To me, the issue of reducing the DS Lite's price boils down to two questions. One: would slashing the price result in more people buying DSes? And two: would it benefit Nintendo to do so?
I believe the answer to both would be a resounding yes.
With only the biggest gift-giving holiday on earth hurtling towards us, there is simply no better time for Nintendo to consider shedding a few bucks. We probably all remember last year, when an empty shelf and a forlorn parent was never far away, but this time, things are genuinely different. In all major regions, supply now amply exceeds demand. Would Nintendo rather DSes were sitting on shelves, or being played by consumers?
Let's also not forget how, in recent months, the PSP's corpse has shown signs of twitching. In Japan, Sony's handheld has managed to creep back into the race (even beating the DS in some recent weeks), and the introduction of the new PSP-3000 series next month will provide extra wind for Sony's sails. Okay, so it's hardly time to sound the alarms over the PSP's progress (the DS is still outselling its rival by a decent number in North America and Europe), but why not reduce the DS's price now and nip this mini-revival in the bud?
And finally, just imagine the benefits of bringing the Lite down to, say, the magical $99.99 mark. Knocking a whole digit off the price would remove a considerable mental barrier for consumers, and would propel the DS into "impulse purchase" territory. Not just for first-time buyers, either -- I have long toyed with the idea of purchasing a second DS, and can state for a fact that a sub-$100 Lite would be all the encouragement I needed (that gorgeous little red beauty would be all mine). I doubt I'm alone in that respect.
