Nintendo DSi hitting US 'well into' 2009

We heard last night that we wouldn't be seeing the DSi in the States until next year, and now Reggie has confirmed the damage: no DSi until "well into calendar year 2009," which sounds disturbingly like the holidays to us, but hopefully he's just implying a few months in. We would hope Nintendo would be following the pattern of the DS Lite, which hit Japan in March of 2006, and made it Stateside in June, but Reggie says DS Lite sales are still strong in the US -- which means it's basically our fault that we don't get a shiny new toy for Christmas.

[Gadget @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:00PM]

Yeah, and this just in... there will be an iPhone revision next year! Hold your breath!

[Ray @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:13PM]

Now I can actually save up for one. I was getting Guitar Hero World Tour this year and feared I wouldn't be able to get one of these things right away because of that.

[Flashpoint @ Oct 2nd 2008 6:53PM]

I hope every kid sees this and refuses to buy a DS till the new model is released. That outta help out the DS's sales !

[Flaystus @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:05PM]

Yeah well way to kill your sales dudes....

[Chuckles McGee @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:50PM]

Absolutely couldn't agree more. "Oh hey, let's reveal the better thing coming out just after the holiday season. Oh yeah, that'll really help holiday sales, selling customers a product they're certain will be obsolete."

Of course, the DS does print money, so maybe Nintendo just doesn't want any more. Miyamoto is still building another swimming pool for all his cash, and that won't be ready for another few months.Gotta keep the sales down for a bit.

[StrangeBum @ Oct 2nd 2008 2:13PM]

You say that as if Nintendo's main demographic will be on these various websites reporting on the new DSi. As a company they took a huge turn (for the worse) in trying to sell and relate more the the 'casual' demo as opposed to, oh I don't know, gamers who actually care about what they do with their games and hardware, who would most likely be the people that are reading about it. And it's those same gamers that probably have a DS phat, and a DS lite or two sitting around. So basically Ninty is just screwing there 'core' fans.

Although, if some media outlet picks up on this news and starts putting it up on like CNN or something, then your point will be totally validated.

[Ozzman_79 @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:43PM]

But since none of them will, people will still buy these like hot cakes, until this DSi comes out......and then they will sell even better then these hot cakes everyone seems to be so keen on buying.

[Flaystus @ Oct 2nd 2008 4:24PM]

Lets just all agree that hot cakes are pretty awesome.

[required @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:08PM]

I don't understand why they would increase the screen size without increasing the resolution. I have a feeling you'll be able to see the individual pixels from arms length. yuck.

[giuliop @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:29PM]

First, the new screen is only about 8% larger than the previous one, so there's not much difference; if you weren't able to see the pixels before, you certainly can't see them now. Second, increasing the resolution would mean wasted screen estate for old games (or interpolation - yuck) and a breed of new games that, while exploiting the higher resolution, would not be compatible with the Fat and Lite (unless you, again, interpolate - double yuck). That would mean a complete compatibility mess, so thanks, but no thanks.

[Derry Quinn @ Oct 2nd 2008 2:41PM]

17% actually...Thats almost 60%!

[giuliop @ Oct 2nd 2008 4:42PM]

@Derry

"17% actually...Thats almost 60%!"

Hmmm... yeah. I wonder what dimension you're from, where 17% = almost 60%.

In ours, the old screen is 3", the new one is 3.25", so that's plus 8,3%.

[bangladeshiluv @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:08PM]

SD slot. yeah i called it. time to toss out the R4.

[tom @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:05PM]

Are you gonna toss out your DS as well? Let me know, I pay you shipping to toss it at place

[wootman @ Oct 2nd 2008 4:32PM]

Yep, cuz softmodding is so much easier.

[Gilbert Tang @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:10PM]

So essentially he made his device obsolete months before its release. Genius.

[RyanTV @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:14PM]

honestly who cares? Nintendo could have come up with something better than this.

[Gilbert Tang @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:15PM]

A LOT better, especially thinking "well" in advance. And to a large extent you're right, I don't care.

[required @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:17PM]

I agree. The biggest improvement is sadly the matte finish.

[jdmbo1 @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:54PM]

I hate nintendo so much, they hide behind the guise of being "innovative" by releasing accessories for games that offer "new styles" of interaction, but in the end, its meant to milk you for your money. How? because for the majority, the accesoires only work for 1 or 2 games. Nintendo has been living on crappy technology, paired with gimmicky devices. their handhelds are another story. Just look at the history of Nintendo's handhelds, and you'll realize how many "refreshes" they have compared to how many actual generation of systems there are. I'm tired of special edition DS's, random peripherals for the Wii, and stupid refreshes, give me a new system, stop giving me old generation crap, disguised in a new paint scheme. Fuck You Nintendo!

[HektikLyfe @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:55PM]

Could they have? Have you seen the Wii?

[DiGiC @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:14PM]

Great, coming to Euprope sometime 2010 then....

[Fred @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:16PM]

Seems like they should have kept their mouths shut. I've been toying with the idea of getting a DS, but not now. I can wait till '09.

[7on @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:17PM]

-12% thinner
-2 Cameras (At least one is 3MP)
-No GBA slot
-Larger 3.25in screens
-Internal storage
-SD card slot
-DSi online store. Connect via wifi. Uses Wii Points (Now Nintendo Points)
-Web browser
-Improved audio
-Music playback
-Releasing November 1st ¥180,000 ($179). (Japan)
-Black or White (ok... screw all the cool DS lite colors :\)
-DSiWare pricing Free, 200,400, or 800.
-Get 1000 free points with purchase of the DSi
-New DS download stations, now Nintendo Zones, in Japan.

[Gilbert Tang @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:40PM]

Thank you kindly for that summary. May I ask what you're driving at, then? (I know this comment sounds sarcastic, but I promise you it's not. I'm really curious as to what you meant by this comment...)

[McLovin @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:41PM]

.3 megapixels. They're both just as worthless

[Tony @ Oct 2nd 2008 4:09PM]

@ McLovin

Don't underestimate the average consumer. They will have features like on software for webcams on Macs. Girls go crazy over those effects.

[Plothole @ Oct 2nd 2008 5:53PM]

The inner camera is 0.3MP. The outer one is 3MP.

[Zinger314 @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:33PM]

Reggie/Callie '08

[Teeth @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:41PM]

Ooooooooooooh

[k4ffy @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:52PM]

maybe it'll give them time to put the GBA slot back in...

[sleet01 @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:55PM]

Compare the Lite to the Phat, and then compare the DSi to the Lite, and tell me they couldn't have put this out for $130, give the drop in hardware prices in the intervening years.

I love my DS Lite, but there's no way I'm buying a DSi unless it's $130 or less. What a waste of 2 years of development time.

[wootman @ Oct 2nd 2008 6:01PM]

Personally i prefer the fat, as do at least a couple other people.

[Almadi @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:57PM]

Maybe they can diffuse the outrage by offering a free Gameboy Camera and printer with the purchase of a DS in the US.

[pippothegreat @ Oct 2nd 2008 2:12PM]

Bah! I'll stick to my virtualboy, you can't go wrong with those eye numbing graphics in MarioTennis

[Link2877 @ Oct 2nd 2008 2:19PM]

Yea I'm no trying to rain on anyones parada but by the time this is release outside of japan wouldn't it be be time for new handheld all together, next year will be the DSes 5 year anniversary isn't that the industries timecycle for new hardware.

[Drew @ Oct 2nd 2008 2:40PM]

Yay I can still sell my Limited Edition Pirates of the Caribbean DS for full price still. Ebay, here I come.

[Kevin @ Oct 2nd 2008 2:49PM]

Guess I will have to pick a couple up when I am in Japan then.

[Ethan @ Oct 2nd 2008 2:49PM]

It's just further proof that competition breeds innovation, and Reggie basically admitted that. If the PSP had cut into DS sales more, we'd be getting the DSi to put big N back on top. As it is, we're stuck with the DS because it's still the best.

[Steven M @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:03PM]

This is just further proof that nintendo doesnt give a shit about gamers...at least in america

[HektikLyfe @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:04PM]

This is where they are investing all that profit from the Wii? Do they have Motorola execs working at Nintendo now?

Honestly, a total waste. Undoubtedly they will release a 1st party hit that will require those new features but I can't even imagine the useless 3rd party crap that will come out for this device.

Nintendo is the ONLY game hardware manufacturer with the user base in both home and portable platforms to create a unified, easily connected, integrated online experience. They only need to rebuild the infrastructure of their Nintendo Wi-Fi. They should instead work on that and of course do away with the tedious friend codes.

I can imagine, with the hardware that exists now, a Nintendo world done right.

You come home and you have a message on your Wii. It is an invite to join a group of friends that just purchased their systems, but knew your gamertag and simply sent you a message to join them in a Mario Kart session. Your kids want to play Wii Sports though so you suggest they play the DS version instead. Everyone agrees and they send the party invite to their DS's instead. The game continues in the DS lobby where your achievements are logged and saved for later viewing on the Nintendo website.

Of course this will never happen with NOJ at the helm. The technology is there. Ever seen that picture of the circular dragon that is eating itself? I see Nintendo that way, only instead of eating itself its head is in its proverbial butt.

[tom @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:06PM]

my place* that is

[Kento Ito @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:07PM]

the DS I believe will have even BIGGER competition with iPod touch and the iPhone, since Apple consider those the GAMING device for feature.

The iPhone and iPod touch is like DS and Wii combined.

[Dr. Hfuhuhurr @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:08PM]

Still can't find a WII on store shelves...new hardware doesn't get to the US till late next year. Nintendo is really starting to tick me off.

[Anthony @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:34PM]

My ds lite is a launch one, old, and its starting to wear down, its been thrown against walls and such, well now i'll have something new to get instead of getting another ds lite when it finnaly breaks, which i would imagine to be in about a year. hopefully.

i just like the idea of the cameras, and even VGA cameras arent bad, i have some REALLY nice pictures i've taken with my VGA camera phone, so you cant say that sucks, because thats the interna; camera, the external one is even better.

and it has built in music player with web browser and an sd card slot.

almost getting the wii in a portable console. im glad. and i will be buying.

[thethirdmoose @ Oct 2nd 2008 4:16PM]

...don't throw your ds at walls?

[Ozzman_79 @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:50PM]

@ jdmbo1

" give me a new system, stop giving me old generation crap, disguised in a new paint scheme"

If people would stop buying millions and millions of them, they might have reason to. But since they ARE selling millions and millions of them, why stop? To make the 7% of potential users people like you make up, happy? Reality check time. DS prints money and probably 80% - 90% of owners are happy with theres. If you're waiting for something new, I wouldn't hold my breath

[Brad @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:56PM]

I wonder if importing one from Japan to the US in November would restrict any functionality?

Years ago I bought a dark blue DS in Japan (back when only white was available in the US). It works fine, and runs in English, but the Nintendo of America web site will NOT accept the DS' serial number when I try to register....

[NoAndThen @ Oct 2nd 2008 5:14PM]

well, if you bought it legally, why don't you just call nintendo?

[Ozzman_79 @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:58PM]

"Nintendo is the ONLY game hardware manufacturer with the user base in both home and portable platforms to create a unified, easily connected, integrated online experience"

And also the only manufacturer with the user base that, for the most part, couldn't care less about a unified, easily connected, integrated online experience. The magical world you describe probably is of no interest to the vast majority of Wii/DS users. Nintendo knows what their customers want and what you just described sounds like the kind of thing Xbox/Playstation fans want