Updated: Jan. 28, 2011; 10 a.m. PST
Nintendo will launch its downloadable games shop for 3DS in May in Japan, reports the Nikkei Shimbun.
The Japanese business daily said that the eShop, which will allow players to buy a variety of different games from classics to new titles, will be launched towards the end of May. This announcement came from Nintendo president Satoru Iwata at an investors' meeting.
Update: When Nintendo posted the transcript of the investors' meeting on Friday, the text showed that the update would launch "at almost the same time around the world".
The eShop will sell a variety of games: Game Boy classics in 2-D, other classic games like Namco Bandai's Xevious upgraded to 3-D, DSiWare and new games made specifically for 3DS. Nintendo 3DS launches on February 26 in Japan, meaning it will be a full three months before users can download any content.
Nintendo's messaging about the 3DS eShop launch has been, in a word, confusing: First it said in its official materials that eShop would arrive via a system update, then told Wired.com in an interview that it would launch after the hardware.
The website Eurogamer then reported that contrary to Wired.com's "speculation" (ahem), Nintendo of Europe had told it that the firmware update containing the eShop would arrive on the day the 3DS launches in Europe, March 25. In response, Nintendo of America issued a statement to the effect that software launches will differ by region and that the American branch has not officially announced anything. And now this.
In related news, it's the 27th of January, which means that 3DS is launching in less than a month and getting basic information about it is still like pulling teeth.
