The grand opening of Nintendo's 3DS eShop has had to be postponed so many times the man preparing to cut the ceremonial ribbon has lost all feeling in his left arm.

At one stage, the Japanese videogame giant's marketplace was scheduled to open for business at the launch of the handheld in March, but that possibility was quickly shelved and replaced by 'in May'.

Nintendo has now confirmed, though, that the 3DS eShop will open its doors for the first time as part of a much anticipated firmware update, due to go live during next month’s E3 expo.

E3DS

For North American customers, the free software upgrade will be available on June 6th, while 3DS owners in Nintendo’s home territory and in Europe can download it the following day.

"By downloading the free update via a broadband internet connection, Nintendo 3DS users can enjoy a number of new features and enhancements including an internet browser and access to the Nintendo eShop, where users can browse and purchase downloadable content," the firm said in a statement.

That downloadable content will include not only 3DSWare games, but also legacy titles from Game Boy, Game Boy Colour, and Sega's Game Gear.

[source: Nintendo]