April DSi release praised for stumping import market

via Games Industry


Don McCabe, managing director of the videogames retailer Chips, believes that Nintendo has done the right thing by releasing the DSi in the UK and US sooner than expected.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, McCabe explained how the earlier than expected release will cut down the imports market and fuel interest in consumers, who had written off the handheld till the end of the year.

"The release date is very good. I'm very happy with that," he said. "It means we won't be looking at imports and all the problems imports can raise in the UK market - I think Nintendo have done a good thing by getting the worldwide release within a certain period."

"In terms of the price: I think the price is on the good side, it's possibly a little more expensive than I would have thought but when you add everything that it does I think it represents good value for money."

He added: "I think everybody was interested [in the DSi] but they were anticipating that we weren't going to see it until Christmas or possibly even next year. So I think the announcement today will have come as a welcome surprise to the UK consumer. Now we'll start to see a lot of declarations of interest in terms of deposits."

McCabe still expects there to be a strong market for the DS Lite too, saying that the two different products will find different consumers.

"I think the DS Lite will still have a place and will still sell decent quantities," he commented.

"I don't think it will [impact too much on DS Lite sales], I think will be an additional sales channel. I still think the DS Lite has a place in the market but the DSi will appeal to the more discerning consumers."