Nintendo document touts spring/summer European launch for DSi

North America can expect the same

30 January 2009 15:21 GMT / By Verity Burns

It seems that the first shipments of Nintendo's DSi handheld could reach British shores a little earlier than expected, if a company document is to be believed.

An extract from a product briefing document on Nintendo's website clearly states a release for the console in both Europe and the USA as "Spring-Summer 2009".

The DSi was released in Japan in November, but had no worldwide release date attached to it at launch. Nintendo's president, Satoru Iwata, had said that he expected the handheld to be shipped overseas by the summer of 2009, admitting that an autumn or end-of-year launch would be "too late".

Whispers from "sources close to Nintendo" earlier this month suggested a release in America was pencilled in for April, which would certainly tie in with the spring-summer theme being touted by Nintendo's document.

For those of you that have been hiding under a rock for the past 4 months, the DSi features an integrated 3-megapixel camera, an SD memory card slot and improved audio.

There's still been no price confirmed for the UK, but it launched for 18,900 yen in Japan, which equates to around £116.