The worst kept secret in video gaming was finally made official today as Nintendo announced a new Nintendo DS model, which will go on sale in Japan in November. The new model will come with features such as a digital camera and photo editing software that players can use to play about with their faces.

Sadly for the rest of the world, the console won’t be available until sometime in 2009.

The plan is for the Nintendo DS to become a the first camera for children so that they can get used to taking photos. Currently the popularity of the Nintendo DS in Japan has led to 1 in 6 people owning one, but Nintendo say they want to better that:

We want to change the DS into something that’s in every household to something that’s for every person.

As well as the camera, the new DS will be thinner and have bigger screens. It will also have MP3 technology so will be a rival for Apple on some fronts.

Expect the new DS to arrive in the UK sometime next year.