High Voltage Software confirmed they were doing 3DS work during an interview SEGAbits conducted on behalf of Conduit Portal during PAX. Apparently it’s a Conduit project!
This is what High Voltage chief creative officer Eric Nofsinger had to say to EuroGamer:
“We are very much pulling over this engine and this technology on this new hardware. We’re still early. The resolution is definitely lower, but the screen real estate is smaller so it balances out. We’ve not had a lot of severe optimisation yet, but we’re going to be able to have something very close to this [Conduit 2] on the 3DS probably by GDC. We’ve got environments from this already up and running around. You can shoot, you can select different weapons and you can see enemies. It runs pretty darn well with full 3D and everything. I would guess that SEGA will be interested. I had a nice conversation just yesterday with their head of artist and repertoire. At DICE, the conference in Vegas that’s coming up, we’ll probably have some more chats. We’re very excited about that system and what we’re going to be be able to do on it. The work we’ve done with the Wii, we’re going to have a serious leg up. It’s quite different than developing for the DS and the DSi. Developers like us that have more of a console experience on GameCube and on Wii are going to be able to take advantage of the 3D better and they’re going to be able to do a little bit more with the hardware than people who are coming at it from the straight DS angle and used to doing more 2D, or very limited 3D, kinds of things. There’s nothing like it at all (on 3DS). We can be a shining star on this.” – High Voltage’s Eric Nofsinger
It is currently unknown whether this is a port or an all new game. Here’s hoping HVS is able to take the lessons learned from Conduit and it’s upcoming sequel and apply it to this.
Ad:
Still waiting for conduit 2
Score! While it–as far as I'm reading–doesn't seem to be it's 100% confirmation that it's the Conduit, it looks promising. I think Sega and HVS have a fantastic shot at making this a must-own for the 3DS. The most alluring prospect is that, while I thought the first Conduit's single player was admirable and I think they'll improve vastly with Conduit 2, I'd be super-excited with the prospect of their fantastic multiplayer on-the-go with the 3DS.
As a Nintendo/Nintendo console fan, High Voltage and Sega are everything I could ask for as far as a developer and publisher go. It sounds strange, but it feels like High Voltage is an extension of my fandom. For instance, since the days of N64, I've been clamoring for a first-person shooter that could engage me like the first GoldenEye and Perfect Dark did. I wanted it Nintendo-console exclusive.
It was as if HVS plucked those thoughts and made it a reality (and I couldn't believe my good fortune to hear Sega would publish it).