The Shrine

Joystiq says that the latest 1UP podcast reveals that the price & date details for the DS Lite's US release will be announced this coming Thursday, and then drops the bombshell of "Current rumors speculate a June release in North America with a $199.99 price tag."

$200???? I've been planning on picking up two at release - one for me, and one for my gf as a birthday present - but $400 is a little much to be slinging around, considering I'm likely to get squat for my...um...Heavy. I may have to go with my old plan of getting a Lite for me and giving the Heavy to her, but that just seems like a dick move. (Besides, then I'd have to think of something else to give her as a birthday present! )

What I don't get is where the rumormongers got that number from. The thing costs just under $150 in Japan - one would think that it would retail for around the same price here, no?

Personally, $150 I can handle. If they happened to drop the price of the Heavy to $100 while introducing the Lite at $130, I'd dig that even more. After all, they're going to be reducing the price of the Cube this month as well...

$200! Completely insane. I really couldn't see Nintendo doing this.

The DS Lite is being advertised at several places for $164.99 Canadian (as opposed to the original DS which is $149.99). $200 American seems kind of off.

I agree, I dont really see Nintendo doing this at all.

Nintendo's pattern has always been to price the new version of the system (Gameboys) at the most recent pre-drop price of the previous model. When the Micro came out, it was priced at $129Cdn, which was the price of the GBA SP until about a couple months before.

You'll likely see the Lite come out at $150 US or $170 Cdn. There may be some places that are within a few dollars here and there, but that sounds about right to me

Kotaku has the press release! It's going to be $130! Suh-fricking-weet!

Wow, that IS a really good price. That is $143 Canadian.

Why do they ALWAYS have to come out with a new and improved version after I already bought the initial one? argh.

Seraphina wrote:Why do they ALWAYS have to come out with a new and improved version after I already bought the initial one? argh.

Most systems do see upgrades: PSX = PS1, PS2 = PS2 Slim, GB = GB pocket, GBA = SP + Micro, SNES = SNES Slim, Genesis = Genesis 2, Ipod = I won't even go there =P PC = Check back each month =P

Seraphina wrote:Why do they ALWAYS have to come out with a new and improved version after I already bought the initial one? argh.

Increases sales every single time...

Yay!!

The Seeker wrote:

Seraphina wrote:Why do they ALWAYS have to come out with a new and improved version after I already bought the initial one? argh.

Most systems do see upgrades: PSX = PS1, PS2 = PS2 Slim, GB = GB pocket, GBA = SP + Micro, SNES = SNES Slim, Genesis = Genesis 2, Ipod = I won't even go there =P PC = Check back each month =P

Yeah but the Console changes come like 5 years after they've been out for an exceptionally long time or when the next gen is about to be released. The Gameboy incarnations come out regularly.

True, well, not in the case of Xbox 360, a very upgraded version is being released at the end of this year or early next year.

Either way, the original DS is fine, I just would rather have the DS Lite. The new version isn't exactly a very large dent in the wallet either, so I don't see much to complain about.

Oh yeah, I just upgraded my PS2 as well, it only cost me 99 dollars. My old PS2 had problems with loading some times (means frequent saving, because sometimes it would get to the point where it would load eternally). Now is a good time to upgrade PS2 unless you plan o getting the PS3 soon.

The Seeker wrote:True, well, not in the case of Xbox 360, a very upgraded version is being released at the end of this year or early next year.

Either way, the original DS is fine, I just would rather have the DS Lite. The new version isn't exactly a very large dent in the wallet either, so I don't see much to complain about.

Oh yeah, I just upgraded my PS2 as well, it only cost me 99 dollars. My old PS2 had problems with loading some times (means frequent saving, because sometimes it would get to the point where it would load eternally). Now is a good time to upgrade PS2 unless you plan o getting the PS3 soon.

I think you're confusing an upgrade with it just going through it's model phase. The first PS2 that was released in NA isn't the same one you bought say a year later, although they looked identical, one version was more stable then the last. If they redesigned the entire X-Box360, made it more affordable, and smaller, with more tiny built-in features, THEN it would be an upgrade. As it is now I think they're just changing a few small things to make the system more stable(something about it overheating?), which is something most major systems go through. No price change, no new marketing advertisement.

Eric wrote:As it is now I think they're just changing a few small things to make the system more stable(something about it overheating?)

They're replacing the 90 nm processor in the current models with a 65 nm processor (the number refers to the width, in nanometers, of substrate used to make transistors in the chip). It'll run slightly cooler, use a little less power, and will cost less to manufacture but those are the only differences between the two. Once they're out, you won't be able to tell which is which without looking at the manufacture date/revision number, just like the multiple revisions of PS2 or Xbox as Eric said.

I read the article on IGN. It's too bad it is only coming out in White for now. I guess I am going to have to wait a little longer. Enamel Blue is the colour I am gunning for.

It looks like there are shortages due to the Japanese market where they recently pushed shipments of DS up to 800,000 per month. Which is actually quite good news, it means that Japanese publishers will see the system as a very attractive option. At this rate 1 in 10 Japanese people will own a DS by the end of the year.