Nintendo 3DS is just a hardware gimmick

A recent interview with games industry veteran Jon Hare where the developer points out the flaws of the 3DS from a developer standpoint.  Hare is the developer responsible for bringing titles like Sensible Soccer and Cannon Fodder to gamers and had some pretty strong opinions on the new handheld.  In the interview which originally was published by BeefJack, Hare had this to say:

BeefJack: What are your thoughts on the move towards ‘true 3D’ gaming? Is this a flash in the pan gimmick or will this stick around this time? Nintendo seem to be leading the charge with the 3DS.

Jon Hare: Unfortunately I have personally never made a great 3D game – I have never been given the budget or time to compete, and never had a strong enough team to deliver even A quality, and have always had to work around licenses – and I am including Sensible Soccer and Cannon Fodder as licenses here. The Nintendo 3DS take is interesting, but in my eyes it is just a hardware gimmick which might do well. I am a game designer. I am not interested in the limitations and demands of graphical engines. I want 75 per cent of the focus of making a game to be on the gameplay and to keep on making it better and better and better until it is ready to be published. This is almost impossible to achieve with 3D without a massive budget and a lot of time.

It’s hard to argue with someone that actually knows the ins and outs of game design.  Gimmick or not, the 3DS looks fun and cool, but what say you reader?

Is the 3DS just a gimmick?  A flash in the pan that will fizzle out quickly or is glasses free 3D the wave of the future?