Nintendo DS makes worldwide debut Nov. 21 at $149.99
Speculate no longer, Nintendo unveils the official release date and price. Details inside.
by | September 21, 2004
The wait is finally over. Today, Nintendo has officially unveiled the official release date of the Nintendo DS will make its worldwide North American debut on November 21, followed by a Japan release on December 2. The new, sensational dual-screen handheld will sell for $149.99, which undoubtedly will become one of the biggest holiday attractions this year. Further, this is the first time Nintendo has ever made a system release outside of Japan.
"Nintendo's mission remains unchanged: expand the game experience," says Satoru Iwata, president of Nintendo Co., Ltd. "Nintendo DS is the road map to the future of video games, and most clearly demonstrates the type of innovation that players demand."
For those that have been in the dark over the past few months, the Nintendo DS is the first handheld device of its kind to offer gamers dual-screens, among other new elements of interactive entertainment. One screen allows for touch input using a stylus, while the unit includes both voice recognition and multiplayer wireless features. The sleek silver-and-black system sports a sharp, angular design.
Consumers immediately will be able to pick up and play the new system, as it comes with a free software feature, PictoChat, embedded in the system hardware. PictoChat allows DS owners to write messages with an on-screen keyboard or the stylus and send them wirelessly to other DS users nearby. Users can text chat, draw artistic messages or share secrets, all without saying a word. And a Nintendo DS in sleep mode will spring to life if it senses another DS in transmitting range, alerting users to each other's presence and setting the stage for an impromptu conversation or game session.
As reported earlier this year, more than 100 companies have signed on to create games for Nintendo DS, while Nintendo itself is already developing its first 20 titles. Electronic Arts, the world's largest independent software developer and publisher, already has announced that its powerhouse franchises of Madden NFL, The URBZ: Sims in the City, Need for Speed Underground, Tiger Woods and GoldenEye will support Nintendo DS. The complete lineup of games planned for the launch of Nintendo DS will be announced in the near future.
Nintendo chose the United States to lead the worldwide launch of Nintendo DS because of overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic reaction from consumers and to take advantage of the holiday sales season. After the subsequent launch in Japan, the system will be available in Europe and Australia in the first quarter of 2005.
And now, we'll be counting the days until its forthcoming release. More information as it develops.
