Man Pachter another reason to think your out of your mind. Nintendo needed to price the console reasonably fact is consumers wouldn't be eager to shell out 300-500USD. A higher price may not lead to fewer sales initially as all the dedicated Nintendo fans, fanboys and true gamers would still buy the system near launch.
But Nintendo thinks in long term. This winter , next winter would the 3DS continue selling if it cost more then 300USD? Or would Nintendo have to cut prices within a year or two to sell? Fact is if Nintendo did cut the price it would piss off all the early adopters, also consumers might not buy it even if Nintendo cut the price because the damage would already be done.
Fact is Nintendo knows at 250USD they won't have to cut the price for years to come. It is reasonable for the hardware and consumers will continue to buy it untill at least 2013 when Nintendo might need to consider a price cut. But by then Nintendo will probubly have a new model.
Fact is Nintendo's 3DS is share holder friendly. More sales over the next two years is friendly. If 3DS cost 300 their would be fewer units sold. With fewer units sold fewer games would be sold meaning less software profit. With less hardware and software sold the share holders would be loosing more money.
Fact is Nintendo is not stupid. Even Microsoft and Sony launch hardware at a loss knowing software sales might redeem them. Why would Nintendo raise the price and alienate consumers. The cheaper the price the more hardware and software gets sold.
More money is good for share holders!
-JC7
"In God We Trust - In Games We Play " - Joel Reimer
