GBA micro price - $100

I never thought the Micro was a good idea, but the higher-than-SP asking price is just plain ridiculous. I wasn't planning on getting a Micro anyway, but I probably will buy an extra SP when the price comes down a little more. :D
 
If there's one thing Nintendo knows how to do, it's not under estimate the consumer populace. Given that they can sell Pokemon over and over and over, I want to firmly believe that the $100 price is justified and will sell. But given that it is being released at an odd time, given that the SP is cheaper and does more, and given that the DS is a different iteration for only $30 more, I really, really can't see the logic here.

Bundled with the Play Yan? Ok.

$80 dollar price tag? Ok.

Bundled with wireless gameplay and multiplayer cables? Ok.

Any one of those things would make me jump on one at launch. But this is just insane, I just moved into an apartment and graduated, I don't have time or money for this kind of thing.

Someone at another forum said that Nintendo emphasized the cheap price of the GBAM over and over. Now it's $100. And that makes me think about the Rev and how they are emphasizing the cheap price of it. But 100 is pushing it for a system that is 5 years old and smaller. If they think that's cheap, then the Rev can't possibly have that much of an edge in price. What, is it going to be 250? By that time the 360 will be that price and come with a game.

*Sigh* Wtf are you doing Nintendo...
 
Think about this: You can buy a new Gamecube for the same price of a GBAM.

Doesn't that tell you something is wrong?


Also, check this out. This is from a USA Today article on the GBAM.

"Nintendo is targeting global sales of 4 million units by next March and plans to start selling the GameBoy Micro in Europe on Nov. 4, Japan's Kyodo News Agency reported."

Do they honestly think they can sell 4 million GBAMs in six months?
 
[quote name='Grave_Addiction']Think about this: You can buy a new Gamecube for the same price of a GBAM.

Doesn't that tell you something is wrong?


Also, check this out. This is from a USA Today article on the GBAM.

"Nintendo is targeting global sales of 4 million units by next March and plans to start selling the GameBoy Micro in Europe on Nov. 4, Japan's Kyodo News Agency reported."

Do they honestly think they can sell 4 million GBAMs in six months?[/QUOTE]

Yep, I sure do. I think the price is way too steep for what you are getting, but I think this thing is going to sell like hotcakes. This is more of a fashion statement than a game machine, IMO.
 
[quote name='lebowsky']Yep, I sure do. I think the price is way too steep for what you are getting, but I think this thing is going to sell like hotcakes. This is more of a fashion statement than a game machine, IMO.[/QUOTE]

Bingo. It's ridiculously overpriced but I think the risk factor for Nintendo here is so low it's completely worth it for them. They're already making money hand over fist in handhelds, and the profit margin on these must be huge. This is probably a relatively small investment for a potentially ginormous windfall of cash.
 
I still don't understand why so many people expected a $50 price. There was no way the Micro would retail for cheaper than the 2-year-old SP. At minimum, the Micro would have hit $80 and the SP would have dropped to $50 or $60 (which would have been a better price, IMO, but $20 is not a huge difference).

Every GBA has launched at $100. There's no reason why the Micro should have launched at half that price, besides the fact that SP owners don't want to pay as much for it. If you compare the two systems completely on a technical level, it's ridiculous to think that the Micro should cost $30 less.
 
I'm going to have to say it. I'm sorry, I tried to stop myself, but it can not be stopped anymore.

Let's look at this from a hardware perspective and not software.

Why would anyone spend $100 for a GBAM that can only play video games (Yes, with the Play-Yan, it can do more, but that's another $40-$50) when they could buy an N-Gage QD for the same price and have a greatly superior hardware device.

GBAM - $100
- Can play Gameboy Advance games

N-Gage QD - $100
- Can play N-Gage games
- Can play N-Gage games online
- Can be used as a cell phone
- Can play MP3s
- Can play movies
- Can emulate dozens of system ranging from MAME to SNES
- Can view images
- Can be used as a PDA
- Can view the internet
- Can get e-mail
- Can instant message
- Can run hundreds of Symbian 60 programs

Yeah, I know the GBAM has a vastly better software library, but from a hardware standpoint, the N-Gage is clearly the better system. It can do hundreds of things the GBAM can't.

Please people, don't buy the GBAM for $100. If you do, I will kill one of my daughter's pet frogs.
 
[quote name='Grave_Addiction']Let's look at this from a hardware perspective and not software.[/quote]
If you're trying to accurately compare two products, you can't simply ignore the strongest selling point of one of them.

There's a reason the N-Gage is so cheap. It's because nobody bought it. Because it had crappy software, and because it's not a Game Boy.

It's the same reason why the PS2 costs $150. From a hardware standpoint, the GameCube kicks its ass, and the GC is $50 cheaper and comes with a free game. But since Sony is the market leader, they can charge higher prices and still sell units. So should we tell everyone to stop buying PS2s? Ignoring software, the Xbox and GameCube are far superior systems.

When you buy the console, you're not just buying hardware, you're buying the facilities that allow you to play a specific software library.
 
One of the guys on another forum I visit works with Nintendo of America (as a repair technician, I think). He said that the Micro's price is partly due to the casing, which is made out of some sort of aluminum. The faceplates also serve to protect the screen from scratches. Overall, he says the Micro is far more durable than either the GBA or the SP, and Nintendo may actually be selling the system at a loss at the $99 price point.

So there's your reason for the expense. If you have any plans of keeping a GBA around for several years, it sounds like the Micro will be the one to use.
 
I knew it was gonna be $99 from the start, it's ridiculous you guys think it'll be less than $80.

I definetly won't get one though, since I got a DS. But it does looks pretty cool, so I'll get one when the price drops. But I still think the Famicom SP > Micro.
 
Yeah, it is ridiculous to think that we're not going to get shafted... I don't think any analyst would have predicted a $99 price point on an item that's arguably a step backward.

As it is, and as overpriced as it may be, the XBOX 360 at $399 is a better bargain than the $99 GBA Micro. At least you're getting some cutting edge technology with a GPU on par (or better?) with any $400 (or more) video card out there, and that CPU sure as hell isn't an out-of-the-box P4, which would have made it a whole lot more affordable, for both Microsoft and you. Fact is, at $399, I'm sure Microsoft is still selling the 360 at a loss, at least for the time being. Do you think the Big N is going to be selling the GBA Micro for one? Not on your life.

The GBA is based on some pretty old technology right now. I'm sure miniaturization comes at a price, but I don't think Nintendo is even making it a viable option. It's putting this out there for fanboys, completists and gadget whores who simply have to have everything, and at least they're apparently being unabashed about that fact. Frankly, they probably should be doing this, because lets face it, a whole lot of gamers will just be using their existing GB/GBA software libraries for it. They can't rely on software sales alone to push their actual profit as if it were a new platform. A platform for CAG's this isn't, but the $99 price point still puts it in "impulse buy" range for the less expense-conscious out there, and for them, the coolness factor of it all (now that being a "game geek" is inexplicably stylish...ugh) may well be enough. Nintendo seems to be more savvy than many here would give them credit.

I agree that the N-Gage QD (which I have in my pocket) is a better option. Not only is it a fine phone and picture viewer (the music playback options are decidedly limited though), but the software options available are fairly impressive. Emulation is cool...
 
[quote name='mtxbass1']Man, first MS with an overpriced 360, now nintendo with the overpriced micro. I can only imagine if nintendo launches the revolution at anything above $299 that it will be endgame for them.[/QUOTE]

No kidding. I'm SERIOUSLY hoping the Rev comes out at $199 as I'm getting turned off by the high prices of the next generation. The Micro is overpriced compared to the SP and the DS. $59 would have been a much sweeter spot and been more of an impulse purchase.

Here's hoping for a cheap Rev, but now I'm a little less optimistic.
 
[quote name='rohlfinator']If you're trying to accurately compare two products, you can't simply ignore the strongest selling point of one of them.

There's a reason the N-Gage is so cheap. It's because nobody bought it. Because it had crappy software, and because it's not a Game Boy.

It's the same reason why the PS2 costs $150. From a hardware standpoint, the GameCube kicks its ass, and the GC is $50 cheaper and comes with a free game. But since Sony is the market leader, they can charge higher prices and still sell units. So should we tell everyone to stop buying PS2s? Ignoring software, the Xbox and GameCube are far superior systems.

When you buy the console, you're not just buying hardware, you're buying the facilities that allow you to play a specific software library.[/QUOTE]

Sure, but when you're talking about the hardware's capabilities, I don't think the software should come into the arguement. Software changes over time, so it's not something that will hold constant.

Two systems launch at the same time, one of the systems is more powerful but it's software library is lacking and the other is less powerful but has better software. So, of course, you might tell someone to go with the system with better software, but what happens a year later when that more powerful system starts getting better games than the other.

You see if that other person would have waited, they could have gotten the more powerful system and the overall better software selection.

Now I'm not saying the N-Gage's library is going to suddenly get better than the GBA's, but I just don't think software should play any kind of role in a hardware discussion.

You should solely look at what the hardware's capabilities are. And for $100, the GBA can only play video games, while the N-Gage can do dozens upon dozens of things.

I think you would be getting more for your money if you went with the N-Gage. But I wouldn't try to ever dissuade someone from buying a DS or SP because I think those two products are worth their MSRP, while I think the GBAM is highly overpriced.

[quote name='rohlfinator']One of the guys on another forum I visit works with Nintendo of America (as a repair technician, I think). He said that the Micro's price is partly due to the casing, which is made out of some sort of aluminum. The faceplates also serve to protect the screen from scratches. Overall, he says the Micro is far more durable than either the GBA or the SP, and Nintendo may actually be selling the system at a loss at the $99 price point.

So there's your reason for the expense. If you have any plans of keeping a GBA around for several years, it sounds like the Micro will be the one to use.[/QUOTE]

Well, I'm sure the casing plays a role in the overall price of the handheld, but it's certainly not as much as you've alluded to. He's saying one of the cheapest metals to make and use on this world we call Earth is supposed to be the culprit for Nintendo's pricey little handheld?

No way is Nintendo selling that thing for a loss. They are using old technology in the first place, it's not like they had to throw very much time and money into development, surely as not as much as actually building a system from the ground up.

The manufacturing costs are more likely half of what the system retails for.

Also, Nintendo is notorius for getting a profit of its hardware, why do you think they'd change that with the GBAM? I think they know it won't win over huge masses of previous nongamers. So why would they sell it for a loss? Not a good idea.

I think this is Nintendo's idea of trying to milk the industry one last time with the GBA line and then release a next-generation system sometime late next year or early 2007.

I predict the GBAM to be a massive flop at its current price.
 
[quote name='Karyyk']A platform for CAG's this isn't, but the $99 price point still puts it in "impulse buy" range for the less expense-conscious out there, and for them, the coolness factor of it all (now that being a "game geek" is inexplicably stylish...ugh) may well be enough.[/QUOTE]
I think you hit the nail on the head right there. I don't expect many people at CAG to pick one up, since the DS and SP are better values, technically speaking. I've heard that Nintendo will market the Micro towards women, who might find it more appealing given its size and cellphone appearance.
[quote name='megashock5']The Micro is overpriced compared to the SP and the DS.[/quote]
The DS maybe, but the SP still retails for $80. The Micro is easily worth $20 more than the SP from a hardware standpoint, unless you have a huge problem with the screen size. Also, you have to realize that handhelds have typically dropped slightly in price soon after launch. The $100 price is mostly for early adopters, most likely.
And every iteration of the GBA has launched for $100. The Micro is a bigger improvement over the SP than the SP was over the GBA, so the price makes sense, even if it is too high. The SP was basically a GBA in a different form with a cheap light added. The Micro has miniaturized hardware, a backlit screen, a much studier case, and the prospects of customization.
[quote name='Grave_Addiction']Two systems launch at the same time, one of the systems is more powerful but it's software library is lacking and the other is less powerful but has better software. So, of course, you might tell someone to go with the system with better software, but what happens a year later when that more powerful system starts getting better games than the other.[/quote]
Sure, but that's not the case here at all. The GBA has been out for over four years with a very solid established library, with well over 50 games rated 80% or higher on GameRankings. The N-Gage has been around for nearly two years, and still has fewer than 10 decent games. It's not a matter of the GBA having a better launch. It's a matter of the GBA having better support all-around.
Well, I'm sure the casing plays a role in the overall price of the handheld, but it's certainly not as much as you've alluded to. He's saying one of the cheapest metals to make and use on this world we call Earth is supposed to be the culprit for Nintendo's pricey little handheld?
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Well, it's a heck of a lot more expensive than cheap plastic.
No way is Nintendo selling that thing for a loss. They are using old technology in the first place, it's not like they had to throw very much time and money into development, surely as not as much as actually building a system from the ground up.
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Um... miniaturized chips != old technology. A DS is technically on par with the N64, but it's hardly "old technology". You're paying a lot for the small form factor. Sure, it may be cheaper to design than a brand new system, but their latest brand new system was three times the size, less durable, and $50 more expensive.

Believe what you will about the manufacturing costs, but I'll believe a guy who actually works with this hardware and knows what he's talking about, rather than a random forum-goer who predicts that any version of the best-selling GBA line will be a "massive flop".
 
[quote name='rohlfinator']
Believe what you will about the manufacturing costs, but I'll believe a guy who actually works with this hardware and knows what he's talking about, rather than a random forum-goer who predicts that any version of the best-selling GBA line will be a "massive flop".[/QUOTE]

No, you're believing a "random forum-goer" claiming they work for Nintendo who says manufacturing costs of aluminum has all of a sudden sky rocketed and is now why the GBAM is so expensive.

Until I see an official statement on how much the DS costs to manufacture to prove me wrong, I will always believe Nintendo is ripping people off with this piece of hardware.

And no matter how "cool" they can make the system look, it's still going to be playing GBA games. How many chicks do you honestly know who want to play a game of FF Tactics or Metroid Fusion?
 
[quote name='Grave_Addiction']No, you're believing a "random forum-goer" claiming they work for Nintendo who says manufacturing costs of aluminum has all of a sudden sky rocketed and is now why the GBAM is so expensive.[/quote]
Whatever you say. He's proven himself to be a trustworthy individual many times already. This isn't just a random snot-nosed kid who showed up one day to post pricing information. He's a respected member of the community, and his job has nothing to do with that. Why would he spend so much time contributing to the community, just so he could later lie about the manufacturing costs of a single product?
Until I see an official statement on how much the DS costs to manufacture to prove me wrong, I will always believe Nintendo is ripping people off with this piece of hardware.
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Go ahead. You're not affecting my opinion of the price, and the loss of one sale certainly won't kill Nintendo. Just for the record though, it's not very likely that Nintendo will ever reveal that info. Most of the price quotes for the PSP and Xbox 360 are all coming from analysts.
And no matter how "cool" they can make the system look, it's still going to be playing GBA games. How many chicks do you honestly know who want to play a game of FF Tactics or Metroid Fusion?
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There are plenty of GBA games that aren't made for "hardcore" gamers. I agree that a lot of the most publicized lineup isn't too female-friendly, but that doesn't mean that Nintendo can't change its marketing.

You might have personal reasons to disapprove with the pricing. That's fine. But it's a little shortsighted to predict its failure just because you don't like it. Nintendo has never released a handheld that hasn't sold well. If they think $100 is the right price, I have no reason to doubt that. Nintendo, as a corporation, has access to far more analysts and marketers than most of us CAGs ever willl.
 
[quote name='rohlfinator']Nintendo has never released a handheld that hasn't sold well.[/QUOTE]

*cough*VirtualBoy*cough*

Oh, wait, you said handheld, not foreheadfeld. My mistake. ;)

Back on topic, I think the micro's price is a little high, but that's just because I won't buy one. I've very happy with my SP and DS. :) I'm sure they'll sell another gabillion of these things.

On the topic of handheld sales and such, are there stats out there of how the PSP/GBA/DS war is going for either side? I just heard a gamestop employee flat out tell a guy not to buy his kids PSPs. I thought that was a bit odd.

daroga
 
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