Nintendo Slashing 3DS Price by a Third

[Mr. Omega]

Ok, I'm just gonna copy-paste something I put in another thread, taking out one or two points...

1: I find it hilarious that a lot of people before were going "I'm not getting it until it gets a price cut!" and now are coming up with all sorts of other reasons to justify it now that there actually is a price cut, rather than just the good, legitimate excuse "I don't want one." This doesn't just apply for this site.

2: Well everyone who bought it before the price cut gets a bunch of free games from the EShop. 10 GBA games and 10 NES games, which will likely be worth more in total than the extra $80. Granted, this doesn't happen until the end of the year, but that's more likely to build up the library of those two in the EShop (There aren't any GBA games at all in the EShop Virtual Console at this point, and only two NES games).

3: I honestly think this is a very smart move. Besides the fact that it wasn't selling that well, the Vita is coming out soon, and this gives Nintendo another thing to use as a selling point. Now they just need to work on the game library...

4: Now if they can redirect some of that marketing on things other than the fucking 3D, like the better graphics, better controls, better online system, advertise the EShop a little more and the GAMES, maybe more of the "hardcore" crowd can shut about with all the cries of "GIMMICK GIMMICK GIMMICK" and false claims of "3D is the only thing the 3DS has!"

5: This still doesn't solve one of the bigger problems: The 3DS lacks system-selling games. The biggest games aren't coming out for months. After said months, this will be a moot point, but those months haven't passed, so the complaint is still legitimate. Every game I've bought to play on the 3DS so far besides one exception could be played on the other versions of the DS.

Good move by Nintendo, still a few things that need to be fixed, but I sure as hell ain't complaining.

 

[mjc0961]

While this is good news for anyone who wanted a 3DS but didn't want to spend $250, it's hard to see it as anything other than an effort to boost sales. It's no secret that the 3DS didn't sell as well as Nintendo would have liked, and such a dramatic reduction in price after such a short period of time seems like little more than an attempt to increase the install base.

And Vita. Don't forget Vita's wifi only model (which is the only model worth discussing as the 3G model is powered by AT&T and thus useless) is also going to be $250, and that would put Nintendo in a really bad spot if they left the 3DS at that price.

Hopefully Nintendo learns that they shouldn't jack up the price just because people are excited about something at E3. A high price and very weak game lineup kills excitement pretty damn quickly.

 

[mjc0961]

I think the most interesting thing that it revealed is that GBA games are practically confirmed for the 3DS Virtual Console now.

No they aren't. The GBA games are only for people who get their 3DS early. I don't know why it wasn't mentioned, but the GBA games aren't coming to the eShop for people to buy.

By the end of 2011, Nintendo will provide Ambassadors with 10 Game Boy Advance Virtual Console games. These include games like Yoshi's Island?: Super Mario? Advance 3, Mario Kart?: Super Circuit, Metroid? Fusion, WarioWare?, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ and Mario vs. Donkey Kong?. These games will be available exclusively to Ambassadors, and Nintendo currently has no plans to make these 10 games available to the general public on the Nintendo 3DS in the future.

http://press.nintendo.com/articles.jsp?id=30048

EDIT: Ah shit. I accidentally hit post when I meant to add this to my original post. Sorry.

 

[Traipse]

I can't speak for anyone else, but the reasons I don't have a 3DS yet has nothing to do with the price.

[1] There isn't any ONE single game that will make me buy a game machine. There has to be at least three games out there that I'm interested in playing before I'll pony up the cash. Right now the 3DS doesn't have any: I'm waiting for Cave Story, Super Mario Whatever, and Layton vs Wright.

[2] The blue one looks atrocious and the black one looks meh. Nintendo probably will have better colours in the future. Heck, if they churn out a gold one with the Zelda rehash as a bundle for Christmas, I'll snag that (given of course, at least two of the other games in [1] are out then).

[3] Something, something, something, battery life.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Does the glasses free still induce the same headaches like those from 3D movies?

 

[vxicepickxv]

I wonder if the price drop has to do with the shock of the Vita being 250.

 

[pluizig]

"The programme contains two elements:

1.Beginning Sept. 1st, Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors will be able to download 10 NES? Virtual Console? games at no charge and before they are available in Nintendo eShop for the general public. These games, including Super Mario Bros.?, Donkey Kong Jr.?, Balloon Fight?, Ice Climber? and The Legend of Zelda?, will be released as paid downloadable games, but Ambassadors can download them in advance of launch for free. Once the paid versions of the games are released in Nintendo eShop later in the year, the updated versions will be available to Ambassadors for download at no cost.

2. By the end of 2011, Nintendo will provide Ambassadors with 10 Game Boy Advance Virtual Console games. These include games like Yoshi?s Island?: Super Mario? Advance 3, Mario Kart?: Super Circuit, Metroid? Fusion, WarioWare?, Inc.: Minigame Mania and Mario vs. Donkey Kong?. These games will be available exclusively to Ambassadors, and Nintendo currently has no plans to make these 10 games available to the general public on Nintendo 3DS in the future."

From Nintendo of Europe's site.

What does the bolded part mean? We can download them before they are available, and once the paid versions are in the eShop, we van download the 'updated versions'? Does this mean the earlier free downloads aren't the full product?

 

[k0n9]

So..fail Nintendo?

3DS...that sounds rather familiar...oh yeah you have the DS thing too...oh and they look almost exactly the same...and your main selling point is something that cannot be shown in Advertisments...and it's a Eye-Strain...and it is a gimmick that would have to be meaningfully implemented into a Game to give it any worth beyond that of a pure novelty feature...and your game lineup sucks...and those Games that are coming are pretty much warmed up leftovers of known classics and rehashes of the same games you've been making for around 20 years...nope, just as clueless as you are as to why customers seem disinterested.

Maybe, just maybe, you should have tried a new Design and new Name? You know, give people that aren't totally in the know when it comes to gaming any reason to believe this is something completly different then the difference between a DS and a DSLite?

Oh crap, you're pulling the same shit with your next home console...except what people will see there are Ports of Games that have already been out for ages on the other consoles, then those will get their follow-ups and the WiiU will be exactly where the Wii is...shitty Gamesville.

See Nintendo, I know full well why I jumped ship after the N64. You got lucky with the Wii, now it looks like you decided you wanted to do a few more Gamecube caliber things...hey, thats cool with me, maybe I'll see a Mario Game on another Console in the next decade when you go the way of Sega.

I'm starting to find "rehash" to be the most overused word when describing Nintendo(no matter how true it is), because guess what? Every game company relies on brand recognition to some extent. Especially Activision(I know everybody hates them but...), if isn't a new CoD or MW game than no one will give two shits about it. I agree with the part about a new name and design. But the WiiU is clearly a new console, consoles don't get different models like handhelds, I mean, did you really see a WiiXL, WiiLite or Wii250 gig?

 

[therandombear]

"The programme contains two elements:

1.Beginning Sept. 1st, Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors will be able to download 10 NES? Virtual Console? games at no charge and before they are available in Nintendo eShop for the general public. These games, including Super Mario Bros.?, Donkey Kong Jr.?, Balloon Fight?, Ice Climber? and The Legend of Zelda?, will be released as paid downloadable games, but Ambassadors can download them in advance of launch for free. Once the paid versions of the games are released in Nintendo eShop later in the year, the updated versions will be available to Ambassadors for download at no cost.

2. By the end of 2011, Nintendo will provide Ambassadors with 10 Game Boy Advance Virtual Console games. These include games like Yoshi?s Island?: Super Mario? Advance 3, Mario Kart?: Super Circuit, Metroid? Fusion, WarioWare?, Inc.: Minigame Mania and Mario vs. Donkey Kong?. These games will be available exclusively to Ambassadors, and Nintendo currently has no plans to make these 10 games available to the general public on Nintendo 3DS in the future."

From Nintendo of Europe's site.

What does the bolded part mean? We can download them before they are available, and once the paid versions are in the eShop, we van download the 'updated versions'? Does this mean the earlier free downloads aren't the full product?

Sounds like that, but that sounds silly. I have no idea.

 

[Raeil]

This was a brilliant and underhanded move by Nintendo. I'm ok with it, because I think the 20 games will be worth the 80 extra bucks I spent on the system. However, it still must be mentioned that this was an extremely underhanded move to make more money, and I'm not sure how well it speaks to the image that Nintendo likes to maintain.

I think it has more to do with all of the developers jumping ship than just making a quick buck. Nintendo wants long term sales on the console and the games, and if not enough people buy the console, nobody will want to make games for it.

See: Dreamcast

I hadn't considered this part of the argument (mostly because I was just about to go to sleep when I typed that. Thanks for bringing this up. The reason I described this move as underhanded is mostly because I (and anyone else who bought/buys a 3DS) have lost 80 bucks to Ninty. Sure, we're getting money back with the games, but the question is "Would I have bought those games without this promotion?" Since some people are bound to answer no, that's extra money for Ninty.

Admittedly, since we bought one, we agreed that $250 was a good trade for a 3DS, so I retract saying the price drop is underhanded (for this reason and the reason you mention above).

 

[Saltyk]

Wow. That's cool. I still don't care though. I was perfectly happy with my DS. Why would I want a DS with 3D? Even a more powerful DS with 3D? I'm personally boycotting 3D in all forms and hoping that will prevent the stupid push for 3D.

Sorry Nintendo, even if you release the best handheld game in history on the 3DS, I will never buy one. How about you use a better selling point than 3D next time.
[sub]Though it does suck, since Star Fox looks really good...[/sub]

 

[Baneat]

Twenty downloadable games? ugh.. downloadable..

What else were they supposed to do? It's the easiest way to distribute games with assurance that they bought their 3DS before the deadline and it makes sure no one is taking advantage of them.

I happen to really like this idea. I bought a 3DS day one and was kind of upset when I heard the price was going down so much, but 20 free games is kind of a lot. At least they actually care about us enough to give us some free games, but now they've made it obvious to people who weren't already aware that they just need the money. Either way, I'm excited to see what games make it on the list.

Just that none of the games available for download are worth anything to me, because I don't want them.

 

[Singularly Datarific]

Nintendo, you have screwed up launching a system for once. Do you feel bad? The problem is that even a price drop this drastic is only ONE of TWO parts to making people buy it. The other is making decent games for it.

 

[Axle_Bullitt_19]

Oh thank you nintendo! I so can't wait to get some of those new games

 

[Towowo2]

Launch lineups have never been good on any console/handheld launch. Why people expect the 3DS to break this trend is beyond me.

 

[starwarsgeek]

Sweet, free Ice Climber, Metroid Fusion, and Balloon Fight! And a combination of portable versions of games I already own and not having to carry my old DS for those games are a nice bonus.
I wonder when they'll reveal the rest of the games?

 

[SelectivelyEvil13]

...even going as far as to say that it had the strongest lineup of any videogame console this holiday season. These games include the 3DS re-release of Starfox 64, and new Mario, Mario Kart and Kid Icarus games.

Starfox 64 - Re-release... that should have happened on a console rather than a game boy...[sub]Or at least more Starfox attention when I bought your bloody Gamecube. *grumble*[/sub]

New Mario - It's Mario, sheesh Nintendo, get over yourselves. It's not like you're branching out much from the sine qua non of a Nintendo anything.

New Mario Kart - And the requisite Mario themed multiplayer game. Go on.

Kid Icarus - Well, at leas you tried, Nintendo, at stretching your limbs towards something refreshing... in that sort of genre/market group, if you will.

The titles themselves have a strong push, but in the end, it all comes off as "samey" to me in that there is nothing that appeals to other groups. I always found that to be the biggest detractor for me when it comes to Nintendo: where are the games that aren't animated or unequivocally "E" for "everyone?" I won't joke about "where are the games that aren't an established franchise, because by now that seems implicit, yet completely unnegotiable.

It's nice that the big N isn't leaving early adopters out in the cold, at least.