Nintendo Cuts DSi/DSi XL Price in Japan, Announces New Colors

While the 3DS remains the word on everyone’s lips heading into Nintendo’s E3 2010, the company has another new, still very respectable handheld on the market as well. The DSi XL will be receiving some new colors in its home nation of Japan, where it is called the DSi LL, with Yellow, Green, and Blue joining the super-sized party.

What’s more, the handheld, as well as its miniature predecessor, will both be receiving price drops in their home nation as well. The XL will drop from 20,000 yen (USD $220) to 18,000 yen (USD $195), while the original DSi will move from 18,900 yen (USD $200) to 15,000 yen (USD $165). The DS Lite will also be discontinued, dropping down from its 16,800 yen cost.

All of these changes will go into effect on June 19, which just so happens to be the weekend after E3. Gee, I wonder why?

Of course, the obvious reason for the price drop is to clear out stock of the original DS units, as Nintendo prepares to launch the 3DS. The new colors are likely simply a way to rekindle interest in the handheld, as Nintendo has proven in the past that some new shades of the rainbow are all that is needed to boost sales.

Then again, one could potentially read between the lines on this little announcement, seeing that Nintendo is picking an awfully early time to begin to clear out the DS from store shelves. Based upon this, it can be inferred that the rumors are in fact true, and Nintendo will be launching the 3DS this fall, just in time for the holiday season, with the release announcement set to come at E3.

However, if they do that, will anyone buy an older DS, even at a discounted price? With the 3DS looking to be the latest in the long line of dominating handhelds from the Game Boy dynasty, it seems doubtful that anyone, even the most hardcore of otaku, would be interested in grabbing a DSi or DSi XL and playing it for merely a few months before the next big thing rears its head. Then again, budget-saavy Japanese gamers may see this as they opportunity they’ve been waiting for, and you can likely assume Nintendo will announce a similar price cut in the west at E3 2010.