Nintendo 3DS all set to debut next month

Nintendo 3DS to debut next month

Nintendo 3DS, the newest handheld game console from Japanese company Nintendo, will hit the market next month ahead of plans by rival Sony to launch a new variant of its PlayStation Portable gadget.

Satoru Iwata, the President of Nintendo, said his company is not at all concerned about Sony's plans because it believes the Nintendo 3DS offers a unique experience for a target group of consumers.

"We are more focused on drawing newcomers to gaming and appealing to a wide range of people," Iwata told reporters in Tokyo. "What we do won't change because of what another company is doing."

Nintendo 3DS will be available for sale in Japan starting February 26 for 25,000 yen or $300. It will hit U.S. stores on March 27 for $250. The new handheld allows users to play 3D games without having to use 3D glasses.

Sony's NGP or "next generation portable" console does not offer glasses-free 3D gaming like the Nintendo 3DS, but it said the gadget will have the same graphics quality as the PlayStation 3. Sony plans to roll out its new handheld late this year at a still undetermined price.

Nintendo announced a decline in profit for the period of April to December due to waning demand of its Wii console and a strong yen. The company retains the number one position in market share, anchored by Super Mario and Pokemon game franchise properties.

Meanwhile, surging Kinect sales bundled with Xbox game machines have allowed Microsoft to post better-than-expected profit for the last quarter. Microsoft said customers were buying both stand-alone Kinect motion sensors and Xbox-bundled machines.

Posted by Melanie Mendoza on Monday January 31 2011, 1:24 AM EDT. Ref: AP. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Shopping. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0