Nintendo DSi Price Cut Coming this Month, 2nd June 2010 (1up.com)
Cuts in the UK and Japan confirmed, US seems likely too.
Nintendo has announced it plans to drop the price of the DSi in both Japan and the U.K., leading to speculation that a U.S. price drop can't be far behind. The U.K.'s Official Nintendo Magazine gives word that it will be reducing the price starting June 18, but doesn't specify what the new price will be. Meanwhile, Reuters reports that starting June 19, the handheld in Japan will drop from 18,900 yen to 15,000 yen. The DSi LL (or XL in the States) will drop from 20,000 to 18,000 yen.
Missing from each of these announcements is word of a price drop stateside, but one seems likely. The DSi drop in yen converts to about $40, while the DSi XL drop converts to about $20. Both systems are more expensive to start with in Japan, which means our own price drops might not be as hefty. Still, the DSi currently has an MSRP of $169.99, giving it plenty of room to drop while remaining above the standard DS' $129.99.
The move definitely makes sense, and the timing is appropriate. Placing it in mid-June means we'll be seeing the price drop just as Nintendo's E3 showing unveils its 3DS, the successor to the wildly popular handheld. By dropping the prices, Nintendo is almost guaranteed another burst of sales before the systems are effectively replaced by the 3DS.