European DS Lite launch sooner than August - UK retail

Nintendo has declined to address online reports that DS Lite will launch in Europe on August 16th priced EUR 129.99, but a UK retail source speaking to GamesIndustry.biz told us we can expect to see it sooner than that.

The August 16th date apparently centres on information from German retail outlets. Reacting this morning, a Nintendo UK spokesperson declined to comment "on rumour and speculation".

However, according to our source, that date is "way off". "We'll see it sooner than that," he assured us.

Nintendo DS Lite goes on sale in Japan on March 2nd. Last week Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said that the launch would be supported by shipments of 500,000 in the first two weeks and up to one million for the whole of March.

Speaking to Spike TV show Game Heads recently, Nintendo's US sales and marketing VP Reggie Fils-Aime said the original DS could then be phased out later in the year