James Delahunty
11 Jan 2011 13:24
Nintendo has denied that it is planning to phase out its DSi handheld console in anticipation of the release of the Nintendo 3DS over the coming weeks.
Kotaku.com had translated a report from Japan that suggested Nintendo would stop making and selling new units of its DSi handheld, although it would keep manufacturing and marketing the larger-screen DSi XL model alongside the new 3DS.
"We plan to still manufacture and supply DSi consoles in a range of colours in the UK in 2011," Nintendo said in a statement to the media. "On an on-going basis, continuing supply is based on retail and consumer demand."
The Nintendo 3DS handheld console will launch in Japan on February 26th and will follow in North America and Europe in March. Nintendo is to ship 1.5 million units of the device to Japan to avoid supply shortages that were experienced with older iterations of the console.
The 3DS will sell for ¥25,000 in Japan.