1. Hell no. Well, I dunno, money isn't really an object...and times have been hard for ds purchasers...so in their shoes I probably would. People payed more than that for that black handheld thing.

Posted at 3:48AM on Mar 1st 2006 by Matt

2. as a Hong Konger myself, i have to note here that Hong Kong ppl do this with EVERYTHING. From McD's happy meal toys to stamps to trading cards to even some limited edition mahjong tile sets... we price gouge everything when they first come out :-D

I love Hong Kong :-D

Posted at 4:05AM on Mar 1st 2006 by hkpuipui99

3. I'd be willing to save up.

But I probably won't have to because I preordered from playasia.com, and there's no sign of a price increase on there.

Posted at 7:36AM on Mar 1st 2006 by RupeeClock

4. Already having a DS, I'll be waiting for the price to drop to normal. Not to mention I'm always broke or having to fix something, so I can't get one right off anyway.

Posted at 8:55AM on Mar 1st 2006 by PodMonkeys

5. Ah, yes, the blessings of a free market.
They know how to do business, the American way. I remember seeing $7000 ebay&craigslist price tags on the 360 when it was launched last fall. The problem is that with not too many differences between the original and the lite, I can't imagine too many people forking over $300 for it.

Posted at 9:46AM on Mar 1st 2006 by Gonzo

6. How is this news? This has happened to every Japan-based console since the N64, with the exception of the original DS (and that's because it came out in North America first). I've personally paid lots of money in my time to be an early adopter - the $500 I paid for a Dreamcast in 1998 to have it well before the rest of America did comes to mind - but anyone who spends that much on a system *redesign* simply falls under the category of "more money than brains".

Posted at 10:24AM on Mar 1st 2006 by djsyndrome

7. #6, more money than than brains, that is funny

you spent $500 for a dreamcast so you could have it early, that is a waste of $300 good dollars becasue you wanted to have a dreamcast first, i think you would call that more money than patients

Posted at 11:20AM on Mar 1st 2006 by bradtwitty

8. Must...sell...old...DS...now!

Posted at 11:30AM on Mar 1st 2006 by Scott Johnson

9. "i think you would call that more money than patients"

Is he a doctor?

Posted at 12:02PM on Mar 1st 2006 by polly

10. "you spent $500 for a dreamcast so you could have it early, that is a waste of $300 good dollars becasue you wanted to have a dreamcast first, i think you would call that more money than patients"

Define 'waste'. $300 isn't a lot of money.

Anyway, you're missing my point - paying extra for a 'new' system is one thing, but paying extra for a redesign that offers little in the way of new functionality is something else altogether.

Posted at 12:36PM on Mar 1st 2006 by djsyndrome

11. "paying extra for a 'new' system is one thing, but paying extra for a redesign that offers little in the way of new functionality is something else altogether."

That's assuming that people who buy the DS Lite already have the DS. Since that's not Nintendo's key market, I'm sure they won't be in the majority of customers.

And yes, $300 is a lot of money when the price goes down within weeks.

Posted at 1:17PM on Mar 1st 2006 by Probot

12. How is this price gouging? The reason its selling for $300 is because somebody is willing to pay $300.

If nobody is willing to pay $300 then the price goes down.

We all know there are idiots out there that are willing to fork that kind of money just to be the first on the block.

Posted at 2:42PM on Mar 1st 2006 by dfi

13. If I were one of those retailers, I would just put them all on eBay and see how high they go, or just do in-store auctions.

Posted at 4:13PM on Mar 1st 2006 by greatslack

14. $300 bucks for a DS!?!?! THATS MORE THAN THE PSP!!!(duh) Why not it just sell for the original launch price of $150 or maybe $200? If they use these prices, Nintendo will keep their low cost image, and still beat the PSP in sales.

Posted at 4:44PM on Mar 1st 2006 by Marc

15. I already pre-ordered this a month in advanced (Feb. 11th) from Lik-Sang. I hope Lik-Sang doesn't price gauge, because I'd have to cancel.

Posted at 8:22PM on Mar 1st 2006 by Stoof

16. Having already a NDS i surely won't buy a Lite overpriced, that's completely stupid, save up the 150$ and buy some games instead ;)

Posted at 8:45PM on Mar 1st 2006 by Tricky

17. Any idea when it will hit North America? I have been DYING to get a DS and it is taking everything I have not to go out and pick up the Animal Crossing bundle right now. IT BURNS! I NEED KK SLIDDER!

Posted at 9:43PM on Mar 1st 2006 by Hudson Pridham

18. cool, with the CG look of the first pictures, I didn' t think anyone would get a real hands on look at it

Posted at 4:52AM on Mar 2nd 2006 by eCom

19. The idea that this is price gouging is ridiculous. It is supply and demand at work, the best way to distribute limited resources there is. A certain number of people will be willing to pay the high price, and if it isn't enough, they'll lower the price till they find the number where they make the most profit. In the meantime, the people who REALLY REALLY want the DS are the first to get it. Perfectly fair.

Posted at 9:56AM on Mar 2nd 2006 by Paul

20. I just got my DS for Christmas, so I'll be holding off for the stateside release of the DS Lite. It is tempting though to get one now, but not for $300! Supply and demand at this point, if people will buy it at that price.

Posted at 1:02AM on Mar 4th 2006 by soundboards