Nintendo have revealed that their latest handheld console DSi XL, which has already launched in Japan, is to come to Europe on the 5th of March. The third instalment after the DS and DSi, the newest offering features two larger screens, up from 3.25 inches to 4.2 inches, and inbuilt cameras. Whilst no formal price has been revealed by the game giant, the DSi XL has already appeared on Amazon in two colours, chocolate brown and red wine, at a price of £150.
Developing handheld consoles with the consumer directly in mind, the DS range is the top selling console in the UK with over 10 million units sold. Equating to nearly one console per six British Isles residents, Nintendo’s Robert Saunders said that the new device was no exception to the rule when it came to providing what the consumer wanted. “We find that families like to play games together huddled around one console, and the smaller screen was making that difficult. The new screen also brings a level of detail to the graphics that has never been seen before.” He added that older gamers who had poor eyesight but who wanted to use games such as the Brain Training titles would find it easier with a larger screen.
The news comes during a time when Nintendo reported falling sales seeing net income slip in 2009 to £465.7m, down from £970m for the previous year. Forrester Research’s Ian Fogg explained “This is a very smart move by Nintendo. Rather than release a new device, the company is repackaging an existing product to appeal to a new set of consumers, which is something that Nintendo is very adept at.” However, he warned that with Apple’s iPod and iPhone innovations, the handheld gaming market was becoming increasingly competitive.
