NTT DoCoMo Working With Various Players to Bring 3G to Handheld Game Manufacturers

When it comes to video games in the hand, having a WiFi connection isn't necessarily a newfangled feature. In fact, some handheld consoles out there require a WiFi connection to actually be viable. And while the Nintendo 3DS has WiFi, yes, and Nintendo wants the console to have an "always-connected" presence to those WiFi networks, what about when you're not near a hotspot of any sorts? If a new report from The Wall Street Journal says what it's clearly saying, then it looks ilke NTT DoCoMo over in Japan is hard at work with various unnamed folks to bring 3G connectivity to handheld gaming consoles.

As NTT DoCoMo's president, Ryuji Yamada puts it, "We are discussing this with various plalyers." And, as we just mentioned, the WSJ has put some of the puzzle pieces together as well, and calls out Nintendo as being one of the major players probably within talks with the wireless carrier. Considering the 3DS is still being worked on, with a launch date several months out, adding 3G to the mobile console may not be all that big of a deal at all. Plus, that "always connected" approach that Nintendo spoke about at the 3DS' launch would make a lot more sense.

[via The Wall Street Journal]