In what was likely an eventuality sooner rather than later, the life of Nintendo's popular handheld console, the 3DS, has come to an end. This was clarified earlier in 2020 that manufacturing was wrapping up, and in September, Nintendo's website specifies that mainline production of the 3DS has been discontinued. 

Nintendo plans to keep servers, eShop, and current online services open for the 3DS, and previously purchased content can still be downloaded. This comes as no surprise, given the success the Nintendo Switch since its launch in March of 2017. In previous statements in 2018, previous Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima had spoke about the 3DS and the Nintendo Switch coexisting. Long time followers of generational leaps may be familiar with Nintendo stating something similar when the Nintendo Wii launched alongside the Gamecube and support will be there for the little purple box. The Wii took the world by storm upon its release, and future plans for the ill-fated GameCube dried up very quickly by late 2006. 

This marks the first time since 1989 that Nintendo will be a single device platform, and it makes perfect sense that they have hit on a success with the hybrid console. The 3DS was initially launched in 2011 and thrived for nine years, selling over 75 million devices worldwide (as of June 2020) and selling 384 million units of software. An argument can be made that the 3DS line kept Nintendo relevant and financially successful during the commercial failure that was Nintendo's eighth generation console, the Wii U, which saw sluggish hardware sales throughout its five year lifespan. A case could be made that if the Nintendo Switch didn't become the hit that it was, plans for 3DS projects may have been extended to keep matters afloat.

The 3DS saw several iterations throughout its existence. The 3DS XL, released in 2015, extended its life by adding an additional "C" stick and immersive 3D face tracking, and Amiibo support. The 2DS omits the clamshell design and a reduced size for a better grip. As it appears the hybrid support of the Switch facilitates multipurpose convenience, it was likely time to retire the aging 3DS hardware, possibly closing a chapter in Nintendo's run of handheld exclusive devices.

What are some of your fondest memories of the Nintendo 3DS?