Update: According to analyst Michael Pachter, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime told him that it costs “a lot more” to make a 3DS than a DSi and that Nintendo doesn’t intend to lose money on the hardware.
There were two pieces of information Nintendo failed to mention about the 3DS at E3: A date and price. It’ll probably be a few months before we hear about either of those two details, but Nintendo president Satoru Iwata provided a hint regarding how much the handheld will cost. Because of the system’s graphical enhancements over the DS, new camera, features, and improvement in overall technology, it seems logical to assume that the 3DS will be priced more heavily than past Nintendo portables. According to Iwata, it’ll cost more than the current DS, which probably means it’ll set consumers back at least $200.
“I have to refrain from talking specifically about the price point. What I can confirm is that, in terms of the production costs, it will cost more than the costs for the Nintendo DS today. Having said that, we believe we will produce enough value worthy of the production cost. We do not think we have to sell the products below cost.”
