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Awhile back, we posted up some comments from Satoru Iwata on the subject of portable gaming. Mr. Iwata was discussing the price points of portable hardware, and the services that they can offer. Here's a quick refresher...
"We have to set the price of portable game machines that are affordable to the customers. Today, some people are already starting to criticize by saying that Nintendo, whenever it launches new model, is increasing the suggested retail price. Including the need to assess such questions as, "can portable gaming devices be more expensive than home console gaming machine?," as one of the future possibilities, we would like to review the possibility of being able to be connected wirelessly and how the trend in the technologies evolve in order for us to come up with our own solutions that can smartly take advantage of new technologies but does not require monthly payments by the customers. Wireless communications and portable game devices go hand in hand very well. We would like to continuously think about that in this fashion and hope to have our answer."
It does bring up the question of whether or not people would be willing to buy a current-gen portable that costs more than a current-gen console. Could you see yourself paying more for the DSi XL than you do the Wii?
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The list goes on, and although consoles can provide better graphics, audio, and longer games, handhelds can do the best part of games just as good as consoles, if not better; being fun.
Should they? No.
Will Nintendo fans buy them, even though they complain about PSPGo? Yes. Because some of them are that blindly loyal.
@ProudRomanian
Those people are dedicated to having their phones.
I get a free phone every some amount of years, from an older model. I don't buy a new phone just because it's high tech or "the next phone in this series". There are people dedicated that would do that.
Just like blind Nintendo or Sony fanboys who will spend obscene amounts of money on a DS or PSP sequel, even if it's not worth that price.
A portable should not cost more than it's CURRENT-gen cousins".
A home machine will always be a more powerfull device (which may change more on that later in my comment), more robust for a more in depth experience which is not really necessary with "pick up and play" portable gaming experience.
To be frank...the 3d engines and the multiple features & experiences of current gen portables do warrant their tag prices(PSP,Iphone/touch,DS) (well I think Nintendo should devalue all previous DS/Lite to a MUCH lower price and have a 10-20 difference between original(after dropping the price to the launch price of DSLite) DSi and DSiXL. Then charge launch price of DSiXL for rumoured powerful, powered by NVIDIA TEGRA graphics "HD DS!
Now as for next-gen portables as I eluded to earlier...the only way they should/could ever cost more is if the tech that will packed into them is in order more powerfull(that would be insanely cool) OR the exact same hardware on the go matching the home counterpart. That would be some feat. THEN I suppose they should cost more IF the home machines size is bigger and they pack the same tech into a smaller space.(hence higher prices)
I see Sony/Microsoft doing that though not Nintendo. Not saying Nintendo won't make powerful hardware enough to do the job(look at Wii & DS) but I am saying you know who likes to go insane with tech for MORE powerfull techs sake(at least recent gen...because N64 > PSone, Gamecube > PS2) to say oh ours is faster/bigger and not necessarily funnER?
=]
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