The Nintendo 3DS is dead. Long live the Nintendo 3DS.

If you've got a 3DS, hold on to it.
By Shannon Connellan  on 
The Nintendo 3DS is dead. Long live the Nintendo 3DS.
If you've got a Nintendo 3DS right now, hold on to it. Credit: Peter Steffen / EPA / Shutterstock

It's been an interesting run, but the days of the Nintendo 3DS are officially done.

The gaming company confirmed the end of production of the 3DS family of consoles on Thursday, adding a note to the official website, "The manufacturing of the Nintendo 3DS family of systems has ended."

With significantly sharper focus placed on the Switch of late and reports citing declining sales for the 3DS, the news doesn't exactly come as a surprise, though if you've coveted your 3DS, you might pour one out for the family of consoles.

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Exactly when Nintendo made this decision for the 3DS family remains a mystery, but the company confirmed its end on Sept. 16.

Unveiled in 2010 as a successor to the Nintendo DS, and released in 2011, the 3DS saw a drastic price reduction not long after its initially shaky release. The biggest drawcard to the 3DS was the ability to see 3D graphics without the dorky glasses, but its steep price tag and totally fine OG lineup of games saw customers on the fence at first. The price drop, along with a pretty sweet games bundle deal, seemed to have worked though, with sales increasing over the first few years.

After several redesigns, including the New Nintendo 3DS, the New 3DS XL, the 2DS, and the New 2DS XL, the Nintendo 3DS family has sold over 75 million units to date.

But it seems it's all about the Switch these days.

Related Video: These are the best beginner-friendly video games for your coronavirus lockdown

Topics Gaming Nintendo

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Shannon Connellan

Shannon Connellan is Mashable's UK Editor based in London, formerly Mashable's Australia Editor, but emotionally, she lives in the Creel House. A Tomatometer-approved critic, Shannon writes about everything (but not anything) across entertainment, tech, social good, science, and culture.


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