Drops to $169.99 on August 12th
Today, Nintendo announced a drastic price drop for its handheld 3DS system, effective in about two weeks’ time.
Beginning August 12th, the price point in North America will drop from $249.99 to $169.99. Those price cuts will ripple around the world, with Japan getting the largest percentage cut at 40%. The move was made on continued disappointing sales of the system. Global 3DS console sales missed a target of 4 million sold during FY 2011.
Those who bought or buy the 3DS before the 12th won’t be left out in the cold. According to Kotaku’s spin on the day’s news, gamers who bought or buy the system before the price drop are allowed 20 free downloads on the 3DS eShop–10 downloads a piece from a pending NES and Game Boy Advance Virtual Console selection. The former will launch in September, with GBA to follow after at a time undetermined.
Nintendo stock has tanked on the news, down over ten percent in trading on the pink sheets as of the time of this article’s publication. Nintendo’s domestic stock is down about 75 percent from its Wii-era highs in late 2007.
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I think Nintendo is having some serious problems now. I mean 3DS sells poorly, People arent interested in WiiU (Famitsu had a pool and only 32% of Japanese people are interested in WiiU rest think its nothing special or are neutral)
Well I am not fanboy but I had DS but I wont buy 3DS. Its because its DS with 3D function and WiiU is bigger DS with upper screen being TV and touchscreen being the screen on Pad. Nitendo was innovative with Wii and DS and now they are playing it safe. I think PSVita will win this handeld war but thats just my opinion.
This is a good thing, maybe now I’ll buy it! My birthday is in September 13th. Today I’m getting me a metropcs phone lol
Oh, Nintendo. Haven’t you learned by now that you can’t sell a system with NO GAEMS at such a high price?
And lol at the 20 free downloads of old games.
I think part of what made the 3DS less than successful would be the lack of a strong launch lineup. Nintendo shot themselves in the foot by not including any of their popular first-party franchises like Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, or Metroid at launch, and instead giving us more forgettable titles like Nintendogs and Pilotwings.
I own all of the previously released Nintendo handhelds (from the original Game Boy to the DS), but I still have yet to buy a 3DS. I hoped it wouldn’t turn out like the Virtual Boy with the whole 3D gimmick, but it seems like it just may go down that route, sadly.
The games like Luigi’s Mansion 2, Mario Kart 3DS, and Sonic Generations are why I may get one and that price drop will also change prices on sites like ebay.
Now…I may consider buying this, I’m still debating, waiting longer (maybe sometime around Christmas) would probably be wiser. $250 and titles that I don’t even second glance at…features that aren’t available…was a definite NO. Plus the 3D didn’t turn out how it was being advertised (inverted rather than popping out at you). The 3D still works, it’s neat, not anything awe inspiring of revolutionary enough for me to cough up $250 which is what Nintendo was probably banking on it’s audience to do. Bad move. Now…full availability of hardware + incredible/must have titles + Price drop = SOLD!!! That’s simple math with any gaming system.
A price drop sounds promising… my fiance loves Kingdom Hearts, so a 3DS would allow her to get Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance as well as 358/2 Days, and I could play some interesting 3DS and DS games, as well, which I really haven’t had the chance to play before.
But I have to wait until I have more money, of course. That’s a definite.
Seriously? A price drop now? And one that low after I buy the da-…..wait? 20 free games? I feel better now.
Safe to say that everyone can come to the agreement that the disappointing numbers are due to a lack of strong launch titles. Don’t know what they were thinking there either? But the hardware works and that’s good enough for me…as should be for everyone else. And I really wish people would stop complaining about the Wii U. Seriously…quit crying about the name…you’ll be over it by the time it comes out anyway. It’s gonna do full 1080P HD…it takes some pretty impressive power to trans code that. What more do you want. Nintendo knows how to revolutionize the market better than anyone. They’ve proved it time and time again. So just quit making complaints. It’s too early to discredit them because the system is no where close to being released yet.
NOW I’m willing to buy one once I get a job. Thank you, Nintendo.
@Mike
Yeah, lol at Nintendo giving me free things I would have bought with my own money…wait.
Won’t buy one until they put full retail 3DS games on their e-shop which means I will never get a 3DS because Nintendo are run by cavemen that are afraid of the changing landscape of the handheld market.
@Skai Cyan
Free games that are currently “free” on any PC oh joy as opposed to something that actually fully uses the features of the system.. The DS thrived on it’s original games but with the 3DS is riding it’s relics as hard as it can.
Hmm, maybe I’ll buy one now that they’re cheaper. Or should I wait until later when they might be even lower in price? Anyway, the reason I want one is because my own DS is an original model that doesn’t have DSi, and I want to download bonus content on WiFi!
Wait, when is the 20 free downloadable games gonna start??
@SA3 2011 – I’m not so sure about PSVita winning, because 3DS has Zelda, StarFox, Luigi’s Mansion, Super Mario 3DS, Paper Mario 3DS, Mario Kart 3DS, Solid Snake, etc…..PSVita may have better graphics, but 3DS is more fun, and has all of the win titles. These days people may care about graphics, but most of us just care about FUN games
Yeah the PSVita thing looks cool, but Sony has proven before, that they know nothing about hand held Consoles. And if you ask me the Vita seems like the Love Child of a PsP and and Ipod. It seems like Sony is more Focused on media rather then games.
But the price Drop is Good thing (not only because it Drops on my B-day xD-sweet) But because the whole Retails as much as a Ps3 is (250$ now or something right? )
was extremely pricey for a hand held. I’ll be honest No Handheld should be above 200$ That’s why I don’t see the Vita selling well, it’s 300$ more than Current Ps3
But, the Price drop in August is a Very good Marketing Ploy, Mostly Because all of the Flag Ship Tittles are coming in September, November,December,and so on.
Nintendo usually knows what their doing when it comes to Marketing.
yay now its actually within a realistic price range
I knew it!
…but now I’m slightly worried for them. I really do like Nintendo and I’d almost want to get one just to support them…
@Sideshowshane The PS3 Slim is worth 300 dollars, new; and the Vita will be worth 250 dollars without 3G, and 300 with 3G. The Vita isn’t expensive at all. XD
However, Nintendo always has the better titles, but it looks like 3rd parties are starting to lose trust in Nintendo, which is a bad thing. Then there’s also the fact that Nintendo is making way too much remakes and stuff, which WILL drive people away. And then, there’s the whole gimmick pertaining the handheld itself.
this is weird. just yesterday i developed a SLIGHT interest for the 3ds, and i prayed for a discount. well, God blessed the USA and beyond!
*Tatsumaki’s post*
but I can see it but yeah I have problems. But I dont have problems with “Glasses” 3D 
^^^
THIS THIS AND THIS! This is what is happening now sadly. 3DS is just DS with 3D gimmick sadly. And its technology is really… strange and unstable. I mean I have glasses and sadly I have problems with 3DSs 3D effect
@Rickyrick
I know because its not “hardware sells software” rule. Its “Software sells Hardware” rule but some develpers forget it. But Vita is going to have really great titles. Dont get me wrong I wish 3DS best but I just feel that people dont see this innovative feel that I had with DS.
I felt like “WOW 2 screens such great posisbilities!”. Now I played my cousins’s 3DS and I dont feel it
and I saw 3D effect in Ocarina of Time. It was great game but now my cousin is considerating selling 3DS.
I hope both Vita and 3DS will do great so I will buy both
@Tatsumaki it’s expensive for me xD I’m not rich, and I would rather pay 300$ for a full Console rather then a hand Held, but that’s just me I guess xD.
I just see 170$ being the Perfect Price. The Original DS was149$ , DSlite being Cheaper actually, Dsi being 159$, and the XL being 10$ more. I just think that just Under 200$ is a good Price range for the System.
3DS GOT NO GAEMS
Nintendo the next Sega in the vidoe game industry.
JESUS!! An $80 price drop?! Well, it should start selling a lot better now.
@Tatsumaki
Wasnt that 200$ without 3G and 250$ with 3G? I think soo.
*so*
I’m loving Nintendo’s new attitude. That have made some mistakes, but they are jumping right on those mistakes and are rectifying them straight-away. That’s how you do it. People complained about the price and late of titles? Well Nintendo is addressing both issues the best that they can. You can’t take half-done games an rush them out to the marketplace. Take your time and do it right.
Thank you Nintendo! Thank you!
(Current 3DS owner)
@CDrom
I seriously doubt that most people’s issues with the WiiU are related to it’s name. Also, 1080p? Big whoop. That’s old news. It’s the standard now, something to be EXPECTED, not praised. Nintendo is CATCHING UP in that regard.
I’m still waiting to see how a touch screen game gear sized controller is going to “revolutionize” the industry. So far all I’m seeing is from WiiU is a bigger, fatter HD DS, and I don’t even like the REGULAR DS (its best games would be just as good or better with a single screen). Revolutionary my ass.
@Tmsp95
No dude, not even close…
@Tatsumaki
What? How are 2 remakes too much?
@ChaoticFox
The controller looks nothing like a DS nor is it HD…
Good thing I waited.
Update: Early 3DS buyers will get 20 FREE virtual console games by choice. Including the new announced GBA games!
While I’m glad Nintendo decided to cut down on the price of the 3DS (though $150 would be better IMO), they REALLY need to step it up (with MML3′s cancellation & the permanent save-file issues of RE: Mercenaries and now Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions).
Like Blippa said, I love Nintendo and I would buy a 3DS just to support them but with only the good games being SSFIV: 3D and the Legend of Zelda: OoT 3D, Nintendo’s in quite a predicament. Hopefully things will go easier around the holiday season.
Kinda happy to get free games. I personally do not care if Vita wins or if the 3DS wins I just hope that both have a good base so that developers will develop games for them. I already have the 3DS and so far I am very happy with it and I am considering buying the Vita. However, from buying the 3DS I learned that one should not buy a console (or anything else for that matter) at launch.
Can anyone say free sonic advance?
@chaotic fox So….you wouldn’t want to play a game on the controller if you couldn’t use the TV? Does the concept video for the controller not show you different ways it will revolutionize the industry? Because it’s revolutionary to me. And as I said, 1080P takes a good amount of processing power to instantly transcode that kind of video. It’s already been said that it’s going to be more powerful than the current generation of consoles. Nintendo is smart enough to know that it has to be. And to re-iterate, it’s far to early to discredit Nintendo for anything when the damn console is likely to go through even more (and better) changes from now until release.
At the end of the day…haters will hate. My stance on arguments is and always have been “i don’t give a damn what you think, I know what I like” And what I like is Nintendo. If you don’t, fine, don’t ruin it for the rest of us (and do yourself a favor and look up the details before arguing. As I said, it’s already been mentioned that it’s going to be more powerful than the current generation of consoles.
And I agree, Nintendo knows they did wrong and they’re fixing the problems. It’s more than I can say about other companies.
Oh and just a fun little comment for the people mentioning the PS Vita.
For the record, I’m not a sony fan, and never will be. But did you know that the word Vita means Life? Think about it. Sony has effectively told every one of their fans/people that buy their products to get a “life”. Seems more like an insult than an Idea lol.
But that’s all…I won’t go into the details as to why I think the vita will fail. Don’t want to ruin the fun for other people.
Can I return my 3DS full price and then just buy it back a few days later for a cheaper price? lol.
Thank goodness. I’ve been wanting a 3DS since it was first announced.
SWEET VICTORY! Thank you Nintendo!
@Sonikdude
I never said the controller thing was HD, just the console in general. My point is that the second screen on the controller is like the second screen on the DS. TWO SCREEN GAMING IS NOT REVOLUTIONARY. It’s also not even a good idea, lol. Making your primary input that awkward and uncomfortable just for the sake of giving us an extra gimmicky touch screen we don’t even need? Yeah, wow… mind blown. The future of gaming right here, folks!
@CDrom
I’m a grown man. I own my TV. There is never an instance in my life where my TV is unavailable to me and I would want to play next-gen games on a derpy little touch screen game gear that doesn’t even support the full graphical output of the main console (according to Sonikdude, anyway). Never.
The console may go through changes and may yet end up bringing something to the table that might impress me… but they’re not going to change their core concept this late in the game, and that core concept is still stupid as shit and guaranteed to detract from anything else I might find enjoyable about the console.
I feel the same way about the DS – it has some really great games for it, yet almost none of which are ENHANCED by the dual screen gameplay but actually hindered by it. So you’ll have to excuse me if I have little faith in a company re-using the same gimmick that didn’t work the first time, by just adding a little more horsepower under the hood. Graphics alone do not impress me. The WiiU could have hardware that could launch a fucking spaceship into orbit for all I care, but if they don’t give me a DAMN good reason to try holding something that bulky and awkward, I’m couldn’t give two shits. And if they dare make that second touch screen mandatory for important parts of gameplay, I will fucking nerdrage because that shit is just unnecessary and will undoubtedly detract from the experience of even the most enjoyable of games.
Also, your motto makes you sound like an ignorant fanboy. I like what I like too. I like Nintendo too. But that doesn’t mean everything they do is instantly great. I own a Wii and I love it, but I can tell you that almost every game I buy better be classic controller compatible, because the motion control gimmick of the console STILL does not thrill me. Even Twilight Princess, which was great, would have been more fun with a traditional controller. A console can still thrive despite its bullshit gimmicks, but that doesn’t make those gimmicks great.
Yes I’m a grown man 2 and I’m starting to realize that games and consoles r targeting a new audience built up from a new generation of gamers. We no longer rule the roost and so we go with the flow or make it a no go – me I’m starting 2 no go! The games today thrive on reality but games are fantasy and so the new have been lulled and fooled into a living reality while forgoing the beauty we experienced in our youth. Thus final fantasy no longer a fantasy, rather a reality of lack luster sales and lack luster ingenuity based on a world craving for modern wherefore,
@ChaoticFox
150 million people, including myself, would say otherwise. Even though i completely disagree, that’s your opinion and i can respect that.
@Sonical
So by that logic I should just pirate (read: steal, no matter how old it is) every game for my Wii too right? Idiot. 3DS is getting original games, Nintendo held off so third parties could
drop the ball and not performstand a chance of competing on their console, but Nintendo’s games (a Paper Mario, a Mario Kart, a Mario main series, a Luigi, an Animal Crossing, Kid Icarus, and a Smash in the distance) are coming and soon. I guess my 3DS library will be just like my N64 and Wii’s, mostly Nintendo until other devs learn how to make good games.@Gorb That’s what i was thinking.
Anyway, I’m still on the fence on the 3DS. Still no games I’m interested in (the Mario games and Starfox 64 3D are the only ones that have a bit of my attention). Gonna see how Sony’s gonna respond to Nintendo’s 3DS price drop, as well as Vita’s launch. A price drop on Vita to (possibly) $200 (Wi-Fi)/$250 (3g+WiFi)? Or free games when you buy one? I’m just gonna sit back, wait, and see……
Well… this still means I’m getting a 3DS.
@chaotic fox I’m gonna take a guess and say you weren’t watching G4′s floor coverage of E3 when 2 of their reporters who actually held the controller said that at first glance it looks clunky but is actually light and comfortable.
From your point of view, I also gain the impression that you are the kind of person that like simplicity and nothing more. Fair enough. Some people don’t like the motion controls. Don’t look down on a company because you don’t like it when (as sonik dude has already said) 150 million people would say otherwise. There’s also no way you can say it will “undoubtedly” detract from the gaming experience yet because you haven’t even touched the controller or played a Wii U game yet. (at least I don’t think you have. In which case, if, and ONLY if you have, I should give you a little more credit) From the looks of it, the concepts will actually enhance how we play certain games. And Twilight Princess could be played with a traditional controller. It’s called the GameCube version.
And for those who do care, a quote straight out of this month’s GamePro
“Nintendo Wii U reportedly 50% more powerful than a PS3?”
GamePro Quotes
“The Wii U controller may look awkward to grip, but we’ve handled it, and it’s actually pretty comfortable”
“Nintendo Wii U reportedly 50% more powerful than PS3?”
@Sonikdude
Would disagree with which part, exactly? Just because someone might own a DS doesn’t mean they find the dual screen gimmick “revolutionary”… it could mean nothing more than that they caved and bought a silly piece of hardware in order to continue enjoying premium software (like I did with my Wii). I’m not saying the DS sucks, I’m just saying the second screen is rarely, if ever, an enhancement to the gameplay. I bet a lot of people who own DSs would agree with that.
@CDrom
I couldn’t give a rat’s ass what a couple of people say about how a controller feels. I know a ton of people enjoy the GC controller, which I consider to be one of the worst in existence. I have a friend who prefers the original Xbox’s football-sized gamepads more than the slimmer modern designs. That’s all a matter of personal preference, and to me the Wii U still seems gaudy. I don’t care if it’s light, it still looks much too big to allow for continuous comfortable natural-feeling gaming (and don’t even get me started on the touch screen).
You’re right. I’m an old-school classic-style gamer. Simplicity is perfection, in my opinion. I play games on controllers because that is what feels right to me. If I enjoyed flailing my arms around I wouldn’t be indoors in front of my TV. I’m sure there are others who like it, and I’m not trying to prove that Nintendo is the devil and the Wii U will fail miserably… just that it’s primary gimmick does not seem to revolutionize the industry for the traditional gamer.
Who knows? I may still end up getting one. Like I said to Sonikdude, sometimes it’s worth it to purchase unnecessary gimmicky hardware in order to continue enjoying premium software. Maybe there will still be cool games for it, maybe there will be a similar “classic controller” option like the Wii had… The Wii U isn’t going to be a total bomb, but I still maintain that nothing about it’s core concept will really be that revolutionary, and my skepticism will remain high until I am proven otherwise. The DS and Wii didn’t really wow me (as consoles, that is – they each had some great games), and I know I would have had a lot more fun with each of them if they had just stuck to a more traditional format… so I have a hard time believing things will be any different this time around.
@ChaoticFox
Your whole stance on the DS, basically. I found it to be very innovative for it’s time. When it was first revealed, many people were saying it was going to be a complete failure and it became the best selling gaming machine of all time. Things these days don’t sell unless they move the industry forward. The DS did just that.