November 11 3DS launch date leaked?

Source: A post on the NeoGAF message boards, with a picture said to be of Sunday's issue of the German tabloid Bild.

What we heard: The biggest news in gaming this week is expected to come out of Nintendo's Japanese press conference to reveal launch details of the 3DS. However, the headline from that conference may have already been leaked.

According to the picture, Bild reported that Nintendo will launch the 3DS in Japan on November 11, with a German launch to follow next spring. That information is in keeping with what has been said all along about the system. When Nintendo first announced the handheld, it said it would launch it during the fiscal year ending March 2011. A report in the Japanese business daily Nikkei on the same day pegged the 3DS as arriving this year in Japan.

The Bild report spends much of its space recapping the basic functionality of the machine and offering praise like the underscored, "Der 3D-Effect ist sensationell!" However, it also mentions a price point of sorts, saying the system will cost nearly €200 ($270). However, it's worth noting that gaming hardware prices between Europe and North America often ignore currency conversions. For example, the DSi XL sells in the US for $170, even though its European price tag of €165 would convert directly to about $222.

The official story: "Nintendo does not comment on rumors or speculation."--A Nintendo representative.

[UPDATE] Bogus or not bogus?: Though initially credible, the rumor turned out to be bogus. Nintendo has now announced the 3DS will launch next March in the US and Europe and on February 26 in Japan. Only the Japanese price of ¥25,000 ($299) has been announced.