3DS Not Being Discontinued After Switch Release

With all the excitement and mystery surrounding the Nintendo Switch, it’s easy to forget about the loyal 3DS. While Nintendo might be coming 3rd in the home console market, handheld is a different story. Picking up where the original DS left off, the 3DS has sold over 60 million units worldwide. Yet with the announcement of the portable Switch, is Nintendo’s star seller at the end of its life?

Okay, maybe you should let me finish…

However, likely due to the amazing sales, the big N isn’t abandoning the little console that could. Nintendo’s handheld will probably get full support until at least late 2017 according to Nintendo life.com;

“The Nintendo Switch is due to arrive in March and aims to unify the company’s domestic and handheld interests. While the Wii U is already on life support with little in the way of new retail software to look forward to – outside of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, of course – the older 3DS continues to get new titles, and CEO Tatsumi Kimishima has insisted that will continue well into 2017.”

The second gen DS has run rings around the PS Vita, despite being the less powerful console. Most of this is down to the console’s excellent library of games and this looks to continue. The dual screen console has some big games coming out soon. Most noteworthy is Pokemon Sun and Moon, which has become Nintendo’s most pre ordered game ever. Yet the 3DS also has Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World, Ever Oasis and Pikmin coming soon as well.

As a result, it looks like it’ll soon be very easy to play Nintendo on the go. Given that they’re the creators of the most iconic handhled ever (the Game Boy) perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised.