A big price for a big screen?

One of the interesting announcements in the 3DS XL reveal today was a price-point of $199 in the U.S., a fairly good price considering that the original model cost $250 in March 2011. Nintendo did have to learn a cruel lesson that the original launch price wouldn't sell enough units, prompting a major reduction just months after launch.

It's been confirmed, meanwhile, that prices in the UK will be set by retailers: Nintendo provided the following statement to Eurogamer.net.

As always, the final price to consumers is determined by the retailers, but we have aimed at making the price as reasonable as we can to the consumer.

It's the standard line, with the big N also saying that retailers should be listing their prices as soon as possible. At current rates $199 comes to around £128, but that's roughly the current price of the original model and there is a precedent of UK prices being above the simple conversion rate; we expect the actual price to be higher. We'll keep an eye on which retailers will break cover first.

[source eurogamer.net]