Nintendo boss says 3G 3DS is 'unlikely'

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has said that a 3G version of the Ninentdo

3DS

is "unlikely" to become a "viable option".

Stating that he couldn't deny that the company has looked into the 3G possibilities, Iwata explained that Nintendo is loathe to pile additional costs on to its accessible, family-friendly products.

Iwata explained, "The need to ask our consumers to shoulder monthly payments is not a great match for the entertainment that we are dealing with."

Money, money, money

While he appreciates that some people are willing to pay extra for more functionality, Iwata explains that the company's real issue is whether or not the added cost would be worth the extra benefits to the majority of its customers, particularly given that the 3DS already has Wi-Fi connectivity.

These benefits would likely include the ability to download games and movies on the go and enjoy multiplayer games across the data network – the Sony NGP is set to offer these capabilities over 3G and Wi-Fi.

Despite this, the bottom line seems to be that while 3G data requires a subscription cost, Nintendo is going to steer clear:

"As long as we need to ask our consumers to pay additional costs every month, it is unlikely to become one of our viable options."