DS @ $200?

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Noticed an article linked at BluesNews and checked the Gamestop and EB sites. Looks like the price of the system has shot back up to $200. Weird, considering the recent price drop on the GBA SP. What do you guys think?
 
What if people preorder fo $200? Do they get a refund if it's less? Just curious, I'm not preordering the DS, I get all my systems used after price drops. I just wonder about EB and GS having it at this price, seems like they may know something if it's listed at this price on both sites. Even CC.com has it at this price.
 
I've never heard of any place not allowing a pre-order to be cancelled and any funds returned. If it's a hot item there will be another buyer along very quickly.

I'm inclined to wait and see. There hasn't been a US lauch date announced and most details remain tentatiive.
 
EBgames is also showing all of the software at $50, which seems rather high. I think this just CYA by the retailers. Nobody will ever complain about something coming in LESS expensive than anticipated but coming in more expansive causes friction.
 
[quote name='iheartmetal']ya know.... i just dont think itll be over 150, if not less. but maybe thats just because im optomistic and drunk[/quote]
Nice.......but anyways I hoping it will be $150-180 price range, hopefully if it is $200 CAG will help us out with some deals.
 
[quote name='tdphillips']What if people preorder fo $200? Do they get a refund if it's less? Just curious, I'm not preordering the DS, I get all my systems used after price drops. I just wonder about EB and GS having it at this price, seems like they may know something if it's listed at this price on both sites. Even CC.com has it at this price.[/quote]

If they prepay, they get a refund of the difference. If they just preorder, they get charged the actual price when they make the purchase. The preorder is just a place-holder.
 
Yeah, I would hope it would be cheaper, bu tI doubt I'll even buy a handheld system again. The last one I had was an Atari Lynx :)

However, my fiance has a cabin that is 4 hours away, and it would be nice for those loooong car rides. But I guess that is what the portable DVD player is for ;)
 
EB and GameStop have had the same price and date up since E3. I have a feeling someone at Wal-mart just took thouse numbers off of their sites.

EB and GameStop also has the price of PSP games at $49.99
EB also had the PSP up at $200 but it looks like they have taken it off.
 
I doubt it'll be 200 bucks, 175 at most. it's got to battle against the PSP next year and for them to drop their price just as it hits will take consumer confidence away fro thie investors.
 
[quote name='CapAmerica']
EB and GameStop also has the price of PSP games at $49.99
EB also had the PSP up at $200 but it looks like they have taken it off.[/quote]

That's prob because they know the PSP will be way more than $200, or that it won't be even close to what Sony says it will.
 
[quote name='tdphillips']What if people preorder fo $200? Do they get a refund if it's less? Just curious, I'm not preordering the DS, I get all my systems used after price drops. I just wonder about EB and GS having it at this price, seems like they may know something if it's listed at this price on both sites. Even CC.com has it at this price.[/quote]

Most places only charge when it ships, so they will probably charge you for the price then. If they charge ahead of time, I don't know what they would do.
 
[quote name='Masterkyo']Japan Price is $179.99 but US release is $149.99 or Less :)

Also, DS software from $29.99 - $39.99 not $49.99[/quote]
Where is that info from? Is it confirmed?
I hope its right. $150 would be a good launch price for the DS, and they should sell the games at $29.99.
 
[quote name='Kaijufan'][quote name='Masterkyo']Japan Price is $179.99 but US release is $149.99 or Less :)

Also, DS software from $29.99 - $39.99 not $49.99[/quote]
Where is that info from? Is it confirmed?
I hope its right. $150 would be a good launch price for the DS, and they should sell the games at $29.99.[/quote]

I'm praying you're right ;)


I think they just round up - they can't advertise a price and they say "Uh, oh, wait, you owe us more because our preorder price wasn't right". That would make a lot of customers go nuts. I think they looked and industry analysts' projections ($150-200) and took the highest figure that they thought would have a chance of being the price. The same goes with the software. There's no way that DS titles will be more than GBA titles; it'll probably be the same, but there's a possibility that they will be cheaper. The flash cards that DS games will be on with both be cheaper and faster to manufacture, so that could be good for us consumers :D although I doubt that Nintendo would drop the prices of their portable games unless they had to.
 
Well, it pretty much seals the deal for me that I'll be waiting more than six months at least before I buy one. $200 is way too much to spend on a damn portable system.

Don't get me started on the PSP. If anyone spends the $300-$400 on one of those things, they deserve to get beat up and have it stolen, which will probably happen anyway.
 
i probably wont pay more than $100 for a portable unless there are some games that may be exclusive for it, but they would have to be some damn good games
 
I think stores set the highest amount they think msrp will be to avoid cranky customers. It could still launch for considerably less than $200 and prices will be adjusted accordingly...
 
[quote name='Grave_Addiction']Well, it pretty much seals the deal for me that I'll be waiting more than six months at least before I buy one. $200 is way too much to spend on a damn portable system.

Don't get me started on the PSP. If anyone spends the $300-$400 on one of those things, they deserve to get beat up and have it stolen, which will probably happen anyway.[/quote]

Do ppl still do that lol.......
 
[quote name='alongx']This was posted already.

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30148

Walmart didn't "leak" anything - many retailers have been taking preorders at $200 since the DS was announced[/quote]

OP didn't link or mention article source. The only mention of Walmart is halfway down the page - and is from a different article. Even if they didn't leak anything, it at least merits mention... and it has from a number of different sites apparently.
 
If the DS retails for $200, I feel bad for Nintendo. Just when they look like they can do something right (portable gaming), they make another idiot decision.
 
[quote name='Grave_Addiction']Well, it pretty much seals the deal for me that I'll be waiting more than six months at least before I buy one. $200 is way too much to spend on a damn portable system.[/quote]


Maybe that is Nintendo's plan?

They know that they will be sold out in a minute by the gaming freaks, so they will buy them for $200. Then in 6-8 (never) months when the PSP comes out Nintendo will drop the price to $150 and freak Sony out.
 
I really doubt that the DS games will be the same or cheaper than the current crop of GBA games. It's mostly been the case with new platforms that the early prices are high, then they level off as more software becomes available. With all of the new features of the DS, I think they will feel justified by pricing the games slightly higher ($3-5?) more than a comparible GBA game. More programming, etc will outweigh the drop in memory prices. JMHO, we'll see. I'll be pleasantly surprised if that's the case especially if the DS comes in around $150. If it's closer to $200, I'm out and will stick with the SP.
 
So far the only infor I've read that the DS would be 200 comes from this thread, and all I've seen in this thread is speculation, that includes the Cnet article because it just points to the Walmart page where THEY are speculating on the price.

The only place I will ever listen to for news of the actual price of the DS ins Nintendo or a reputable Game site that got THEIR information directly from Nintendo.
 
[quote name='danh920']i probably wont pay more than $100 for a portable unless there are some games that may be exclusive for it, but they would have to be some damn good games[/quote]

I agree. 100 bucks is about what a portable should cost. 120 at the most. I'd wait until an offical price, though.
 
Much of the cost of GBA games is tied to the need to conform to the ancient GameBoy cartridge slot. There are a number of hacks involved to allow multi-megabyte 32-bit programs to function in an environment designed for an 8-bit Z80 system. The DS has a separate slot for its games that enables Nintendo to use current technology and thus get comodity pricing driven by other modern devices and their ROM use.

DS games may be more expensive thanks to using considerably more memory but the cost per megabyte is lower so it evens out somewhat. In terms of what the DS can do display wise its mostly compared to the N64, which isn't bad for a handheld. Even so, the two screens together are considerably lesser resolution than a TV driven at full res.

Before the end of its career the N64 hosted cartridges large as 512 Mb (64 megabytes) as seen in Resident Evil 2 at the standard retail of $60. The same game on the DS would use at least 20% less ROM capacity just by virtue of the lesser screen resolution. Also, the cost per megabyte of ROM has dropped considerably since then where high density chips are supported. To manufacture the same RE2 cart today would cost only about 30-40% of what it required in 1999.

The typical DS game may be as loaded with FMV as a PSP game but the developers won't be greatly constrained by ROM cost in exploiting the system. The more elaborate games could easily get into gigabit and larger ROM capacities in the DS' lifespan.
 
[quote name='Quackzilla']The DS uses ancient technology, it could easily be priced at $80![/quote]
Actually the DS has new features like the extra screen and whole extra processor and apparently was designed to better handle 3d so it's not exactly like it's still a "Game Boy Color" at this point.
 
[quote name='Quackzilla']The DS uses ancient technology, it could easily be priced at $80![/quote]

In the context of a portable electronic device, what is ancient here? It would have been difficult to replicate this device at any price just a few years ago.

Tell you what, go shopping on some industrial supply outlets and see how low you can bring in a comparable bill of materials, then couple that with manufacturing and other unavoidable cost. If you can break ever on selling something comparable to the DS for under $100, I've got some Venture Capital folks you should meet.
 
In the world today, being 5 years old usually qualifies technology as ancient.

The total cost to put a GBA SP on the shelf is $20.

Add another (slightly faster) ARM processor and a touchpad and you have what? About $35 to get it to the shelf, right?

Without any real competition they can follow the Apple business plan, 'yesterdays technology at tommorrows price'. Catchy.
 
That's a lie, it does not cost them $20 to make a GBA.... SP.


Plus when the GBA came out it was $88 to make and sell to the stores.
 
[quote name='Quackzilla']In the world today, being 5 years old usually qualifies technology as ancient.

The total cost to put a GBA SP on the shelf is $20.

Add another (slightly faster) ARM processor and a touchpad and you have what? About $35 to get it to the shelf, right?

Without any real competition they can follow the Apple business plan, 'yesterdays technology at tommorrows price'. Catchy.[/quote]

You obvious do not work in the technology field. There is a big difference between a touch pad and a touchscreen of those specifications. If you think the part and manufacturing cost of a GBA SP is a mere $20 you live in adelusional alternate universe in which double-digit deflation has been in effect.
 
im sorry but i relly think people asking for it to be 150 or under at launch is a little to much to ask, am i the olny one?
i think this is a great price and is alot better than sonys 300-400 price. Alos it has alot of features on it that we are over looking.
 
Also don't forget this thing has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-like wireless communications and a microphone. Think of it similar to a a Pocket PC/PDA in terms of its hardware, but also includes an extra LCD screen. Thinking of it this way, $200 seems reasonable. That still doesn't change my price point.

What I don't buy is Nintendo saying this is NOT a GBA successor. Why include GBA backward compatibility and compete with yourself by introducing a "true" GBA successor later?
 
[quote name='tdphillips']Also don't forget this thing has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-like wireless communications and a microphone. Think of it similar to a a Pocket PC/PDA in terms of its hardware, but also includes an extra LCD screen. Thinking of it this way, $200 seems reasonable. That still doesn't change my price point.

What I don't buy is Nintendo saying this is NOT a GBA successor. Why include GBA backward compatibility and compete with yourself by introducing a "true" GBA successor later?[/quote]
because its a cheap way for them to get more people to buy it. Just on this forum there have been many people that have held back of buying the gba cause of the ds. just because its not a gba successor doenst mean they souldnt be able to incorpersate some ideas of the gba. What im getting at is just cause the virtual boy couldnt play gameboy games doesnt meant the ds cant. I think it will be a wile till the next gameboy anyways and that this will stay strong for a wile. I still think asking for it under 150 is relly way to much to ask. I meant it has alot of features. 2 back litten lcd screens one that is touch, hi-fi wireless, backward compatibility, great games, alot of potential for new ideas and inoventiong and i know im not gonna be missing any of this.
 
[quote name='David85'][quote name='Grave_Addiction']Well, it pretty much seals the deal for me that I'll be waiting more than six months at least before I buy one. $200 is way too much to spend on a damn portable system.[/quote]


Maybe that is Nintendo's plan?

They know that they will be sold out in a minute by the gaming freaks, so they will buy them for $200. Then in 6-8 (never) months when the PSP comes out Nintendo will drop the price to $150 and freak Sony out.[/quote]
well i think that $50 is worth having this system for 6-8 months
 
I think over $100 for a handheld is too much. Sure, the DS has spiffy new features, but it's not worth it to me. I can't see myself playing any handheld enough to warrant such a purchase. Plus, Nintendo will have a harder time selling these to children, although they are aimed at a more mature audience. We'll see what happens.
 
I still think portables should follow the KISS rule...

Keep
It
Simple
Stupid

A portable should be simple and reasonble in cost. Thats part of the reason I think the GBA will still thrive and the DS will fail.
 
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