Rapt E3 reception behind high 3DS price - Report

This week saw Nintendo stir up the game industry by dating the launch of the 3DS. However, it also generated some alarm amongst gamers by revealing the handheld's price--¥25,000, or about $300 dollars, according to today's exchange rates. That makes it the most expensive handheld the company has ever launched, as the DS was only ¥15,000 when it went on sale in 2006, when the dollar was much stronger versus the yen.

Reactions to the 3DS were so good at E3, Nintendo felt a high price point was justified.

Now, in a Bloomberg Japan interview translated by GameSpot, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata explained the reasons behind the premium price point. He said one of the most important factors was the positive reaction to the handheld at "a public showing in June," presumably referring to its unveiling at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo. When asked if the price was too high, he said the company felt that the handheld would still sell well despite its relatively high cost.

When it does launch, the 3DS will come in both Aqua Blue and Cosmo Black hues. It will also be bundled with a 2GB SD card that will be able to store downloadable content. The handheld will also feature a Virtual Console service for Game Boy and Game Boy Color titles, while several classic N64 titles will be rereleased with 3D support.

Nintendo first announced the 3DS during its E3 2010 press conference, laying out a sizable number of first-party titles, including Kid Icarus: Uprising, Star Fox 64 3D, Paper Mario, Animal Crossing, Mario Kart, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Later, the publisher also confirmed a strong lineup of third-party support for the 3DS, with titles like Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D - The Naked Sample, Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, Pro Evolution Soccer, Dead or Alive 3D, Resident Evil Revelations, Ninja Gaiden, Pac-Man & Galaga, and Dragon Ball all getting the 3D treatment, as well as a spate of unnamed titles from developers such as Harmonix, Take-Two, Atlus, AQ Interactive, Disney Interactive Studios, Hudson Soft, Majesco, Marvelous Entertainment, and Sega.