Nintendo 3DS Second Generation Concept

After the surprising price cut on the months-old 3DS, the big rumor these days is that Nintendo is developing a new iteration of the handheld, with less emphasis on the 3D. The new handheld will reportedly sport a second analog stick, prompting Nintendo to develop an analog stick peripheral for the existing 3DS model. This model could launch as early as this winter.

Nintendo ritually releases upgraded versions of their handheld platform, though this is an extremely fast turnaround. It took six years for the Game Boy Pocket to succeed the original Game Boy. Now it seems only several or so months are needed for the 3DS to receive a followup model.

It’s not the first time a company has scrambled to address flaws in their console. Microsoft released a smaller controller for the Xbox after the original ginormous controller was not well-received. The Wii needed stronger wrist straps and protective covers for the Wiimotes. The Dualshock 3 was brought in to replace the Sixaxis.

Okay those all seem very minor, especially if this 3DS redux turns out to be true. But you got to hand it to Nintendo for trying to right the ship at this stage. Better to do so now than halfway through the platform’s life cycle, as the 3DS hasn’t saturated the market yet (the one positive of the low sales).

I haven’t purchased a 3DS yet because the only game I want is Zelda OOT, and I already played that a few times, so I am in a holding pattern - that’s my excuse. A lot of other people would also cite the poor launch lineup or the (previous) high price. One factor that wasn’t really touched on, was that the hardware looked nearly identical to its predecessor.

Think about that for a moment: you are presented with a new model that looks the same as the previous one, but costs way more. With the 3D not readily apparent, I believe there was a psychological barrier imposed on consumers; the 3DS did not have a new, unique identity to wow or entice people. I wouldn’t be surprised if the PSVita got the same reception - it looks too much like the PSP. The hardware should look like the leap forward it’s trying to convey.

That’s what I was going for here - an evolution in design that follows the standard set by automobiles. A new model that retains some styling cues of the old, but offers a noticeable departure.

I already did a 3DS concept when rumors of its existence began. Along with many other people, I assumed a second analog stick was a shoo-in. Better late than never!

For the concept shown above I went for a more ergonomic design, with the hopes this will feel similar to holding a 360 controller. I find the curved surface is helpful in curbing the volume warranted by the analog sticks (not nubs). The analogs are also stored by a cavity in the top half of the clamshell.

Triggers replace the shoulder buttons for an easier grasp.

Apologies for the no-frills look of these renders. I didn’t bother with textures - figured this was adequate to get the idea across. I may do more 3Ds2 concepts in the future.