According to an article on computerandvideogames.com, an industry source has revealed that Nintendo's new 3D console, the 3DS, will be launching in October - a lot, lot sooner than many had expected.When we reported on the console's announcement a few weeks ago, the only thing that was official was that the console would be launching before March 2011. The newly leaked date is a full six months before that, giving Nintendo plenty of time to capitalise on the inevitable Christmas rush.While an October launch seems to make sense from many perspective, launching in that timeframe would put it up against Microsoft's Project Natal, the other "game changing" device that's launching this year.
A "senior publishing source" told CVG "
It's a surprise - we were expecting it much closer to Christmas. But I suppose it gives Nintendo the opportunity to get it front and centre in people's minds nice and early."
"In my experience, you don't launch a product that early to Christmas unless you're confident in it - and going to spend a lot of money on it. We're reassured that Nintendo is going to give it some decent backing in Q4."
With Pokemon Black and White rumoured to have 3D capabilities, and the new game from Professor Layton developers Level 5 rumoured to be hitting the 3DS, the rumour certainly seems tangible, as the dates, and the names all fit into place. The last thing Nintendo would want to do is launch its games without the support of the big guns - and they don't come much bigger than Pokemon and a new game from the people who made Professor Layton.
Nintendo apparently told Computer and Videogames that the story was "purely rumour and speculation". Make of that what you will.
