@jabbawocky: Wouldn't them just making it a new console make people feel even worse?
This compromise approach with a hardware update that for the most part still allows the older versions to get the same great games seems far better than making people feel like their current console is just being abandoned. If you own a 3DS, you're still going to probably be getting 9 out of 10 games, if not even more.
Developers are still going to see the large install base of the 3DS and primarily target for all of them. There may be a few that can only end up on the New 3DS, but those are likely games that would have never come to the current 3DS anyway. Why should we feel slighted that games that couldn't be made for our current console may be coming out for a different console version that can actually play it? For the most part, all versions of the 3DS will likely continue to get every game, and only those few that couldn't be released on the older versions will be exclusive to the new version. We were likely never going to be getting those games whether this new version came out or not.
There may come a time in another few years where the new 3DS gets enough of an install base to inspire more developers making exclusive titles for it, but by then, the original 3DS will have already been out for over five years. With how readily many 3DS owners have already upgraded to the 3DS XL since it came out, it's not ridiculous to imagine many looking to upgrade again, especially at a reasonable price point. This is a new console version which looks like it will improve things all around. If it does well, we may even get some games made for it that would have never come out otherwise.
As a 3DS owner, I'm glad Nintendo is not just leaving the 3DS behind. They're improving it and opening up avenues for more games. I'm with folks on wishing the 3DS could play every game ever, but it has limitations. If this new console version may mean some people will get to enjoy games that were not possible under the current limitations, to me, that's great. I hope it does well and I can eventually get the New 3DS. I look forward to Nintendo's continued support of the whole 3DS line, and I think we're going to end up seeing even more games sooner than if Nintendo had gone with a fully new console or not changed anything at all. Here's hoping.
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