Pachter predicts 3DS will arrive next year in North America/Europe, will be about $250
This information comes from Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter…
“I expect the device to be available only on eBay for its first couple of months. I think that we Westerners won’t have an opportunity to buy before Christmas, so think that sales by Christmas will be limited to a few million in Japan… I see it having huge success as an upgrade device, with sales likely limited only by supply and price. My best guess is that they will price it around $250/£199/€250, so this may limit demand somewhat, and I doubt that Nintendo will manufacture more than 10 – 15 million the first full year… I think that the 3DS’s addressable market is really the current DS market and some overlap with the current PSP market. That’s still a huge market opportunity.”
For the holidays, it seems that Nintendo will only be launching Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs, Art Academy, and Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Miniland Mayhem for the DS. That sounds rather… Underwhelming. Releasing the 3DS in time for Christmas with the first round of software for the system could propel Nintendo to obtain some ridiculous sales. I just don’t know if they feel it’s necessary to ship the handheld in 2011 for North America/Europe.
