Wal-Mart cuts 3DS price early, gives players best of both worlds [Updated]

Update: According to the Wal-Mart website, both the Aqua Blue and Black Nintendo 3DS systems have had their prices cut to $169.96 (exactly) early. However, we would strongly recommend purchasing them in stores, as your online orders will not ship until Aug. 12--just past the cut-off date for those 20 free games as part of the Nintendo's Ambassadors Program.

I bet Nintendo President Satoru Iwata and Wal-Mart CEO Mike Duke are having a just lovely phone call right now. Cheap Ass Gamer reports that Wal-Mart will cut the price of the 3DS system in its stores to $169.99 on Aug. 9, citing "a trusted source." That's three days earlier than when Nintendo announced the price drop would take effect.

More importantly, if this turns out to be true, then gamers could buy their new 3DS system on the cheap and log into the Nintendo eShop before Aug. 12 to redeem the 20 free games promised by Nintendo to early adopters. Though, something tells us that, with all the media attention this rumor is getting, Nintendo is already on the horn with Wal-Mart. (Sorry, folks--just doing our job.)

Nintendo execs are already taking cuts to their salaries over the debacle (including a whopping 50 percent slash for Iwata). So we imagine that, once it finds out about this little undercutting scheme, the Mario maker will do everything in it's power to stop it. As for us, we'll meet you at Wal-Mart at 12 a.m. on Aug. 9--we're going camping!

[Via TechCrunch]

Do you think Wal-Mart is really going to cut the 3DS price early or will Nintendo thwart its plans? What are you bringing to the Wal-Mart camp out (I've bought the s'mores)? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.