Nintendo exec Shigeru Miyamoto says the Japanese-based corporation is already focused on designing a successor to the 3DS.
"I really feel like I'm satisfied with the 3DS hardware as it is. I feel like it's the best for this generation," Miyamoto told IGN.
"What we're thinking about right now is probably going to be for a future generation of handheld."
Nevertheless, Miyamoto emphasized there was still "plenty more" that could be done with the current iteration of hardware and 3D gaming in general.
Miyamoto's clarification comes in the wake of a Nikkei report claiming Nintendo is planning to launch a 3DS Xl with larger displays than currently found on the 3DS - which allows gamers to play 3D titles without glasses.
As TG Daily previously reported, Nintendo's 3DS experienced a far weaker second quarter, following an initially strong 1Q 2011 launch, which prompted the Japanese-based corporation to dramatically lower the price of its handheld console from ~$249 to ~$170. The lower price, coupled with additional titles, spurred sales to over 15 million through the 2011 calendar year.
According to ABI Research analyst Michael Inouye, dedicated gaming devices are a sustainable niche, despite tracking a relatively flat forecast through 2017.
"Mobile devices will compete with dedicated handheld gaming devices, but select consumer segments like core gamers and those individuals who do not want or have a smartphone or tablet will still provide some demand," Inouye explained in a recent industry note obtained by TG Daily.
"The addition of mobile gaming is not necessarily a zero sum situation; in fact, many feel there is plenty of room in the gaming market for both portable and mobile gaming."
