I see no reason for Nintendo to release a redesigned system, it is selling comfortably so what would be the point. I'll bet everyone on this website £500 we don't see a redesign. Period.

Are you guys serious? This thread has me entirely disappointed in all sorts of "respected" members here.

If a DS redesign is released, it will not happen this year. If anything, it'll be in Q3 or Q4 2009. Additionally, it will not remove Slot 2. There are too many games that use the second slot. Every game that has rumble... uses Slot 2. Pokemon Pearl and Diamond both use Slot 2 in order to obtain PKMN from Gen 3. The Nintendo DS Browser won't work without the RAM Expansion Pak... that uses Slot 2. Simply put, as long as the DS is around, there will always be a Slot 2. Anybody that says otherwise either is an idiot, or hasn't paid any attention. Or both.

Additionally, I believe the "DS2" will have graphics slightly superior to the GCN, but inferior to the Wii. It will still have a Slot 2, for backwards compatibility and for uses similar to why the current DS has one. It will launch in either late 2010 or 2011, I couldn't say exactly which.

You can count on almost all of that.

The redesign has probably been done for a while and Nintendo is just waiting for DS Lite sales to slow down a lot.

This is what IGN thought a year ago about Ds 3.0 in the E3 predictions

"A Third DS Redesign Shown
Percentage Chance: 50%
This is definitely a 50/50 shot. We don't doubt that Nintendo R&D is experimenting with making the DS more elderly/large-hands-friendly, but whether the company would dampen the ridiculous, obscene successes of the DS Lite is anyone's guess. If they do decide to go ahead and unveil a DS 3.0, expect larger buttons, two larger screens (that run at the same resolution) and a design that brings the screens closer together, lessening the jump between the action. Plus, a larger stylus wouldn't go astray."

The question is, what can Nintendo do with a DS 2? Will they re-invent it, or just improve on it?

Its just a pet thought of mine (its incredibly unlikely BTW). I always find myself carrying around an extra DS cart - love to have two DS cart slots, and just select the game from the start menu. I don't think it would be that difficult from an electronics point of view - but there may not be space in the hardware for it.

This would open additional "data sharing" capabilities between games - but as I said, its very unlikely - as only people with the new model could use it.

...

In general, I think Ninty's thinking on this is something like this:

a) Is the DS still selling out? If yes - do nothing.

b) Are there any untapped markets, or obvious promotions? If yes - do these first.

c) Time for next model - reroute a % of manufacturing to new model (even better if a new factory can do it), and get it ready for Japan this year.

In short - they will do whatever they can to NOT drop the price of the hardware. DS lite price may drop, but only when the next model hits.

(and this is NOT the DSII - this is just a redesigned DS I, fully compatible with all games).

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At this rate, the DS II is 3 or 4 years away. 

 1)  Oh I never noticed it...But maybe they brought the new design to the market because it was selling weak?

I hope though they will..

2)  I hoped they were working on some games...I know the DS haves a amazing library of games release the next years but those are almost 3d party..not nintendo itself;...*Gimme me new Zelda*.

3)  What????

I think it would be rather easy to design a plastic adapter that would allow the use GBA games and Guitar Hero. IMO, removing the GBA slot is not that big a deal.

I don't think Nintendo will release a new DS for at least another year (so earliest would be late 09).

As for the design, I don't think they'll go smaller, the DS Lite is plenty small as it is and some people even complain that the size makes playing games for long periods impossible (hand cramps etc). I'd tend to agree with the folks at IGN here, it'll be larger buttons and larger screens (though that doesn't mean a fatter DS).

And they won't, I repeat WON'T, remove the Slot 2/GBA slot. Simple reason is, as many people have said, rumble feature. Not to mention the new Guitar Hero DS game using the slot for the threds (and with that, the implications for future games to use the GBA slot in a similar fashion). Why would Nintendo completely ruin a new gameplay style by removing the slot (They are all about "new" gameplay designs after all).