Switch Lite not about to replace 3DS, Nintendo says
Firm will support older systems “as long as there is demand”
Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser has suggested there’s still life in the 3DS, following the company’s announcement of a new handheld-only Switch Lite console set for release later this year.
“We’ll continue to support our 3DS family of systems as long as there is demand,” the executive told The Verge.
While Switch Lite will cost $200, the 3DS family of systems currently retails for between $80 and $200.
Bowser recently called the entry-level 2DS “a great value proposition for a young gamer coming into the Nintendo ecosystem”.
Nintendo failed to announce any new games for the eight-year-old 3DS at E3 in June.
The firm expects to sell just one million 3DS units in the current business year ending in March 2020, down from 2.55 million units in the previous year and 6.4 million units the year before that.
Switch Lite, a handheld-only version of the console released in 2017, was officially announced earlier today.
It will launch on September 20 and will be available in three colours: yellow, grey and turquoise. A limited edition Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield Switch Lite console will also be released in November.
Nintendo has provided a breakdown of the Nintendo Switch Lite technical specifications, outlining the differences between the upcoming system and the existing console.
