Anyone else think the 3DS price will drop quickly?

[LordTheNightKnight]

The mainstream got used to the DS costing more, but the question is if this is too far. A camera on the DSi was a clear addition. Larger screens were a clear addition with the DSi XL. Even the touch screen was a clear addition for the DS over the Gameboy line.

But here... I don't think 3D is enough to justify the most expensive standalone price any Nintendo system has had.* Now you could argue all the other features being added justify the price, but it's clear that 3D is the selling point here, as that's in the system title.

So what if the mainstream doesn't consider that good enough to spend $100 more than they did for the DS at launch, or even $60 more than the DSi XL with smaller screens? Nintendo will likely have hurt sales on their hands, even if they manage a steady stream of hits (which is more than can be said about the PSP and launching at that price).

Also, I don't think the price alone will hurt the system as much as a likely bubble bursting on 3D. 3D, like high definition, does not actually increase the quality** or convenience of the product. DVD increased convenience over video cassettes (try watching a film on those twice in a row if you forget how much more convenient it is), and even streaming video with Youbute, Hulu, and Netflix let you grab the videos you want at any time. Those add convenience. Even the touch screen and motion controllers offer ways of playing games you can't do with buttons. Some games are therefore more convenient with those (but not all, as we learned).

So this might lead to the public getting sick of 3D and the resulting price inflations. This leads to the point of this thread, which is that Nintendo would soon likely have to drop the price of the 3DS to make it seem more reasonable compared to the DS, instead of following what could be a publich stigma of "we're charging more just because it's in 3D, the way all the movie theaters are doing", even if Nintendo doesn't mean that.

Also, I'm hoping the 3DS sells enough at first to make volume discounts happen sooner, so that a price drop wouldn't risk profits.

* I mean "standalone", since the Wii had Wii Sports, and without it, it only cost as much as the GC in Japan. Also, let's not try to bring inflation into this, as ALL TECH has dropped prices over the years. So the relative prices still make this the most expensive with contemporary technology.

** I don't bring up quality, as that's more a matter of Nintendo remembering that the mainstream wants games like Wii Sports and Super Mario Bros, not Metroid Other M.