Nintendo has announced the next generation handheld system, the Nintendo 3DS. The official press release states that it will include "3D effects without the need for any special glasses". Obviously the next generation of Pokémon games will eventually be on this system. Below is a transcription of the official press release from Nintendo

To Whom It May Concern:
Re: Launch of New Portable Game Machine


Nintendo Co., Ltd. (Minami-ward of Kyoto-city, President Satoru Iwata) will launch "Nintendo 3DS" (temp) during the fiscal year ending March 2011, on which games can be enjoyed with 3D effects without the need for any special glasses.

"Nintendo 3DS" (temp) is going to be the new portable game machine to succeed "Nintendo DS series", whose cumulative consolidation sales from Nintendo amounted to 125million units as of the end of December 2009, and will include backward compatibility so that the software for Nintendo DS series, including the ones for Nintendo DSi, can also be enjoyed.

We are planning to announce additional details at E3 show, which is scheduled to be held from Jume 15, 2010 at Los Angeles in the U.S.

Source: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2010/100323e.pdf

This sounds like it could be a really cool new handheld. Obviously Pokemon will make its way to the system at some point. The latest announced Pokemon game has been specifically announced for the DS but it sounds like the new 3DS will be backwards compatible.

Will be interesting to see what they are going to do about some of the features in Diamond/Pearl with backwards compatibility with GBA games. Obviously they will probably disable the feature somehow so the game doesn't crash.

Not sure what they mean by "3D effects without the need for any special glasses" or how they intend to do that, but sounds cool. But it almost makes me wonder if they're trying to make the Virtual Boy the right way. lol It'll be interesting to see what kinds of things they intend to do with it.

This is what will most probably find it's way into the handheld.

This does make me wonder whether the Gen V game(s) will be on this system. Although they have stated they'll be on DS, I guess you could argue that this new system is still a "DS", just like a Game Boy Advance is still a Game Boy. I dunno, but each Pokemon generation has always started out on a new handheld, so it seems a bit weird that Gen V would stick to the regular DS, especially if this new one will be out not too long after.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see, though.