Should Nintendo call the next handheld "4DS"?

Firstly, let's put away the idea of a unified console/handheld platform. Let's assume they continue with the two hardware lines of console and handheld.

So I was thinking about this, and while the 4DS sounds like a dumb name, it does away with confusion on what the next generation handheld is. Sony has a nice naming convention with the PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, etc. It's clear that they're different things, whereas the DS -> 3DS and Wii -> Wii U it isn't clear.

But, if they simply continue with 4DS, 5DS, 6DS, etc. Then it's clear. It'd be like the Playstation console brand, as well as what what Apple and Samsung are doing with their phones (iPhone and Galaxy series). They can easily append new versions during the console generation (like what the Apple and Samsung do), with "New 4DS" or "4DSi", etc.

What do you think? Continue with the pretty lame names for consumer clarity? Or should they ditch the DS brand? Or should they switch the naming convention, e.g I've seen HDS (personally I think this will be a terrible name and is also confusing).

no...

3ds was not as big as the ds and im sure they want to distance themselves from 3ds....i think HD-s is much better. its different while still retaining the DS name.

I'm sure they will continue with two hardware branches but they will have a lot of overlay so I'm willing to bet it will have a similar base name as the console

GAMEBOY SUPER ADVANCED.

They should go the Microsoft route and called it 5DS.

I'm really hoping for a Nintendo handheld hybrid console as Nintendo's next thing. Something that can be taken on the go and could be plugged in to the T.V.... It would make sense as they could focus all on development on just that system, they would have Pokemon on it, so it is likely to sell decently, and maybe 3rd parties would be on board like they support the 3DS.

If they do continue to do two separate hardware systems, then I hope the gameboy makes a comeback.

No I think it should be the DS 2, 3DS 2, Gameboy HD or Gameboy Advanced HD

God no.

Yes they should get rid of the DS brand. I want a crisp, HD single screen, and something that's comfortable to hold - ergonomic, not rectangle city.

Ehh... Considering the 2DS was released after the 3DS and the New 3DS is on its way, a 4DS may confuse too many people, especially if Nintendo does not market it properly as a successor. I'd rather have them think of a new, catchy, easy to remember name for the next handheld and strictly follow a numerical progression for its successors. Start building brand recognition from there. Redesigns can use 'XL', 'i', 'U', etc, but no 'New.' 'New' makes things awkward.

Ofcourse not. Unless it ends up being 4D. spraying water in your face and stuff.

I think they should go for something different. Nintendo has the Gameboy brand in the trunk, and I think next generation would be a good time to dust it off.

I agree, HDS would be better if they want to retain the DS name.

@trugs26: No one truly thinks they'll make one platform, everyone knows they'll make two systems, just one platform (Nintendo OS)

And no, they should never call it the 4DS. That's a stupid name unless the thing is capable of time travel. HDS maybe if it has at least a 540p/640p/720p screen. But knowing Nintendo they'll go with 480x320 or 640x360 or at best 800x480.

That's a hard one, too much of a stigma attached to that name.

@YearoftheSnake5: Except that would alienate half their target audience, having "boy" in the title. There is no need for a gender specific title for a game console in 2014 and onwards. No matter how "in" retro becomes.

Ha! Good point. That ruins the idea completely :P I guess they could ignore it and try to carry on as if it didn't exist lol

People do believe that they might make one platform. In fact, someone has posted in this thread stating so. Hence why I addressed it in the opening of my post.

@generally_others: It's not really about what we personally prefer, because has the core audience, I don't care if they call it "Turd on a Stick DS", as long as it plays the games. It's about the general consumer and clarity on what the next system is. Also, put away the idea of "Dimensions" as part of the name, we all know that Nintendo never actually defined what "DS" stands for anyway. Just treat it like a regular name like "Samsung Galaxy S4", it's not like that phone is galaxy or anything.

@trugs26: Even if they never said what it stands for isn't it obviously 'Dual screen'?

Yup that's what most people expect. Nintendo themselves said that it's not defined, and said that an alternative is "Developer's System".

Given the recent "3DS", they could redefine it as "3-Dimensional System" or whatever. Point is, it's not defined and just for reference as a name, not necessarily a specific function (though they can "play" with the idea).

More like DS one lol

@bonesawisready5: really............REALLY? GMAFB! Dont even get all PC about the name "GameBoy"! I would hope Nintendo never has the same thoughts as you!

@JuanGrande386: I'm sure every woman you'll ever meet appreciates that sentiment. Why do you need "Boy" in the title anyway? What on earth does that accomplish other than telling women, who make up half the gaming population and at one time a very large portion of Nintendo's gaming audience, that this console wasn't designed with them in mind? There is no reason why a gender should be in the title. Besides the sexism issue, it would just make Nintendo's "kiddy" image even stronger since it would literally have "Boy" in the name.

HA Ive known tons of women in my 28 years on this Earth and youre the first person Ive ever heard b1tching about the name GameBoy. Its a brand! Sensitive PC babies like yourself are whats turning this world into a bunch of pu$$ies! You can do or say anything anymore without someone crying and whining about it. Please keep your PC thoughts away from video games! You dont ilke it, dont buy it! Stop trying to tell companies or other people what to do/think!

what about game lad (pronounced game led...tipperary (ireland) accent :D)

or XHDS...very marketable. it has an X in it which always sells and it has the letters HD....its win win :P.

or system unit vector jupiter one because....er...nintendo.

...im not good with naming things :S.

How about GameGirl instead. GameGirls would be awesome to play with.

The problem with the name 4DS is the 2DS. Because there's already a [b]redesign[/b] of the 3DS called "2DS", 4DS sounds like a redesign itself. Now HDS sounds like a more interesting proposition. It's a great way to market the fact that it is now HD (if they go that route).

@JuanGrande386: OK, but not everyone thinks like you so you're going to have an uphill battle. Why do you feel the need to have gender in a consoles name? Also, you know you could be talking down to a woman, this is the internet after all.

It would be more than half. "Boy" signifies that there target is male children, not just males. The DS has a large audience of both males and females of all ages, not just kids. The name GameBoy would alienate 3/4ths of there audience, not half.

@spike6958: You're right. Thanks for putting it more eloquently than I could. More reason why the Game Boy name needs to stay in the past. I could see Nintendo using the "GB" label but not specifically saying its a Game Boy. They could call it "Nintendo GameBOOK" or something like that.

I couldnt care less if youre a girl or a guy. And I love the fact more girls are into videogames now and losing the attitude of "omg he plays video games, what a nerd!". I actually surveyed most of my coworkers (its a library so about 95% female FYI) and none of them had a problem with the name GameBoy! Most of them even said "its like a famous brand, why would people care about something like that?!". "Because its got the word "boy" in it so its sexist apparently" "...THATS STUPID!". I seriously doubt you wouldnt buy it just because "GameBoy" was in the title! And if so, your lose! To stay on topic of the thread, I think "Nintendo GameBoy HDS" or "Nintendo HDS" would be fine.

I hope that Nintendo's next handheld shakes things up a bit (if not to avoid people dismissing it as yet another DS) and should therefore have a different name to reflect the its evolution.

If we are doing 4DS then it better be 4D dammit! I want smell-o-vision! I want water to be sprayed at me when its raining! That is next gen!

@Bardock47: Isn't 4D time travel?

@bonesawisready5: Nah, its stuff happening to the audience watching a movie, or in this case playing a game. An example is a show is Disney World called Mickey's Philharmoic. While watching the (3D) animation scents will be pumped in the theater, or water sprayed, or a blast of air to simulate something whizzing past the viewers face to immerse them into the show, as well as have the viewer engaged a bit more than a standard show. Its all synched up to correlate with the action on screen. So if Donald is falling from a great height; the theater would turn on blowers to make air rush through the crowd and simulate the experience for them; it is very cool adn one of my favorite attractions there.

Here is the wikipedia definition (in regards to film)

1. 4D film or 4-D film is a marketing term for an entertainment presentation system combining a 3D film with physical effects that occur in the theatre in synchronization with the film. (Note that 4D films are not actually four-dimensional in the geometric sense of the word.)

I would not mind an HDS, though for the next Nintendo handheld to reach those resolutions seems far-fetched to me. And even if it could reach them, raising the rendering capabilities much further could make the thing nearly impossible to develop for at a profit. Look at the Vita.

Instead, I think Ninty should almost keep the same graphical benchmark set by the 3DS and focus on other areas to improve, like size, ergonomics, battery life, cost, etc. Anything that can still maintain small studio development and low risk development costs.

@Bardock47: I don't think it fits the scientific use of the 4th dimension

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-dimensional_space

@elheber: You must remember economies of scale. If Nintendo ships a handheld with say, a 360p screen it may cost more or just as much to ship it with that screen than a 720p or even 640p screen due to it not being mass produced by anyone other than Nintendo. In addition, developers will need to go out of their way to make assets for games that can run on a sub-720p screen whereas if Nintendo made the HDS use a screen closer to the resolution you see on modern phones, even a bit below it, developers will be able to more easily port assets/games and the costs of development could be even roughly as if they shipped it with a 360p screen.

Mobile developers who have to rework an entire mobile game to run on the 3DS's hardware and at 240p likely just give up and decide the 3DS isn't a viable option. So the HDS would be wise to make it as easy for developers to make games and using modern, popular tech.