be pointless to send a Nintendo rep to each Best Buy store and make those kinds of deals/promises or whatever. It's not the managers decision, he's told what to do from the big wigs. As far as the DS revision, I'm particularly stoked on that and can't wait to see what the new version looks like.

Anonymous said...

well, this rumors could turn out to be true but i think this thing with launchdate and the price are fake because of the reason the poster above me wrote. when nintendo has set a relase date and the price, they will give us the information in some kind of event and sent out a press information shortly after. then the shops know the price and launch date too.

Anonymous said...

About nds remake ver. it's might only some thing about complain it's hard to hold by one hand ... or even something about Zi Corp's Decuma that nintendo just buy.

-------------------------------------------------------------

.... This other story but BIG rumour for DS

http://news.spong.com/detail/news.asp?prid=9303

ff 7 under remake for ds. O_o .... again it's rumour - -"

Anonymous said...

Nintendo might try to shrink the DS screens some and bring overall just try to shrink the package to a more portable size...like they did with the Gameboy Advance.

However, I don't see this happening for awhile. Here is why.

The Nintendo DS is still very new, and it is sleek and noone is complaining about the package at all.

Nintendo also has admitted that the Gameboy Micro is a limited product sell. They understand that the Gameboy Advance line is about dead, and the Micro is just being used to get that last bit of product saturation possible. I predict that sometime in 2006 that the Gameboy Advanced will not be sold anymore, either giving the throne to the DS or announcing a new system for 2007.

If this happens Nintendo is dealing with Revolution sales, the hype of sole portable system DS, and the unvealing of the new Gameboy. I don't see a DS redesign fitting in there.

I also believe that the $249.00 price tag is too low, and the Revolution release date of June too soon.

Anonymous said...

To the Anon right above me...

The Game Boy Advance sold like gangbusters, but they came out with the GBA SP 2 years after its initial release. Another 2 years and they release the Micro & the new GBA SP with the bright screen.

I think 2 years after the release of the DS (think next holiday season) they will have another DS on the market with a price tag of $149.99 (US), and the older version will be around $99.99 (JUST A GUESS, but it is already at $129.99 and they've released 2 bundles @ $149.99 with a game included, so a $99.99 target by the end of next year is very feasible)

I'm getting one.
And a Revolution.

Anonymous said...

Oh, and I agree with a new Gameboy in 2007.

Jason said...

There are words of a DS remake but I think it is well to early for a modified DS.

It has not been out that long. Usually a system is out 4 years before a makeover.

The GameBoys have been spread over many years with its many variations. But not back to back.

If Nintendo releases another newer DS it shows Nintendo as not very confident and confused on what to do next.

Anonymous said...

To heretic:

Nintendo released the GBA in June of 2001.

They released the GBA SP in March 2003.

They released the Nintendo DS on November 20, 2004 (almost 1 year old!)

They released the GameBoy Micro September 13th, 2005.

Can you guess when the new look for the DS will appear? Looks like a two year turnaround for Nintendo to pump out an improved version of their handhelds. I'm not saying that it will ship with improved graphical hardware or any huge new features, but some new tweaks are bound to make it.

Anonymous said...

All those "I overheard" or "my girlfriend's dad works a NoA" rumors are all bullcrap... None like that have actually turned out to be true. Stick to logic: the revo will be 200-250$ (closer to 250 I think, I mean come on, there's still a lot of technology in there), the DS does need some revamping if it has to be stylistically coherent with the revo, and there is, I think, a possibility that the classic controllers out on revo will look like GC controllers with the style of the revo and perhaps tweaked, available in case you don't already have GC controllers (who hasnt, hehe)

Anonymous said...

Spong's credibility is very questionable. I call BS on the FF7 remake for the DS...its funny how Spong decided to start the rumor after the forum posters at GAF joked about a FF7 remake for the DS a couple of days ago. Spong has a habit of taking rumors and speculations off of internet forums and then turning it around trying to make it a legit news story. The DS redesign speculation was started by Reggie and who else wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo really did release a redesigned DS? Boy do they love to embellish on rumors.

Anonymous said...

There is mounting evidence that Nintendo really is a new company. Satoru Iwata hasn't been president of Nintendo for so long. I think he's learned from the mistakes of the Game Cube era, and his work to build a leaner, savvier, and more focused Nintendo is paying off. Its exciting to see Nintendo reinvent itself. Perhaps we are getting our first glimpse of Nintendo's future in the 21st century.

Anonymous said...

I don't doubt that a new DS model is coming. I just expect it Christmas 2006 or 2007.

As for the price...the more I hear about the Revolution I believe the price is going for mass market penetration. And the only way to reach nongamers is to make it price be approachable and not viewed as an investment. (ala Xbox 360 and PS3)

One reason portable gaming is popular among all age groups is that you can get a GBA for $99 or less.

Buying a DS is even super cheap at the price of $129.00

I remember reading somewhere that no price groups for Nintendo merchandize will be happening next year, which makes sense.

I already own a DS, but if they can manage to shrink the size to slightly larger than a GBA SP opened up then it would be even better.

Though you have to question if shrinking the screen would make the games impossible to play.

Anonymous said...

I love my DS, but if i had to improve it I would shrink it a bit so i could keep it in my pocket without feeling orkward, make it that bit more comfortable, and make the screen slightly more resilient to scratching and stuff.

as for that punk who happend to overhear them talking about the rev, well i dont know what to say, appart from why? why make up little storys its sooooooo ooo ooo sad, some people have a problem with gamers but that is useless. He didnt even do a good job a making it up, nintendo have said that you wont be able to use the cube controller, they have hinted you might get the nun chuck and the standerd shell and he sucks

Anonymous said...

I don't think nintendo will shrink the DS screens. it's about game that using touch screens.

yes ... ds may resize package to a more portable size. maybe...

But I think it's better some thing like install Zi Corp's Decuma (Program that read text from writing text like in some plam) that nintendo just buy it new nds. then add more multimedia,internet function also some price. this will reduce psp user. also reduce movie player that end by unlicense game.

New GBM was make to fight psp in team of style. I think New nds **may** born to fight in team of function. In the end ... we don't know - -'

---------------------------------------------------------

FF7 remake for the DS is something easy to do FF7 was 2d background + 3d people. real 3d background is only out site the city and when fighting.

and they have all picture movie and music
(midi) just resize it and make it work. porting ff7 that using 3 cd (700 mb*3 = 2,100mb = 2.1 gig) reduce same data (people,monster,2d+3d background,all magic+summoning magic) and then resize it can easy fit to 512 mb.

remake ff4 or making ahs is much harder than port ff7 I think. In the end ... It's rumour. I think I been say that - -'

Anonymous said...

PI...Easier said than done...like I said the FF7 DS remake, somebody on the forums made a joke about it and Spong found it and is tryin to spin it into a newsworthy rumor story. Almost every rumor they've "produced" was found on internet forums or based on logical guesses that was easy to make. Like Nintendo announcin the revo controller at TGS, who wasn't surprised about that? And also every other insider was speculating that Nintendo was gonna announce something huge there. Their writing was never professional to begin with. The only reliable European site is Gamesindustry.biz. I give Falafelkid props also too because at least he's not making bs up to gain more hits on his blog or he at least give credit to his sources.

Anonymous said...

Most blogs don't make things up... Just the most publicised ones.

As for reliable european sites you should check out gamesradar... Y'know the site that hosts Edge Magazine (possibly the western version of famitsu, gamesmaster etc. Oh and what about revo-europe?

RGB said...

I dont understand why these clowns make up shit like this time after time. Are they that pathetic that they need attention? They can be damaging Nintendo credibility and its not right.

These days its you have to be so skeptical when reading rumours/news from sites as half the time its BS.

Please for the love of Nintendo (if you bs'ers happen to) just leave your crap inside your imaginative heads.

Well Reggie has basically (I do underline basically) already said there is a new DS in the works. Because of this I think I will hold off at least till E3 and see where its at.

Fal, its good to see DS news on here too. I welcome it so dont be apologetic as people that come here are most likely Nintendo fans and wish to read Nintendo news.

Here in Australia Mario Kart will be bundled with the DS system for $189.00 AUD ($139 USD) which is quite a good deal. What stops me from that is the new DS possibly coming later and I onyl buy JP model systems.

Anonymous said...

Why would you withold yourself from current gaming fun, just because a slightly updated version "might" come "somewhere later on".

The DS is a great system, and currently has one of the hottest softwarelineups of all consoles.

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah...I forgot about Edge magazine...there are some other credible and reliable news source in Europe but I'm not familair with them. I know for sure Spong is the one of the most unreliable sites. To me they belong in the same cateogory as seriousgamer007.

RGB said...

Tim, because i dont have a lot of time for gaming and I dont mind waiting. Money is also an issue but I do know your point. 10 years ago I doubt I'd wait as I'd buy both..

Anonymous said...

Rafael Navarro REPLIES:
raph007@Hotmail.com


To everyone reading this thread,


I dont have any insider connections or what not, but I have read in several reliable news sources that and the final interview with Reggie and CNN that the as soon as the "DS" was released that the engineers at Nintendo starting working on ways to tweek it visually. Now I would also look for a bigger brighter screen and a way for when you open or tilt the screens they come together to form a full 6 inch screen. I think that would be awesome and also it wouldnt hurt for them to put a usb port or some storage rom like about 513Megs or something like that to store new characters and data from the WIFI service. I also have heard that the new DS will be released soon. I look for a newly redesigned DS after the holidays so that they can clear up all the available stock, and anounce it back at 140 or something. I dont know what you all think?
hit me back up

Rafael Navarro
raph007@Hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

IMPORTINT The NINTENDO POWER magiazines say the NEW ds can surf the web and has a better layout


But i soo want to get a revolution or Wii wicth is its nickname