Game Boy Advance 2 set to stun E3 – DS to evolve into PDA

I just find this unfathomable. How can Ninty release a totally new handheld just a year after their latest platform? How can they expect the DS and GBA2 to be viable separate platforms? OK so it's now a PDA, but can they market it successfully against established platforms? And how many of the 1.5 million early adopters bought it as a PDA? My guess: barely any.

The natural process of platform evolution dictates that once a machine becomes distinctly inferior, technology-wise, to the pack leaders (i.e. PSP, GBA2) it will be ignored by consumers. "Oh look that machine looks like an N64 in a clam-shell case, cool! Hang-on? What's that? ... Can’t be... a GC in handheld form?” When consumers get wind of a more powerful GBA successor around the corner, they'll wait. And with DS sales falling, why would developers bother with for DS?

So, for those still planning on getting a DS, I hope you're looking forward to your new PDA, because if the GBA2 comes out next year, kiss goodbye to the games thereafter.

I think it is clear that they rush-released DS to spoil the launch of PSP. THink about it, Ninty ruled the hand-held market, they had NO competitors. Kinda like the console market 10 years ago, and SOny came in and took a huge percentage of that market from them... they didn't want to see that happen again, so they needed to do something to prevent PSP taking a 100% market share (of new hand-held sales) in its early days.

GBA2 wasn't ready, so they threw together DS, out of existing technologies (the screens are small, touch screen LCD is an old tech, the processor is nothing special, and the size nothing amazing either), and released it as a spoiler.



They don't! They expect the DS to die away now, it's purpose has been served. By the next big buying season, Christmas 2005, they will have a proper competitor to PSP.



The only problem is, how do they avoid alientating all those early-adopters. That's why they've cooked up this PDA hokum. They know games publishers will not produce two significantly different versions of each game... so they seem to be hopin gthat by giving owners PDA capabilities, it will emoliate their discontent. Though the DS will be a thoroughly second-rate PDA - two small screens are NOT better than one large one for a PDA.



Exactly, even if it could cut it as a PDA (and I don't believe it can - it's too big and ugly), people bought it for games, not email, address book and task lists.



This news, once it is confirmed, should see DS sales disappear overnight.

I'll see your proverbial hat, and raise you a real hat.

It's the ONLY approach that could save Nintendo from 100% DS fan uproar.

If we accept that all the early adopters (except for a few who are members of their local Kindergarten Chamber of Commerce) are going to be binning the DS, then they have two choices. Buy a PSP, and have to buy a whole load of new games, or buy a GBA2 and be able to play all their GC games. The second option would work out cheaper... and retain access to Mario-world, which seems important to Nintendo fans.

That stupid little disc might be the thing that saves Nintendo... wonder if that was great planning or happy accident?

From a corporate perspective I can see the logic of creating a spoiler product. But I think this action is irresponsible to their fan base - and the damage to this relationship could well be a big mistake.

If I bought a DS (and I thought about it) I would be thoroughly pissed off at Ninty right now. You expect a console to have legacy of more than a year. Even so called "failures" like DC lasted 3.

I can understand Ninty getting panicky with PSP, but the spoiler decision was rash. If the GBA2 really is comparative to GC power-wise, has a huge screen, feels comfortable, and is compact, then they could have just waited. The GB brand is powerful enough to challenge PSP.

But will consumers stung by DS have sufficient faith in the next Ninty handheld?

Of course, this is still all ifs and buts until E3.

Actually, I remember way back when the GC was first shown, I think it was Yamauchi san, when showing the GC disc for the first time, speculated that this could be used in a future handheld.

I'm not sure about that. Ninty cannot afford to disappoint it's fans, and I would expect DS to continue to be supported by internal and external development for up 3 years. Even if GBA 2 does well, the DS has been established and the company probably has too much investment in it to afford to reposition the console to that extent.

To say the function of the DS was solely a spolier, I think, is incorrect.

Well, I would like it to stay on the GC (it's the only console I have at the mo), I'm just considering Nintendo's future, and their need for a killer launch line up.

With the likelyhood that Revolution is slated for 2006, I seriously doubt that Mario128 will appear on GC, with nothing being known, or having been shown of the title.
Games jumping to the next gen hardware is not uncommon, Starfox Adventures (originally Dinosaur Planet), Eternal Darkness and Resident Evil 0 were all shown running on the N64.

But can you see DS and GBA2 occupying the handheld gaming scene simultaneously? If competing against PSP and GBA2, I can't see DS surviving as a gaming platform. But if the GBA2 retails at £150 and DS is reduced to £60-70 then it could sell as a budget option.

It all depends on whether the DS still sells after GBA2 is released. If GBA2 comes out early next year and eats into DS sales considerably, the money men will do their sales forecasts for the 3 platforms, the publishers will see the waning system as a dead duck and just won't support it.

With Gamecubes barely present on the High Street, and the next-gen war slated for early 2006, it would be prudent spending 2005 porting both Mario and Zelda to the Rev. Those two as launch games would be serious ammo in Ninty's aresnal.

My apologies folks because of a spelling mistake I was misunderstood. I know Nintendo said that DS WAS NOT GBA2. Thing is many people forgot about this information and receiving this news think it's an rumour. Fair enough time will tell.

If true it's indeed a very strange tactic by Nintendo but one that might pay off. But there is another angle to this we are missing. I think Nintendo will also be looking to sell the DS in other markets like China if this does happen. China recently received the iQue player which is similar N64 tech to the DS and also has a download service also similar to the one now happening in japan for DS. China is also a very big untapped and emerging games market.

While I'm still buying the DS I think Nintendo have the idea of having two handhelds gives them more and the customer more options than just the PSP. This is also a similar tactic Sony used when PS2 arrived when PSone was still on sale. DS would most likely be around much longer though and if it gets games I'll be there.

Whatever happens it's gonna be fun watching Sony quirm in worry for once. Only a couple of weeks til E3 when all will be revealed.

Has anybody in Europe seen a public advert for the DS yet?

I've just realised, it launches next Friday and I haven't seen a TV advert for it yet. Nor have I seen a web advert for it on any gaming sites. Nor have I seen any billboard adverts for it.

Nor, thinking about it, have I seen a "campaign of the week" feature in MCV for the DS. There has been an insert aimed at trade, but no description of the public campaign.

The most I have seen is empty boxes in Game and GameStation.

Is this going to be a low-key launch to try and hide the fact that the DS is going to become a PDA in November?

True but if both Nintendo hand held are different why not? The DS is most likely gonna replace the GBASP anyway, that's why it has the GBA slot on it. THE GBA has had a good few years of selling buy the truck load and the DS will surely replace it while letting GBA fans keep their games.

In short the DS would be the low end system with backwardscompatibilty while the GBA2 battles Sony on an equal footing. If DS dies out in the process Nintendo are prepared for that possibility but the several options like the mic, touchscreen etc put it a touch above something simpler like GBASP, and thus more possibility of being around long as developer maybe experiment with it as a cheaper development option. DS can still do a lot of games that GBA2 and PSP can't. That is up to developers though.

In the end this is about taking market share and if true Nintendo can see the benefits of two different hand helds going up against one. There is more chance of them keeping their market share this way despite any confusion people may have, and any sales PSP makes will more than likely be equal or less than theirs. A very cunning plan indeed, more so if it work in Nintendo's favour. DS is also more likely to attract the non-gamers don't forget as well as the traditional gamer. With most people able to use a PC and mouse these days they should have no problems with the DS's similar interface if they want something different.

I'd find it mad that they'd bring out another system so soon after the DS and you won't win a battler against the PSP by surrounding it with gameboys. But reading that news story makes me think of something else. By the end of next year there could be 3 new home consoles, the DS, the PSP and a new gameboy. And given that they always quote developers bleating on about how hard it is to make modern games and how long it takes and how much it costs. So if there are 6 new formats, where are the games going to come from and will they be worth it at all?

In the newspapers, but only retailer ads... not an official Nintendo one.

Zactly my point! Where's the 1st party adverts??