As some of you may already know, there have been many rumblings at GDC this past week concerning the DS's successor, well now GameInformer has weighed in with some unconfirmed details.  
 
According to GI, the new hardware will be a true follow up to the DS, not another revision of the current model. It's said to feature two larger than DS screens, with a gap so thin it will in effect become one large screen. There's also said to be a built-in accelerometer to tilt and track the way you're holding the device. Raw power wise, anonymous developers are stating that the development kits they've received are comparable in power to those used for Gamecube projects. Those already crafting games say that there isn't too much of a learning curve for those that have designed for Gamecube, Wii or DS. 
 
Developer sources predict Nintendo will announce the new handheld at this E3, and will likely release the new handheld in Japan at the end of the year.
  
 
Game Informer

Meh, I'm starting to dislike rumors and such now.  I just want to see it in action and then I'll get hyped, but I laugh at those who recently bought a DSi or a DSi XL.  It's like early adopters get fucked.  And this proves even more that they are following the Apple model of releasing new iterations as fast as they possibly can.

Interesting. An E3 announcement would be very possible, but surely to keep DS sales going they wouldn't want to announce this too long before actually releasing it.

smells expensive.

if it lets me play ds games then i'll probably get it... (well once they either A: announce the lite version or B: mario kart is released on it)

Interesting rumour and one with a pretty good chance of being true, I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see Nintendo showing off a DS 2 at E3 this year but I'm not liking this speculation over high prices for the console, a highly priced Nintendo handheld isn't something I can afford right now.

It's not something Nintendo are known for, they'll always look to keep cost down to the very minimum. Perhaps the deal they've supposedly done with nVidia means they can still afford to keep the price fairly low, in comparison to other devices that use Tegra 2.  
 
I personally expect the new machine to cost around 200 Pounds when it launches.

" Hmmm, I wonder if the PSP2 will be using the same chip. I hope Sony tries to create something more powerful but then again, that would be very hard and time consuming. "

" @Hailinel: But was that the reason why the PSP didn't do as well as the DS? Definitely not. "

" Meh, I'm starting to dislike rumors and such now.  I just want to see it in action and then I'll get hyped, but I laugh at those who recently bought a DSi or a DSi XL.  It's like early adopters get fucked.  And this proves even more that they are following the Apple model of releasing new iterations as fast as they possibly can. "

rumor = rumor

There is obviously going to be another DS at some point, but with the DSi XL just coming out, why would they go off and announce a DS2. I wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo already has a good idea of what exactly the DS2 is going to be, but to speculate that Nintendo will announce it at E3 is a bit much at this point. The DS is still going pretty strong (even though DSi Ware kinda sucks) and I dont think Nintendo is in a rush to get something completely different out there when so many people just bought the DSi and DSi XL.

Gamecube eh?

"
According to GI, the new hardware will be a true follow up to the DS, not another revision of the current model. It's said to feature two larger than DS screens, with a gap so thin it will in effect become one large screen.   

 There's also said to be a built-in accelerometer to tilt and track the way you're holding the device.  

  Raw power wise, anonymous developers are stating that the development kits they've received are comparable in power to those used for Gamecube projects. Those already crafting games say that there isn't too much of a learning curve for those that have designed for Gamecube, Wii or DS.     

 Developer sources predict Nintendo will announce the new handheld at this E3, and will likely release the new handheld in Japan at the end of the year.
  
 
Game Informer "

Gameboy

Now if only it could play real Gamecube games.   

RPAD spent the entire Game Developers Conference trying to dig up information on Nintendo's successor to the wildly-successful DS handheld. His findings? Of interest.

According to several third-party developers writer Raymond Padilla spoke with, the next Nintendo handheld sounds a lot like the current Nintendo handheld, only with better screens and better performance. Just like we asked for.

The key findings were:

- That the handheld's two screens - yes, it's going dual-screen again - are not only bigger, but the "gap between the two screens is negligible", meaning they can serve as either two separate screens or as a a single large display.

- It's got an accelerometer in it.

- It's expected, based on the handheld's dev kit, to have performance similar to a GameCube. Meaning it has similar performance to a Wii. Handheld Mario Galaxy and Wind Waker? Yes please.

- Many of the developers said their games would be finished towards the end of the year, suggesting a late 2010 release.

And that suggests a reveal of the console at this year's E3 Expo in Los Angeles. It's important to note at this stage that these are all unconfirmed rumours, but then, they do sound awfully sensible, don't they?

well, if it has a processor akin to a GC, why dont they have an attachmant to run GC games through it? makes 'cubing portable.

" well, if it has a processor akin to a GC, why dont they have an attachmant to run GC games through it? makes 'cubing portable. "

" Gamecube eh? "

  Developers are stating that the development kits they've received are comparable in power to those used for Gamecube projects    

" @AgentJ: true, but i was thinking more of having the CDDrive as like a dongle, so it can be attached, but not a manditory part of the hardware. "

Fingers crossed for a pressure sensitive screen.

Bring it on baby. 
 
I think the DS will continue on for several years, like the PS2 and be a cheaper overlap product for the new DS.  That way, the cheaper end of the market, with all the "Z" games and the like can continue on.  Initially you won't see a lot of them on a DS2 because of cost and that might be a good thing.  We will also see a lot of Wii/DS2 games if it is true, which would be a bad thing in my view, as that was a problem for the PSP.

I really hope that handhelds don't start releasing for at least another year (late 2011/early 2012). I just bought a DSi last September, and I bought a PSP-3000 at the end of December, so I'm in no hurry to pick up a new system just yet. 
 
I do like the fact that the DS will finally have some nice looking graphics though- the PSP has been churning out (almost) PS2 quality graphics for 5 years now, it's about time that the DS gets beefed up as well.

Nintendo have a lot of time and money, may be they could spend it on improving the wii.

Hm, not sure how I'd feel about this.  The GBA being able to play the equivalent of SNES games was amazing at the time, since it gave us a chance to replay many of the old classics.  But not much time has passed since the Gamecube was released, and all of those games still work just as well on the Wii.  I certainly wouldn't be rebuying games like the Windwaker or Mario Sunshine, so they'd really have to focus on new titles.

" Hm, not sure how I'd feel about this.  The GBA being able to play the equivalent of SNES games was amazing at the time, since it gave us a chance to replay many of the old classics.  But not much time has passed since the Gamecube was released, and all of those games still work just as well on the Wii.  I certainly wouldn't be rebuying games like the Windwaker or Mario Sunshine, so they'd really have to focus on new titles. "

" @WinterSnowblind said:

" Hm, not sure how I'd feel about this.  The GBA being able to play the equivalent of SNES games was amazing at the time, since it gave us a chance to replay many of the old classics.  But not much time has passed since the Gamecube was released, and all of those games still work just as well on the Wii.  I certainly wouldn't be rebuying games like the Windwaker or Mario Sunshine, so they'd really have to focus on new titles. "

When the GBA came out in 2000/2001 the SNES had only been dead for 4 years (N64 came out sept. 1996.) The gamecube will have been gone for four years at the end of 2010. Seems like a pretty similar situation. "

" Hm, not sure how I'd feel about this.  The GBA being able to play the equivalent of SNES games was amazing at the time, since it gave us a chance to replay many of the old classics.  But not much time has passed since the Gamecube was released, and all of those games still work just as well on the Wii.  I certainly wouldn't be rebuying games like the Windwaker or Mario Sunshine, so they'd really have to focus on new titles. "

I really think it will be a lot better than Gamecube quality. it's not that hard to do given the advances in mobile cpu's and mobile battery technology. Sony will likely leap frog Nintendo's next in terms of raw power, but I think Nintendo's handheld will offer something new via it's games, something which makes it different. That may come in the form of services.. Nintendo could kill any competition if it made the full Gameboy catalogue accessible.

" I really think it will be a lot better than Gamecube quality. it's not that hard to do given the advances in mobile cpu's and mobile battery technology. Sony will likely leap frog it Nintendo's next in terms of raw power, but I think Nintendo's handheld will offer something new via it's games, something which makes it different. That may come in the form of services.. Nintendo could kill any competition if it made the full Gameboy catalogue accessible. "

I wonder how much truth there is in some of this other stuff.