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CNN: Nintendo may introduce next-generation Game Boy in 2005

This sounds like a bad idea. But if it doesn't suck, it could attract some bums like me who passed on the PSP. I mean, if it plays GC games, that's awesome b/c that means I get a little more life out of my GC library. But only b/c I still have a lot of games to finish. If they get form-factor and graphics there with a $100 price, then I'd get one. But I'm not holding my breath. This news is very Sega-esque, though. You can only hope it's fake. :? PEACE.
 
Let me get this straight, Nintendo releases the DS. A large portion of users on this board immediately assumes this will affect GBA sales, GBA sales don't flounder. Speculation appears about the next GB, so obviously this means the end of the DS. Because who would want a DS over the GB.

Is it possible that the only for Nintendo to get consumers to recognize the DS as the "DS" and not the next GB, is to release the next GB. You have to put other variables into consideration. The DS could become the new device that every hardworking business man want, adding PDA software along with gaming, seems to me, is what Nintendo plans were for the DS all alone.

Add in the possiblities of creating internet software, third parties starting up networks just for portablility. I expect redesign of the DS shell to resemble something more hightech.

If you can recognize the added features of PSP why can't recognize the added potential of the DS of being more then just a gaming device.

I mean look at METEOS, picture a guy on the train in a suit, holding a redesigned DS. He's checking his e-mail(sending e-mail) or making some adjustments to files on his office PC. He can do everthing possible on a standard PDA and more. After taking care of business, he slaps in METEOS and starts playing or pops in MP:H, to play some multiplayer gaming.
 
OG_Original Gamer said:
Let me get this straight, Nintendo releases the DS. A large portion of users on this board immediately assumes this will affect GBA sales, GBA sales don't flounder. Speculation appears about the next GB, so obviously this means the end of the DS. Because who would want a DS over the GB.

Is it possible that the only for Nintendo to get consumers to recognize the DS as the "DS" and not the next GB, is to release the next GB. You have to put other variables into consideration. The DS could become the new device that every hardworking business man want, adding PDA software along with gaming, seems to me, is what Nintendo plans were for the DS all alone.

Add in the possiblities of creating internet software, third parties starting up networks just for portablility. I expect redesign of the DS shell to resemble something more hightech.

If you can recognize the added features of PSP why can't recognize the added potential of the DS of being more then just a gaming device.

I mean look at METEOS, picture a guy on the train in a suit, holding a redesigned DS. He's checking his e-mail(sending e-mail) or making some adjustments to files on his office PC. He can do everthing possible on a standard PDA and more. After taking care of business, he slaps in METEOS and starts playing or pops in MP:H, to play some multiplayer gaming.

Although your post reaks of hilarity, there's a big difference between what something does out of the box and what something can do after buying a lot of upgrades and whatnot.

I'm not even going to comment on your "hardworking businessman" schtick. That was too funny.
 
OG_Original Gamer said:
The DS could become the new device that every hardworking business man want, adding PDA software along with gaming, seems to me, is what Nintendo plans were for the DS all alone.
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gamergirly said:
This speculation by CNN is bogus. They forgot to mention that PSP's sales are starting to slow down a great deal in Japan just like DS and that DS is still selling hotly in America. Or should Australian sales be even be mentioned. What would Nintendo be releasing a New GameBoy to compete against? DS? :lol

This isn't even CNN speculation. This is CNN reporting on speculation of an analyst - ya know, like the guys who say Apple will buy Tivo, Nintendo might as well not ship a console this generation, and CELL will be used in robotic condoms.
 
Amir0x said:
Although your post reaks of hilarity, there's a big difference between what something does out of the box and what something can do after buying a lot of upgrades and whatnot.

I'm not even going to comment on your "hardworking businessman" schtick. That was too funny.

I'm glad you got a laugh, I don't know what to think about it. If it turns out to be true and they are releasing the next GBA this fall, Nintendo must know something we don't know, I hope so.
 
The only thing Nintendo knows is that the longer they wait the bigger the PSP userbase gets, and the DS probably doesn't have enough juice to hold off the PSP on its own.

So if the GB Next is nearing completion hardware wise, I think they have no choice but to release it.

It may piss off the 3-4 million that have bought the DS, but they also may stand to lose millions more customers to Sony if they don't offer a directly comparable/superior hardware.

That's really the situation.
 
C'mon did anyone really not know the Game Boy Next would be coming?

Nintendo stated it explicitly like 50 times when talking about the DS. They've hinted numerous times that a GameCube level portable might be coming from them in the future (even from the GameCube's unveiling).

What would you expect? For them to wait until 2007 when the PSP has a headstart of like 25 million units?

At this point, I think March 2006 (JPN)/summer 2006 (US) launch for the new Game Boy would have to be expected. If they move it up to late 2005 ... I don't see the big deal. It just cuts down on Sony's head start.
 
So Nintendo sells a N64 level portable with a touchscreen for $149 and are somehow magically going to sell a GC level portable with a high res screen for $99? Yeaaaaaaaah.

$199 perhaps.
 
Mrbob said:
So Nintendo sells a N64 level portable with a touchscreen for $149 and are somehow magically going to sell a GC level portable with a high res screen for $99? Yeaaaaaaaah.

I would say probably more like $199 for the Game Boy Next while the DS will drop to $99.
 
Pimpwerx said:
This news is very Sega-esque, though. You can only hope it's fake. :? PEACE.

Well, to be fair, the only thing that really sucked about the Nomad (at the time) was it's battery life. It was a good idea...a handheld that played your home console games. I would have bought one if it had the battery life of a Gameboy.
 
The article mentioned the fact that as far as the analysts could see, there was no cannibalization of GBA hardware and software market by the DS, and both grew by double digits, despite the DS. So Nintendo appears to have been vindicated by the largely mocked 3rd pillar strategy.

The fact that the DS could play GBA software probably helped as well.
 
The article is questionable 'cos it speaks of "industry analysts" and sorta wreaks of the Sponge thing, plus it's unclear in itself on wether it's a new GameBoy or a GBA re-design AND there's the whole "it's $99" in one paragraph and then it's "one hundred dollars or more" in another. Pfft. But I like so speculate so here goes...

If it's a redesign of GBA...why? GBA is phasing out in software...a hardware re-design won't revamp it in the face of NDS, PSP & the next GB also on the market...plus GBA Sp is good enough for the whole "let's redesign it" purpose. It would distact from NDS sales, confuse people more and put even more doubt into consumers mind who'll see Nintendo's portables as something that come and go year by year. And if there's some feature(s) they wanna add so desperatly, wouldn't that defeat the purpose of a re-design who's main purpose is to streamline a system for more appeal and higher profits.

Whatever features they want to add to the existing GBA (or the NDS for that matter, since it has a GBA cart slot) can be done thru add-ons. Media features, PDA features, etc. could all be implimented into a single cart with the software on it to run it and maybe an SD card slot for storage...which is probably what the "Nintendo V Pocket" thing is.

So, if it's not a GBA re-design, then it's probably the next GB...which we all saw coming. There really is NO easy way for Nintendo to release a new GameBoy since the NDS just came out, but they have to 'cos GBA is winding down and PSP is coming. Alot of people think NDS was just a stop-gap mess of a mistake. I disagree...Nintendo could not make a PSP level competitor about remain profitable in the portable sector and even if they somehow could have there would still people in & out of the industry who would believe the PSP is better...so releasing an an impractical (less durable, less battery life, less profitable, etc.) portable to compete with PSP on just power alone wouldn't have worked. So Nintendo went the profitable, innovative 3RD tier route with the give-in that there would be a new GameBoy soon after. Giving the NDS more non-gaming functions, testing out online and download services on it will keep it around, plus having it as a unique two-screen self-contained (no connectivity really) system that'll be super cheap and be like a legacy system (like iQue even) will make it a great system for the budget market *totally sperate* from the Nintendo console & GameBoy lines.

A next generation GameBoy should trump PSP on all levels and do it cheaper for Nintendo and cheaper for the buyer. It should have a comparable or better: screen, control layout, durability, battery life, media format, graphics output, features, etc. all of which I think is doable. Staples in the GameBoy line have always been price, durability & battery life so I give this to Nintendo already. Graphics power is totally doable too as the GCN chipset is already very small and could easily be applied to portable form. Screen is a lil' questionable, but I think Nintendo could at least match PSP on this given time. Features...hmmm, Nintendo has become more open to things like music & video playback, plus WiFi and if the PDA rumors are true, then that too...I don't see why they couldn't further do this with the next GB too, that plus I think it'll also feature a better control layout (Revolution controls?) and probably a touch screen which easily trumps PSP. The media format is the "wildcard" here I guess.

Alot of people would love GCN disc compatibility out of the box, but I just don't see this as doable. What about multiplayer (if they couldn't get GBA multiplayer to work on NDS, then how would you expect console level multiplayer to work on the next GameBoy?), what about peripherals, connectivity, memory cards, what about games that require alot of loading (disc spinning), what about games that are resolution sensitive (text)...these are all issues that can't be fixed practically. Plus having a disc drive drains battery life...especially a drive that spins a disc for home use and not portable use. The big library would be nice to have day one, but new developements on the platform are dwindling as we speak...so no, this wouldn't be ideal. However, ports from GCN to a GCN level portable are still there, just like the NDS/N64 & GBA/SNES before it...which is an easy way to make money. But on what kind of format? I'm thinking a built-in HD plus a GBA cart slot (for BC, peripherals, etc.). So it'd be a PSP-level GameBoy + iPod-like portable all-in-one.

The idea is that you could play games directly from new (higher capacity than NDS) GameBoy carts or games downloaded into it's built-in HD. Games can be downloaded via kiosks -OR- at home thru your Revolution. Content for these games would come from a download network or Revolution discs. This could essentially revolutionize portable gaming by distributing games cheaply thru means of putting them onto the discs with their console counterparts or putting them on networks where they can be downloaded for a small fee. This also helps the multi-media & battery aspects of the next GameBoy making it more appealing than the PSP.

And for those people who still want to play GCN games on the go they could release a discman sized GCN that can link to the new GameBoy (or GameBoy's for multiplayer) using it's screen & controls to play. The small unit would run under it's own power and be set up like the PSone.
 
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