2014 marks four years since 3DS was announced. What next?

No, but I do think they will hint at it

We know they're coming, X and Y are peppered with hints :P

Dont thinks so. They still got games like SSB to hype up. Why would you wanna deflate that with talk of another handheld?

They didnt announce the 3DS until 6 years into the DS life span.

The DS existed in an entirely different, uncontested marketplace unlike the 3DS, and it was a success on an entirely different level, unlike 3DS on both those counts.

Last time I checked the 3DS was selling pretty damn well. Well enough for them to have the confidence to release yet another iteration of it just recently.

The new iteration is them backtracking on the 3DS, essentially. It is also a budget priced model meant to sell the 3DS in the same numbers as DS Lite did the original DS or GBA SP did the GBA.

Right now, worldwide, the 3DS is tracking below the PSP.

wut? I see it consistently at the top of hardware charts.

Doesnt really matter what you think about the 2DS. Ninty thought it would sell without cannibalizing XL sales.

This won't end until you agree with him for the sake of it

3 years at the very least, probably.

I think the 2DS is a great move from a business perspective, but like you said, it's not about what I think.

The 3DS topping business charts is not indicative of anything, in absolute numbers, it is tracking behind the DS, behind GBA, and behind PSP. Beating the Vita, which is dead in the water, is a small victory.

Thats the only exception. The GBA ended early they felt pressured to release a new system because the PSP was coming, and they needed something new because the GBA was in no way going to be able to compete with it so they had to come up with something new. Also remember the 3 pillar strategy? The DS wasn't meant to replace the GB outright because they weren't sure lf lt was too soon to kill the GB brand

They aren't going to do that again with such a short release cycle. The only time they will think about a new system is when they have a reason to. lt took them forever to update the original gb with color because the sales were so strong they felt no reason to. The DS finally started to slow down so then came the 3DS.