HMV is a massive force on the UK highstreet

We can all agree that the 3DS is going to be a pretty huge deal; glasses-free 3D in the palm of your hand from the company that brought you the DS, a console so ubiquitous it's a wonder that they're not giving it away free with packs of cereal these days.

However, as excited as you may be, chances are you're not as pumped as HMV UK & Ireland CEO and MD, Simon Fox.

Speaking to Gamesindustry.biz recently, Fox practically had to be held down during the interview, such was his sheer enthusiasm for the forthcoming console:

I think the 3DS is the first really new handheld that we've seen for a long time - and I think it's vitally important that there's a fight back on the handhelds. The market is going to the iPhone and digital, so to have a really exciting new handheld gaming machine - with the software that goes with it - we're very excited about that. I think there'll be huge consumer interest. I think Nintendo always does a fantastic job of launching new products, so bring it on.

Bring it on, indeed. However, Fox managed to take several deep breaths and calm himself down enough to issue a word of warning concerning the 3DS' mooted price point of around £199.

"In a tougher economic environment the price point of a console is massively price sensitive," he said. He went on to admit that "at the moment" he was happy with the way things have worked out - especially in the wake of several high-profile console price cuts last year - but his words to suggest that he's a little uneasy with the whopping RRP being placed around the neck of the new handheld.

[source gamesindustry.biz]