Is Nintendo about to join in on the 3D craze sooner than we think? Perhaps. Citing a “senior publishing” source, word has emerged that Nintendo’s next handheld — the 3DS — will grace store shelves in October. This comes despite Nintendo’s internal roadmap pointing to a March release for the eyes-on, glasses-free 3D device that still has yet to be seen in the flesh.

“It’s a surprise – we were expecting it much closer to Christmas,” said CVG’s source. The source added, “But I suppose it gives Nintendo the opportunity to get it front and centre in people’s minds nice and early.”

Nudging a release window forward is rare, especially when it comes to hardware. The only real explanation for such a move is that development on the DS successor is moving along at a quicker pace than Nintendo originally anticipated. The holiday season serves as an opportune time to launch with a bang, that’s for certain.

The Nintendo 3DS is poised to make a playable appearance at E3 2010 in June. Look forward to hands-on impressions from us then, hopefully alongside confirmation of a official date.

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