Despite out speculations, we’re still without an official Australian 3DS release date and price, but we’ve just received word that Nintendo are holding an Australian specific event during which all details will be announced.
3D gaming without the need to wear special glasses will arrive in Australia and New Zealand in March 2011, with the launch of the new portable gaming console Nintendo 3DS!
Nintendo 3DS will be shown to media for the first time in Australia at an exclusive event to be held in Sydney on the evening of Tuesday 8 February, where further details will be announced for its Australian and New Zealand release.
Better late than never we suppose. While we’re still maintaining that the 3DS will most likely be priced in the $350-400 range, and probably hit shelves March 31, we’d like to be surprised!
AmbroseIV
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 11:37 AMWell, early Feb. announcement gives me hope we’ll get it at the end of March – do you get to go to this kind of thing, Mark?
…in other news, how ’bout those questions, Nintendo?! >:
AmbroseIV
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 11:38 AMI meant to say early-end of March… not that it makes much more sense…
NotoriousR
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 11:38 AMAnytime in March is good, it’s my birthday……*wink wink, nudge nudge*
Daniel
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 11:38 AM$379, March 31st.
Hey I’m optimistic.
Braaains
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 11:55 AMFebruary 8? Good, that still leaves a couple of weeks for everybody to stock up on lube and buy some easily-removed pants in preparation for the traditional sodomizing of the Australian gamer.
Unicron
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 12:02 PMJust close your eyes and imagine it’s Jennifer Hawkins with a strap-on.
AmbroseIV
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 12:18 PM[vigorous clap]™
FatShady MBA
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 12:25 PM[One-handed clapping]… I can have one too can’t I?
I did think this was pretty funny though.
solypsylippylips1
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 12:03 PM350!??? you have got to be kidding!!!!
Its just a DS with slightly improved power and 1x3D screen (which we all know Nintendo would only use if its very reasonably priced -its been their design philosophy for parts since the beginning).
I wont be paying even 300 for this. If they launch at 300+ I wont be buying this one. Theres just too many platforms and entertainment options to allow myself to be raped by Mario.
AmbroseIV
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 12:44 PMI think you need to be a little more realistic – the DSi XL sells for $300 and this is (sorta) the start of the next generation of handheld consoles. In what way could it sell for less…?
It is a lot to pay, but to think $300 is unreasonable seems a little harsh…
Tyris
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 6:57 PMWhilst I agree its certainly overpriced, it is *significantly* more powerful than its predecessor; or at least the graphics would indicate as much. And its doing all that rendering *Twice* for the 3D.
Christian Meredith
Saturday, January 22, 2011 at 10:27 PMthe 3DS may be worth $600 for all I care, and even if it is (the comparatively cheap) $350-400, I still won’t be getting it simply because I *can’t* get it. All the value in the world won’t be worth it if you can’t afford it! :P
Vallen Chaos Valiant
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 12:15 PMSay, Mark, I assume Kotaku would be at the Sydney launch as a matter of course. So could one of your people please ask Nintendo-Australia if there is any reason why we SHOULDN’T just import 3DS and its games from America?
I am curious to hear what the Australian retailers feel about all this.
FatShady MBA
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 12:24 PMI spoke to a mate this morning who has already decided where he is purchasing console and games from.. US. I think we will not get a straight answer, but this is defo the word on the street.
Zhabroah
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 12:19 PM$350-400 price range and region locking on the console/games makes the 3DS an import from America. No way will I be stuck with ridiculous prices on the console and games then also get only a portion of the library available to the US.
NegativeZero
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 12:21 PMTrue to form, Nintendo makes sure we lag behind everywhere else. Used to just be releases that took months to happen, now they’re expanding their service so we don’t even know what they’re going to release until months after everywhere else. :\
Jeff
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 12:22 PMEB has it listed online for $348.
AmbroseIV
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 12:44 PMAnd GAME for $398 – I think it’s still just speculation for now.
Shannon
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 12:45 PMEB games always had it listed for $348.. thats why it says ‘estimated price’
The Cracks
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 12:55 PMThey’ve had it listed as $348 for many months now.
Cam Grimes
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 1:20 PMAnyone who pre-ordered it in Red will be disappointed. If I were you I would go into EB or where ever you ordered it and get it changed.
Rob
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 1:37 PMWhinge whinge! Am I the only one super excited to get a 3DS?! $350-400 seems ok price to me, im pre-ordering today!
Dan Kea
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 2:06 PMThis may be worth importing. Sure you won’t be able to buy games locally, but you’ll save a tonne of money and you’ll still be able to play with your friends.
MrBS
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 2:13 PMWhat will be hilarious will be the Feb 8 announcement will be a teaser for the ‘full reveal’ being held on March 31 to let us know we’ll be getting the thing in June!
Raine
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 2:16 PMIt seems a bit unreasonable to range from $350-$400 since they’ve announced the American price to be $249.99 and our currency doesn’t even have much difference. It should not cost over $300 at all. If lack of sales is the reason for delay to us, clearly the price is a big cause for this.
kaiser
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 2:37 PM$350-$400 price tag plus at least one game needed would mean paying nearly half a thousand for a handheld! The 3DS is looking awesome, but that would be ludicrous regardless. At the end of the day its only a handheld.
Hopefully Ninty will be reasonable and charge no more than $300. $400 should come with a free game otherwise it will be out of many parents reach!
Michael
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 2:40 PMI think it would be a bit unreasonable to expect us to pay more for the 3DS than we would for an Xbox 360…
I’ll most likely wait until the “lite” model anyways…
pew pew
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 2:49 PMWhat’s new, Aussie’s getting ripped off by localised distribution…
Anika Nagy
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 4:29 PMThe price will be the ultimate decision maker for me. Honestly, anything over $300 will be a “wait for the price to go down, I am happy with my DSi for now” mode. Not everyone has a disposable income :/
Tyris
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 6:59 PMFWIW, Amazon will ship it internationally with priority delivery (Arriving April 4th ish or earlier) for $275USD (so well under $300 AUD even if you’re hit with exchange rate fees)… Even if it hits the magical $350AUD mark, I don’t understand why anyone would consider buying it locally…
Vallen Chaos Valiant
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 7:17 PMNow that I have decided to import an American 3DS, anyone know of a reliable service that delivers to Australia? Up to now I get my imports from ebay, but I know there are better systems out there. Anyone got a recommendation?
anon
Friday, January 21, 2011 at 7:24 AMTry Playasia or Ozgameshop, they are the cheapest and best for importing games and hardware that I know of.
Vallen Chaos Valiant
Sunday, January 23, 2011 at 10:17 PMThanks, but if I understand correctly, one site ship from UK and the other ship from Japan? Then it doesn’t help me in getting an American 3DS. Thanks for trying anyway.
I might have to try either Amazon or Gamestop if all else failed.
Luke
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 7:52 PMCurrently, the Aussie dollar is buying approx 1 US dollar.
Because of this, I was expecting the price to be similar to the US announced price of $249… not $350 to $400.
Won’t most Aussie gamers import it – even after the postage, you’re still saving a small fortune.
I guess the only problem then is region locked – which has been confirmed for the console. Damnit, Nintendo!
I just find the price highly unreasonably, especially compared to the confirmed US launch price.
Vallen Chaos Valiant
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 11:22 PMIf you can import the 3DS, why not import the games too?
They would be cheaper, and you could get them earlier than Australian releases.
Most importantly, the American 3DS would have pretty much the entire English 3DS game library. Unlike with the Australian release where many games don’t ever get localised.
Steve0410
Friday, January 21, 2011 at 7:43 PMThis is impossibly optimistic. The DSi XL still retails at $300 over here, there is no way in hell the 3DS will come out cheaper than that.
And the current AUD:USD parity is unusually high, it’s transient. Nintendo isn’t going to price it at $250 AUD based on a whim and temporary currency strength. Sooner or later it will return to equilibrium and Nintendo won’t want to be caught with a price point that they’ll have to stick with for months or even years that’s unusually low.
Remember, games retailers still think the Aussie dollar is still worth 60 US cents.
Vallen Chaos Valiant
Saturday, January 22, 2011 at 2:34 AMUnusually high?
As in, you think America would soon stop printing money?
QE2 is just the start. There will be others. AUD isn’t unusually strong; it’s USD that’s week.
wepoo
Thursday, May 12, 2011 at 1:52 PMGot mine for $288. Yew!
Mort
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 9:51 PMDon’t be cheap. By importing from the us your hurting Aussie retailers. I’m happy to import when Aussie retailers are ripping us off but this is nintendos doing. If you import it and there is some kind of issue, remember that for us to send things to the us is almost 3x the other way
Steve0410
Friday, January 21, 2011 at 7:47 PMAs consumers, we’re supposed to put pressure on the retailers by not being snoookered into buying overpriced goods. If Nintendo’s the one setting it too high, then the retailers in turn then put pressure on Nintendo.
At the end of the day, Nintendo gets a sale, whether it’s Australia or US. But there’s still the middle man (importer/online store) making a healthy cut. It’s in Nintendo’s interest to cut them out, get their goods straight to consumers and maintain good relations with local retailers.
If you import, you indirectly affect Nintendo’s pricing in the longterm.
Vallen Chaos Valiant
Saturday, January 22, 2011 at 2:38 AMMaybe if Nintendo Australia complained to HQ about how they are losing sales to America because of region lock, perhaps something would be done about it. You reap what you sow. I am a consumer, and I will look after my own interests the same way Nintendo look after its own by region locking.
Christian Meredith
Saturday, January 22, 2011 at 10:34 PMYou’re hurting Aussie retailers by encouraging the price to stay at the same height. After all, mightn’t some retail worker want to by their son a 3DS for their birthday but not have the money because the price is too high?
Buying retail if the price is too high benefits only in the very short term, since Nintendo could easily sell at a loss even today but choose not to, so even if they get good sales through Aussie retailers they probably won’t drop the price. They need negative encouragement ;)
But if it’s cheap? Then get it from Australian retailers, unless your software isn’t stocked in Australia.
RDB
Friday, February 4, 2011 at 10:46 PMSo you guys are saying it’s ok for us to possibly be spending over $100 more than the US for the same thing, especially while our dollar is stronger than theirs?