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Alleged GameStop Memo Says DS Lite Discontinued, But Nintendo's Vague About It

In case you need one, DS Lite systems are still available at most retailers.


White Nintendo DS Lite
White Nintendo DS Lite
It's a time for aging handheld hardware to head into the technological sunset, apparently. 

Sony is ceasing PSPgo production for the Japanese market (but not North America...yet) and an alleged memo sent to GameStop employees republished at GoNintendo (the original source is currently down) state Nintendo is ending production of DS Lite

"New DS Lite systems have been discontinued and stores will no longer be replenished on this product," reads the memo. "Once your store sells through its current stock of these units, please remove any corresponding DS Lite (Crimson, Black and Metallic Rose) display boxes from the sales floor and discard."

What is Nintendo saying? Well, I asked.

== TEASER == "Nintendo DS Lite is still available at most retail locations," said Nintendo of America senior director of corporate communications Charlie Scibetta in an emailed statement to me this morning. "Consumers will be able to find Nintendo DS Lite without much trouble."

That statement says basically nothing about the DS Lite's production status. Nintendo doesn't really have to, either; most consumers who want a DS Lite probably have one or have moved onto 3DS. It's not likely retailers are going to sell out anytime soon, and in any case, by the time they do, 3DS will be cemented.

At the moment, DS Lite units are still readily available in all colors at GameStop, Amazon, etc.    
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patrickklepek

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Edited By patrickklepek

White Nintendo DS Lite
White Nintendo DS Lite
It's a time for aging handheld hardware to head into the technological sunset, apparently. 

Sony is ceasing PSPgo production for the Japanese market (but not North America...yet) and an alleged memo sent to GameStop employees republished at GoNintendo (the original source is currently down) state Nintendo is ending production of DS Lite

"New DS Lite systems have been discontinued and stores will no longer be replenished on this product," reads the memo. "Once your store sells through its current stock of these units, please remove any corresponding DS Lite (Crimson, Black and Metallic Rose) display boxes from the sales floor and discard."

What is Nintendo saying? Well, I asked.

== TEASER == "Nintendo DS Lite is still available at most retail locations," said Nintendo of America senior director of corporate communications Charlie Scibetta in an emailed statement to me this morning. "Consumers will be able to find Nintendo DS Lite without much trouble."

That statement says basically nothing about the DS Lite's production status. Nintendo doesn't really have to, either; most consumers who want a DS Lite probably have one or have moved onto 3DS. It's not likely retailers are going to sell out anytime soon, and in any case, by the time they do, 3DS will be cemented.

At the moment, DS Lite units are still readily available in all colors at GameStop, Amazon, etc.    
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big_jon

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Edited By big_jon

Does this really come as a suprize?

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HeroicDrinkingSong

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Nintendo? Vauge? No!

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GreyFox

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Edited By GreyFox

Typo in the title.

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Munners

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Edited By Munners

seems a little early...

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CaLe

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Edited By CaLe

There is no need for a lite after the DSi came out.

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White_Silhouette

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Edited By White_Silhouette

"We can not comment of the fact that we want people to buy a 3DS"

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Th3_James

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Edited By Th3_James

I still like the ds lite more than the dsi. 


I've just been using my 3DS now though. Mainly because I like the charging dock, just drop it on that when im done playing then go to sleep.
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Kyreo

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Edited By Kyreo

Goodbye, Lite.  I love you.

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metal_mills

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Edited By metal_mills

Gamestop, not Gamespot! :)

@Munners said:

" seems a little early... "

DSi, DSi XL, 3DS. Why keep the lite around anymore?
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Maajin

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Edited By Maajin

The title says GameSpot!

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patrickklepek

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Edited By patrickklepek

You guys are Ninja Fast (tm).

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isles

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Edited By isles

RIP

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Skullomania

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Edited By Skullomania

Stupid hinge defect... Make me wanna kick a goomba.

Fuck those things.

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abdo

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Edited By abdo

Good night, sweet prince.

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teh_destroyer

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Edited By teh_destroyer

ehhh, I don't need one.

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craigbandicoot

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Edited By craigbandicoot

I thought it was pretty pointless after the DSi came out. Unless you want play GBA games, but seriously who wants to play GBA games?

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Johnny5

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Edited By Johnny5

If you just want to play DS games, the DS Lite is still the best buy for me :P

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nvorgang

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Edited By nvorgang

Glad I finally picked one up....last year.  Very LTTP with that. 

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c_rakestraw

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Edited By c_rakestraw

Can't say I'm surprised. With all the different models of the DS on the market, cutting out the Lite seems to make the most sense. Kinda surprised they didn't do it after releasing the DSi or its XL version, frankly.

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recroulette

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Edited By recroulette

So the GBA format is now officially dead.

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hermes

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Edited By hermes

I am kind of lost... is the DS Lite the last version of the DS ?

If its not, that is no surprise at all...
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Edited By GozerTC


Okay I think Patrick is earning his keep just with sentances like this:

 

What is Nintendo saying? Well, I asked.

Seriously not just relying on other sources he just went ahead and asked them, and they answered!  Sure it's a vauge non-response but it's more than most folks do or ask. 

 

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Portis

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Edited By Portis
"Alleged GameStop Memo Says DS Lite Discontinued"

Well, they would know so it's probably true. Now if I only had more proof to believe this as fact...

 "But Nintendo's Vague About It"

OK, it's true.
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Aaron_G

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Edited By Aaron_G

I never quite understood why Nintendo kept the DS lite around when the DSi came out. 

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Vexxan

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Edited By Vexxan

It had to happen soon enough but seems a bit early now...3DS hasn't been out for THAT long.

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MrKlorox

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Edited By MrKlorox

I wonder if we'll ever see forward-compatible NDS games that have 3D support and a higher native resolution when played on 3DS.

  @Aaron_G said:

" I never quite understood why Nintendo kept the DS lite around when the DSi came out.  "

The GBA slot. It was the only device on the market that was able to play GBA carts.
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AgentofChaos

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Edited By AgentofChaos
@RecSpec said:
" So the GBA format is now officially dead. "
Yep... I really like that handheld too :(
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Edited By Little_Socrates
@RecSpec said:
" So the GBA format is now officially dead. "
Basically what I was going to say.
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angryemu

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Edited By angryemu

Good article (gross headline.)

Try to avoid "'s" contractions. (Someone is bound to misread it as possessive.)

Maybe something like "Alleged GameStop Memo Says DS Lite Discontinued, Official Nintendo Statement Says Practically Nothing"

Seriously... Good article, though!

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McShank

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Edited By McShank
@Metal_Mills said:
" Gamestop, not Gamespot! :)

@Munners said:
" seems a little early... "
DSi, DSi XL, 3DS. Why keep the lite around anymore? "
Maybe because it plays Advance games? DSi had a camera.. O wow.. but a camera sucks when it takes away the fun of having the choice to play BOTH DS and Advance games and when your phone has a better camera on it.. Only reason i have not upgraded to any new nintendo handheld is because I like my backwards compatibility.
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metal_mills

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Edited By metal_mills
@McShank said:
" @Metal_Mills said:
" Gamestop, not Gamespot! :)

@Munners said:
" seems a little early... "
DSi, DSi XL, 3DS. Why keep the lite around anymore? "
Maybe because it plays Advance games? DSi had a camera.. O wow.. but a camera sucks when it takes away the fun of having the choice to play BOTH DS and Advance games and when your phone has a better camera on it.. Only reason i have not upgraded to any new nintendo handheld is because I like my backwards compatibility. "
It's been out for years and has sold multimillions. It's also a cheap price these days. If you don't have one by now, you won't really care about backwards compatibility. They can't just keep old systems going for the sake of an even older system.
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FacelessVixen

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Edited By FacelessVixen
@Skullomania said:
" Stupid hinge defect..."
I'm a victim of that. Cracked after a year and a half of having it.
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Kyle

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Edited By Kyle

Wait... Are you telling me that up until now, the DS Lite WASN'T discontinued???

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Edited By ajamafalous

I saw this news a few days ago and ordered one. Couldn't find a black unfortunately, so I had to settle with the Crimson.

@CaLe said:

" There is no need for a lite after the DSi came out. "

I think a majority of people would disagree, since saying that DSiWare is even on par with the GBA catalog is borderline insane.
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SuperfluousMoniker

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And the damn things are still over a hundred bucks new on Amazon. I was hoping for a price drop. I don't care about DSi/3DS, but need to replace my busted Lite.

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Alphazero

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Edited By Alphazero
@GozerTC said:
"


Okay I think Patrick is earning his keep just with sentances like this:

 

What is Nintendo saying? Well, I asked.

Seriously not just relying on other sources he just went ahead and asked them, and they answered!  Sure it's a vauge non-response but it's more than most folks do or ask. 

 

"
I bet he was wearing his fedora with the PRESS card in it when he asked.
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nmarchan

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Edited By nmarchan

They discontinued it as soon as the 3DS hit.  I work at an electronics store, and literally a couple days later we were sending a bunch of the DS Lites back to Nintendo.   


They aren't going to disappear super quickly, but Nintendo is done with the DS Lite.  

I would also expect that this might be the last Christmas for the DSi, depending on how quickly people start picking up the 3DS, and whether or not Nintendo decides to put a bullet in the older system, Xbox style.
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GozerTC

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Edited By GozerTC
@Alphazero said:
" @GozerTC said:
"


Okay I think Patrick is earning his keep just with sentances like this:

 

What is Nintendo saying? Well, I asked.

Seriously not just relying on other sources he just went ahead and asked them, and they answered!  Sure it's a vauge non-response but it's more than most folks do or ask. 

 

"
I bet he was wearing his fedora with the PRESS card in it when he asked. "


 

He better have!  Or he'd be breaking the rules. :)

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xpgamer7

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Edited By xpgamer7

At this point it's to be expected. UPGRADE TIME!

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albedos_shadow

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Edited By albedos_shadow

I work in Target electronics, and both the white and blue Lite models have been clearanced for a while now. Probably a good sign that this is true.

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patrickklepek

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Edited By patrickklepek
@Alphazero said:
" @GozerTC said:
"


Okay I think Patrick is earning his keep just with sentances like this:

 

What is Nintendo saying? Well, I asked.

Seriously not just relying on other sources he just went ahead and asked them, and they answered!  Sure it's a vauge non-response but it's more than most folks do or ask. 

 

"
I bet he was wearing his fedora with the PRESS card in it when he asked. "
Adam Sessler bought me one after the Infinity Ward thing. I need to find it.
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Jazz_Lafayette

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Edited By Jazz_Lafayette
@RecSpec said:
" So the GBA format is now officially dead. "
No way, man. Cartridges are the media format of the future.