Tuesday, June 15, 2010
by Franklin Paul, Reuters
Japan's Nintendo Co Ltd on Tuesday took the wraps off a new version of its DS handheld device that can play games and show movies in 3D without glasses, in an effort to revitalize demand.
The device, introduced at the E3 video game conference in Los Angeles, comes with two screens -- one a touch screen -- and three built-in cameras that enable the machine to snap digital photos in 3D.
The company did not say when sales would begin, or give a retail price. It had previously suggested such a device would go on sale by March 2011.
Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime sought to refute the perception that sales of the Wii console are softening, and that the Wii -- which pioneered motion-sensing gaming via an all-purpose controller -- has lost its luster as rival platforms gain momentum.
Calling these notions "false perceptions," Fils-Aime said more software was sold for the Wii in 43 months on the market than on any other platform over the same time.
The introduction comes one month after Nintendo forecast a second straight year of smaller profits as sales of its Wii console slow.
Nintendo rode strong demand for the Wii and DS handheld game player to three straight years of record profits through March 2009, but growth slowed last year after Sony and Microsoft cut console prices and beefed up their software offerings.
Growing competition from Apple Inc's iPhone, other smartphones and social networks are also starting to pose a threat to Nintendo's DS portable player, analysts say.
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