In a move that was basically expected, Nintendo announced that they were dropping the price of the GameCube from $199 to $149, regaining the price edge they had enjoyed until the recent price cuts by Sony and Microsoft. Considering that Nintendo had previously stated that they were going to consider a price cut depending on what Sony announced, this move comes as of no surprise. The price change goes into effect 5/21/02.

On the price change and Nintendo's marketing, Nintendo marketing executive George Harrison stated: "Our goal is to get as many hardware units out there as possible so we can sell software against a bigger installed base. This year, it's going to be a battle of software."

Peter MacDougall, executive vice president, sales and marketing, Nintendo of America Inc. stated "It's simple, really: Nintendo is committed to offering our players the best games and the best price. We were the first manufacturer to reach the $199 price level and now we're leading the industry to $149 allowing even more players around the world to get their hands on our legendary favorites like Mario, Zelda, Star Fox and Metroid this year."

And much like Sony has done, Nintendo has also decided to change the price for their controllers. The standard controllers will go for $24.95 MSRP and the Wavebird, when it is released on June 10th, will go for $34.95. Commenting on the price reduction, MacDougall stated "Nintendo always strives to improve the players gaming experience. The WaveBird controller, with its new lower price point, exemplifies our commitment, allowing players to get comfortable and enjoy new freedom, while still being connected to the on-screen action."

- - Kinderfeld