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Nintendo Expected To Drop GBA Price To $80US

Posted by timothy on from the that's-more-than-a-box-of-cheerios dept.

cdneng2 writes "gamesindustry.biz has the scoop that Nintendo is dropping the GBA price down to $80 in North America later this week! The $20 cut is aimed to stimulate sales for the Christmas run-up. The article also indicated that DS is rumoured to sell for $179 US."

33 comments

  1. oops by ickna · · Score: 1

    "indicated taht" or indicated that?

    --
    - ickna http://www.ickna.com
  2. My first first post? by mrgreen4242 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Hopefully the article is wrong and Nintendo prices the DS at the $149.99. I think that is the magic place for a handheld right now, and going over that will make people (me at least) wait for the first price drop before buying.

    1. Re:My first first post? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Don't be so sure. Nintendo does a lot of marketing research and they know that there's a large section of faithful customers that will buy their new gadgets at any nominal price point. If they can sell 10,000 units at a $40 profit, they'll do that well before they sell 30,000 units at only $10 profit.

  3. SP by StocDred · · Score: 4, Informative
    Please replace all instances of "GBA" with "GBA SP".

    There, now you have a news story.

    1. Re:SP by Cecil · · Score: 2, Funny

      Then all you have to do is replace 'taht' with 'that' to get a passingly professional news story.

      --
      Random and weird software I've written.
  4. In other News by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Isn't this what every company does before they announce a new product for sale? IIRC, the Gameboy and original GBA went down in price the same way the SP is.

  5. Emulation and piracy by Kethinov · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I wouldn't be surprised if the drop in price also had something to do with an attempt to combat piracy of GBA roms due to widespread GBA emulation.

    Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge console emulation enthusiast and I've even pirated my fair share of ROMs. (Made a few of my own as well.) But the GBA is not a state of the art console. It's just another single threaded SNES except modern technology allows us to make it portable.

    Modern emu programmers didn't have to deal with the enormous complexities involved in emulating N64 or Gamecube in writing a GBA emu, so a perfect emulation is achievable exponentially sooner.

    So since GBA achieves high compatibility relatively early on the scene, new commercial games work in the emulator out of the box. If modern commercial games work in the emu out of the box, what point is there in buying the console?

    Some people would respond with, "Portability, stupid!" But many people don't buy a GBA because it's portable but because it's the only platform with the games they want to play. (There are a number of excellent games for the GBA.)

    I imagine this rapid early success of the GBA emu scene cuts into Nintendo's profits more subtantially than ever before.

    --
    You're right, I wouldn't steal a car. But if it were possible, I sure as hell would download one!
    1. Re:Emulation and piracy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ask anyone who played Tetris on the Gameboy for years if they achieve "the feeling" in a PC or PDA.

    2. Re:Emulation and piracy by VendingMenace · · Score: 4, Insightful

      If they wanted to combat piracy of GBA roms, then woundn't it make more sense to make the GAMES cheaper?

      I mean, people can just take the roms and then put write them onto a cartridge and play them for free. Especially if you already have the ROMS becuase you were emulating them.

      It just seems to me that making the system cheaper does not really do anything to curb the theft of roms. Those that have the enclination to steal them still will. In fact, i would imagine that making the system cheaper (at least in the hand-held department) makes piracy MORE appealing. Basically because once you get the roms and write them to your own catridge, you get the benifit of free game AND the advantage of the portable system.

      Of course, i could be WAY off base here. That is entirely possible. These are just my thoughts :D

    3. Re:Emulation and piracy by Kethinov · · Score: 2, Interesting

      On the surface yes. But look at from this perspective. By making the console cheaper they make emulation less appealing. The more sales of the console, the more sales of games, regardless of game price. Once you sell'm the console, they'll buy your games.

      --
      You're right, I wouldn't steal a car. But if it were possible, I sure as hell would download one!
    4. Re:Emulation and piracy by sammaffei · · Score: 1

      But many people don't buy a GBA because it's portable but because it's the only platform with the games they want to play.

      Whaaa? I have a GBA SP because it's good, solid and cheap portable. Most of the games I have for it can be purchased on other platforms (Madden, Street Fighter, Namco Museum and etc).

      Portability is the Number 1 reason why I own it. It was great to play while in the waiting room for jury duty. :-)

      --

      Political correctness is the newest form of slavery.

    5. Re:Emulation and piracy by ksiddique · · Score: 1

      I got mine to play on the bus and for when I'm installing OSes on servers. :)

    6. Re:Emulation and piracy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      that's odd, because i'd think that by making games cheaper, it'd make it less worthwhile to make ROMs and put them on carts

      vs
      by making console cheaper, you'd be encouraing people with roms to get even MORE roms to put on carts since the system itself is more accessiblle

  6. The real reason by Mike+Hawk · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The cut is designed to create fully distinct markets for the DS and SP. If they were anywhere close in price non-bleeding edge consumers would choose the SP everytime due to its familiarity and broad range of titles. The price gap demonstrates that the DS is the new and the flashy and the SP is the old and busted, relatively speaking only, of course. Nintendo does not want the DS to appear to be a one-trick side project in the marketplace. Only time will determine if that is true or not. With the PSP turning out to be significantly more powerful and having the PlayStation name, wow, this is going to be fun!

    As an interesting side point, whats with Nintendo running around bitching about other companies accelerating the console race when they are putting this out only a year from the launch of the SP in Japan? Hell even the GBA vanilla launched only 3 years ago. The abandonment of the GBA so quickly, IMHO, is really a slap in the face to everyone who bought a GBA.

    1. Re:The real reason by Txiasaeia · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I don't see the DS as the successor to the GBA, though - to me, it's just a niche toy (expensive + touch screen = niche). I'm sure that Nintendo will still put out games for the GBA and are not abandoning the platform - of course, I could be wrong ;) Anyway, there are still great games out there that I haven't gotten a chance to play yet, like Fire Emblem, Metroid: Zero Mission, etc. - if they do abandon the platform, well, that will mean that prices will go down for GBA games, right? I really can't see Nintendo selling DS games for $40-50 (what they sell for up here in Canada) when GBA games are selling in the same price range. Everybody wins!

      --
      Condemnant quod non intellegunt.
    2. Re:The real reason by Vaevictis666 · · Score: 1

      Don't forget that the DS is also capable of playing regular GBA games.

    3. Re:The real reason by blueZhift · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Interesting. I had wondered what this price drop for the SP would do to the plain ol' GBA. You never even see the original GBA in the ads anymore. I wonder if Nintendo is even making GBA's. It's too bad really, because all the original GBA really needed was a backlit screen. I like my SP just fine, but it's easier to grip the original GBA.

      As for the fast turnover though, I don't think that has hurt Nintendo all that much in the Japanese market. In Japan, consumers tend to get bored with things faster than in North America. So companies are always trying to come out with new things relatively quickly. Nintendo's NES styled SP and accompanying NES re-releases have been a big hit in Japan, but has met with less success in NA.

      --
      To the making of books there is no end, so let's get started
    4. Re:The real reason by Colazar · · Score: 2, Insightful
      The cut is designed to create fully distinct markets for the DS and SP.

      Excellent point! But...

      If they were anywhere close in price non-bleeding edge consumers would choose the SP everytime due to its familiarity and broad range of titles.

      Don't you think if they were close in price, that everyone would go for the DS, since it would play all of the GBA games *and* the new DS games?

      Instead of "old & busted" vs "new & shiny", how about calling the markets "value focused" and "game focused". By lowering the price on the SP, they can now sell it to people who just aren't going to pay more than X amount of money for a system, with the hope that once they get them coopted, they can sell them a higher end system later.

      In other words, I'd say this is more about protecting the GBA market, than trying to steer people towards the DS.

      --
      He decided to just watch the government, and kind of scale it down to size, and run his life that way. --Laurie Anderson
    5. Re:The real reason by Mike+Hawk · · Score: 0

      Not unobservant, but you have oversimplified. Whats close in price? If the difference is 10 of course you pay the little bit more for new and shiny. If the difference is only 30-90 dollars, this is the number that forces the consumer to choose. Do I spend the extra cash on the gamble that the DS will live up to the hype and that games will actually be developed for it, it will actually be durable, and will actually have the battery life of the GBA SP, or do I go with what everyone I know already has and save that cash to buy another game right now? Creating the significant seperation of 100 dollars or more neatly seperates the two, creating the two distinct and most importantly predictable markets. It forces the consumer's hand. Note that the lower of these two is really just a mirage. The amount of consumers willing to pay 80 but not 100 is insignificant and not worth repricing a whole product line towards, and that niche is not really the target anyway, since if they are that cheap they will not likely be making considerable purchases of any type. Also consider that traditionally once a system drops below 100 in price, the manufacturer is getting out of that business. There is little incentive to move GBA SP's as they have moved all-in on the DS with this price drop. Running back to the GBA SP would amount to forfeit. When the Virtual Boy failed, it was not at the hands of a competitor...

    6. Re:The real reason by Colazar · · Score: 3, Interesting
      The amount of consumers willing to pay 80 but not 100 is insignificant and not worth repricing a whole product line towards, and that niche is not really the target anyway, since if they are that cheap they will not likely be making considerable purchases of any type.

      Well...depends. In my house, this might make a difference. $80 puts it in the range of "affordable gift for children" ($70 would be *tons* better, for some reason). Since the idea is to sell games (which have a lower price point) I think theres a decent amount of money to be made in the casual market, just by getting people into the platform. But I'm not in the industry, so the market might skew more heavily towards hard-core users than I think.

      Also consider that traditionally once a system drops below 100 in price, the manufacturer is getting out of that business.

      I believe that about consoles, but is that true with handhelds as well? I'd expect handhelds to be stable at a slightly lower price. (And this $80, may well be it.) As I recall we got our kids their GBC when it was at end-of-life, which I thought was around $50.

      --
      He decided to just watch the government, and kind of scale it down to size, and run his life that way. --Laurie Anderson
    7. Re:The real reason by ksiddique · · Score: 2, Informative

      I wonder if Nintendo is even making GBA's.

      Original GBA production halted in June.

  7. You're welcome by lsmeg · · Score: 5, Funny
    The $20 cut is aimed to stimulate sales for the Christmas run-up.

    No, the $20 cut is being introduced cause I just bought one a week ago. Enjoy the price cut!

    grumble...

    --
    It's OK! I'm a limo driver!
    1. Re:You're welcome by lightspawn · · Score: 3, Insightful

      No, the $20 cut is being introduced cause I just bought one a week ago.

      You did keep the receipt, right? Just go back to the store and get the price matched.

    2. Re:You're welcome by ksiddique · · Score: 1

      The same thing happened to me. I just bought one on Sunday. I thought the price drop was because of me. :)

      Does anyone know if Wal-Mart will refund the difference?

    3. Re:You're welcome by ksiddique · · Score: 1

      To answer my own question, Wal-Mart gives you a two-week price drop protection period as long as you have your original receipt.

  8. As suspected by focitrixilous+P · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Nintendo has said that the DS is intended as a 3rd platform for the company, and they plan to actively devlop for GBA for a while yet. Also, the DS is confirmed to be backwards compatable with GBA games, so people who splurge on a DS can get the presumably cheaper GBA games. The DS is shaping up to be pretty cool, and I most likely will replace my original GBA with it as a christmas present (either from someone, or to myself... Why couldn't I have rich grandparents like everyone else.) Anyhow, this is an attempt to split the market into two groups, with different game prices for each group.

    --
    SAILING MISHAP
  9. woot! by m2h · · Score: 1

    That would be nice. I have no plans to play a GBA. But I wouldn't mind picking one up for under a $100 just to rip the LCD out and use for other means. :)

    --
    misundstood by most, hated by some, loved by few.
    1. Re:woot! by Naffer · · Score: 1

      The LCD is wired right onto the board like the vast majority of notebooks laptops. It'd be easier (and cheaper) to just buy a small lcd screen for your project.

  10. You got modded interresting??? by JFMulder · · Score: 1

    If modern commercial games work in the emu out of the box, what point is there in buying the console?

    because it's the only platform with the games they want to play. (There are a number of excellent games for the GBA.) (emphasis mine)

    Huh? Hello!!! Why buying these EXCELLENT games as you put it? Why buying the console? Because buying the fricking game gives the creator money so he doesn't run out of business and MAKES MORE excellent games for said console.

    People like you should get a clue.

    1. Re:You got modded interresting??? by Kethinov · · Score: 1

      It is perfectly possible to buy GBA games and make ROMs yourself. Emulation does not always mean piracy. If Nintendo wants to cut down on piracy w/emulators, they should sell the ROMs themselves.

      --
      You're right, I wouldn't steal a car. But if it were possible, I sure as hell would download one!
  11. Interesting... by chrish · · Score: 1

    That's almost down to $100 Canadian... very interesting indeed.

    Now I just need to find a device that'll give me more time to play video games.

    --
    - chrish
    1. Re:Interesting... by MORTAR_COMBAT! · · Score: 1

      Now I just need to find a device that'll give me more time to play video games.

      The device category you're looking for is called "public transit". An example of such a device is called the "bus". Take it. Sure, it'll likely mean a four-fold or more increase in commute time, but hey, that's an hour you can use to play games, while waking up on the way to work, or cooling down after work!

      --
      MORTAR COMBAT!
  12. Maybe foreward thinking GBA connectivity strategy? by blahplusplus · · Score: 1

    I'm wondering if they're forseeing making older GBA's and GB's on upcoming consoles to really start taking advantage of the "connectivity" features that they started on the cube? For instance take FF chronicles and Zelda fourswords, who here wanted to spend money to buy a GBA:SP to hook up to their cube for "GBA enabled games"? Not many of us without friends who have GBA's.

    I'm wondering if time goes on if they will become a little or about as expensive as a wavebird controller, or is the cost of production/materials just too much?