Nintendo will nix its current DS handheld console this summer, replacing it with the recently announced DS Lite. The video game pioneer will also formally announce the launch date of its Revolution console on May 9, Nintendo US marketing chief Reggie Fils-Aime said last week.

Fils-Aime spilled the beans on US TV video game show Game Heads, fansite Revolution Report... er... reports. Apparently, today's DS will be phased out between August and September, presumably as Nintendo runs down stocks of the product.

In its place will be the slimline DS Lite, which weighs in at 218g, less than the standard DS' 275g. It's smaller too: 13.3 x 7.4 x 2.2cm to 14.9 x 8.5 x 2.9cm. The new version offers the same functionality - including twin displays, one of the touch-sensitive, and Wi-Fi networking - as the current DS. It will ship in shiny white, light blue and dark blue shells.

Fils-Aime also said Nintendo will ship this year. The date will be announced just ahead of the E3 show in May. ®