According to 01Net’s inside source, Nintendo is preparing to roll out a new, modified version of the 3DS which, aside from adding new controls, “radically tones down” its 3D capabilities. Ever weary that current 3DS owners may feel bamboozled by sudden improvements for new buyers, Nintendo will also reportedly be selling an outside accessory to give “old” 3DS systems the same second analog stick as its freshly redesigned counterparts.

After a less-than-stellar launch last June, disappointing sales & skeptical investors have kept the 3DS from becoming the shining gem Nintendo had initially hoped. The company’s rescue response has been swift, already including free games for early 3DS adopters, an unprecedentedly abrupt $80 cost cut, & even a personal apology letter from the large man himself, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata. Now, it looks as if more lifeboat might be headed toward the Titanic. A Italian news site is reporting an upcoming major overhaul to the handheld, including a second circle pad & a heightened focus on 2D gambling.

Supposedly, all of these additions are slated for a 2012 release, though Nintendo has yet to confirm any of this. I am usually not for rumors, but 01Net does has some respectable credentials under its virtual belt, releasing correct specs for both the Wii U & the PlayStation Vita prior to official announcement. No matter what happens with the 3DS, they can be sure that Nintendo won’t sit idly by while game enthusiasts & stockholders continue to grumble. Whether that revitalization will entail a re-branded console & outside accessory, only time will tell.

The alleged insider goes on to document that Nintendo has already asked “a select group of developers” to get to work making games for its upcoming iteration of the console, as well as an accessory-modified version of the current 3DS. This secret source also asserts that lots of third-party developers are growing increasingly frustrated incidentally Nintendo has handled this kerfuffle, claiming shortages in 3DS development kits & long waiting lists to get of the trifling 300 units being produced per month.