Nintendo announces 2DS XL – and doesn't care about your rules

The unexpected new version of the multimillion-selling handheld features a larger display and clamshell design, and hits Europe in July

It seems as though Nintendo is trolling the entire games industry. Two months ago it launched the Switch, a strange hybrid of portable device and home console that everyone thought was filling a market gap that didn't exist. It has now shipped almost 3m units, making it the company's most successful roll-out since the Wii. It was also thought that the Switch may well replace Nintendo's dedicated line of handheld consoles, or at least delay a new iteration. But no. Wrong again.

The ever-unpredictable hardware veteran has announced the Nintendo 2DS XL, a new version of the 2DS, which was itself a refreshed version of the 3DS. Featuring two enlarged displays, 4.88in on top and 4.18in on the bottom, and a clamshell design, the new format is lighter than the 3DS XL and of course lacks that machine's stereoscopic capabilities.