Jesse Divnich, an analyst (see: seer) for Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR), is predicting that because of “aging technology, the possibility of new competitors in 2011, a decline in publisher support and piracy, Nintendo will launch a successor to the DS within the next 15 months, and likely announce such in the next eight months.”
While this is just another analyst, it seems that many of these analysts and even fans are in agreement with one thing. Timing. Divnich points out that “one of the biggest reasons for Nintendo’s success in the handheld market is their ability to remove opportunity gaps for competitors to enter.” The DS beat the PSP to the chase, so will the DS’ successor beat whatever Sony or Microsoft have up their sleeves to store shelves?
Why can't we just work with what we already have for a little longer. I know that 15 months is a while away, but DSiWare could be so much better than it is now.
Speaking of which, now I need to go buy Dark Void Zero.
I agree that DSiWare/Virtual Console could be much better with classic GameBoy games and such, but I think the answer is: Nintendo wants gamers to buy new hardware.
Yeah, that's true. Let's hope that it's some really good hardware this time.
I look forward to it! I didn't buy a DS until last summer, and there were a ton of great games I could play for instant gratification. I will probably do the same with it's successor.
This timing argument is crap. He implies there was never an opportunity for another platform maker to enter and take over as Nintendo maintained an unstoppable momentum, but I say codswallop. The original gameboy line ran 11 years(!) before there was a successor; in the period between at least '94 and '96 (pokemon), the gameboy was slowing and looking outdated – there was a window; in the period between '98 and 2000 (before the GBA) there was even more opportunity – and hey, Neo Geo and Wanderswan tried it: it's not Nintendo's doing that their efforts were weak. Lots of observers said 'now's the time Sony could take BOTH markets'. In 2004 Nintendo may have had previous handheld impetus, but Sony had even more mindshare. The DS was looking technologically weak, and weak in 3rd party support. Every Industry journalist, non-industry journalist, retailer, developer, publisher and non-Nintendo fanboy (and most Nintendo fanboys) had decided PSP was unstoppable and DS was DOA. Their 'timing' didn't help put a dent in the detraction that helps kill consoles. And for the first year the DS really DIDN'T 'stick it to the man'. Sure if the DS launched a year later they'd be 'deader', but in relation to Nintendo this timing argument giving them an impenetrable leg up is bunk.
Now if we're talking PS1-PS2, and the mistiming of SNES-N64, PS2-PS3 and even to some extent NES-SNES, where momentum carried 3rd party support and in turn audience, then yeah, I'd agree.
I still think Nintendo is moving WAYYYY to fast with their release of systems, Granted The DS lite System has been out for a while, and the DSi was highly needed, The DSi XL is a stupid move, Who really wants a bigger DS? Then this? wow nintendo.. wow