Japan weighs in on 3DS price debate

Nearly a third of Japanese gamers reckon Nintendo's upcoming handheld console the 3DS is expensive.

Just under a third - 32.2 per cent - reckon it's slightly expensive, according to a poll of a thousand Japanese gamers conducted by GetNews.jp (reported by Kotaku)

19.2 per cent of those polled reckon the 3D-enabled handheld is too expensive. 16.4 said it is reasonably priced. Two per cent said slightly inexpensive, and 0.9 said inexpensive, presumably as they swam in their money pools.

Last month Nintendo announced the 3DS will cost ¥25,000. That's $305 or £192, according to current exchange rates.

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata insisted the 3DS represents good value for money because it's a self-contained gaming device that you don't need extra kit to play.

"Portable video game machines integrate both a gaming device and a screen. You do not need any other hardware devices to be connected in order for you to play with it," he said.

"We do not think, 'the price relationship between portable devices and home consoles must stay intact simply because it used to be that way.'

"While it is always better for the price to be as accessible as possible, in terms of its cost, and in order to make a healthy and sustainable business for both the hardware and the software, and given the positive reactions since E3, which give us the indication on how the public are likely to appreciate the value of Nintendo 3DS if they can have hands-on experiences and, above all, by taking other factors into careful consideration, we have concluded that we should propose this price point to our consumers."

The 3DS is due out on 26th February in Japan, and March in Europe and the US.