Japanese gaming giant Nintendo looks set to kill the current version of Nintendo 3DS as the appeal of the third dimension in gaming isn't strong enough to pull developers and customers.
French website 01net.com has published two lengthy articles in a series of five looking at the current difficulties being faced by Nintendo with the first part looking at the 3DS and the second at the Wii U through the eyes of an anonymous insider who has a superb insight (and bird's view) of what happening inside the company.
One of the rumours singled out by the French tech website hints at a new version of the 3DS which would come out in 2012 and would move away from using 3D as its main selling point.
believes that would certainly mean a new name for the console and a new design. This would explain why Nintendo was not reluctant to slash the price of the 3DS as it gradually gets rid of existing stock even if it means - like the HP TouchPad - losing money in the short term.
Part of the current problem stems from the fact that Nintendo is a notoriously difficult partner when it comes to games validation. 01net describes how the software development kits produced by Nintendo's partners Kyoto Electric and Marubeni are not only expensive but quite rare as well (less than a hundred produced per week).
This creates a serious bottleneck for game studios that want to develop for the 3DS but can't because of the lack of adequate tools. Arguably, detailed account (RTF document) should be taken with a heavy pinch of salt and it is understandable that the website chose to have a preamble explaining that it is not out to torpedo Nintendo's gaming ambition but to help it instead.