Nintendo Announces 2DS XL (theguardian.com)

The future for Nintendo is the Switch, or is it? Nintendo continues to keep things interesting. From a report: The ever-unpredictable hardware veteran has announced the Nintendo 2DS XL, a new version of the 2DS, which was itself a refreshed version of the 3DS. Featuring two enlarged displays, 4.88in on top and 4.18in on the bottom, and a clamshell design, the new format is lighter than the 3DS XL and of course lacks that machine's stereoscopic capabilities. Available in black and turquoise or white and orange and with built-in NFC support for amiibo cards and figures, it's a fully featured member of the extended 3DS family, even boasting the secondary C-pad nub like the New 3DS XL. It is priced at $150.

Comments

Hurray!

[Anonymous Coward]

I can finally play a non-3D re-re-re-release of the original Metroid!

Wait, screw that. I want a mini NES!

Wait, screw that too, I already have a mini NES, it's called a Raspberry Pi zero and the original copyright terms are 25 years.

Re:Hurray!

[Anonymous Coward]

"the original copyright terms are 25 years"
[citation needed]

Not sure what you may be referring exactly, but my guess is patent, but even that is wrong as patents are 20 years. Works created for hire have a copyright of either "95 years from first publication or 120 years from creation", so no 25 years is not even close. None of the NES titles have fallen out of copyright and likely never will with the way copyright law keeps extending the term.

https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ15a.pdf

I bet you believe that "abandonware" is legal, which is very much false. Just because something is not sold anymore or the copyright holder went out of business, died, or is not findable does not mean the copyright became void. Sure, you may be able to get away with infringement without any fear of consequence, but don't act like it's legal.

Re:Hurray!

[tepples]

I think AC #54319087 was proposing a repeal of three-generation copyright in favor of a return to the copyright term under the Copyright Act of 1790, which was 28 (not 25) years with a maintenance due after 14.

Re:Hurray!

[Anonymous Coward]

Confirmed. The current copyright law is so far from the spirit of its creation that it's a crime in itself.

COPY. RIGHT. The RIGHT to COPY, after some time is given to the original author to profit from it.

Re:Hurray!

[Anonymous Coward]

So you're saying artists shouldn't be allowed to sell permanent rights? Or that a past contract isn't valid?

These contracts have already been made. The original artists already sold permanent rights to their creations, and were compensated for it, and I don't think it's the right of the government to come in and change existing contracts.

I suppose the government could step in and make it illegal for artists, in the future, to sell lasting copyrights. But I don't think it's the job of the government to disallow artists from freely entering into contracts. Artists & creators are already able to sell 28 year rights if they so choose.

Re:Hurray!

[OrangeTide]

So you're saying artists shouldn't be allowed to sell permanent rights? Or that a past contract isn't valid?

That is exactly what we want.

These contracts have already been made. The original artists already sold permanent rights to their creations, and were compensated for it, and I don't think it's the right of the government to come in and change existing contracts.

You can buy real estate, only to have it be taken away later by eminent domain or the taxes can increase on it dramatically forcing you to sell it at a loss.

If you want, you can try to create a fund where copyright holders that are still reporting profits on an asset could apply to receive some portion of the fund. There is no way it can completely cover their loss, but it is potentially an option.

Businesses also are able to write off losses on future taxes. We'd need some tax code to make sure a bunch of businesses don't write off an infinite amount of money for the next 100 years, but there is likely a pretty straight forward solution here.

I suppose the government could step in and make it illegal for artists, in the future, to sell lasting copyrights. But I don't think it's the job of the government to disallow artists from freely entering into contracts. Artists & creators are already able to sell 28 year rights if they so choose.

It's precisely the job of the government to create laws and change those laws to reflect new realities. We must be able to roll back things if we find they are not working.

I wonder why sort of compensation was offered to slave holders after the government took their "property" away from them by forcing the freeing of enslaved people. (it makes my eyes water to think in these terms)

Re:That's just what we need

[DontBeAMoran]

I'm waiting for the Nintendo 1DS XL.

Protip

[thegreatbob]

Protip: if you've got traction issues with the little rubber nib C-stick on these things, you can rip it off and replace it with the nib from a PSP. The PSP nib is shorter, wider, relatively hard, and deeply textured.

Re:Protip

[Anonymous Coward]

Maybe you missed that little game called "Zelda : Breath of the Wild"...
Ok is not a 3DS game, but while it is true that Nintendo loves to sell you the same over and over, they are still able to innovate.

Re: Protip

[Anonymous Coward]

"Ok is not a 3DS game.."

It should be with those shyte graphics and frame rate. Hell I should be able to buy it for my cell phone...er wait...my cell phone is more powerful than the switch/Wii u.

Re:Protip

[tepples]

They understand emulation. They also understand that legally running a nonfree game in an emulator in Slashdot's home country requires buying an authentic copy of the game and dumping it to a ROM image yourself, not downloading someone else's ROM image from the Internet. See 17 USC 117(a)(1) and UMG Recordings v. MP3.com.

Re:Protip

[DontBeAMoran]

Even the grandpas reading Slashdot were running emulators before the younger readers were even born.

Re:Protip

[Anonymous Coward]

God damn rubber nipple salesmen on my lawn again.

No sir, I don't like it.

Re:Protip

[thegreatbob]

If I wasn't the OP, or if I had an army of shill accounts, you'd have a mod up xD

Business as usual

[Anonymous Coward]

Nintendo also launched the Game Boy Micro in 2005 after the launch of the Nintendo DS back in 2004.
This isn't a new thing for them. The Switch isn't compatible with 3DS games, and they obviously want to provide a cheaper path for people interested in looking back and seeing what the 3DS library has to offer now that the Switch has caught people's attention.

Re: Business as usual

[Anonymous Coward]

an adult gamer who isn't big into Nintendo's own games?

Wow, I thought I was the only one!
Seriously I don't give a shit about any Mario games and all the Zelda games seem pretty much the same to me.
But, people just love to buy whatever Nintendo puts out there with Mario and Zelda on it, and Nintendo game systems really don't have anything else.

I guess it's just not for me.

Re: Business as usual

[Anonymous Coward]

Nothing. You're not the target audience.

Re: Business as usual

[chispito]

I bought several DSes but never got around to the 3DS. My favorite DS titles that weren't first party titles were:
Contra 4
Shiren the Wanderer
Retro Game Challenge
Cave Story (downloaded, but you can get that on almost any platform, or the PC in its original form for free)

They were technically first party, but the best games were, in my opinion, Tetris World Party and Clubhouse Games. Both let one player with a single cartridge host games for up to 7 other players without cartridges. Tetris this way was just great.

Re: Business as usual

[chispito]

all the Zelda games seem pretty much the same to me

The latest one sure isn't.

Re: Business as usual

[Anonymous Coward]

Shin Megami Tensei IV (not IVA, IV. IVA is dumbed down shit targeted at a shonen audience)

Dungeon crawlers like Etrian Odyssey

The upcoming SMT: Strange Journey remake

Fire Emblem

Monster Hunter

Re:That's just what we need

[Anonymous Coward]

Here you go: .

And its non-XL version: .

To be followed shortly by...

[SubaruStarship]

...the 2DS XXL.

Re:To be followed shortly by...

[DontBeAMoran]

I'll wait for the adults-only 3DS XXL with exclusive hentai games.

Region-crippled?

[Anonymous Coward]

If it's region-coded like its predecessors, I don't want it!
Still don't have a DS because of that...and Nintendo doesn't have my money.

Re:Region-crippled?

[Ash-Fox]

The Nintendo Switch is region free, do you have that?

Re:Region-crippled?

[Anonymous Coward]

Already have a console and I liked the clamshell design of the DS ever since it came out.
But good to hear, the Switch is region-free! Didn't know that, thank you.

Re: Region-crippled?

[Anonymous Coward]

The DS and DS Lite are region free; the DSi and 3DS (not sure on the New3DS) are region free with physical carts - only the eshops are locked down.

The Story Of Nintendo

[Anonymous Coward]

Same old shit new price tag and model name. Let me guess, can I also buy a bunch of classic remakes for this system because all of the ones I bought for any other Nintendo product are incompatible? Maybe they might promise a new title for this system and at the last second delay it a year so it can be released on their new console?

Re:That's just what we need

[Anonymous Coward]

False, A single point has no size.

I want one

[rsilvergun]

I never liked the 2DS because I wanted the clamshell design to protect my screens. But the 3D is useless to my eyes. It just gives me headaches as I try to focus it. $150 is a bit more than I want to spend but if history is any indicator these'll be $100 come November.

Re:I want one

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm in the same boat. I ended up buying a 2DS and a bag for holding it. Saying that, being in my mid 30s and gaming on it for a time is rather uncomfortable. Got a new 3ds xl (which you can get used on Amazon in the ~$175 range) and while it works better in that regard I still ended up need to get a whole grip thing to make it more comfortable to use.

So, no real reason for me to switch to a 2DS XL at this late hour. Honestly, I don't know what Nintendo is thinking to wait so late for a new iteration except possible to confirm they're in the 3DS market for the long haul. Would make more sense to have made a clamshell Switch, perhaps?

PS - It used to be a really cared about actually taking my handheld with me where I went. To that end, GBA SP was the beginning and end of that. Every handheld before/since has either (1) not been clamshell or (2) been too large to consistently fit a pocket in my pants. Having said that, these days I work in a place where I wouldn't want to take basically anything with me. Not unless it included the new condition of (3) being very rugged. Shame there's nothing that fits all those requirements.

PPS - Even if all the above were true, (2) and my mid-30s age probably means it'd be pretty useless anyways. Hard to say since as long as the game session is short enough, perhaps my pinkies wouldn't go numb.

Re:I want one

[Anonymous Coward]

Well don't worry, I'm sure they'll make just enough to get satisfy scalper demand, then stop making them. Then you'll be able to go to Craigslist / eBay and purchase one for 3x retail cost, because Nintendo hates money and likes keeping demand artificially high.

Re:I want one

[Anonymous Coward]

For a company that hates money so much, they have a hundred year history of making a lot of it.

Re:I want one

[Anonymous Coward]

You can just buy a 3Ds and turn off the 3D functionality...

Re:I want one

[tlhIngan]

I never liked the 2DS because I wanted the clamshell design to protect my screens. But the 3D is useless to my eyes. It just gives me headaches as I try to focus it. $150 is a bit more than I want to spend but if history is any indicator these'll be $100 come November.

You could always turn the 3D slider all the way down to "off" which puts the display into 2D mode. In fact, it turns off the lenticular grating too so it's not just faking 2D using a 3D screen.

Re:I want one

[rsilvergun]

Yeah, but I'm still paying a premium for a feature I would never use.

Re:I want one

[Anonymous Coward]

For a company that hates money so much, they have a hundred year history of making a lot of it.

While they do, they have many examples in recent times of ignoring consumer demand. They clearly could just print money by making more hardware, more toys, more software, whatever it is. They choose not too for whatever reason. I don't get it

599 US dollars

[tepples]

Your cell phone also probably costs a lot more to run per month than a Nintendo 2DS/3DS or Nintendo Switch does. Many cell phone games such as Super Mario Run depend on a continuous Internet connection even in single-player mode. This requires players to pay a cellular ISP for a data plan, which often costs hundreds of US dollars per year, in order to play outside the range of home or restaurant Wi-Fi.

Re: 599 US dollars

[Anonymous Coward]

Fuck this always on the internet bullshit.

I remember when I was 16 I got my first DSL connection with my own IP address and domain name. I was stoked it was always on. I could now run public facing servers. Super happy. No more dialing up to shitty Aol or EarthLink.

Now, it is a god damn burden that everything requires an internet connection. Shit I even take my servers offline when I'm not using them now.

Re: 599 US dollars

[Anonymous Coward]

Huh? Does the DS and Wii u have always on free internet? Last time I checked I had to pay an ISP to download any patches or even games that I paid for on Nintendo devices. I don't own a switch so maybe they offer free wireless with that device...

Re: 599 US dollars

[tepples]

Games for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS are designed to be played offline at least in part. Games for mobile phones have no such requirement for certification.

As and old Playsta-tista

[Anonymous Coward]

I still find the 3DS' 3D effect VERY interesting, non-considering its battery drain. As a matter of fact, I find it to be the best one I have ever experienced, packed into a single hand.

Re:That's just what we need

[White Yeti]

The 1DS still has length: _
The 1DS XL has more: __

The near future is mixed

[chispito]

The Switch is a really nice piece of hardware, but in its current iteration it is not rugged (or cheap) enough to entrust to young children. The battery life is also well short of what you'd want for a dedicated portable, at least when running demanding games. The clamshell design is really nice for durability.

Re:The near future is mixed

[Anonymous Coward]

I do wonder if down the road Nintendo will release a portable-only Switch that looks something like a Vita and a TV-only Switch with no built-in screen

Re:The near future is mixed

[Anonymous Coward]

Then they'd be giving up on the Switch gimmick. Nintendo has a history of going all in on gimmicks. Some turn out great, most are minor annoyances with occasional usefulness, a few are unmitigated disasters.

A few examples:
VirtualBoy: 3D
N64: banana controller, rumble pack
DS: two screens, touch screen
Wii: motion controls
3DS: 3D
Wii-U: existing
Switch: the switching part

The 2DS is one of the few times they've backpeddled on a gimmick, and that one's pretty understandable. The 3DS was a successor to the DS, but added a new gimmick. The 2DS drops the gimmick. The same thing happened with the Wii, to a lesser extent, when the classic controller came out.

I see the switch as a simultaneous backpeddle+upgrade of the Wii-U. Keep the portable w/ screen concept, switch to something resembling a GBA form factor instead of the tablet thing the Wii-U was trying to do, and focus on making it feel natural to use in both handheld and console modes. If they drop the switching aspect, and release only a dedicated console and handheld, then they run into competition on both fronts. They'd turn into just another console (with little to set it apart from sony or MS's ones), and the handheld version would be in direct competition with the existing DS line.

software controlled ?

[DrYak]

You could always turn the 3D slider all the way down to "off" which puts the display into 2D mode.

yup, this part i understand : slider controls how much horizontal separation between the pictures generated and sent to each eye.

In fact, it turns off the lenticular grating too so it's not just faking 2D using a 3D screen.

huh? how come? you mean the separation into left and right side is software activated ? that you can actually shut it down and gain twice the horizontal resolution?
how does this software controlled grating/lenticular work?
i'm genuinely interested.

LCD grating

[DrYak]

managed to find the answer my self.

apparently, some display have an *LCD* stereo grating barrier.
i.e. the barrier it self is a second black-and-white transparent LCD stacked above the main colour screen.
thus the barrier can be turned on or off

some autostereo displays even feature alternatives grating. by switching fast enough between odd and even columns, grating can change whitch eye sees which half of the display.
thus these fast-switching display can increase their visible resolution by horizontal interlacing.