3DS MSRP Drop to $169.99 On 08/12/11, already at Target, WM, Amazon

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Pre-order at the lower price at Amazon
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Nintendo 3DS Price Drop Hits on August 9th at Walmart


Quick Details:

Connect to the Nintendo eShop at least once before 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Aug. 11 to qualify for the below free games:

NES Virtual Console games:
Super Mario Bros.
Donkey Kong JR.
Balloon Fight
Ice Climbers
The Legend of Zelda
+ 5 more

Gameboy Advance Virtual Console games (exclusive to this program)
Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island
Mario Kart Advance
Metroid Fusion
Wario ware
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3
Kirby and the Amazing Mirror
+ 3 more


US Press Release
REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nintendo of America today announced plans to drop the suggested retail price of its portable Nintendo 3DS™system to $169.99 in the United States, as new games based on some of the world’s most beloved video game franchises head to the system. The new price, down from the suggested launch price of $249.99 and effective Aug. 12, makes an outstanding value even better and sets up a strong holiday season for the system.

“For anyone who was on the fence about buying a Nintendo 3DS, this is a huge motivation to buy now,” said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “We are giving shoppers every incentive to pick up a Nintendo 3DS, from an amazing new price to a rapid-fire succession of great games.”

Nintendo 3DS has the strongest software lineup of any video game system this holiday season and the new price now opens up the glasses-free 3D experience to many more consumers. Building on the popularity of The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time™ 3D, which launched June 19, the upcoming game calendar is a Who’s Who of iconic video game franchises. Star Fox 64™ 3D arrives on Sept. 9, followed by Super Mario™ 3D Land in November, Mario Kart™ 7 in December and Kid Icarus™: Uprising during the holiday season. In addition to great games, Nintendo 3DS has a host of attractive features* that make it the must-have video game system this season:

The new Nintendo Video™ service automatically delivers short 3D videos from the worlds of music, comedy, animation and Hollywood.A free application allows Netflix members with unlimited streaming plans to instantly watch TV episodes and movies streaming from Netflix.

The Nintendo eShop is a digital store for Nintendo 3DS owners that provides access to a wide variety of downloadable content, such as original 3D software, classic games that have been re-mastered in 3D called 3D Classics, Game Boy™ and Game Boy Color “Virtual Console” games in their original 2D glory, and more than 350 Nintendo DSiWare™ games. Visitors can also view video game trailers, screen shots and product information for games, including those available at retail locations.

Since Nintendo 3DS launched in the United States on March 27, more than 830,000 people in the U.S. alone have purchased one to enjoy 3D visuals without the need for special glasses. These Nintendo 3DS owners represent some of Nintendo’s most loyal customers, and Nintendo is rewarding them for getting in on the action early with 20 free downloadable games from the Nintendo eShop.

These free games are available to anyone who owns a Nintendo 3DS system and uses a wireless broadband Internet signal to connect to the Nintendo eShop at least once before 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Aug. 11. These users will automatically be registered in the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador program. The program contains two elements:

Starting Sept. 1, Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors will be able to download 10 NES™ Virtual Console™ games at no charge and before they are available in the Nintendo eShop to the general public. These games, including Super Mario Bros.™, Donkey Kong Jr.™, Balloon Fight™, Ice Climber™ and The Legend of Zelda™, are slated to become paid downloadable games, but Ambassadors get them early for free. Once the paid versions of the games are posted to the Nintendo eShop later in the year, the updated versions will be available to Ambassadors for download at no cost. 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.

More details about this program will be announced in the future.

Japan details
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2011/110728_3e.pdf

For Japan, if you buy before august 12, 2011 -- the day of the price drop you get 10 free VC NES games and 10 free VC GB advance games. the VC gba games will only be made available for early adopters -- and never for those who buy on the price drop date.

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/info110728/index.html

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/info110728/detail.html
 
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TBH I've heard this song on CAG before, there's always a bunch of people saying "Oh yeah Best Buy are going to deny people price adjustments in this one specific case !!! YOU'RE ALL DOOMED, DOOMED I TELLS YE !!!"

It's not happened yet, to the best of my knowledge..
 
Best Buy Price Match Guarantee

Buy It Now With Confidence

Best Buy will match the price if you find a lower price on an identical available product at a local retail competitor?s store, a local Best Buy Retail Store or BestBuy.com. Simply let us know when you are making your purchase or during the return and exchange period. The Guarantee does not apply to: Our competitors? website prices, offers that include financing, bundling of items, free items, pricing errors, mail-in offers, competitors? service prices, items that are advertised as limited-quantity, out of stock, open-box, clearance, refurbished/used items, BestBuy.com Midnight Sale and special hour sale events, BestBuy.com Outlet Center and Marketplace items, and items for sale Thanksgiving Day through the Monday after Thanksgiving.

The "free gift" doesn't need to be through best buy according to this
 
[quote name='GAMESHARQ']Okay, you guys believe what you want. You're just mad because you know there's a good chance your little scam won't work and you will be stuck paying $250 for a 3DS.[/QUOTE]

Actually no, even if you were to open and use the 3DS you can return it for a full refund within 30 days to Best Buy. The "free gift" return policy applies to free gifts from promotions Best Buy gives you, NOT anything that Nintendo gives you. It has absolutely nothing to do with Nintendo. There's no risk involved. They will allow you to pricematch. This is also NOT a scam.

[quote name='BobbyTastic']Probably the best idea. I doubt any retailers will offer anything, and the GC will ultimately be factored into the price match, but it's better than getting screwed outright.

Also, I've heard of people returning opened consoles to Target. BB doing it, wouldn't be a major jump in logic. As long as everything's still there, of course.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, you should have no problems returning opened game systems to BB. I've returned several of them to different BB stores with no issues, their policy allows it.
 
[quote name='sunghost']Actually no, even if you were to open and use the 3DS you can return it for a full refund within 30 days to Best Buy. The "free gift" return policy applies to free gifts from promotions Best Buy gives you, NOT anything that Nintendo gives you. It has absolutely nothing to do with Nintendo. There's no risk involved. They will allow you to pricematch. This is also NOT a scam.



Yeah, you should have no problems returning opened game systems to BB. I've returned several of them to different BB stores with no issues, their policy allows it.[/QUOTE]

Blah blah blah. Then have fun wasting your time buying it on August 11 then returning it on August 12 with a :cry:
 
ZOMG!!11!!!1!!!SHIFT+ONE!!!!11! If you buy teh threediss now, you get a boncha oldy games you already haz on other consul?!?!?! IMA BUY A THREEDISS TODAY, GET MAH FREE SHITE, THEN RETURN IT! Then......IMA BUY IT FOR TEH CHEAPZORZ! IM SO SLY!

wtf.
 
I cannot believe all the wrangling back and forth on this issue of price-matching or not.

More likely than not, you'll be able to do this. Most stores have a price-matching policy, and if not an actual price-match most stores will do a "virtual return", meaning that you don't actually return it, but they basically just do a return for the price you bought it at and then re-sell it to you at the new, adjusted price. I've done this at both Best Buy and Target on different things, so unless they make an exception for the 3DS (which IS possible, but I'm guessing unlikely), then you'll probably be able to do this.

Amazon USED to do this but no longer does, so they require an actual return now, meaning you'd have to buy one before August 12, open it up and login to the eStore, and then buy one after August 12 and return your new, unopened one under the more expensive order. You lose out on shipping, but I'm sure you can figure out a shipping option cheaper than $80 that'll let you come out ahead.

As others have mentioned, if a new SKU is released then this becomes more difficult, but even if a new SKU comes out I'd imagine that stores will have the original SKU around for a bit after August 12 as well.
 
Non-Returnable Items

Some items cannot be returned, including:

  • Opened computer software, movies, music and video games can be exchanged for the identical item but cannot be returned for a refund
Granted, that doesn't include systems or hardware, but:

Best Buy Discretion

Best Buy reserves the right to deny any return.


SO, it IS possible that you will get stuck with a $250 3DS. Don't claim its not. It's not likely, but the old games I already have are not worth the slight risk to me
 
[quote name='Xenogears']Non-Returnable Items

Some items cannot be returned, including:

  • Opened computer software, movies, music and video games can be exchanged for the identical item but cannot be returned for a refund
Granted, that doesn't include systems or hardware, but:

Best Buy Discretion

Best Buy reserves the right to deny any return.[/QUOTE]

When they say video games, they mean software, not hardware. Just how if you were to mention a video game I would think you're referring to software and not a handheld or gaming console. This is how most stores state their return policy.

Most employees won't even know about the free games you got from Nintendo anyway..
 
[quote name='Xenogears']No free gift[/QUOTE]


the digital games DO NOT count as a free gift, not to mention that they will NOT be redeemable till after the drop
 
[quote name='Xenogears']Best Buy Price Match Guarantee

Buy It Now With Confidence

Best Buy will match the price if you find a lower price on an identical available product at a local retail competitor?s store, a local Best Buy Retail Store or BestBuy.com. Simply let us know when you are making your purchase or during the return and exchange period. The Guarantee does not apply to: Our competitors? website prices, offers that include financing, bundling of items, free items, pricing errors, mail-in offers, competitors? service prices, items that are advertised as limited-quantity, out of stock, open-box, clearance, refurbished/used items, BestBuy.com Midnight Sale and special hour sale events, BestBuy.com Outlet Center and Marketplace items, and items for sale Thanksgiving Day through the Monday after Thanksgiving.

The "free gift" doesn't need to be through best buy according to this[/QUOTE]


It means they are not responsible in price matching anything store/competitor exclusive other than price.

On a further note, I bought the 3ds at launch at Amazon w/ +25 credit for launch title, all with credit and this still pisses me off. I have SSIV and zelda. The only good games are rehashes/ports, absolutely nothing new.

They only say "no plans to release them to general public" = PC talk for we will screw you later, rather than sooner.

The only way they can make this up for early adopters is with 2 free games. 1 that should have been packaged at launch w/ system and another for the price drop.

As far as I'm concerned those 2 games need to be Kid Icarus and Luigi's Mansion 2 as those are not rehashes, redone to death, and only worth while console exclusives.

And for those that say, nintendo owes us early adopters jack, they owe their console decent games, exclusive games that can't be played anywhere else or else its not worth owning or selling.
 
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[quote name='leshrac55']As others have mentioned, if a new SKU is released then this becomes more difficult, but even if a new SKU comes out I'd imagine that stores will have the original SKU around for a bit after August 12 as well.[/QUOTE]

Unless they re-sticker every single 3DS left in stock, I don't think there will be a new SKU. The 3DS has not sold well, I'm sure Nintendo and retailers are sitting on oodles of them.
 
i think the mods are monitoring this thread. posts are getting deleted. people may want to watch what they say...nobody wants a permaban.
 
[quote name='BingoBrown']But Target will certainly advertise the price drop in their Sunday circular, which we always get leaks of in advance. So we'll know for sure before hand.[/QUOTE]

Lead time on circular printing is several weeks (after all, they only need to print 50+ million of them and then truck them to newspapers throughout the country, who then have to assemble the Sunday preprint advertisment packages)...The circulars for the week of the price drop are currently arriving at newspapers as we speak....They will certainly advertise it, but it will likely be the 3rd or 4th week of Aug before it is actually advertised in the circular.
 
[quote name='ssjmichael']the digital games DO NOT count as a free gift, not to mention that they will NOT be redeemable till after the drop[/QUOTE]

haha Yeah you just have to log in once to be eligible, you don't even get it till Sept 2? So they're not going to give it to you because you just logged on to the e-Shop? You didn't even get a free gift, you're just eligible for one lol
 
[quote name='nixmahn']The free 20 games are nothing, news flash, they were always free, like 10 years ago. They are called a roms[/QUOTE]

Oh dear.
 
Ill probibly wait till black friday for a good deal. The good 3ds games dont start comming out till november anyway. I can also finally rack up on ds games ive missed out on due to the fact that they can be played on this thing.
 
[quote name='sunghost']Actually no, even if you were to open and use the 3DS you can return it for a full refund within 30 days to Best Buy. The "free gift" return policy applies to free gifts from promotions Best Buy gives you, NOT anything that Nintendo gives you. It has absolutely nothing to do with Nintendo. There's no risk involved. They will allow you to pricematch. This is also NOT a scam..[/QUOTE]

THANK YOU. I'm amazed at the stupidity of some of the posters here
 
[quote name='nixmahn']It means they are not responsible in price matching anything store/competitor exclusive other than price.

on a further note, I bought the 3ds and launch at Amazon w/ +25 credit for launch title, all with credit and this still pisses me off. I have SSIV and zelda. The only good games are rehashes.

The free 20 games are nothing, news flash, they were always free, like 10 years ago. They are called a roms. They only say "no plans to release them to general public" = PC talk for we will screw you later, rather than sooner.

The only way they can make this up for early adopters is with 2 free games. 1 that should have been packaged at launch and another for the price drop.

As far as I'm concerned those 2 games need to be kid icarus and Luigi's mansion 2 as those are not rehashes, redone to death, and only worth while console exclusives.[/QUOTE]

You mean pirating? Now you'll be able to get it legitimately. I don't see why people are pissed. It's not like Nintendo planned to screw people over from the onset. They didn't have to give anything to early adopters, but here they are actually giving us 20 VC games -- not to mention Excitebike 3D from last month. I've never heard of any other company trying to make it up to early adopters after a price drop.
 
[quote name='elessar123']Oh dear.[/QUOTE]

I had a feeling that would be deleted as soon as it was posted. I remember I made a similar boo-boo a while back when talking about Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection.

It would be nice if VC titles had the capability to be played on all Nintendo units that support it once purchased. I think this would make all early adopters very happy. Nintendo could learn from the mistakes of the PSPhone!
 
All i'm saying is that no matter what your view of the freebies or the return policy is, there is still a chance they deny this. Not likely, but possible

Regardless. I am not doing this as a price match. I'm waiting for a better deal that includes something i want and a better 3DS
 
[quote name='Xenogears']Special Offer Returns
To receive a full refund, you must also return the free gift. If you don't do this, the refund amount will be reduced to reflect the value of the free gift.

Your rolling the dice if you price match. Bestbuy has everyright to deny it, because you are getting a free gift with purchase. I know you can argue "its not theirs", but they are aware of it, can inform employees, and thats it. What are you going to do? You can no longer return the system, it has been opened. You could only exchange the system for a new one, without the 20 free games, at the same cost of $250[/QUOTE]

What free gift? Best Buy is now going to bundle their 3DS with 20 free games? They better advertise this then right? Sometimes people make things so much harder then they need to be. You think BB does not price match a game you buy from them when they put it on sale? They even price match games you received a gift card from. The reality is that on Aug 12th the price is decreasing. BB will most likely get the same profit on those sold at $250 as they do for the ones sold at $170...Nintendo is the one taking the loss.
 
People, can we stop the mindless arguing and just enjoy this price drop ? This is what us cheapies Live for. everyone wins. Early adopters get 20 free games and people like me who have wanted for this things price to drop got our wish but much earlier than expected. WE ALL WIN !
 
[quote name='Xenogears']All i'm saying is that no matter what your view of the freebies or the return policy is, there is still a chance they deny this. Not likely, but possible

Regardless. I am not doing this as a price match. I'm waiting for a better deal that includes something i want and a better 3DS[/QUOTE]

I know what you mean, I'm personally waiting for a new 3DS revision. The free games/price drop don't tempt me enough to buy a 3DS at $170, I'd rather wait for a 3DS with screens that provide better viewing angles and better battery life, or possibly bigger screens. Hell, I'd actually be more interested in a purple 3DS more than the free games and price drop they're offering lol.
 
[quote name='K_G']Lead time on circular printing is several weeks (after all, they only need to print 50+ million of them and then truck them to newspapers throughout the country, who then have to assemble the Sunday preprint advertisment packages)...The circulars for the week of the price drop are currently arriving at newspapers as we speak....They will certainly advertise it, but it will likely be the 3rd or 4th week of Aug before it is actually advertised in the circular.[/QUOTE]

Well, they've got 2+ weeks right now. The twelfth of August is a Friday. It wouldn't surprise me at all if it were in the August 14th ad.

Plus, you're assuming retailers hadn't already received notice of the upcoming price drop...
 
[quote name='strait edge follower']People, can we stop the mindless arguing and just enjoy this price drop ? This is what us cheapies Live for. everyone wins. Early adopters get 20 free games and people like me who have wanted for this things price to drop got our wish but much earlier than expected. WE ALL WIN ![/QUOTE]

But they're not free because they've already paid the $80 up front for the alleged "free" games. It's just like when WWE Smackdown 2011 came out and people had the option to buy all of the DLC up front. They didn't get it for free when the DLC was finally released because they already paid for it.

The only difference here is that the 20 "free" games are crap that most people don't want.
 
[quote name='Salamando3000']Seems like a big price drop for something that's only a couple months old. Really screws with the early adopters too.

Now then, what're people's bets on why they're doing this? PS Vita breathing down their necks? Relatively lackluster sales? Clearing stock for a 3DSLite? Get to conspiracy'n, people.[/QUOTE]


its obvious its the vita and the low sales. right now the 3ds isnt doing near what they expected to and with the vita releasing at the same price most people will go for the vita since you get more for your money with it. didnt expect it to drop to 169 though thats a very steep drop in a short period 199.99 seem like a safe and understandable drop but to 169 seems like theyre worried about something. wonder if this couldnt have a bit to do with capcom dropping that mega man game too.
 
[quote name='GAMESHARQ']But they're not free because they've already paid the $80 up front for the alleged "free" games. It's just like when WWE Smackdown 2011 came out and people had the option to buy all of the DLC up front. They didn't get it for free when the DLC was finally released because they already paid for it.

The only difference here is that the 20 "free" games are crap that most people don't want.[/QUOTE]

But they only payed for the 3ds, not the 3ds AND the 20 games. Just saying
 
[quote name='Tony208']free NES and game boy color games? just doesn't sound very attractive
they could've given a 3ds game or 2 at least[/QUOTE]

Totaly agree about giving a 3ds game or two ds games but hey, you work with what you were delt right ?
 
God, I hope the Vita comes out and just crushes the 3DS. Iwata admitted that the 3DS price was so high because of hype. Also, lol @ the free games. I mean couldn't they give you an old DS games or two, you certainly owe it to your Ambassadors (i.e. suckers).
 
[quote name='Tony208']free NES and game boy color games? just doesn't sound very attractive
they could've given a 3ds game or 2 at least[/QUOTE]

I know right, "digital download" content for those games have been available at much better quality for decades.

At a very least a DS game
 
[quote name='strait edge follower']But they only payed for the 3ds, not the 3ds AND the 20 games. Just saying[/QUOTE]

Yes, at the time, but now Nintendo is basically saying that they are taking the extra $80 we paid and putting it towards some games to compensate for the price drop. There is a difference between compensation and freebies.
 
This is unreal. Best Buy 100% will PM this. PERIOD. People arguing this is just trolling.

I ended up pulling the trigger. I got until Aug 11 to figure out whether to keep it or not. Only really interested in 3 games, none which are out until late fall or next year. My Best Buy only has 1 left so I assume I am not the only one that did this.
 
[quote name='strait edge follower']People, can we stop the mindless arguing and just enjoy this price drop ? This is what us cheapies Live for. everyone wins. Early adopters get 20 free games and people like me who have wanted for this things price to drop got our wish but much earlier than expected. WE ALL WIN ![/QUOTE]

Yeah, its their money if they want to risk taking advantage of the policy of a B&M store let them. I actually would expect stores to start giving away a free accessory with every purchase of a 3DS to prevent exchanges and price matches but if people want to roll the dice let them.

Early adoptors get exlusive games.
Late adoptors get a cheaper price.
The 3ds gets a larger install base that leads to more games for everyone.

Everyone grow up and don't stress over what other people do.
 
Look the fact is, Nintendo had to be aware that some people buying it now will get the opportunity to get it for $170 AND get the 20 free games. If they really wanted to stop that all they had to do is say that the free games applied to all that signed up before today's announcement. But they didn't do that. It's not our fault as consumers for this oversight, nor is it a scam in any way to use a stores' price match guarantee

A parent could buy a 3DS this second being completely unaware of the free games. They could walk in to the store on August 12th and be shocked that it's $80 less. If they bought it from somewhere that allows price adjustments there is absolutely reason why they should be denied. If they do, then it's against their own policy and he/she could take it up with corporate, or simply return it (which would incur bigger losses for that store).
 
I don't think this is going to be DS vs PSP again

The 3DS can't compete with the PSV, and either I'm getting older, or the nintendo magic is gOne for me.

I preordered the PSV thanks to 200 free amazon promotional credit I got, and I'm excited because the PSV feels like a nex gen platform- 3DS is like getting an hd wii in 2011- outdated at release
 
Thanks amazon for that incident. It help alittle for nintendo to drop the price.

I'm glad I didn't try to buy it used on AWH. That's a good price. It will be very competitive with Vita. Price is important imo.
 
[quote name='FlyingMonkey9']I don't think this is going to be DS vs PSP again

The 3DS can't compete with the PSV, and either I'm getting older, or the nintendo magic is gOne for me.

I preordered the PSV thanks to 200 free amazon promotional credit I got, and I'm excited because the PSV feels like a nex gen platform- 3DS is like getting an hd wii in 2011- outdated at release[/QUOTE]

What games are you getting at launch for the vita ? Im starting with Uncharted and gravity daze
 
This topic is seriously going nowhere fast.

People who paid the original price are upset, and rightfully so.

People who haven't bought one yet will abuse Best Buy's price match policy, we get that you guys like to take advantage of the system.

Half of the posts are getting removed.

The announcement has been made, so just lock this topic and end it already.
 
[quote name='GAMESHARQ']This topic is seriously going nowhere fast.

People who paid the original price are upset, and rightfully so.

People who haven't bought one yet will abuse Best Buy's price match policy, we get that you guys like to take advantage of the system.

Half of the posts are getting removed.

The announcement has been made, so just lock this topic and end it already.[/QUOTE]

Lol what difference does it make to you? Don't read the posts if you are gonna whine about people discussing their opinions of a deal. This is HUGE news and rightfully deserves a lot of feedback. It should stay at the top of the video games deals section for at least a week and it probably will.

So quit your bitching and go to another thread. God I hate trolls...
 
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