The Genesis Of The Nintendo DS Explained By Iits Creator

     After the SP model of the Nintendo handheld, the technical team in charge of research and development naturally set to work on a new project. IRIS code name, like flower. A symbol to represent the month of May, fifth of the year, as the fifth generation of portable console of the Japanese firm.

We are in 2002 and if Satoru Iwata has just taken office as president of Nintendo, the man remains in contact with his predecessor: Hiroshi Yamauchi. Despite his departure, the latter intends to impose his vision for this new machine, that of a portable console equipped with two screens in the manner of the old Game & Watch. Yet no one internally, including Satoru Iwata seems to be excited by this idea. Why separate a screen in two while the technology of the time already allows to offer the public a space of display of sufficient size to enjoy the best games? And why also want to double the screens when it is known that the human brain will not be able to watch them at the same time? In short, it's a little incomprehension internally at Nintendo.

Concerned about the future of the firm, Okada then wishes to talk with Yamauchi to try to explain that his idea does not really hold the road, but Iwata refuses and decides to grant the benefit of the doubt to his predecessor. This decision, difficult to take for the new president, implies stopping research for the IRIS project in favor of a development refocused on a new technology with dual screens. The team then moves on to the idea and names the concept "Project Nitro", the code name given to the future Nintendo DS. Against all internal expectations, the DS proves to be a huge success for Nintendo. She faces a PSP whose sales will never be able to exceed half of those of her rival.

Despite a very rough launching design (with the design of the prototype visible in the photo in this news), Yamauchi's vision paid off for the Japanese firm. With more than 150 million units sold, the Nintendo DS is neck and neck with the PS2 on the podium of the best selling consoles of all time. More than ten years later, the Dsi, Lite and the latest 3DS models still rely on this dual screen model that no one seemed to believe in Nintendo.