After almost ten years in service, Nintendo’s portable 3DS console has officially been discontinued according to Nintendo’s official website. This applies to all the various models of the console: the 3DS, the 2DS, the New 3DS, the New 2DS, the 3DS XL, the New 3DS XL and the New 2DS XL.

The 3DS was an innovative handheld gaming console upon its release in 2011, combining 3-D technology and gaming without the need for special 3-D glasses. The 3D effect was obtained via an optical illusion with the systems screen- a stereoscopic effect that could be turned on with a slider. I remember the awe I felt the very first time I used the 3DS. It felt like a whole new era of gaming encased in a small and sleek package.

Although not hugely popular when it was first released, sales of the console grew a few years after. Since the release of the Nintendo Switch in 2017, sales of the 3DS have been steadily declining so it is not a huge surprise that Nintendo have made this decision. However, it is still a sad moment for DS fans as it means the end of solely portable consoles for Nintendo. I have a lot of fond memories from my 3DS and my plain old DS. I still remember getting the original DS for my birthday in 2006 and spending the rest of the day playing Nintendogs. Good times.

So raise a glass, bid farewell and press F to pay your respects to the 3DS and the DS console in general. You will be missed, dear friend.  

Desperate Mass Effect fans- myself included- have long been hoping for an announcement of a remaster of Bioware’s epic space drama trilogy. Despite no news coming from Bioware themselves or publishers EA, the fandom has been clutching at straws in regards to a remaster. However, there have been a couple of suggestions here and there- such as the listing of a Mass Effect art book coming in March 2021- that point towards a remaster coming our way. The most recent suggestion is possibly the strongest yet so let’s take a look.

A Portuguese retail website recently posted a listing for the Mass Effect Trilogy game, complete with box art and various console versions. The listing showed three different versions of the remaster: A PlayStation 4 version, an Xbox One version and a Nintendo Switch version. Prices were also posted with the retail listing- though they are listed as the euro currency due to the location of the site- with the PS4 and Xbox One versions listed as 59.99 euros and the Switch one down as 49.99 euros. The listing has since been deleted by the retailer site but thanks to Twitter- more specifically the Twitter user Nibel– you can check out the listing below.

This is very encouraging for us Mass Effect fans. It’s not so good for the person responsible for the listing though. Let’s be honest, they are losing their job for sure. The trilogy remaster has been circulating the gaming rumour mill for a while so here’s hoping that we will get some concrete information- and an actual confirmation- sometime soon.

During today’s PlayStation 5 Showcase event, Square Enix revealed that acclaimed creators Naoki Yoshida (Final Fantasy® Xiv, Dragon Quest X) and Hiroshi Takai (Final Fantasy Xiv, The Last Remnant) are collaborating on an all-new standalone mainline Final Fantasy game, titled Final Fantasy XVI, for the PlayStation 5 system.

The news was revealed via the Final Fantasy XVI“Awakening” trailer which can be viewed below.

Here’s what Producer Naoki Yoshida had to say:

Final Fantasy Xvi producer (that’s right, just producer) Naoki Yoshida here. How did you enjoy the trailer? The exclusive footage, comprised of both battles and cutscenes running in real-time, represents but a fraction of what our team has accomplished since the start of development on this, an all-new Final Fantasy game. In that span, the team’s size has grown from a handful of core members to a full-fledged unit that continues to polish and build upon what they have created so far, all to provide players an experience unmatched in terms of story and gameplay.

Our next big information reveal is scheduled for 2021, so in the meantime, I expect everyone to have fun speculating, as we have a lot in store—not only for Final Fantasy XVI, but for Final Fantasy XIV, too. Needless to say, I’ll be working hard on both!

And here is what director Hiroshi Takai had to say:

When Final Fantasy I was released, I was just another player─a young student with big dreams. By the time Final Fantasy V was in the works, I had earned myself a seat at the developers’ table… albeit at the very end. From there, I moved “online” leaving my mark on both Final Fantasy XI and XIV.

And now…XVI.

From the establishment of an all-new development environment, to learning the ins-and-outs of the PS5, the team and I have taken on countless challenges during our journey to bring you the sixteenth chapter in the storied Final Fantasy franchise. And though we’re pouring our hearts and souls into this project each and every day, it may still be some time before we can get it into your hands. However, I promise it will be worth the wait!