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Nintendo apologizes to early adopters for 3DS price cut

Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata has apologized to early adopters of his company's 3DS portable game player for dropping its price so soon after launch.

"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," Iwata wrote in a letter posted to his company's Web site and translated by game-enthusiast site Giant Bomb. "However, never before has Nintendo chosen to issue such a dramatic price drop less than 6 months after a system release."

According to Iwata (Google Translate page), the price drop was due to the company's desire to reassure "software creators and those on the retail side that are not confident that the Nintendo 3DS is a worthy successor to the DS and will achieve a similarly broad user base."

Last week, Nintendo announced that it would drop the price of its 3DS worldwide. In the U.S., consumers will find the portable, which allows users to play games in 3D without the need for special glasses, selling for $169.99 starting August 12. That's one-third off its launch price of $249.99.… Read more

3DS owners not totally out of luck, thanks to Nintendo 'Ambassador program'

A bumpy start out of the gate has forced Nintendo to drop the price of the 3DS 32 percent, down to $170 from $250 beginning on August 12. A weak launch lineup, failure to deliver a robust online marketplace on time, a finicky 3D experience, and an overall dearth of compelling software are to blame for disappointing sales.

And what if you were one of the early adopters who paid full price for a 3DS? Fortunately, all is not lost. In an attempt to make good for those loyal few, Nintendo has introduced what the company is calling the "Ambassador program."

Any 3DS unit that connects to the Nintendo eShop before 11:59 p.m. ET on August 11 is automatically registered to receive 20 free titles from the online store. Ten free NES titles, including Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong Jr., Balloon Fight, Ice Climber, and The Legend of Zelda will be released on September 1, and 10 Game Boy Advance games, including Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Metroid Fusion, WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame, and Mario vs. Donkey Kong will be released before the end of the year. … Read more

The 404 870: Where we've gone to ludicrous speed (podcast)

Nintendo just announced disappointing sales of its 3DS hand-held gaming device, and a discounted sticker price to go along with it. Is an $80 drop and 20 free games enough to build momentum for the tepid gaming device?

Check out today's show to find out, and to also hear about an AirBnB user's home getting completely thrashed, the hubris of Domino's 7x7x7 deal, and our tips for Colin Farrell in the remake of the movie "Total Recall."

The 404 Digest for Episode 870

Airbnb.com user's home gets completely trashed. Nintendo slashes 3DS price to $169.99.

Episode 870 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Citroen app plays 'hide and seek' to promote DS4

If CNET UK readers play Citroen's version of hide and seek well enough, they could win a car.

The French automaker is using a new smartphone app and online game to promote the DS4, the second car introduced in its new luxury line. Using their smartphones and portable PCs, players both hide and hunt for virtual Citroen DS4s using Google Maps and Google Street View. The more users play and the better they get at hiding and unveiling DS4s, the more points they earn. Each point gains an entry into a lottery to win a DS4. Users also need to "Like" Citroen on Facebook to play.

The game is similar to other "car themed" app hunts put together by automakers like BMW. Clearly, the idea is to get people looking for and thinking about the DS4.

The car has been well-received by car writers and design critics alike, but American car enthusiasts (and Yankee lovers of hide and seek) really can't partake in the fun in any meaningful way since Citroen is one popular European automaker that hasn't made a dent in the U.S. market. You can get Citroen cars on U.S. soil, but it's a rare, niche import buy. The company seems happy selling predominantly in the U.K., France, Germany, and Italy.… Read more

3DS price drop

RIM releases the "more social" BlackBerry Messenger 6 service to share apps, the BBC launches a paid version of its iPlayer service for the iPad, and Nintendo dramatically drops the price of its 3DS handheld game device after lackluster sales.

Links from Thursday's episode of Loaded:

Nintendo loses money, drops 3DS price RIM releases BlackBerry Messenger 6.0 Verizon and AmEx partner on mobile payments Google Page Speed Service Sprint and LightSquared sign pact BBC iPlayer goes global Subscribe: iTunes (MP3) | iTunes (320x180) | iTunes (HD) | RSS (MP3) | RSS (320x180) | RSS HD

Nintendo posts loss as revenue slides

Nintendo endured an exceedingly difficult fiscal first quarter, the company announced today.

According to the gaming firm, it generated revenue of 93.9 billion yen ($1.2 billion) during the three-month period ended June 30, down more than 50 percent compared to the same period last year. During the company's first fiscal quarter, Nintendo lost 25.5 billion yen ($328.3 million), which is nearly in-line with the 25.2 billion yen it lost during the same quarter in 2010.

Nintendo was hit hard by slumping demand for its hardware. On the DS side, Nintendo's unit sales hit … Read more

Nintendo slashes 3DS price to $169.99

Nintendo is cutting the price of the 3DS after disappointing worldwide sales.

According to the company, U.S. customers will find the handheld game device on store shelves for $169.99 as of August 12. That's down 32 percent from its initial selling price of $249.99.

In Japan, customers will be able to buy the 3DS for 15,000 yen ($190), discounted from its initial price of 25,000 yen ($317).

Nintendo described the decision as a way to "create momentum for Nintendo 3DS and accelerate its market penetration toward the year-end sales season, when the lineup … Read more

CNET's summer gaming guide

It's no secret that the summer months are markedly scarce in terms of worthy, must-play video game titles. But just because the weather is a bit nicer doesn't necessarily mean that gaming must take a back seat. Regardless of consoles owned, there's likely something for everyone this summer.

Xbox 360: Xbox 360 owners have been lucky enough to be rewarded with what Microsoft now calls its Summer of Arcade. It's a group of download-only titles (averaging around $15) that get heavy promotion on the Xbox 360's dashboard, but have also proved themselves worthy of MS Points in the past. For instance, last year's Limbo not only won the hearts of gamers and critics alike, but took the 9 spot in our annual top 10 games of the year list.

This year's Summer of Arcade has already hit the ground running, starting off with last week's addictive action-RPG, Bastion. We demoed the game live on CNET TV's preGame show.… Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1510: Google + is Bieber-free! (Podcast)

On today's show, we talk to Ken Parks, director of content at Spotify, who lays down the one rule of music licensing negotiations: you don't talk about music licensing negotiations! Plus, Amazon's tablet is incoming, 41 percent of Netflix users plan to take their ball and go home, and girl power at the Google science fair!

Hands-on with Netflix on the Nintendo 3DS

The Nintendo 3DS has been desperate for new ways to dangle extra features that differentiate it from the long-standing and more affordable Nintendo DS. Netflix, which launched today as a downloadable app on the Nintendo 3DS eShop, is one of the biggest. Despite any gripes we may or may not have about Netflix as a service, it's still one of the best libraries of streaming content around, especially for kid entertainment.

While Nintendo often has a reputation for being a bit behind the curve on cutting-edge tech, Netflix on the 3DS marks the first time that a gaming handheld has gotten outfitted with Netflix streaming.

The app is free, but requires a Netflix streaming subscription to connect to. There's no log-in page when the application is launched; instead, you're given a code to activate on Netflix's Web site. For a kid-driven device like the 3DS, that type of clean connection method makes sense.

Even though Netflix doesn't support 3D content, the interface has a little gloss of 3D added to it: movie titles and text windows seem to float at slightly different depth layers on the top screen. Otherwise, the interface mirrors what you'd find the PS3/Wii versions of Netflix, but spread across two screens. Your instant queue and other recommendation lists show up in browsable rows of movie thumbnails on the 3DS' lower screen. Considering the screen resolution, the whole affair looks surprisingly crisp. … Read more