Nintendo is looking to revive its fortunes in the handheld space by releaseing a new version of the 3DS.
The Nintendo 2DS will be priced in the US at $130 and launch on 12 October. The system is $40 cheaper than the Nintendo 3DS, and will play all the same games. As the name implies, however, it doesn’t have a 3D screen, nor does it have the clamshell design found on other DS handhelds.
The design of the 2DS is totaly unlike its more elaborate sibling – the tapering thickness almost gives it the appearance of a doorstop – but the lack of a hinge should keep kids from snapping the hardware in half, and the lower price makes it a more attractive buy for parents.
Nintendo’s 3DS has fared better than the Wii U, but worldwide 3DS sales declined 25% year-over-year last quarter – not good for a system that’s only a couple years old. Nintendo has felt the squeeze from phones and tablets, as more money is now being spent on iOS and Android games than on dedicated gaming handhelds.
In a somewhat predictable move, Nintendo is also dropping the price of its ‘Deluxe’ Wii U console from $350 to $300, effective 20 September. The Deluxe package includes 32Gb of storage, a copy of Nintendo Land, a console stand, a GamePad stand and a GamePad charging cradle.
It’s unclear what will become of the ‘Basic’ Wii U model, which only included 8Gb of storage and none of the extras listed above. Nintendo may silently kill off this model, given that most retailers stopped selling it months ago.
The Wii U price cut certainly looks like a response to upcoming consoles from Sony and Microsoft. Sony’s PlayStation 4 will cost €400 and Microsoft’s Xbox One will cost €500 when they launch in November.
Although exact pre-order numbers aren’t known, Sony says that more than 1 million people have pre-ordered the PS4. Nintendo, meanwhile, has sold 3.61 million Wii U systems worldwide since its November 2012 launch.
While Nintendo has long argued that its own software and hit franchises will help sell the hardware, it never hurts to have lower prices along with it. A cheaper Wii U and DS handheld could help give Nintendo a boost as it heads into a fiercely competitive last quarter of the year.
IDG News Service
Subscribers 0
Fans 0
Followers 0
Followers