This may be the first time in history where a console price cut has been something a company's apologized for. The controversy surrounding the early slash of the 3DS' price tag has promoted Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata to pen a full apology note to fans who may feel betrayed.
As already revealed, Nintendo is offering ten NES games and ten GBA titles to early adopters, patronizingly named "3DS Ambassadors" by the company. Despite this, Iwata still felt the need to defend the cut, calling it a "drastic step" that was taken out of necessity "to ensure that large numbers of users will continue to enjoy the 3DS in the future."
He has stated "that there is nothing we can do to completely make up for the feeling that you are being punished for buying the system early," and added that the fans are still "extremely important."
Having to say sorry for a price drop. Only with Nintendo could something so ... bizarre ... happen. Check out the full apology below ...
To Those Customers Who Bought A Nintendo 3DS Before The Price Change
Greetings, everyone. This is Satoru Iwata from Nintendo.
Thank you very much for purchasing a Nintendo 3DS.
We have just announced a price drop for the Nintendo 3DS system effective on August 11 [August 12 in North America].
In the past, there have been price drops for video game systems some time after their release in order to broaden the user base further. However, never before has Nintendo chosen to issue such a dramatic price drop less than 6 months after a system release.
We are all too keenly aware that those of you who supported us by purchasing the 3DS in the beginning may feel betrayed and criticize this decision.
This unprecedented timing for a price cut is because the situation has changed greatly since we originally launched the 3DS. We decided it was necessary to take this drastic step in order to ensure that large numbers of users will continue to enjoy the 3DS in the future.
If the software creators and those on the retail side are not confident that the Nintendo 3DS is a worthy successor to the DS and will achieve a similarly broad (user) base, it will be impossible for the 3DS to gain popularity, acquire a wide range of software, and eventually create the product cycle necessary for everyone to be satisfied with the system.
Those customers who purchased the 3DS at the very beginning are extremely important to us. We know that there is nothing we can do to completely make up for the feeling that you are being punished for buying the system early. Still, we would like to offer the following as a sign of our appreciation to you.
[3DS Ambassador program details]
We feel a strong responsibility to develop the 3DS as a platform -- to ensure that, in the end, everyone is satisfied; we will make every effort to do so.
Additionally, we know everyone is waiting for Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7. They are scheduled for release in November and December, respectively, so we ask for your patience until then.
Thank you again, and we look forward to your continued support.
Contest:
3:30 PM on 08.02.2011
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It's always been a risk of been an early adopter; deal with it!
$249.99 was a little steep, I'll grant. However, a price drop to $199.99 for now to drum up sales a bit and then revealing a price drop to $169.99 (or even $159.99) on the PSVita's launch day might have been a better policy. But hey, that's just me.
Moral of the story: gamers are ungrateful assholes.
But there isn't a huge outrage over the price cut at all. And the people who are complaining are the vocal assholes who would complain about anything anyway. Gamers aren't ungratefull assholes, just the vocal assholes.
Its THAT SIMPLE, stop going on about it.
You say this cut was sudden - whats wrong with that? Why should they NEED to plan these things out? If they want to suddenly drop a products price, LET THEM, its no skin off my nose.
You noobs are making such a farce over this whole thing. Either buy one now that its cheaper, or get your free games, and be happy. There is NO REASON that ANYBODY should be pissed, or even be thinking twice, about this.
Mostly:
Trolls trolling.
I never understood why people can feel betrayed when any console, or electronic product gets a price cut. You should have seen the HoN community just a few days ago.
So anyway, yeah, I wish i waited for my 3ds, even though my DS lite won't have been able to, but I understand, like with all products, anything is subject to change. I don't understand why "gamers" always get so defensive when price cuts happen/free to play/motive to increase revenue. Its just basic economics, it has nothing to do with "you" but somehow, gamers feel betrayed by "everything". If its left 4 dead 2 coming out a year later, TF2 becoming F2P, PSN charging for "PLUS" content ect... someone will somehow feel betrayed. We sure do have a lot of false entitlement don't we.
Betray would be if they made a promise, and then broke said promise, in that regard I can support any backlash. Making a rush sequel or reducing a price of a product "to the point of being free even" is not betrayal...
A letter apologizing? O don't get me wrong, I love it when people apologize to me, but the fact that we gotten to the point where CEO's have to send out letters to come down backlash frightens me in different ways.
I'm trying to imagine a hot-dog vendor who sales for 2 dollars, see that only a few people bought it, and drops it down to 1.50, but then has to apologize to anyone who bought it at two.
We all deserve what is coming from ObamaNazi and the sell outs in Washington. Enjoy starving!!
This new price will only push a few more Nintendo fans who were on the fence about buying a 3DS over and into a store.
Theres plenty of ways I can list that they make up for it in full, and none of it has to do with giving people games they probably already bought at least once before, in a format that can be taken away from them at the companies will and fancy.
Oh hey! What's up Mattrodroid? Still trying to convert the masses to your way of thinking through an obscure video game website? Good luck with that! :D
It makes me wonder if I'm getting too old for the gamer community as a whole.