Nintendo's Iwata Wanted the 3DS Out for the Holidays

[Zer_]

It boggles my mind that people are freaking out over a 300$ price tag when the PSP was originally around that at launch.

Who's freaking out here? From what I understand correctly, the PSPGo launched at $250 and people flipped the fuck out, while here people are going "PRE-ORDER!" without concern of the cost.

Though, read my above post for my take on it.

The PSPGo is basically a regular PSP without the UMD drive. It brought nothing new to the table except forcing consumers to spend all their money (again) re-buying their games library. That's why people were pissed about the price tag.

The 3DS is a completely new console. Furthermore, the 3DS has about twice the power as the PSPGo.

The PSPGo uses a 333mhz MIPS processor, which is okay. Couple that with the internal GPU of the PSP (which we do not know much about), and you get a handheld system that can render things pretty much up to Specular maps in complexity...

The 3DS on the other hand has full Pixel Shader support, which means bump maps, normal maps, reflection maps, any shader you can think of.

All we know so far about the 3DS' GPU core is this:

"DMP boasts that the 200MHz chip can provide 15.3 million polygons a second, 800 million pixels a second, and can perform alpha blending, full-scene antialiasing, and other features that sound like they make nice graphics. Nintendo has yet to reveal the CPU or any of the other chips behind the 3DS, but at least we're starting to get an idea what's going on in there."

It can render fewer polygons / second than the PSP's GPU, BUT it has full shader support, which definitely outweighs any cons. To give you perspective. In most current gen console games, the Polygon count hasn't gotten any higher since previous generations. The graphical enhancements have been in the texture field of things.

So yeah, PSP is single core, 3DS is dual core. We're also dealing with a more advanced CPU in the 3DS. (Example, a Pentium IV 3.2ghz will not outperform a Core i5 2.66ghz (Single core)). The clock speed means squat. It's about the kind of technology that is found within the processor that makes it a more efficient number cruncher.

Alas, we'll have to wait and see, but so far, the games found on the 3DS seem to be much better looking than those found on the PSP. And I doubt we've seen the best of them either.

 

[Jumplion]

The PSPGo is basically a regular PSP without the UMD drive. It brought nothing new to the table except forcing consumers to spend all their money (again) re-buying their games library. That's why people were pissed about the price tag.

I direct you to my above post, as I had stated that earlier. Still, $300 is still a slippery slope to balance on.

Snip

I'll just blindly agree to whatever technical mumbo-jumbo is infront of me at the moment, though it's interesting to note that the PSP2 is rumoured to have a quad-core GPU [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/92954-Rumored-PSP2-Will-Boast-Powerful-Quad-Core-GPU], so take that how you will.

But again, I'm not really much of a handheld gamer, so I could care less what goes on with the 3DS or the PSP2. I was meaning to get a PSP at one time (I have a DS, never use it except on vacations), but laziness and general unintrest kept me from getting one.

 

[ranger19]

A couple things:

First, unless someone has a link confirming otherwise, the price is almost surely going to be under $300. Prices for games, systems, and so on are always more expensive than they are stateside once you do the currency translation. I'm not sure why, but it's true. I would be surprised if they put out the 3DS at the price. I mean, how much is a Wii these days? Or heck, a PS3?

Second, of course this analyst is calling it a worst case scenario. As the article said:

He [the analyst] had hoped that the 3DS would come out in 2010 and have 3G wireless connectivity.

Don't analysts make predictions for a living? Clearly this one had been predicting for a 2010 release, and he got it wrong big time. This is a worse case scenario - but for the analyst, not necessarily Nintendo. Almost everywhere I've seen tons of excitement for the handheld. I can't wait for it myself.. so to delay the system so there are enough for Nintendo to make the big bucks when EVERYONE wants one doesn't sound so terrible to me.

 

[MomoHime64]

Still in time for my birthday! I was gonna buy an iPad, but EFF THAT, I'm getting a 3DS. Aqua of course.

 

[super_smash_jesus]

no-one bats an eye about 300 bucks hen it is a new console. That is exactly hat this is, except it is a console with a built in TV, and it fits in your hand. While some might claim it is a gimmick to put in 3D, I think it is a general progression of video games at this point, and I just hope it is utilized well, which I am sure it will considering the independent backing on DS hardware already out.

I will DEFINITELY be buying this hen it comes out, and I hope it comes with a free game.

 

[Jumplion]

A couple things:

First, unless someone has a link confirming otherwise, the price is almost surely going to be under $300. Prices for games, systems, and so on are always more expensive than they are stateside once you do the currency translation. I'm not sure why, but it's true. I would be surprised if they put out the 3DS at the price. I mean, how much is a Wii these days? Or heck, a PS3?

FAHV HUNDRED N' NIEN-T-NEIN YOO ESS DOLLARZ!!!!

Wii is still $250 I think, they haven't lowered the price in FOREVER. PS3 goes up to $300 depending on the bundle.

I feel like I'm predicting a catastrophic event with the 3DS...I dunno, something just feels...something, I'm not sure what. I'm sure it's entirely unfounded, but regardless I just have a general bad feeling about the 3DS.

But again again again, I'm not a Nintendo or handheld gamer, so fuck if I know what I'm talking about.

 

[ranger19]

A couple things:

First, unless someone has a link confirming otherwise, the price is almost surely going to be under $300. Prices for games, systems, and so on are always more expensive than they are stateside once you do the currency translation. I'm not sure why, but it's true. I would be surprised if they put out the 3DS at the price. I mean, how much is a Wii these days? Or heck, a PS3?

FAHV HUNDRED N' NIEN-T-NEIN YOO ESS DOLLARZ!!!!

Wii is still $250 I think, they haven't lowered the price in FOREVER. PS3 goes up to $300 depending on the bundle.

I feel like I'm predicting a catastrophic event with the 3DS...I dunno, something just feels...something, I'm not sure what. I'm sure it's entirely unfounded, but regardless I just have a general bad feeling about the 3DS.

But again again again, I'm not a Nintendo or handheld gamer, so fuck if I know what I'm talking about.

Yeah, I remember the PS3 being up there.. those silly early adopters. But more OT, if the Wii is still $250, I find it hard to imagine the DS being $50 more expensive. I suppose the same price could work because one is newer tech... but I don't know.

I don't have much of a bad feeling about it. I mean, the glasses-free 3D sounds so cool. And it looks like there's going to be huge amounts of support at launch. The DS has been very successful, and I'm really excited about the 3DS. More than I have been about most handhelds in recent memory.

 

[mjc0961]

The expensive thing here is definetely the 3D technology and the rendering of 2 images simultaneously.

I know what you mean though. PSP Go launched at 250, people go apeshit. 3DS launches at 300 and everyone is like "uh...that's...uh..a bit high?".

Anyway, Nintendo has been the only one that delivered on handhelds for me, all the way back to the grey blocks. I really like the DS, although I think the flagship titles are rather mediocre (but independent stuff makes up for it).

I feel you on the Wii. I really wanted to love it, just like I loved the SNES, 64 and to some degree the sturdy cube, but I just don't care about anything the Wii does. It's got some good games but just leaves me with a bad aftertaste.

Yes, I hate that double-standard here. Though to be fair (and coming from the #1 Sony/Ps3 fanboy here), I'm pretty sure the main gripe was the fact that the PSPGo wasn't backwards compatible with a whole generation of PSPs, thereby negating the cost. Still a bit annoying how people are going "PRE-ORDER!" for a $300 piece of plastic (it is! It's made of plastic!), though.

The main thing I worry about the 3DS is the, of course, shoehorned 3D mechanics. The Wii suffers from a huge influx of games pointlessly phoning in the motion controls, even the good games sometimes struggle with it, so the prospect of 3D as a mechanic being shoved into a game just because they can does not bode well for my eyes.

Though, on the Wii, one random theory I have is that the games and the console itself all feel "plastic-y" or something. Like, if I grab a PS3 game case and smush it around or something, it feels sturdy and worth the money. With a Wii game case, I can bend it all over like a flimsy piece of cardboard, and it doesn't have that satisfying feel to it. But that's just a random thought I've had.

The big problems with the PSP Go's price was that at the same time, it removed UMDs and Sony offered no plan to let people get digital copies of games they had on UMD already. So for $250, you also had to re-buy all of your old games if you had any. And you weren't even guaranteed to be able to get all the same games because the Playstation Store is rather lacking in old PSP games. Also for $250, you get the exact same hardware in the PSP 3000 which is only $170.

So yeah, version 4 of the same hardware minus the ability to play any existing game library you may have plus a few new features that really aren't enough to make up for that minus plus $60 more than version 3 of that hardware = people rage.

On the other hand, the 3DS is completely new hardware. There's really nothing to say but "Well, that seems a bit high." because there's no other device out there with the same hardware that's cheaper and has a bigger game library to compare it to and cause raging to begin.

PS3 goes up to $300 depending on the bundle.

Actually PS3 starts at $300 and goes higher depending on the bundle (Move starter bundle with Playstation Eye, Move controller, Sports Champions, and a 320GB HDD inside is $400 for example).

 

[DragonChi]

I did it for the Wii..i'm sure as hell going to do it for the 3DS. I am pre-ordering, and I'm going to fukn be at the store bright and early hours before it opens.this thing is 10x hotter than the Wii..it's gunna be MAD.

 

[Jeronus]

I am glad it is coming out in 2011. I don't mind waiting and I could really use the time to save up the dough.

 

[DragonChi]

By the by..does anyone know when we will be ABLE to pre-order the 3DS? I keep checking the GameStop/EBgames website and there is no mention of the 3DS at all.

 

[DTWolfwood]

who wouldnt want it to launch holiday season thats some big bucks he is missing out on.

and oh no $1.08 billion in profit instead of $2.4! what a disaster! XD

 

[Jesus Phish]

Even with an "odd" release date, it'll probably still sell out of every shop it goes into.

The fact its not coming out for christmas is probably a massive sigh of relief for the poor souls who work in the likes of Gamestop, who dont want to have to explain to every crazy parent that "no, we're out of that at the moment and stock isnt expected back in until after the new year" to be yelled at "BUT MY CHILD WANTS ONE, WHAT AM I TO SAY?? SANTA DOESNT LIKE YOU ENOUGH!!" (I'm only talking about the employees here who have to take this shit, I'm sure Gamestop as a company are annoyed because it means they dont have another thing to flog for megabucks this holiday season)

I doubt I'll buy a 3DS at all. My SP and DS were both impulse buys that rarely got used do to overpriced games and a bad selection of one's I'd actually like to play. I also have the stigma of not wanting to play handhelds outside on the likes of buses, due to fear someone will break it on me.

 

[Jumplion]

snip

I already said that, damnit, I get why people raged! I'm too lazy to pot to my post where I did say that (post 15), but I get why people raged. Still, $300 is a slippery slope to lean on, but I wouldn't be surprised if it went lower.

Actually PS3 starts at $300 and goes higher depending on the bundle (Move starter bundle with Playstation Eye, Move controller, Sports Champions, and a 320GB HDD inside is $400 for example).

Oh you know what I meant, just wording.

Yeah, I remember the PS3 being up there.. those silly early adopters. But more OT, if the Wii is still $250, I find it hard to imagine the DS being $50 more expensive. I suppose the same price could work because one is newer tech... but I don't know.

I don't have much of a bad feeling about it. I mean, the glasses-free 3D sounds so cool. And it looks like there's going to be huge amounts of support at launch. The DS has been very successful, and I'm really excited about the 3DS. More than I have been about most handhelds in recent memory.

I'll have you know I was one of those early adopters.

HARUMPH!

Overall, as I've said a million time before, I'm not really much of a handheld gamer in general. The 3DS is probably going to sell, like, a bajillion units even if it was a $1000, but something is nagging me behind my head. I just know that if I succumb to buying a 3DS like everyone else in the goddamn world I'm just going to be leaving it to the side like how I do with my current Nintendo consoles.

 

[ranger19]

I'll have you know I was one of those early adopters.

HARUMPH!

Ooh, er... this is awkward, isn't it?

Overall, as I've said a million time before, I'm not really much of a handheld gamer in general. The 3DS is probably going to sell, like, a bajillion units even if it was a $1000, but something is nagging me behind my head. I just know that if I succumb to buying a 3DS like everyone else in the goddamn world I'm just going to be leaving it to the side like how I do with my current Nintendo consoles.

That's fine. I was just trying to give you an idea into why I am really excited about it (and I think lots of others are). It's especially handy to have a handheld for me because when I'm away at school I can't play my favorite console games.

 

[Jumplion]

I'll have you know I was one of those early adopters.

HARUMPH!

Ooh, er... this is awkward, isn't it?

Yup, proud owner of an original, 60GB, backwards compatible, $600 price-tag PS3, thankyouverymuch!

That's fine. I was just trying to give you an idea into why I am really excited about it (and I think lots of others are). It's especially handy to have a handheld for me because when I'm away at school I can't play my favorite console games.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, and honestly I'm a bit surprised that I haven't stirred up more "fanboyish" responses, so thanks for that (I feel like an extremely subtle troll...)

 

[ranger19]

I'll have you know I was one of those early adopters.

HARUMPH!

Ooh, er... this is awkward, isn't it?

Yup, proud owner of an original, 60GB, backwards compatible, $600 price-tag PS3, thankyouverymuch!

That's fine. I was just trying to give you an idea into why I am really excited about it (and I think lots of others are). It's especially handy to have a handheld for me because when I'm away at school I can't play my favorite console games.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, and honestly I'm a bit surprised that I haven't stirred up more "fanboyish" responses, so thanks for that (I feel like an extremely subtle troll...)

I do wish my PS3 were backwards compatible. The PS2 is still working, sure.. but barely.

Don't worry about the trolling. I actually have a plan: to turn the definition of internet trolling on its head. Have you ever heard of trolling in fishing? It's where you put your line out then drive your boat around leaving the bait in the water, giving it the appearance of a swimming fish. So you can use that to think of "trolling" as basically "searching" or "browsing" the Internet. It's my plan.. mua ha ha.