A Nintendo 3DS revamp is in the works with ... less 3D? [Rumor]

First, Nintendo cuts the price of its new handheld nearly in half. Now, the company is reportedly looking to cut the thing that makes its 3DS unique ... the 3D. French gaming news website 01Net reports, citing insider sources, that the Big N is working on an overhaul to the 3DS that "radically tones down" the system's 3D capabilities, according to Eurogamer. Like all reports citing anonymous sources, this news deserves a certain amount of skepticism, though Eurogamer points out 01Net's track record.

According to Eurogamer, 01Net broke the news of Nintendo's Wii U and Sony's PS Vita hardware specifications before either console was even announced. The French website also reports that the company is regretful that it never added a second analog joystick to the 3DS, and that it will soon release a detachable one for about $10. Furthermore, Nintendo has reportedly asked a number of developers to work on games to make use of the upcoming peripheral.

The 01Net report goes on to say that this new version of the 3DS will release sometime in 2012, and could dramatically rebrand the handheld console entirely. According to the report, the recent $80 price cut made by Nintendo was not only in response to poor sales, but to clear stock of the original 3DS to make way for this new model.

However, we're not 100 percent sure 3D is what held the Nintendo 3DS back from being the absolute hit its predecessor was. For one, the system launched with little support from Nintendo staples like Mario and Link much less other games. Second, Nintendo has yet to introduce an online gaming network as robust as those you'll find even in modern day smartphones.

The price drop might turn out to be a brilliant move for Nintendo moving forward, but a complete rebranding sounds too rash of a decision for a company like Nintendo.

Nintendo president takes blame (and 50 percent pay cut) for 3DS woes

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata is taking a slap on the wrist for poor sales of its 3DS ... a slap with a yardstick wrapped in barbed wire and set on fire. Kotaku Japan reports that Iwata addressed shareholders in a meeting with the news that he's taking responsibility for the 3DS, which will result in a whopping 50 percent cut in his pay.

"For cuts in fixed salaries, I'm taking a fifty percent cut, other representative directors are taking a 30 percent cut, and other execs are taking a 20 percent cut," Iwata said. Nintendo announced yesterday that its 3D successor to the crazy successful DS line of consoles, the 3DS, would have its price chopped down to $169.99 from its $249.99 launch price. That's an $80 drop, and the system just released this March.

During a Q&A, Nintendo admitted that it must provide something that mobile phones--like the iPhone--cannot offer. While that's telling of Nintendo's increased focus on its online offerings with the 3DS and its upcoming Wii U console, that's still a tall order. The 3DS, which still uses the Friend Code format, does not have a social gaming ecosystem comparable to even the iPhone's mildly-appealing Game Center. Nintendo is clearly making strides toward the digital age of gaming, but it might need a few pole vaults to catch up.

[Via Kotaku]

[Image Credit: MTV Multiplayer]

Do you think the 3DS can bounce back from its stumble running out the gate? How will Nintendo survive in the age of mobile and social gaming?