The past few weeks haven't been kind to Nintendo. The hubbub surrounding the crackpot save-system of Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, delay of Crush 3D, Shinobi and Metal Gear Solid(specifically because of slow 3DS sales), and the demise of Mega Man Legends 3... this is a painful series of events. What's more, we haven't seen a Virtual Console update in two weeks. Today, just four months after the 3DS's launch, Nintendo announced an $80 reduction from the handheld's price tag. What the hell is going on here?
What's Happening: If you're an early adopter of the 3DS, don't fret about the price drop just yet. Yes, it sucks you couldn't save that scratch, but you're getting bonuses. Connecting your 3DS to the eShop before the new price of $169.99 takes effect on August 12 earns you the illustrious status of "Ambassador."
So, what's in it for us suckers?
Okay, that's pretty great. $80 great? Probably not, and Nintendo knows it. Round two of the reward goes like this:
This is where things get sticky. You'll note that Nintendo said it "has no plans" to release these 10 games to the lowly post-price-drop public at all, ever. We suspect that'll change down the line when they realize a $10 Mario Kart download will make them some sick bank.
Next page: What this means for you... and for Nintendo
