According to CVG, the Nintendo 3DS is coming earlier than expected — October 2010. The site revealed:
UK industry sources have today informed us that the platform holder is readying an October launch for the system — which it will announce at E3.
While Nintendo’s handheld gaming systems have sold well every month of the year, releasing the 3DS in October would allow it to take advantage of the extremely lucrative holiday sales period. As I mentioned during GDC, the developers I spoke with were aiming to finish their games by the end of the year, so October could be a feasible release.
What do you think of CVG’s rumor? Is October too early? Or is it just right?
If they mean this will be released in Japan in October then possibly no. Japan has had the XL for awhile now and probably will look forward to a 3DS but if they mean in the U.S. then i don't see many XL's being bought if this is true.
I don't see them taking a Japan first approach this time around. Nintendo is on a role and needs to keep momentum. Plus, they now know for a fact that they can push massive numbers here in the US, so a close US release would be very appealing to them.
It fits with my Pokemon Black/White-3DS theory…but even I wasn't really expecting to hear anything like this now, I thought E3 might be the first time to hear something along these lines.