Production of Nintendo 3DS has been Discontinued

Via Nintendo’s Japanese website the announcement has been made that the production of the Nintendo 3DS has been discontinued. The image above is from Google Translate website .

This information was not mentioned via press release or any other official announcement from Nintendo.

What does this mean ?

Essentially the 3DS family of systems ( New 3DS / New 2DS / 2DS , 3DS XL ) is no longer being manufactured by Nintendo. We assume this also applies to other regions of the world. You might be able to find new systems in stores now ( September 21st 2020) but the hardware will not be replaced once all the previously manufactured systems have been shipped out and bought by consumers. This may take a few weeks or months to totally sell out of the new product. It just depends on supply and demand of individual markets.

What about 3DS online gaming and the 3DS E-Shop ?

Currently (September 21st 2020) Nintendo is still supporting the e-shop so you can still download digital software. You can currently play 3DS games online via Nintendo’s online services. Currently we don’t know when the e-shop will close or when the online services will end. Nintendo previously announced the Nintendo DSi discontinuation date and gave everyone several months to prepare for the conclusion of online services for the system. Nintendo gave everyone very specific final dates to make final video game purchases and to play games online. Nintendo is expected to announce the discontinuation date of online services in the near future (probably next year ).

In a statement to gamesindustry.biz Nintendo said the following :

“We currently have no plans to end any existing online services for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. Online play and Nintendo eShop will continue to be available and it will be possible to access and redownload all previously purchased content in the foreseeable future.”
( Source )

Of course they would say that. This statement isn’t surprising because they would want to announce this on their own schedule. Simply put the 3DS e-shop and online services can’t go on indefintelty and sometime in the future it will end.

Why is this happening ?

The Nintendo 3DS was originally released in 2011. The New Nintendo 3DS released in 2015. In recent sales data the Nintendo 3DS has decreased 88% while the Nintendo Switch has increased 11.1%.

Source ( Page 14 )

The Nintendo 3DS family of systems (including 2DS XL, 2DS, New 3DS, 3DS, 3DS XL) is no longer doing well enough to justify continued production. 3DS’s time has passed and Nintendo is moving on.

With this news I expect the Nintendo 3DS family of systems to continue to loose digital game support. The Nintendo 3DS still occasionally gets new game releases each week but the amount of games have slowed to a trickle. The Nintendo 3DS has given players around the world many excellent video games that can be played in 3D and 2D. This day was inventible but yet I am still sad to hear this new.

- Adolph Vega Director / Founder / Editor-In-Chief of 3Dor2D.com

Nintendo Labo VR info- Experience Family-Friendly VR with Hippos, Aliens, Photography and More in New Nintendo Labo: VR Kit

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ever wish you could paint like an elephant or feel like a superhero by stopping an alien invasion? Nintendo Labo: VR Kit launches exclusively for the Nintendo Switch system on April 12 with dozens of simple and fun virtual reality* experiences for kids and families to enjoy together. Get a sneak peek at what’s included in the Nintendo Labo: VR Kit in this new video released by Nintendo: https://labo.nintendo.com/#video.

Combining the innovative physical and digital gameplay of Nintendo Labo with basic VR technology, Nintendo Labo: VR Kit introduces virtual reality in a unique and approachable way. The Toy-Con Wind Pedal produces a blast of air to create the feeling of flying, while the Toy-Con Blaster slides and clicks before it launches a volley of lasers (or fruit). Players can make different DIY cardboard creations like a Toy-Con Elephant or a Toy-Con Camera; play a variety of VR games and experiences with these creations; and discover how it all works – or even design their own bite-sized VR experiences with the included programming tools.

“Nintendo Labo is inherently designed to encourage imagination and creativity in people of all ages by blending real-world and virtual experiences,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “This new kit takes that concept a step further by layering in virtual reality to bring the Toy-Con creations to life and encourage family-friendly, pass-and-play experiences.”

All the games and experiences in Nintendo Labo: VR Kit are designed to be shareable, fun and social. By alternating turns, everyone in the room can watch and enjoy players’ reactions and join in the fun. Some games even allow players who aren’t looking into the Toy-Con VR Goggles to interact with the on-screen experience. For example, if one player is exploring the in-game ocean and taking photos with the Toy-Con Camera, another person in the room can wear the Toy-Con Snorkel and step in front of the Camera to make a bug-eyed fish swim quickly toward the player’s face – the reaction is priceless!

The Nintendo Labo: VR Kit offers a variety of games and experiences that work with the different Toy-Con creations, including:

Ocean Camera (Toy-Con Camera):
Dive into the deep blue virtual sea and complete objectives like taking photos of sea life. The ocean is full of surprises.
House Camera (Toy-Con Camera):
Interact with the strange creature living in the house – which some people may recognize from the Nintendo Labo: Variety Kit! – and complete missions by taking photos in its mysterious home.
Marble Run (Toy-Con Elephant):
Try to complete physics puzzles by using various objects to guide marbles through rings. You can even create puzzles of your own to challenge friends and family.
Doodle (Toy-Con Elephant):
Create colorful 3D artwork by moving the trunk of the Toy-Con Elephant through the air, using various in-game tools and styles to bring your creations to life. Once finished, show off your masterpieces on the TV by docking your Nintendo Switch. An additional multiplayer game lets you take turns drawing and guessing each other’s drawings.
Bird (Toy-Con Bird):
Soar through the sky on a bird’s back, collecting items and helping baby birds hatch along the way. Players flap the wings of the Toy-Con Bird to fly and simply tilt it to turn.
Bird Dash (Toy-Con Bird, Toy-Con Wind Pedal):
Compete in timed challenges by racing through checkpoints as you fly through the sky. The Toy-Con Wind Pedal is used in conjunction with the Toy-Con Bird to deliver an extra boost of speed, while also sending a surprisingly strong puff of air toward the player that enhances the sense of flying.
Blaster (Toy-Con Blaster):
Battle an alien invasion and giant bosses in an on-rails experience that requires sharp reflexes and a keen eye.
Kablasta (Toy-Con Blaster):
Challenge a friend to competitive hippo feeding. Yes, hippo feeding! Fling different types of fruit toward the hippos to lure them to your side of the pool and score the most points.
Hop Dodge (Toy-Con Wind Pedal):
As a frog, jump as high as you can on an ever-growing stack of balls while avoiding obstacles and heading soccer balls. The wind resistance from the Wind Pedal will make you feel as though you’re actually experiencing a breeze.
VR Plaza (all Toy-Con creations):
Enjoy 64 bite-sized games and experiences in VR Plaza, including platformers and puzzlers. Many of these experiences can be enjoyed using only the Toy-Con VR Goggles and Nintendo Switch system.

Two programing tools are included with the Nintendo Labo: VR Kit software. Toy-Con Garage is the tool that is returning from previous kits and optimized for this kit’s Toy-Con creations. Toy-Con Garage VR is a new tool that allows players to create their own VR games and experiences. In fact, Toy-Con Garage VR is the tool that the development team used to create everything in VR Plaza. Players can even import VR Plaza games into Toy-Con Garage VR mode to discover how they work, customize the experiences or use them as inspiration to create a completely new game.

Nintendo Labo: VR Kit will launch in retail stores on April 12 with two primary configurations, one that includes all Toy-Con creations and one that includes a smaller selection of projects to get started:

Nintendo Labo: VR Kit:
Available at a suggested retail price of $79.99, the complete Nintendo Labo: VR Kit includes the Nintendo Switch software and materials to build all six Toy-Con projects – the Toy-Con VR Goggles, Toy-Con Blaster, Toy-Con Camera, Toy-Con Bird, Toy-Con Wind Pedal and Toy-Con Elephant – as well as a Screen Holder and other accessories. It’s a good option for kids and families who want to dive into the full experience.
Nintendo Labo: VR Kit – Starter Set + Blaster:
Available at a suggested retail price of only $39.99, the Starter Set includes the Nintendo Switch software, plus all the components to build the Toy-Con VR Goggles and Toy-Con Blaster, as well as the Screen Holder and other accessories. The Starter Set is a great entry point into the world of Nintendo Labo VR.

Players that own the Starter Set can purchase the following optional expansion sets at https://store.nintendo.com/ to expand their experience:

Nintendo Labo: VR Kit – Expansion Set 1**:
Available for $19.99, Expansion Set 1 includes the components needed to build the Toy-Con Elephant and Toy-Con Camera.
Nintendo Labo: VR Kit – Expansion Set 2**:
Available for $19.99, Expansion Set 2 includes the components needed to build the Toy-Con Wind Pedal and Toy-Con Bird.

For more information about Nintendo Labo: VR Kit, please visit https://labo.nintendo.com/kits/vr-kit/.

* The VR mode should only be used by children ages 7 and older. Parents should restrict the display of VR mode for children 6 and under by accessing the in-game settings using the goggles icon. Users can easily turn off the VR feature and use the included Screen Holder instead of the VR Goggles to enjoy any of the included games and experiences in 2D . ** The two expansion sets do not include the Toy-Con VR Goggles or Nintendo Labo: VR Kit software.

Source: Nintendo Press Release