3DS XL prices appear... but what's this? The trade price? Now we're never going to settle for £180

Sorry, HMV. RRP just ain't gonna cut it for this one

Words: Justin Towell on June 25, 2012

Pre-order prices for the newly-revealed 3DS XL have started appearing around the internet. We're guessing the RRP is £179.99 because that's what HMV's listing it for (wahey!) but prices are going as low as £167.97 from GameStop.

However, trade publication MCV is claiming to know the trade price - that is the cost shops will expect to pay when buying in the console ready to sell on their shelves. And that's quoted as £167.50 (that's after VAT). So GameStop would be making a MASSIVE profit of 47p per sale. Hardly seems worth the effort, does it?

Above: Looks the same apart from the Home buttons? It's actually the size of a cinema screen. It even comes with curtains and a guy who keeps getting up to go to the bathroom

You may remember that GamesRadar was the first to break the news that the original 3DS' trade price was £173, back before Nintendo realised the £230 RRP was too steep. That said (sheepishly), having the trade price come out into the public domain is never a good thing because people will expect to pay that price and nothing more. But that's not how business works and will put yet more of a squeeze on the already-troubled high street retailers.

The machine hits UK and Japanese shops on July 28, with the US launch following on August 19. US shops have a suggested retail price of $199.99 according to CVG.

Will you get one? Still waiting to see if the resolution and 3D actually look good on that huge display? Let us know in the comments.

Sources: MCV, CVG

Platforms:

3DS

Topics:

Console Wars , Console Wars

20 comments

View as:
Newest first
Oldest first

ritty666 - July 19, 2012 2:59 p.m.

After a cheap 3DS XL? If you are new to Zavvi make an account with referrer code ZV15625875 to get 5% off making it £159.55 :D If you buy it after the day of release as well you can use code CONSOLE at checkout to receive another £5.95 making it less than £155 :)
- Reply
- Report
amagasakiseb - June 27, 2012 1:20 a.m.

There isn't actually any reason to even have high street retailers anymore so I don't know why GR keeps complaining about things that harm them. It's actually cheaper to get your game from Amazon or some other website. The postage is usually free (as opposed to paying bus fare/train fare/petrol costs to go down to the shop). You can get honest opinions from other gamers who have bought the game and have no reason to mislead you (as opposed to store assistants in-store who, while they may not necessarily do this, are supposed to get you to buy games). I haven't even stepped into GAME for the last 2 years ish because I don't have any need to at all. Anybody saying they like the experience of going into a shop and chatting with the experts bla bla bla bla can just look for another way to improve their social life. High street game retailers are not needed anymore.
- Reply
- Report
mumbo5565 - June 27, 2012 6:33 a.m.

Well, there's always the possibility that someone may not have internet and therefor can't order it online. Also someone may not want to wait the time it takes for shipping.
- Reply
- Report
Alomeigne - June 25, 2012 11:49 p.m.

My only question is what the trade in for the original 3DS will be, if it makes it low enough i may buy one, if not I'm perfectly happy with my current version, that got a whole lot right with it :D. P.S. Are they gonna come out with a XL Circle Pad Pro? lol, seems like that would be funny.
- Reply
- Report
jmcgrotty - June 26, 2012 1:01 a.m.

Fair market value: $32.11.
- Reply
- Report
infestedandy - June 25, 2012 7:55 p.m.

Of course I won't get one. When the 3DS came out it was obvious they'd do something like this and I still can't believe people are buying into Nintendo's business style. If you do, it's basically telling them what they're doing is alright by you. I'm a HUGE Castlevania fan and when I found out the 3DS would be the only system that's getting Mirror of Fate, I was a little upset, but I knew that's just how it was going to be. Even still, I will not buy a 3DS because this is completely ridiculous. It's the same stuff again and again from Nintendo and while it makes me sad, I can't cave to what they're doing here.
- Reply
- Report
MrSprinklez - June 25, 2012 2:36 p.m.

To me, the console itself looks like a Fisher Price play thing. However, those enormous screens could be amazing. Or not. The same resolution jacked up to that size may look muddy. We'll see!
- Reply
- Report
codystovall - June 25, 2012 1:50 p.m.

It does look sleeker, Ill get one after I get a regular one when the price drops.
- Reply
- Report
Child Of Death - June 25, 2012 1:30 p.m.

See as there is enough 3DS game to warrant my attention now I will probably pick this up.
- Reply
- Report
DiJunoMan - June 25, 2012 10:38 a.m.

My 3ds shoulder buttons and A button broke right away on mine so its basically impossible to play Kid Icarus or any game using the a button, so just about every game, so this could make a nice replacement. we'll see...
- Reply
- Report
db1331 - June 25, 2012 8:52 a.m.

Nope, I'll stick with my sexy Zelda edition 3DS.
- Reply
- Report
ncurry2 - June 25, 2012 10:14 a.m.

Lucky... And no, I just got mine a week ago.
- Reply
- Report
ChaosEternal - June 25, 2012 10:52 a.m.

Same here. It is just to amazing to replace!
- Reply
- Report
lotosjk - June 25, 2012 11:15 a.m.

Ah yes, I love my sexy Zelda special edition too. I don't think I'd have the heart to sell it and get an XL. No point really.
- Reply
- Report
J-spit - June 25, 2012 8:47 a.m.

No ac adapter. Middle finger.
- Reply
- Report
oryanbelt - June 25, 2012 8:24 a.m.

Just notice the new "comments section" layout in this article. Nice work GR guys
- Reply
- Report
SiPod - June 25, 2012 8:03 a.m.

I do like the design of the XL, but I won't be swapping my standard 3DS for one. It's just too much money for slightly newer rope.
- Reply
- Report
Cyberninja - June 25, 2012 7:56 a.m.

Since the 3DS is region locked if I buy an XL it would be a JP to play games that aren't coming to america.
- Reply
- Report
robertpopovic - June 25, 2012 8:03 a.m.

Hmm, good point. Since Europe gets shafted a lot with releases I might get a US one eventually if the there are enough US-only games to warrant it.
- Reply
- Report
Scuffles - June 25, 2012 9:36 a.m.

.......... Region locked you say..... And I was about to break down and buy one ~.~ I don't import a huge volume of games but there is something that just irks me about being told that I can't. Especially when the games are games I really enjoy. I'm looking at you Carnage Heart Portable, of course the PSP wasn't region locked so it was all good.
- Reply
- Report