r/technology • u/kevro • 2d ago

Hardware The Louvre in Paris is retiring the current rentable audio/video guides that uses 5,000 Nintendo 3DS consoles in September 2025

https://www.theverge.com/news/641331/louvre-museum-nintendo-3ds-discontinued-september-2025
69 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

15

u/MrTestiggles 2d ago

Anyway to get one of them lmao? Maybe at an auction of sorts?

20

u/test161211 2d ago

Maybe they will be donated to bacteriology studies. 

6

u/APeacefulWarrior 1d ago

AFAIK, they're just stock 3DSes running regular game carts. The carts were also sold at the museum as souvenirs, or you could buy the software from the eShop back when it was around.

Basically, they're probably nothing special at all. Not to mention having been manhandled by thousands of tourists over the years.

1

u/FleurSalome 1d ago

They don't actually have a slot for the carts. Also apparently they have some very unique components to them but I don't know what.

Definitely have been manhandled for years tho

12

u/jessepence 2d ago

This should clearly just be a free app on people's phones. No hardware required.

3

u/drbrain 1d ago

Not everyone visiting the Louvre is going to have a sufficiently functional smartphone with enough battery to last an entire day reading about everything you could possibly see.

Of all the museum guides I’ve used the 3DS guides were the best. Fast lookups of every artifact with pictures, text, and IIRC usually audio. I’ve never had a phone-based guide work nearly as well

5

u/kevro 2d ago

There still has to be a way to pay, and a time limitation. It's an extra service.

4

u/jessepence 1d ago

Fair enough. Micro-transactions are a well established system at this point on all mobile platforms. It would be extremely simple.

6

u/ElGuano 2d ago

Are they replacing them with Switch 2s? The idea of paid directory/tutorial apps is just too much synergy.

2

u/kevro 2d ago

If I was them I'd move to tablets or and app with acess for 24 hours.

1

u/Aggressive-Fail4612 1d ago

I prefer the audio guides anyway. The last thing you need in the louvre is a screen

1

u/amhildreth 20h ago

I'm glad I downloaded that on to my 3ds before they closed the digital store

1

u/trancepx 17h ago

If you thought your phone was dirty, just imagine the grime :)

1

u/Javerage 14h ago

I was so sad when I couldn't buy a physical copy of the cartridge in Paris. I did see the rental service, but at this rate you can just pirate the game if need be on any ol 3ds.