The release date and price point of Nintendo's DSi XL was revealed earlier this week at the Nintendo Summit. Hitting North America on March 28 and retailing for $190, the XL will feature a larger screen and stylus. Industry analyst Michael Pachter has weighed in on the discussion surrounding the over-sized DS, saying the device "won't be a success."
"I think that the price point of all DS products are too high, and think that a price increase for the DSi XL is not going to sit well with consumers," Pachter explained to IndustryGamers. The difference in price between the DS Lite and the XL is $60, and I'm not sure that bigger screens provide the value that Nintendo thinks. The difference between the DSi and the XL makes sense, but all three models are due for a cut, the DS to around $99, the DSi to $129, and the XL would then make more sense at $149. I don't think it will be a success at launch, since it costs only $10 less than a Wii."
Aside from the larger screen and stylus, the DSi XL does not feature any real improvements. It still has the same screen resolution and processor. Taking that into account, I think Michael is right on this one. The XL doesn't provide enough value for the increase in price.
