Nintendo Expected To Drop GBA Price To $80US

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."

Comments

SP

[StocDred]

Please replace all instances of "GBA" with "GBA SP".

There, now you have a news story.

The real reason

[Mike Hawk]

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.

Re:Emulation and piracy

[VendingMenace]

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

You're welcome

[lsmeg]

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...