Nintendo this week retired a device without any fanfare that has kept millions of people young and old entertained for almost a decade.
As The Verge reports, all models of the 3DS listed on Nintendo's Japanese website are now classed as "out of production." Meanwhile, the Nintendo US website doesn't reference the 3DS anywhere anymore. Performing a search for "3DS" on the site brings up a page in the results called "Nintendo 3DS Family of Systems," but clicking the link just reloads the homepage.
Although no official statement has been made yet, it's pretty clear the 3DS is no longer a product Nintendo intends to sell. Whatever new stock of the handheld is left at retailers around the world seems likely to be the last. If you don't own one, or the one you have has seen better days, now is the time to search out one of the remaining new ones with the New Nintendo 2DS XL being the most recent (and best) model Nintendo released (way back in 2017).
Is it still worth owning a 3DS? 1,344 released games says it definitely is, and the battery life leaves the Switch for dust. The dual-screen setup allows for some novel gameplay and it's doubtful we'll ever see a handheld gaming device with two displays again. Nintendo clearly has its future focused on new iterations of the single-screen Switch.
Further Reading
- Xbox Series X vs. PlayStation 5: What We Know So Far
- Sony PlayStation 5: Release Date, Price, News, and More
- Sony Says There Are No PlayStation 5 Production Problems
- Sony Is Live Streaming a PlayStation 5 Showcase on Sept. 16
- More in Gaming Systems