DSi LL becomes DSi XL for Europe, due early 2010
Nintendo’s new handheld hits the big screen
The announcement that a new version of the DSi, the larger screened DSi LL, was due for release next month shocked and surprised many in the video games community.
And, just to make things extra confusing in Europe and North America the new handheld will be known under a different name, specifically the far more appropriately titled DSi XL (it’s bigger, you see).
A Nintendo UK rep speaking to VG247 said: “Nintendo today confirms that a new Nintendo DSi XL console is launching in Europe in the first quarter of 2010. The retail price of the Nintendo DSi XL is expected to be higher than that of the Nintendo DSi. Further details will be released soon.”
A standard DSi currently costs around ¥18,900 (£125/€140/$207) with the new DSi XL slightly more expensive at ¥20,000 (£135/€150/$220). In Europe and the US, however, we're traditionally expected to pay a little more for our consoles. In the UK, a standard DSi will set you back £149.99.
When comparing the difference in price between the Japanese versions and applying the same rate to their UK counterparts, the mathematical wiz-kids at Pocket Gamer calculated a likely retail price of £159.99, probably with a price drop on the DSi and DS for Christmas to make way for a new top-end device.
What’s more, if the release of Nintendo’s new handheld follows the previous DSi marketing model, we can expect EU/US consoles to emerge next April.
The DSi LL goes on sale in Japan on the 21st November and is available in Dark Brown, Wine Red and Natural White.
More news as it becomes available. In the meantime, let's sit around the comments campfire and discuss whether Nintendo's being cunningly clever, or blatantly baffling. You go first.
