Analyst Predicts March Release for 3DS....maybe $300

$300?!!! That seems unlikely. It is a portable. If it had multi functionality--say it was as big as an E-Reader, then maybe. I think it will be between $179 and $219, possibly $229, but no higher than that.

...And I really want an october/november release in the states.

Heirren

While I admit $199 is within the realm of possibility (though I think $229 is closer to it), these people who predict a price LOWER than the most recent DS crack me up.

[QUOTE="Heirren"]

$300?!!! That seems unlikely. It is a portable. If it had multi functionality--say it was as big as an E-Reader, then maybe. I think it will be between $179 and $219, possibly $229, but no higher than that.

...And I really want an october/november release in the states.

RichardWrite

While I admit $199 is within the realm of possibility (though I think $229 is closer to it), these people who predict a price LOWER than the most recent DS crack me up.

It's possibly it could be lower, I wouldn't be surprised if it was $169. Nintendo is smart about this area. Remember back in 95/96, the N64 was announced at $250, but then when release date got closer, the price turned out to be $200. Nintendo likes to make its consumers feel like they are getting a deal.

The DS costs $129, a very reasonable price for a system. Everybody is buying them. How does nintendo make further profit? They release the dsi at $169. How do they make the dsi look more attractive? They release a more expensive version of the same thing--which really does nothing better. This makes the dsi, at $169, more attractive to consumers. "I can buy the cheapest model, the slightly more expensive new one with new features, or a bigger version of that, that is less portable and offers nothing else." The XL was only released to allow nintendo to increase profits on its ds line. Nobody wants an old model. ...except for me, who rebought a dslite because of gba support.

I could deal with 250$, but I'm hoping for somewhere around 215$. My guess for release? January 2011.

I don't mind a early 2011 release date, gives me time to save up.godfather_1

Same here.

1. Why do people think it'll come out in Japan for Xmas but not NA/EU? Xmas is a bigger shopping season in North America, and Europe than it is in Japan to my knowledge. If they are picking a Fall release in ANY region for Xmas sales, its not going to be Japan, unless its Japan and Someone else.

2. Iwata just said in an interview that they want to add enough value in the 3DS to justify its price, and that it will cost more than the Nintendo DS. I know this sounds silly but, he said Nintendo DS. Not Nintendo DSi. Not Nintendo DSi XL. No, Nintendo DS. As in the $129.99 model in North America, and the DSi is now $129.99 in Europe and Japan, and likely will be in North America at some point soon too.

So, either way you look at it, Nintendo is basing the 3DS's price increase off $129.99, not the $189.99 of the XL.

Thats like them basing the Nintendo DS's original price off the Game Boy Advance SP unit. GBA SP was what, $99 when it came out before DS was announced? So they priced the DS at $149.99. $50 more than what people had payed for the GBA SP. They felt they added a justifiable $50 increase.

With the 3DS they have to add enough content to be justifiable for a price increase.

Now do we really think Nintendo is adding $50-$70 worth of content, or $150? Lets be realistic, its gonna be a cheap device to make guys. None of the stuff in the 3DS is cutting edge, even the screen has been done before for a year or two. Heck, the resolution is last generation too for mobile devices.

Nintendo can probably, in this worldwide recession mind you, only justify $50 or so in price increases.

I'm saying $149 (not likely but the very least) to $199

Additionally, the only thing I can see them changing in a 3DS revision years from now isn't the case, the size, etc. Its 3G.

Nintendo won't make 50% profit of the 3DS, we learned with the Wii (estimated Launch manufacturing costs to be $210) that they're willing to take a 15%-20% profit from each unit.

I highly doubt Nintendo will let the 3DS cost more, or near $150 to make PER UNIT. Thats stupid. I'm guessing it will be in the $120 or so ballpark. For each unit. So a $169-$199 price is reasonable.

Nintendo doesnt care how cheap it is for them to make the 3DSs. Theyre still going to milk them for all they are worth and become even richer lol. Becaus they know their millions of fans will buy whateever recent gimmick hits the market.

Nintendo doesnt care how cheap it is for them to make the 3DSs. Theyre still going to milk them for all they are worth and become even richer lol. Becaus they know their millions of fans will buy whateever recent gimmick hits the market.

lamborghini1134

Nope. The DS, during its first year, was selling pretty much neck and neck with its main competitor at $149.

What made the DS take off?

It got redesigned, and a price drop.

Nintendo had to find the sweet spot for consumers to buy it

Turned out a new design, brighter screens, being lighter, and $20 cheaper was what the consumer wanted.

Consumers won't pay anything, nintendo knows this, and they won't price it too high

[QUOTE="lamborghini1134"]

Nintendo doesnt care how cheap it is for them to make the 3DSs. Theyre still going to milk them for all they are worth and become even richer lol. Becaus they know their millions of fans will buy whateever recent gimmick hits the market.

darth-pyschosis

Nope. The DS, during its first year, was selling pretty much neck and neck with its main competitor at $149.

What made the DS take off?

It got redesigned, and a price drop.

Nintendo had to find the sweet spot for consumers to buy it

Turned out a new design, brighter screens, being lighter, and $20 cheaper was what the consumer wanted.

Consumers won't pay anything, nintendo knows this, and they won't price it too high

Still, when it debuted, the DSi outsold the DS Lite by 612,000 units.

In Japan, the DSi LL reigns supreme over the other models - even 7 months after its release! It does it every week. Just this last week, the DSi LL sold 11,138, the DSi sold 10,127 and the measly DS Lite sold 3,108. Now, the price cut announcement could have affected those sales numbers, so grab a week in early May instead and it's the same conclusion. Week ending May 16th - 15,879 DSi LLs sold, 9,990 DSis, and 2,695 Lites. [source]

It's true that the price cut may have helped bury the PSP, but now the PSP is buried. Nintendo has no real competition, in fact, Sony hasn't even shown an interest in making a new system.

-- Now, I'm not trying to say I want a $250 system. I don't, I would love it if it came in at $150. But I wouldn't be shocked if these analysts' predictions came true. Nintendo is in a very, very comfortable position right now and can get away with a relatively high cost product at very minimal risk. I think the DSi XL demonstrates that Nintendo is not immune to creating high cost products, nor are they averse to steadily increasing the cost of handhelds in exchange for new features.

Not sure if this means anything, but on EBgames' Australian site, you can preorder the 3DS for $348 aussie dollars, or about $302 US dollars

[QUOTE="darth-pyschosis"]

[QUOTE="Khadaj32"]

I agree, which is exactly why you need to read up on everything else they've added, and take into account developing costs and hardware costs.

1kryptic

Ugh, the DSi and XL are price dropping soon

OK

You realise, in 2007 the 8GB iPod Touch sold for $300 even though it only cost $149 to make an individual iPod Touch 8GB back in 2007? So you guys are saying, something with Multi-Touch, 400Mhz+ CPU, 128MB RAM, 100Mhz GPU, 3.5inch 480x320 Glass LCD Screen, Wireless B/G, 8GB flash storagecost only $149 in 2007, in two thousand and seven!

And you guys think Nintendo is going to top this?

43DS doesn't have Multi-Touchsince its using a stylus. 3DS probably won't have 8GB internal storage, probably 2GB if we're lucky. The 3DS doesn't have Glass screens to my knowledge, the 3DS doesn't look like its rocking 128MB System RAM, but i don't know. Honestly with the graphics of Kid Icarus, and RE:R, the 3DS may be using a nice ARM CPU around 400-600Mhz but thats not very expensive

Trust me fellas, Nintendo will sell this thing at $199, and i bet they'll be making a 20%-30% profit off every unit sold for that price.

I mean really, $300? More than the Wii ever WAS? Ever?

For 10 year old GameCube tech?

Hey the GBA used SNES-like tech, did it ever cost as much as the SNES in its prime? And the DS used N64-Like tech did it ever cost nearly as much as the N64 did?

Just coz you're wowed by the 3DS, doesn't mean its actually anywhere near Cutting edge tech. Facts are, its CPU/RAM, flash storage, Wireless, are all probably going to be below current industry standards by a bit, and be very affordable

Come On! This is Nintendo guys.

Link for the iPod proof

http://www.neowin.net/news/main/07/12/19/isuppli-8gb-ipod-touch-costs-apple-15504

I agree 100%. He thinks the 3DS is some sort of genuis invention with cutting edge revolutionary technology. Nothing about the 3DS warrants a $300 pricetag, no matter how great you think it is. They can't get away with charging people $300 for this thing. That would be absurd.

Don't presume to know what I think. The 3DS isn't revolutionary, however, it is for mainstream. Instead of throwing random prices around for other hardware, let's remember some of the following.

Nintendo owns the handheld gaming market. If they charge $300 for the 3DS, they're gonna get it. You know it, they know it. However, Nintendo aren't douchebags. In my original post, I said $250-$300 was a fair estimate. I never said a static $300 would be definite, stop putting words in my mouth.

A lot fo you seem to be deftly aware of how a business is run, on how to maintain the industry with your products. Please, giv me an example of what your business is, as wel as your product. Oh right, you aren't successful businessman or industry analysts, your gamers with regular jobs, or are in school. Cut the crap. None of us, including myself, know exactly how much they'll charge until it's announced/leaked. However, let's look at the most obvious comparison.

DSi XL = $189. So, according to some of you, they're going to drop the XL's price by about $30-$50, so the 3DS can take over the ~$200 mark? Really? Even if the 3DS' technology isn't cutting edge against some electronics available, it is in handheld gaming, and it is certainly much more advanced than the Nintendo DSi XL. Yet you're all expecting them to sell it for pretty much the same price as the XL. Yes, that's what I call uninformed.

Quote from interview with Iwata on the 3DS:

VB: Are you concerned about how much this will cost? There are so many new things in it, I wonder if you will price it above the normal range where you price your handhelds? Your prices are usually below Sony's.

SI: I have to refrain from talking specifically about the price point. What I can confirm is that, in terms of the production costs, it will cost more than the costs for the Nintendo DS today. Having said that, we believe we will produce enough value worthy of the production cost. We do not think we have to sell the products below cost.

Quote from interview with Iwata on the 3DS:

VB: Are you concerned about how much this will cost? There are so many new things in it, I wonder if you will price it above the normal range where you price your handhelds? Your prices are usually below Sony's.

SI: I have to refrain from talking specifically about the price point. What I can confirm is that, in terms of the production costs, it will cost more than the costs for the Nintendo DS today. Having said that, we believe we will produce enough value worthy of the production cost. We do not think we have to sell the products below cost.

YoBrandino

Yeah, but what does a DS cost today? It's got to be pretty cheap to produce. My guess is $179, or $200. I just can't see it going much higher because such a large market of Nintendo handhelds is children. I find that it would be difficult for parents to shell out +$200 for a device their child.

[QUOTE="YoBrandino"]

Quote from interview with Iwata on the 3DS:

VB: Are you concerned about how much this will cost? There are so many new things in it, I wonder if you will price it above the normal range where you price your handhelds? Your prices are usually below Sony's.

SI: I have to refrain from talking specifically about the price point. What I can confirm is that, in terms of the production costs, it will cost more than the costs for the Nintendo DS today. Having said that, we believe we will produce enough value worthy of the production cost. We do not think we have to sell the products below cost.

Heirren

Yeah, but what does a DS cost today? It's got to be pretty cheap to produce. My guess is $179, or $200. I just can't see it going much higher because such a large market of Nintendo handhelds is children. I find that it would be difficult for parents to shell out +$200 for a device their child.