The Hut Group, which operates the online stores for Zavvi, WH Smith and Best Buy, has today begun taking pre-orders for the Nintendo 3DS today, for a whopping £299.97.
The glasses-free follow-up to Nintendo’s DS handheld is set for a February 26 release in Japan and will retail for ¥25,000, which is roughly €230. Japanese launch titles include Battle of the Giants: Dinosaurs 3D, Nintendogs+Cats, Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle, Puzzle Bobble 3D, Ridge Racer 3D, Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition, Samurai Warriors: Chronicle and Winning Eleven Soccer 3D (Pro Evolution Soccer in the West).
The Hut Group is, however, presenting a much more expensive prospect to gamers with its prospective price tag, which would usurp the most expensive console on the market, the Playstation 3, by at least £50. Currently black, red and blue versions of the handheld are available to pre-order.
Earlier this week retailers GAME and Gamestation both began taking pre-orders for the 3DS, with a March 1st release date used temporarily. This would be unlikely, however, as most European video game hardware and software launches normally take place on Fridays. Trade publication MCV today announced that they have been ‘led to believe’ that the handheld will instead retail between £200-£230 and will arrive “on or around [Friday] March 25”.
Official launch details are set to be revealed at an American and European Nintendo press event in Amsterdam next Wednesday, January 19.
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