GBA SP likely to see a price drop in time for the DS

August 30, 2004 - Sources at retailers such as Electronics Boutique and Gamestop have indicated that a pricedrop for the Game Boy Advance SP system is imminent. Currently, the system sells for $99.99, but embargoed pricing material for the retailers have shown that the SP will dip to the very, very attractive $79.99 within the next couple of weeks.

This is presumably in anticipation of the arrival of the Nintendo DS system. The upcoming handheld hasn't been given a final price, but it's expected to hit well under $200 in the US when it's released for the holiday season, currently predicted at a mid-November launch. Realistically, sources have indicated that the system could even hit as low as $149.99 at launch.

Because the Nintendo DS is much more powerful and contains far more features than the Game Boy Advance, it makes sense to keep the two systems as far apart on the pricing scale as possible, while still making both systems attractive at retail...as well as profitable for Nintendo.

No word on a pricedrop of the classic, unlit Game Boy Advance systems, currently selling at $69.99.

Source: IGN Game Boy (http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/543/543298p1.html)

That would be really cool. It would also mean that used GBA SPs would go down from $79.99 to either $69.99 or $59.99, and the old GBA presumably would be even cheaper. Then there would be no reason for anyone to whine about not having a GBA for connectivity games, because they would be cheap to buy.

I'm not sure I agree on the DS and the GBA being as far apart in price as possible, though. The GBA is going to still be the better handheld just in terms of games, for quite a while. I think the DS should cut it's price slightly as many people probably wouldn't be willing to pay $149 - $200 for one, when they can buy the superior GBA for almost half of that.

Word is that one of the major retailers has already jumped the gun (my guess would be Best Buy, they are pretty well-known for doing it) has already put the SP down to $79.99. But at GameStop and EB, the price is still at $99.99, so if you were thinking about trading your SP in towards a DS, now would be the time to do it to get the most money out of it.

Nephlabobo said:

And in a year after the release - the DS SP will be out and and the DS will drop in price.

I guarantee it.

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LOL!! I agree wholeheartedly. I sold my GBA and all my 20+ games (not all GBA, most GB) because I beat most of them, they got boring, and the new ones didn't look interesting. They all came out at like $50 too, so I'd rather get a console game that I feel is worthwhile playing...

I love GBA advance games, but I don't like playing on a tiny portable screen, I prefer the comfort of sitting down with a wide screen tv and a controller. Tis why I bought a Gameboy Player just recently

I do kinda miss it, even though I still don't know what games I'd get for it.  It also kinda defeated the purpose when the 'Cube started doing all that GBA stuff and I never had the games for the GBA that would link, or the 'Cube to link to it.

Plus, when I go a longer distance in the car (Canada mainly) I'll just hook up my Xbox or PS2 and my crappy little screen into the car and play that. Xbox has to sit on the floor since the screen doesn't hook to it, and it'd kill the blood circulation to my legs with that weight anyway

Ya, the small screen does a number on my eyes, especially if I play it for extended periods of time. However, I do love the fact that I can put it in my pocket and forget about it. Now if they could invent a folding screen with backlight...