Why Did Nintendo Discontinue the DS?
Hey there! As a fellow gaming enthusiast, I wanted to provide some insight into Nintendo‘s decision to end production on the revolutionary Nintendo DS line of handhelds. After an impressive nine year run, the DS family of systems was finally discontinued in 2014. But why would Nintendo stop support for one of their most successful consoles ever? There‘s actually some interesting history and sensible business rationale behind this move. Let me walk you through the full story!
The Rise and Run of the DS Product Line
First, some quick background! The original Nintendo DS was first released way back in 2004. This innovative dual screen handheld stood out with its touchscreen, microphone input, and wireless connectivity. This was followed by the slimmer and lighter DS Lite in 2006, which refined the original design.
The DSi in 2008 and extra large DSi XL in 2009 continued iterating, adding cameras and onboard storage. Throughout its various models, the ubiquitous DS became Nintendo‘s second best-selling video game platform of all time with over 154 million systems sold. Here‘s a handy table summarizing each model‘s release date, changes, and total worldwide sales:
| Model | Release Year | New Features | Total Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo DS | 2004 | First dual screen, touchscreen, wireless | over 50 million |
| Nintendo DS Lite | 2006 | Slimmer, brighter screens | over 90 million |
| Nintendo DSi | 2008 | Cameras, storage, DSi Shop | over 30 million |
| Nintendo DSi XL | 2009 | Extra large screens | over 12 million |
After this explosion in popularity, you‘d think Nintendo would want to keep the DS line going strong, right? Yet in 2011, they introduced the 3DS to take its place. Let‘s look at the reasoning behind that transition.
Moving On to the 3DS
By 2010, Nintendo was clearly looking ahead to the future. Sales of DS hardware declined over 20% that year, dropping below 2010‘s numbers. With growing competition from smartphone and mobile gaming, Nintendo needed to win back casual players. Enter the 3DS and its glasses-free stereoscopic 3D!
This new gimmick, plus processing power rivaling the GameCube, differentiated the 3DS from previous DS models. And crucially, it retained full backwards compatibility with the expansive DS game library. This provided a smooth transition that maintained fans‘ existing game collections.
As you can see in the sales chart below, the strategy clearly paid off. 3DS sales rapidly outpaced the aging DS line, even surpassing the mighty Wii in a few short years:
| Year | 3DS Sales | DS Sales |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 13.53 million | 9.84 million |
| 2012 | 13.23 million | 5.06 million |
| 2013 | 12.24 million | 3.22 million |
| 2014 | 9.94 million | 0.51 million |
With the 3DS dominating, Nintendo quietly ended DS production altogether in 2014. After an amazing nine years and over 154 million systems sold, it was time to fully move on to the next generation.
The Switch Changes the Game
The 3DS enjoyed several years as Nintendo‘s leading handheld after outselling the DS. But history repeated itself in 2017 with the introduction of the new Nintendo Switch. This innovative home and portable hybrid system represented the future of Nintendo gaming.
By appealing to console and handheld players alike, the versatile Switch soon left the aging 3DS hardware in the dust. As this sales graph shows, the Switch demolished the 3DS/2DS line within just a few years:
With the Switch performing so well across all markets, Nintendo ended 3DS production in 2020. Just like the DS before it, the 3DS was superseded after an impressive near-decade run by Nintendo‘s next big thing.
Lasting Innovations of the DS Line
Though no longer made, the Nintendo DS left behind a tremendous legacy by pioneering new ways to play games. The dual screen setup enabled gameplay innovations like asymmetrical play, touch-based minigames, and displaying supplemental info like maps. The microphone introduced voice and blow input to bring more interactivity.
These features opened entire new genres perfect for handheld gaming, from educational titles to rhythm games like Elite Beat Agents. While controversial at first, standouts like Nintendo‘s Brain Age proved critics wrong about the value of touch controls and creative playstyles. Many conventions we take for granted on smartphones and tablets today owe credit to the forward-thinking DS.
And we can‘t forget the amazing software library including Mario Kart DS, New Super Mario Bros, and modern classics like Phoenix Wright. The DS certainly went out on a high note after enabling so many memorable gaming experiences.
Concerns About Losing DS Games
Given the DS library‘s significance, Nintendo understandably receives criticism from fans worried about losing access to these games. Unfortunately, with finite physical cartridge stock and digital support ending in 2024, there are valid concerns. Nintendo could alleviate this by launching a plug-and-play DS Classic Edition or adding legacy Virtual Console support on the Switch. I know I‘d love revisiting Mario 64 DS on the big screen!
While we may hope to see DS games surface through official means someday, the good news is they remain easily obtainable for now through used game sales and the still-common 3DS systems. The active collector market shows there is certainly still interest and demand to experience these titles.
The DS Will Always be an Important Part of Nintendo History
Considering any console‘s lifecycle, ending production is inevitable to make room for future innovation. For Nintendo, the DS represented that philosophy perfectly by attracting new audiences through fresh ideas. The mainstream popularity and accessibility of DS software marked a milestone for gaming‘s reach and cultural impact.
In the end, the DS fulfilled its mission magnificently – bridging Nintendo‘s past portable successes to evolve handheld gaming for the future. Its legacy lives on through the 3DS and Switch. We now take concepts like dual screens and touch controls for granted because of the DS line‘s pioneering vision. That‘s an impressive feat that secures its place in Nintendo‘s history among its greatest systems.
Well, that covers the full story and context around Nintendo discontinuing the DS product line! Let me know if you have any other questions – I‘m happy to chat more about Nintendo history or game preservation. Thanks for reading this retrospective on the legendary Nintendo DS platform.