Topic: Analyst: 3DS May Cost $249-$299, Hit Japan First

[Karl Castaneda #2]

Nintendo's handheld may be a bit pricier than you would assume, and may hit Japan this year.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=23416

 Echoing what Nintendo themselves seem to be saying, Lazard Capital Markets' analyst Colin Sebastian had an interesting take on the price and launch of Nintendo's new handheld. He feels that its launch price could be $249 or more, and that it will be released in Japan first.    

   

While admitting that the 3DS was the "largest draw at E3" and is a product that "will resonate well with consumers" and further Nintendo's handheld market leadership, he had some notable thoughts on the system's release and price.    

His research note states that, "We expect a late 2010 launch of the 3DS in Japan, followed by March 2011 in North America, with a price point in the $249-$299 range."    

Nintendo has yet to announce the pricing or launch plans for the device.

[Kytim89]

That price point was one of the reasons why the PSPGo failed. It was $250 and did not match up to its pricing. $250-299 is way too high for even Nintendo and this place the 3DS into the range of the HD console and way more expensive than the wii. I do not see the 3DS going over $199.99 for its price in America. Think about it, the 3DS is a handheld PS2 and Gamecube and both of those console are below $100, so the 3DS will not cost that much.

[Sarail]

If this is definitely the case, then I fully expect Ninty's next console to start off at the $299 price.  Which means we're also going to get, hopefully, a much more tech-advanced home console next gen.

Super excited about 3DS and what Ninty has to offer as a console soon! Next e3 should be even more killer!

[NWR_insanolord]

I have no doubt that it will launch in Japan first; that's a pretty obvious prediction. I cant see the price being that high, though. $299 would be twice as much as any Nintendo handheld has ever launched at, and even more than any console has. Also, I don't think the hardware we've seen at all justifies that price.

[Sarail]

Realistically, I see this thing launching at $199.

[Toruresu]

We all know how accurate analysts are with Nintendo.

[Spak-Spang]

I think the analyst will be wrong...and is probably working on faulty information.

Nobody knows what is in the 3DS.  The analyst is probably working with rumors of the hardware being more powerful than the Wii and closer to the Xbox 360 and so forth.

I believe those rumors are actually quite non-sense.  Specially after seeing what Nintendo is displaying.  I see a launch point of $199.99 potentially less...and I don't see it releasing until next year honestly. 

I am really excited about the 3DS, but I think many have hyped it too much, and analysts making predictions of costs are crazy, because realistically we don't know anything about the system...and we won't know until it is released and someone opens it up and looks inside.  Nintendo isn't one to talk specs about hardware...it isn't important to them.

[oohhboy]

I would refuse to buy it at more than $200. While the it is more powerful, I don't see where all the extra money is going to at a higher price.

I don't know where they are getting their numbers, but I reckon someone is snorting too much powdered PSPs and mainlining rrod 360s. Historically Nintendo has always been able to keep the price low. I don't see that changing unless they want to eat a bitter pill.

[AV]

I think 250 is pushing it but the highest it could be. $300 would be asking allot, yeah it delivers but damn the economy hasn't improved that much yet.


Maybe in Japan it will cost that much but they always have more expensive tech. Isn't the DS Lite still $185 or something?

[Louieturkey]

The DS Lite is $129.  The DSi is $169 and the DSi XL is $189.

[KDR_11k]

It may sound like an amazing system right now but I don't think the tech in it is genuinely expensive and I don't think Nintendo has a chance maintaining their current huge handheld market if they went for more than 150. The DSi and XL cost more because they're special high end systems but the mainline version can't be too expensive.

[NWR_insanolord]

I don't think it's going to be $250, but I'd be more surprised if it were $150. It seems to me that it's a lock for $200.

[Louieturkey]

I defintiely think it will be in the $150-$200 range.  Any higher and it'll just be that price until the PSP2 releases.

[stevey]

The price is outrages, the highest it's going to cost will be ~$184.95. Both the DS and Wii released in the US before Japan and I doubt Nintendo is going to miss the NA holiday season just to release 3DS in Japan before US. Everyone in japan isn't going to so quick in throwing out their DSs to get a 3DS so they may as well wait for more games to show off 3D.

[KDR_11k]

Even 200 is too much. This is just an incremental upgrade of the DS, while the enthusiast market is a shoe-in I'm not sure how Nintendo is going to grab the expanded audience again (and without those people they'd have a shrinking userbase which is catastrophic).

[NWR_insanolord]

This is just an incremental upgrade of the DS

Bullshit

[Pale]

I do think it will appear to be an incremental upgrade to the DS, unless they do something drastic with packaging.  You're average Mom will go into a Wal-Mart that Uncle Bob doesn't work at and inquire about the difference between the 200-250 dollar 3DS and the 150 dollar DSi.  The Wal-Mart clerk will then say "Well that one has 3D."  The mom could then very well say "That aint worth 100 dollars."

Unlike previous handheld generation changes, I think Nintendo should consider phasing out the DS ASAP after launch to avoid that confusion.  There won't really be a reason to keep it around given the 3DS backwards compatibility.

[NeoStar9X]

"Analyst" have been wrong about Nintendo a LOT this generation starting with the Nintendo DS 1. I don't think the 3DS will cost anymore then $199 at the most. It could even be less then that. They aren't about to price this higher then the Wii.

[NWR_insanolord]

The reason to keep it around is that it has a much higher profit margin than the 3DS will have, and even without any real marketing or software support it will continue to sell for years, meaning free money for Nintendo.

[UncleBob]

I do think it will appear to be an incremental upgrade to the DS, unless they do something drastic with packaging.  You're average Mom will go into a Wal-Mart that Uncle Bob doesn't work at and inquire about the difference between the 200-250 dollar 3DS and the 150 dollar DSi.  The Wal-Mart clerk will then say "Well that one has 3D."  The mom could then very well say "That aint worth 100 dollars."

**fast forward 12 months**

Kid: "Mommy, mommy, I want *this* game!"
Mom: ::looks at game:: "Only for Nintendo 3DS... wtf?!?"

**meanwhile, at Nintendo HQ**

Reggie: "Ha-ha!  Now, little Timmy's mom bought two DSes when she could have bought one.  My evil plan is working perfectly!"

[ShyGuy]

Considering people lapping up the IPhone 4 and the IPad, I think Nintendo will price this higher. I don't want to pay more than $200 myself, unless it has a killer app I can't live without.

[King of Twitch]

$299 my butt. Go back to analyzing your neighbor's overgrown hedges, old man.

[stevey]

Considering people lapping up the IPhone 4 and the IPad, I think Nintendo will price this higher.

Nintendo is not apple and that's why I love them.

[pyrokamileon]

I totally see it being worth $300 but I really hope they don't charge that much...  before really thinking about it much I was thinking that $200 would really fit the product all things considered and that really is the area that I hope they can keep it at...  that's about what I'd wanna pay.  but then again Apple is showing us time and time again that the average person who wants a new shiny handheld device is willing to pay multiple hundreds to get it!!

[Louieturkey]

I totally see it being worth $300 but I really hope they don't charge that much...  before really thinking about it much I was thinking that $200 would really fit the product all things considered and that really is the area that I hope they can keep it at...  that's about what I'd wanna pay.  but then again Apple is showing us time and time again that the average person who wants a new shiny handheld device is willing to pay multiple hundreds to get it!!

I almost fell for their "early termination" of the contract to upgrade to the iPhone 4.  But there is no point as long as the 3GS is still supported.  I may upgrade in 2 years, but not now just to get the new shiny flatter one.
The DS is a completely different idea.  For the most part, any change has been cosmetic in it.  The 3DS goes way beyond on the upgrade scale compared to what has been happening with the iPhone.  Nintendo is much better at this.  It is why I will get a 3DS around launch time.