Support NeoGAF

[IrishNinja]

superior blue + best mario kart in like forever's a pretty good deal...nice price on the OG model but i could never see going back to it after the XL

Still too much.

I think it's time for you to resign.

 

[Persona86]

Damn, if only it was region free. Come on Nintendo of Europe it's time to respect that we are not all RICH!!

 

[RPGamer92]

Is this the XL model that's dropping or the OG one?

 

[Graphics Horse]

Who cares about Nintendo? I can get a 3DS cheaper. Do you guys forget you are consumers?

I already have one thanks.
But will they make me a second wave ambassador?

 

[Baconsammy]

The problem isn't hardware pricing, it's software that needs to go down.

This is the reason why no amount of hardware price dropping is going to attract consumers who are avoiding the platform simply due to idiotic game prices.

 

[Alex]

The software is what needs to go down, to at least 29.99 standard, considering that it's almost always easy to find a discount or sale on all these games prior to launch helps but it'd be nice if it was the standard.

Game pricing in general feels so scatterbrained at the moment.

 

[bluehat9]

Now drop game prices back to $30.

 

[Good Job Bob]

I'd seriously consider biting on that Target $130 deal if their were more than 1 or 2 quality games for the system.

 

[aeolist]

Betting the Wii U gets a price drop for the holidays next year

 

[friz898]

This seems a bit early to be announced (or leaked).

How many people are going to take back the ones they just bought and get a better deal? Now if you did the door buster deals in my area for Target and K-Mart that included Super Mario 3D Land and was about 150'ish. That's not bad.

But for anybody else who simply had it on a Christmas list and paid full price or just a little off, they should turn around take it back and get the new price.

 

[Henke]

umad?

I can't stay mad at you.

 

[DrForester]

Is this the XL model that's dropping or the OG one?

I'd have to guess regular. i don't see Nintendo doing a $70 price drop on the XL.

What makes me skeptical is that he only "reports" a price drop on what we can assume is the regular 3DS, but nothing about the XL. I can't imagine Nintendo allowing a $70 price gap between 3DS and 3DSXL.

 

[Persona86]

I have never understood why so many portable games are so expensive. They all should be £20 max in my opinion.

 

[TheNatural]

Now drop game prices back to $30.

Ocarina of Time, Starfox 64, and Kid Icarus are actually $20 today at Best Buy. Dunno if it's a week long, or only Cyber Monday thing.

 

[Kunan]

I got my 3DS last year during Black Friday for $130, can't complain. The system is shaping up quite nicely and the eShop has been a pleasant surprise minus it's cumbersome menu. Bravely Default and Animal Crossing need to come over fast now.

The eShop has been the place where I got my best experiences with 3DS, outside of 3D Land. Pushmo, VVVVVV and Mighty Switch Force were what made me fall in love with the system.

 

[watershed]

Good question, I think they are going to be way more price sensitive than ever. The Vita has shown the lack of demand for strong hardware.

Yeah but it will still need clear advancements. Nintendo depends on some hardware hook, well utilized by software, to draw in consumers. The ds had that, the 3ds banked on 3d which didn't really click with consumers. Nintendo can't compete on specs and hardware features with the devices that are eating into their sales so I think they will try for another innovation.

 

[mclem]

Smartphones and tablets have changed the handheld market.

Expensive portable hardware will be a thing of the past.

It's kinda weird, because I'd regard the iOS units *as* 'expensive portable hardware'. Certainly a bit less true with Android, though, there's some very cheap tablets out there

 

[walking fiend]

XL stand alones are $169 at ToysRus in the Canada

 

[suaveric]

The timing of this seems to coincide with the rumored Wii mini. I just find it weird that Nintendo would be dropping the price of two systems so late in the holiday shopping season. Why didn't they makes these moves a month ago? The only thing I can think of is the November numbers must not be looking very good.

 

[Takao]

I have never understood why so many portable games are so expensive. They all should be £20 max in my opinion.

Because cartridges cost more to manufacture than discs, and games aren't developed for free.

 

[Graphics Horse]

The software is what needs to go down, to at least 29.99 standard, considering that it's almost always easy to find a discount or sale on all these games prior to launch helps but it'd be nice if it was the standard.

Game pricing in general feels so scatterbrained at the moment.

And Pilot Wings is on the UK eShop now, 40 quid!

 

[vic2020]

Why is it doing poorly outside japan, the US numbers are close http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_3DS#Sales_2

 

[dallow_bg]

Ocarina of Time, Starfox 64, and Kid Icarus are actually $20 today at Best Buy. Dunno if it's a week long, or only Cyber Monday thing.

People mean msrp.

 

[Tokieda]

Profitable with one game purchase?

 

[Bending_Unit_22]

"Smartphones and tablets haven't affected the handheld market."

Only to the extent that the casual/manly man expansion of handhelds has been taken away. But then that lasted all of at most half a decade so not surprising.

Smartphones and tablets have changed the handheld market.

Expensive portable hardware will be a thing of the past.

Said this before the new handhelds even launched. Gaf was fooled by the 3ds price drop splurge, ignoring that 3ds and the vita combined were underperforming the prior gen. Now 3ds is going all bomba on them.

Ummmmm, errrrr... except for, arguably, the 2005-2010 period when have expensive handhelds ever done well? Oh, right, they haven't.

I guess if you consider the entire history of handhelds to stretch all the way back to the ancient times of 2005 then this would be a shock. Otherwise it's just a regression to mean, and good for Nintendo to recognize that.

 

[vareon]

This is the reason why no amount of hardware price dropping is going to attract consumers who are avoiding the platform simply due to idiotic game prices.

Nintendo seems to adopt the "Games should be $40-$60 and we will make contents worthy of it" philosophy. Not inherently a bad thing, but I hoped they were more flexible with pricing model.

 

[meppi]

I think it's time for you to resign.

I have a feeling his troll engine is just getting started.

 

[BowieZ]

Maybe for Japan. But they've really dicked around way too long. If you have any children in your life, it's amazing the foothold iOS has with them. Apple is to them the way Nintendo was to previous generations.

But the good thing about kids is the novelty wears off and they want to have the next big cool thing the 2 or 3 rich kids in their class have.

And there has to be something new under the Xmas tree each year.

 

[AlucardGV]

i don't really care about mario kart so i wait a Xl price drop

 

[nikatapi]

Drop the price of the XL in Europe and I'm there.

Yeah i would buy one for 160 euro or something.

 

[Byakuya769]

Only to the extent that the casual/manly adult expansion of handhelds has been taken away. But then that lasted all of at most half a decade so not surprising.





Ummmmm, errrrr... except for, arguably, the 2005-2010 period when have expensive handhelds ever done well? Oh, right, they haven't.

I guess if you consider the entire history of handhelds to stretch all the way back to the ancient times of 2005 then this would be a shock. Otherwise it's just a regression to mean, and good for Nintendo to recognize that.

Stick to bending. Inflation is causing you software problems.

 

[TheNatural]

People mean msrp.

True, but there's no chance MSRP changes within as generation as far as game prices go. I don't think it's ever happened. I would be content with a Player's Choice lineup though.

 

[marrec]

But the good thing about kids is the novelty wears off and they want to have the next big cool thing the 2 or 3 rich kids in their class have.

And there has to be something new under the Xmas tree each year.

3-4 years ago kids were all about iOS and iPod Touches, now they can't stop talking about 3DSes, at least from my experience at my son's school. Of course, a few kindergarten classes at one school don't really mean much.

 

[mclem]

Who cares about Nintendo? I can get a 3DS cheaper. Do you guys forget you are consumers?

The product in question isn't simply 'a 3DS', a purchaser is buying into the whole '3DS ecosystem'. i think it's valid to question whether this moves like this have an impact on the ecosystem...

... I should also add that I *don't* think this move threatens the ecosystem, but I think it's a fair reason to bring up points about how Nintendo making less profit can in turn harm the consumer. You're not buying into a single product here; you're buying into a long-term plan.

 

[Takao]

Why is it doing poorly outside japan, the US numbers are close http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_3DS#Sales_2

North America is a much larger market than Japan. Nintendo sold 33 million DSes in Japan. They sold just under 60 million in the US.

 

[1-D_FTW]

Because cartridges cost more to manufacture than discs, and games aren't developed for free.

If they weren't tied to such outdated retail prices, they could have ditched cartridges and nobody would have objected. The reason 99 percent object (excluding that tiny minority that collects) is because nobody wants to pay 40 bucks for something without resale rights. And for the price of that cartridge slot, they could have easily built in a fat SD card. Holding those fat retail margins is the crux of the problem. This and Nintendo makes money manufacturing the carts too.

But the good thing about kids is the novelty wears off and they want to have the next big cool thing the 2 or 3 rich kids in their class have.

And there has to be something new under the Xmas tree each year.

iOS isn't for the "rich kids". An ipod is barely more than a 3DS. And instead of constantly having to pay 30 - 40 bucks a game, you're looking at 1 or 2 dollars. It's infinitely cheaper than dedicated handhelds in the long run.

 

[gcubed]

i used to love handhelds, but i find that i dont want to carry something ELSE with me when i have multiple devices with me already that are more powerful. I bought and sold a vita for this reason.

Dedicated handheld gaming is down to a niche in the west.

 

[Spiegel]

3DS lite incoming?

 

[jcm]

Is this really needed?! 3DS is doing great, I think Nintendo have unrealistic expectations if this is in result of 3DS not matching up to the envitable lower than DS at the same timeframe sales.

Seems like throwing away profit tbh.

The only place 3DS is doing great is Japan. It's a big disappointment outside of Japan.

 

[aznpxdd]

I'd seriously consider biting on that Target $130 deal if their were more than 1 or 2 quality games for the system.

Stealth troll?

 

[cvxfreak]

Tempted to trade my launch 3DS for the XL bundle... I wonder how much I can get for an Ambassador 3DS on Ebay.

So dirt cheap compared to Japanese prices.

 

[miksar]

I have never understood why so many portable games are so expensive. They all should be £20 max in my opinion.

Many of them have production costs that are comparable to Wii games. People who ask for 3DS software to cost $30 or less keep forgetting that. What Nintendo needs to do is to continue to drop hardware price even further as manufacturing becomes more affordable and don't hesitate dropping price for games that are one-two years old or introduce "Nintendo selects" with games at $20.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Welp, thanks to this thread, my brother is getting a 3DS, Kid Icarus and Ocarina of Time for Christmas.

Thanks GAF!

 

[sixteen-bit]

We still don't know.
Info from OP isn't from a PR so maybe.

fingers crossed then

 

[michaelius]

By the time SMT4 comes out in Europe - the game might be more expensive than second hand 3DS to play it as they already are in 80-90 euros area.

 

[Kai Dracon]

Nintendo seems to adopt the "Games should be $40-$60 and we will make contents worthy of it" philosophy. Not inherently a bad thing, but I hoped they were more flexible with pricing model.

The problem they've got is that there's no Touch! Generations phenomenon helping to power the 3DS into the mainstream. 3DS does not have its Brain Age - Nintendogs+Cats didn't work at launch.

They do seem to be trying to avoid devaluing software, which is good in the abstract. But I think their biggest mistake is in holding the line too firmly there. Plenty of 3DS games don't have the content of a $40 game. Only a handful do. I wish they'd establish a robust line of $20 retail titles, and price the typical "core" 3DS game at $30 - $35.

The bigger issue may be yen to dollar troubles right now. Nintendo's already having financial trouble with this thing. They need to drop software prices, but currency conversion has to be hurting them.

 

[meppi]

Stealth troll?

If in doubt, check post history. You'll be surprised.

 

[scitek]

It took 30 posts for the iPhone evangelists to show up? GAF is slipping.

It's like a run-down of how to troll the 3DS/Vita:

Remark about "collecting dust"? Check.

Noting that it's something his kid plays? Check.

Pretends $0.99 iPhone games and full-priced hand-held games are the same content-wise? Check.

 

[Lachie007]

Now drop the game prices

 

[watershed]

At this rate how long will the 3ds be on the market? If this is true and $139.99 is the new MSRP then $99 is just around the corner. Nintendo maybe in for more trouble than they previously anticipated if they can't improve 3ds sales while also trying to support their brand new HD console.