Seemingly out of the blue, Nintendo just announced a brand-new console. It's called the 2DS XL, the sequel to the 2DS, but now in a more traditional clamshell design.
Nintendo 2DS XL Announced
The 2DS XL features the same screen size as the New 3DS XL, has the same level of internals, and features a C-stick, too. There's also an NFC reader baked in, for all Amiibo lovers. The only thing it doesn't have is, well, 3D.
The design is notable, to be sure, because it's nothing like the 2DS before it, and it looks visibly different from the New 3DS XL, even. The new console features more rounded edges and a smaller frame. So while its screens are the same as the New 3DS XL, it appears smaller, and the screens appear bigger.
Nintendo 2DS XL Pricing And Availability
For those who aren't too fond of the 3D effect, this might just be the best New 3DS version you can nab. Nintendo's trailer says it'll ship on July 28 and retail for $149.99. That'll be the same day when Hey! Pikmin and Miitopia launches for the console, two of 2017's highly anticipated 3DS games.
At that price, the New 2DS XL will be $50 less than the New 3DS XL; $70 more than 2DS.
Getting a 2DS instead is a perfectly fine recourse, to be clear, but the system will not be able to play some games which require the New 3DS XL's beefed-up internals. Moreover, some virtual console titles on the eShop require the internals of the New 3DS and New 3DS XL.
3DS: Not Dead Yet
Nintendo's release of a brand-new 3DS hardware revision is further proof that the handheld isn't quite dead yet, as many seem to be claiming since the Switch has become the center of Nintendo's attention. Granted, the Switch is an entirely different league of its own, and with its capabilities, it can easily outshine the 3DS. But there still a number of 3DS games to be excited for, including Lady Layton, Ever Oasis, and more.
Nintendo Earnings Report
Nintendo recently outed its earnings report, revealing that it has sold more than 7 million units of the 3DS in the last fiscal year, and is expecting to sell 6 million more this year. In the same period, the company expects its new hybrid gaming system, the Switch, to sell 10 million.
Even with optimistic figures for the 3DS, it's not certain just how long the 3DS will stay in the market, given that the Switch is slowly taking its spotlight. Nintendo has already moved 2.74 million units of the hybrid as per its earnings report, and that will likely increase once big-name titles arrive.
Super Mario Odyssey, for one, is slated for the upcoming holidays, and we all know Mario always sells, no matter what. Another franchise that could give the Switch a significant push is Pokémon, which seems all but confirmed.
So, yes, the Switch might push the 3DS off the market eventually. But its $299 price tag is a slightly hard sell than the New 2DS XL's lower price point, so Nintendo's new 3DS iteration caters to those who can't shell out 300 bucks for the company's more powerful flagship device.
