By Chris Pereira, 02/16/2010

The Nintendo DS continues to sell incredibly well month after month, but that doesn't mean Nintendo isn't thinking about the future. One particular plan involving a successor to the DS might be closer to a reality than some would think. A new rumor (via GoNintendo) regarding the DS2 claims that developers already have the system in their possession. Following up on that, CVG is now reporting that DS2 development kits are indeed in the hands of "select developers in Japan." Not only that, but the system includes a motion-sensing feature that one anonymous developer with access to the system described as "a 'tilt' function that's not dissimilar to iPhone," but added that it "does a lot more."

Among the third party companies that have access to the DS2 is The Pokemon Company, which the source said "are getting special attention with it."

CVG's source doesn't believe the system will be shown at the annual Game Developers Conference, which runs from March 9 - 13. "Any kind of March announcement wouldn't fit with the timeline I understand the second DS to be on," he explained. Therefore, don't expect to see the new DS revealed at the Nintendo Media Summit next Wednesday, though 1UP will be there in any event.

Just last month, it was reported that Nintendo president Satoru Iwata (supposedly) dropped some hints about a possible DS2, including a mention of a motion sensor. That he ever said anything of the sort was refuted, and various shots were fired between Nintendo and the newspaper that originally reported on Iwata's comments. Regardless of who was actually correct in their recollection of events, it would seem that there was some truth to both the motion sensor comment and the existence of the DS2.

E3 is once again planned for June this year, and that seems like as good a venue as any for revealing something like the DS2.