3DS could cost more than $250 - Analyst

Nintendo's glasses-free three-dimensional portable, the 3DS, walked away with the Best of Show accolade following the 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo. In fact, anticipation for the handheld is so pronounced that industry analyst Michael Pachter thinks Nintendo can charge more than it ever has before for a piece of hardware and remain financially viable.

According to the Wedbush analyst, the 3DS and its games are "revolutionary" enough to warrant elevated price tags at retail.

"We view the 3DS as a revolutionary device, and expect its launch to spur hardware and software sales," Pachter told video game Web site ComputerAndVideoGames. "Due to the unique 3DS experience previewed by Nintendo at E3 this year, we believe Nintendo will be able to sell millions of units even at a price of upwards of $250."

In addition to the system, Pachter believes the system's software lineup will increase average software prices over its predecessor.

"From a software perspective, we believe Nintendo will be able to increase DS software prices, from a blended average of around $25 today to over $29 next year," he added.

The 3DS is currently scheduled to be released in early 2011. If the 3DS launches at $250, it will debut at $100 more than the original DS did in 2004.