Next-Gen GBA Rumors

[jamcat]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/03/04/news_6119725.html

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RUMOR #4: This year, Nintendo will release either a next-gen Game Boy or a "tricked out" version of the GBA SP with multimedia functionality.

Source: An RC all-star team collated by the helpful Engadget.com.

The official story: "Nintendo does not comment on rumors or speculation."--Nintendo of America rep.

What we heard: Following Monday's analyst predictions that Nintendo will release a new Game Boy this year, two theories emerged this week as to what exactly it would be. The first, espoused by SPOnG, says that, "The new Game Boy will be based around existing Nintendo GameCube hardware and will be, when it launches in the US and Japan towards the end of this year, the most powerful handheld console on the planet.....The machine will evolve from a pure gaming machine into a [Palm OS] PDA-equipped [device] to play Nintendo 64-quality games." Another theory attributed to Eurogamer--and closer to analysts' expectations--is that the new GBA will in fact be the old GBA SP with some new bells and whistles, including built-in wireless connectivity and multimedia functionality. One thing is for certain--both theoretical machines sound designed to counter the PSP's high-end graphics and video/music capabilities, meaning if either is released, it will be Nintendo's counterattack in the handheld war.

Bogus or not bogus?: Our second "no decision" of the week. Although Nintendo's history of recycling products could make a revamped GBA SP likely, a successful PSP launch may force the house that Mario built to counter with a slick new handheld of its own.
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Man, the DS is already a PDA wannabe. It's gonna suck if Nintendo takes the GBA2/GBE in that direction.

[Demolition Man]

We get it! You hate the DS! Shut the shaq fu up about it Jamcat!

[jamcat]

Next Game Boy in 2005? Nintendo comments on an industry analyst's prediction.

http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/592/592145p1.html


According to McNealy: "We believe it is likely that the next version of the Game Boy Advance SP will ship as early as this holiday, ahead of most expectations of calendar year 2006." The report proclaims four reasons why it expects the system to show up by year end: one, Nintendo averages a new version of a Game Boy nearly every two years. Two, the introduction of third pillar DS has not greatly affected sales of GBA software. Three, it's extremely easy to pirate GBA cartridges, and it's time to move onto a new medium that's less susceptible to copying. And four, the most wonky reason: "A new GBA SP provides Nintendo with a fun, new device while Sony focuses on the PSP and the expected launch of the Xbox 2."

Easy to pirate GBA carts?! Duh, no $#!t! Carts for all game systems have been pirated for ages. As for the DS, I doubt it's media will stop pirates from copying it's games. If they aren't out there now, I'm sure we'll be seeing DS ROMS on the web soon. It's just a stupid reason.


Where this leaves the Nintendo DS as the next platform sets up to duke it out with Sony's PSP remains to be seen.

Still say with the next-gen GBA coming out, the DS is/was nothing but a stop-gap measure by Nintendo.


We can certainly understand the need to advance the Game Boy platform at this point in time -- the PSP is too strong a competitor to ignore. However, releasing the system so soon after the successful launch of the Nintendo DS may confuse the market and consumers who have already invested in the dual-screen handheld.

No $#!t they're gonna confuse the market! There are going to be a few unhappy DS customers if the DS ends up like the Virtual Boy, or they find that the DS was nothing but a 32X-like stop-gap tactic to keep people away from the PSP.

Yep, looks like Nintendo might be using Sega's console tactics in the handheld market. With the DS being the 32X, and the next-gen Game Boy being the Saturn.

Nintendo keeping support for 2 handheld systems will do nothing but confuse & fragment the market. Nintendo should just decide on one. Best bet is to kill the DS off and stick with the Game Boy line.

[Nectar]

Nintendo released a redesigned NES after the SNES was released. Sony released a redesigned PSX after the PS2 was released (PS1). Nintendo will release a redesigned GBA after the DS is released. I don't see what the big deal is.

I'm disappointed in the gaming press. Here we had a small analyst report that Nintendo was working on a new GBA SP(it wasn't "new Gameboy". It was new GBA SP), and all of a sudden Nintendo are working on the most "powerful handheld ever made" and "pulling out support for the DS". This is nothing but bull**** and rumors.

[Darksol]

Nintendo released a redesigned NES after the SNES was released. Sony released a redesigned PSX after the PS2 was released (PS1). Nintendo will release a redesigned GBA after the DS is released. I don't see what the big deal is.

I'm disappointed in the gaming press. Here we had a small analyst report that Nintendo was working on a new GBA SP(it wasn't "new Gameboy". It was new GBA SP), and all of a sudden Nintendo are working on the most "powerful handheld ever made" and "pulling out support for the DS". This is nothing but bull**** and rumors.

Yeah I agree. Quite the contrary, I get more excited about the DS every day. I could have a place for both handhelds . For me I see the DS as more of an adult handheld and the next gba as the traditional kids handheld. i do worry about support being pulled out from under me because nintendo is opening themselves to major risk this year. 2 handhelds 1 completely different and a different major console that may or may not be considered the shiznits at E3.