DS Lite to be priced & dated May 4
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ May 1st 2006 at 3:25PM }
During a recent podcast,
1UP noted that Nintendo would announce the official price and release date for the DS Lite this Thursday, May 4. The
announcement will include the relevant data for the North American launch and will likely reveal a price and date for
Europe as well. The DS Lite debuted in Japan this past March for 16,800 yen (just under $150), but due to demand, some
distributors pushed the price to 23,300 yen (roughly $200). Current rumors speculate a June release in North America
with a $199.99 price tag.The original Nintendo DS model is now on sale for as low as $119.99. Would you be willing to fork over an additional $80 to go Lite?
[Thanks, David]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
RB @ May 1st 2006 3:30PM
No way would that be worth 60% more than the current DS. Brighter screen, better mic placement, and slightly smaller doesn't make it worth it for me. I'll be shocked if the DS Lite doesn't come in at $150, which would be well worth it.
JodyAnthony @ May 1st 2006 3:30PM
no. which is why i see it coming out at $149.99
Night Elve @ May 1st 2006 3:31PM
No way thats a steal, i would buy one at 120 Dlls, but 200? come on Nintendo think that we are dumb.
mandarin @ May 1st 2006 3:31PM
Err the boneheads who pumped the prices to 199$ are the importers.
KapsLocked @ May 1st 2006 3:33PM
I should've bought a preorder. They were $150 plus shipping. Now I have to wait until they release it here in the U.S. or if the import prices go down. :(
Daniel M. @ May 1st 2006 3:34PM
$199, that's nuts!
no way I'm paying that much for one. $150 tops.
Sense @ May 1st 2006 3:37PM
Um...no. I want one--badly--but no.
matguard @ May 1st 2006 3:39PM
I imported for one primary reason, I received $75 for trade in on my current system. After the DS is announced and available stateside, the DS trade-in value will crash. I payed the approx. $124 (plus $18 for shipping) for my system.
Even if the system is released for $149 here, I made out well. If it is $199 I got a steal. I have enjoyed that steal for nearly a month now.
-Out
Kevout @ May 1st 2006 3:41PM
These comments make me wonder why people would pay $250 for a PSP if they wouldn't pay $200 for a much better system
Defferoo @ May 1st 2006 3:41PM
that's ridiculous. There's no way Nintendo is going to sell the Lite for $200. The R&D costs of this product is extremely low because they just took the DS and remodeled it a little bit. Only thing I can think of is the top screen being thin. So even at $150, they will profit from this thing. There's no reason to make it $200.
bluetrane @ May 1st 2006 3:42PM
just put a lite and phat side by side. Power em on. And then you will know why the lite is so much more worth it
David @ May 1st 2006 3:42PM
Note that Nintendo wasn't the one who up'd the ante on the price it was *some distributors who took advantage of the market. As for price, I'd probably pay a good $150 for the Lite. The redesign is more about asthetics for me, and even though its been said to death by now, it doesn't look like a childrens toy anymore. Coupled with the new Mario and hopes of an Enamel Navy I'll probably get one to go along with my psp.
Rappateng @ May 1st 2006 3:44PM
I'm with you matguard - I imported and paid for it by trading in 180 old issues of Nintendo Power magazines :)
I think $200 is pretty high, but then again - the Micro sold for $100 and more than a few people forked over the cash for it. The price has now come down, so maybe the DS Lite will follow the same path - launmch for $200 then come down from there.
vidGuy @ May 1st 2006 3:44PM
$149.99 yes
$199.99 no
There's no way Nintendo will put that much of a premium on the redesign. They want them to sell, right?
ImCowman @ May 1st 2006 3:44PM
No.
DG @ May 1st 2006 3:44PM
Not a chance at $200. $150, maybe. $100, definitely.
Daniel M. @ May 1st 2006 3:46PM
as a current PSP owner, I was looking to get a DS Lite upon release. I just think the DS has more good games than PSP at the moment.
I will not be picking one up at this price though.
The technology just doesnt justify the price. A PSP is $200 nowadays, and has a lot more technology packed in.
Tony @ May 1st 2006 3:46PM
What rumor ever speculated a $200 price anyway? If anything it'd be $150 and the normal one sticking at $129. Nintendo would be shooting themselves in the foot otherwise. The PSP costs the same price.
Kevin @ May 1st 2006 3:49PM
That's ridiculous... I don't buy it. Once the rage in Japan slows down a bit, it'll be cheaper to import!
Kamalot @ May 1st 2006 3:52PM
"Would you be willing to fork over an additional $80 to go Lite?"
Hell yes. Once you try the system out for yourself, you will understand.
Watch this video to see...
http://www.cabel.name/2006/04/nintendo-ds-lite-third-look.html
J.Dwyer @ May 1st 2006 3:54PM
FALSE. There is no way thay Nintendo would load the gun and point it directly at their feet. I don't think that they would price it higher than the original by almost half. The new features do not justify the "leaked" price.
Nintendo prides themselves on making a product as affordable as possible to the consumer. I have just recently acquired a DS and I have had a PSP since the first day it was released. I don't think I have touched my PSP since I got the DS. I spent alot of money just for the PSP, a Nintendo/SuperNES emulator!!!
I really think that Nintendo is gonna place the DS Lite someplace between 140 - 165. I really doubt they would make the price 199.99 for a brighter screen and smaller size and blah blah blah... To market it at that price would be foolish and not very Nintendo like.
Revolution Price... 249.99??? I would think that it's safe to say that is a reasonable price for a CONSOLE, but not a portable...
Michael @ May 1st 2006 3:58PM
I'm definitely planning on buying a DS Lite, but $200 is far too much. $150 sounds a lot better, but even lower would be nice too. Still, I'd bite for $150.
Josh @ May 1st 2006 3:58PM
Nintendo is very predictable in this sense.
It will launch for $149.99.
funkonaut @ May 1st 2006 4:01PM
I paid $240 for my navy Lite and don't regret it one bit. It's a fantastic console.
BPMΩ @ May 1st 2006 4:08PM
There's no chance the DS Lite would go for US$200 RETAIL.
Yes, it goes for that much on the second-hand market... BUT THAT'S THE SECOND-HAND MARKET. No big business controls that.
When it retails for about US$145 in Japan... I can almost guarantee the US price will be US$150.
And where have you seen the original DS for $120? I've seen $130, but not $120...
jimjimson @ May 1st 2006 4:09PM
200 jr. bacon cheeseburgers?! f-word, no!
if it comes out at $200, i'll just have to steal one from some little kid on the street. i'm just a poor college student. i can't afford that.
matguard @ May 1st 2006 4:12PM
#22 - BPMΩ
Walmart typically stocks them at $119.00.
-Out
NeedleLies @ May 1st 2006 4:13PM
I want one but it kills me that we can get a GC for 99$ (soon to be 79$) and have to fork out 200$ for a DS lite.
Shad Genki @ May 1st 2006 4:13PM
As much as you complain, you know you guys would buy it for $199. I would, even though I think the price is ludicrous. But, I predict that we can expect a price of $179. $149 would be better, but hey for the smaller size and better everything, it's worth the money, especially if you don't already own a DS (I don't).
Neogin @ May 1st 2006 4:14PM
Don't be moronic, Nintendo is never going to sell a handheld at that price. From what I remember, the current DS is going to slowly die a painful death, while the Lite takes over, like what happened with the original GBA and SP.
My Gamestop said the DS Lite will release in late May-early June. The pricetag? We don't know, but it's not going to be more than $150
Sorry for my bad english @ May 1st 2006 4:14PM
I am sure that original DS will drop to $99.99 and new DS will set at $119.99
chess set @ May 1st 2006 4:21PM
Wow! How much better is a Lite than a regular DS besides the size and portability? I got my original DS during Christmas time 2004 for $179 CAN, and at the time that was brand new technology.
Sabre @ May 1st 2006 4:22PM
$199? Pfft...yea right. On what planet?
I paid $220 from Lik-Sang.com for the Enamel Navy DS Lite which I got I think 2 weeks or so after it came out in Japan.
I say it'll be $150 as well.
Bo Link @ May 1st 2006 4:23PM
I won't buy one at $200. This better not turn out to be true. If so, I'll just by buying another DS Heavy.
hoob @ May 1st 2006 4:25PM
Remember what Nintendo did with the Game Boy Advance when they released the SP? They'll most likely do that here. They've already dropped the price of the DS to $129. So, they'll most likely settle at a price of $149 or $179, as has been previously mentioned.
They did a similar thing with the Advance and the SP. They dropped the price of the Advance and retailed the SP at the price the Advance had originally priced in at.
Everyone who thinks the Lite will be any cheaper is being ridiculous. As is anyone who thinks it'll price in at $199. It just doesn't make any sense to price it at that.
Alex @ May 1st 2006 4:25PM
they don't need to drop the original DS' price by more than $10 if they launch at $150, which, honestly, they well should.
$129 was always a weird price point anyway (here's looking at you, sony). $119 is significantly more normal, and $30 is a large enough difference. $99 is overkill, but i'd love them for it.
Master X 24 @ May 1st 2006 4:27PM
The PSP is only 200 now but il wait on the PSP2 and the xboy whatever and il get a ds lite for 150
spoo @ May 1st 2006 4:31PM
$200 count me out, $150 I'll bite. Why would DS Lite be more then The DS was when it came out?
BPMΩ @ May 1st 2006 4:40PM
matguard:
Ah, I see. Well, that's the thing, I never shop at Wal*Mart...
Shad Genki:
"As much as you complain, you know you guys would buy it for $199."
Speak for yourself. As much as the DS Lite is awesome, $200 is NOT worth a DS REDESIGN, especially since the original launched for $150.
If I was willing to pay $200 for a DS Lite, I would have done so already and imported one from Play-Asia.
At most I will pay $150 for a DS Lite. Would less be nice? Of course, but there's a snowball's chance in Hell of that happening.
Back_Lit @ May 1st 2006 4:45PM
No way would I fork over $80 more for another DS. I do want a DS lite eventually but if it is going at $200 what is stopping me from getting a PSP? I mean it has better graphics and what not right?
That is exactly what I and most people will think if the DS lite is launched at the SAME price as teh PSP (it is without the value pack remember?).
daniel @ May 1st 2006 4:49PM
itll probably end up being the equivalent of $200 here in the uk if its $150 in america
Dogbowl @ May 1st 2006 4:52PM
I've got a dslite and paid over $200 for it. Well worth it (for me at least).
But why in the world would anybody think that Nintendo would price it at $200 here. The street price for the DS lite is around $150 in Japan -- its the importers who have marked it up.
I fully expect the price here to be in line with Japans -- just like every other piece of Nintendo hardware has always done.
SetupWeasel @ May 1st 2006 4:52PM
The yen is cheap. $150 tops. Anything else is punter speculation.
The Mole @ May 1st 2006 4:55PM
Nintendo will probably price it at the same price as the DS and drop the price of the DS to around 100 or $130 with the new Mario game. They could easily bundle the DS Lite and Brain Age for $150. That way they can continue to be the best value in video games. Period. This strategy would really help to bring in people to video games who don't want to spend $200+ on a PSP or $400 on a 360.
I don't know about the rest of you, but when I bought my Super Nintendo way back when it was like $100 or $120 and it came with Mario Kart and Super Mario World. Actually, come to think of it Nintendo should launch the Wii at $200 with a new Mario game. That would totally rock.
OyoyoY123 @ May 1st 2006 5:04PM
no worries dudes!
PSP is 200 now, and there is no way that lite would be priced anywhere close to 200
150 is almost certain!
Artimus @ May 1st 2006 5:04PM
I'd love to know where you got this $199 consensus rumour, J R-W. Because this is the first time I've ever heard it, and I usually keep fairly up-to-date. Load of complete and utter bunk, if you ask me. There's no way they'll release a re-done handheld at the same price range as their next console. Same price as the original DS at launch for the DSL.
This has been another episode of Joystiq Presents...Made-Up Things As Fact! Brought to you by the US Government and Scientology.
Togmannen @ May 1st 2006 5:19PM
While your guys complain at you price, in Europe is little different. We have to pay 249$ to orginal Ds, when it came out. I expect the same Price when Ds Lite is coming out. So if it come out at 149$ I will be happy and import and save 100$!
jholdaway @ May 1st 2006 5:38PM
I will go out of my mind if they release it at $200! after tax it will come to about what you can get it from lik-sang a freaking month ago!!
Oh well, such is life.
dsub @ May 1st 2006 5:45PM
I refuse to pay more than what they are currently charging for the DS for a DS lite. The original DS is nearly two years old and has yet to really see a substantial price-drop from nintendo. There is no reason for the DS Lite to be $200. I was really going to buy one when they came out, but my main complaint with the PSP has always been it's too pricey for a handheld, and even at $200, it's still too pricey. $150 is the highest i'll go for the DS Lite, and honestly, I think it should launch at the same price as the DS, $129. That would surely help nintendo out big time in moving alot of DS' handhelds off the shelves in the US.
Eric Bostrom @ May 1st 2006 5:53PM
This is the first i've heard of a $199 lite stateside. I was anticipating the lite @ $129 - $149, as the ds fat is down to $99 (target for a while) - $129.