Nintendo Switch isn't going to replace the 3DS because "at its heart, it’s a home console"

Nintendo of America president, Reggie Fils-Aime, says the 3DS “has a long life in front of it.”

Since the reveal of the Nintendo Switch, its portable aspect has been one of its major features, leading to questions as to whether the console is intended to replace the 3DS.

In an interview with Wired last week, Reggie quashed any such speculation, saying that the “ 3DS has a long life in front of it.”

Referencing the games announced for the handheld that span the first few quarters of 2017, he continued, “...in our view, the Nintendo 3DS and the Nintendo Switch are going to live side-by-side...you’re going to have the newest, freshest content available on Nintendo Switch, you’ve got a thousand-game library available on Nintendo 3DS, plus some key new ones coming.

“They’re going to coexist just fine. We’ve done this before, managing two different systems.

“I think there’s a sense that Nintendo Switch is a portable device. It is portable. But at its heart, it’s a home console that you can take with you on the go.”

His comment reiterates those made by a Nintendo representative when Switch was revealed back in October 2016.

Reggie was also asked about whether players who had already spent a fair chunk of change on classic games on the Wii and Wii U would get a discount if they were to buy them again on the Switch.

“...My comment is: Stay tuned, we understand the concern, more information to come.

“There’s 40-some odd days between now and launch. There are more details to come. And at that point we’ll be able to define all of those various details of that online experience.”