Nintendo won't discount digital releases, but has plans to make up for it

Nintendo games cost the same whether you buy them over the counter or in digital form, but that doesn't mean there's no benefit to buying online.

Speaking at a recent investor briefing, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata acknowledged complaints that eShop pricing dos not pass on distribution savings to the consumer.

Iwata told investors that price matching digital to retail reaffirms the value of Nintendo games, and said that the company has plans to make digital purchasers feel like they'e getting their money's worth.

"We believe download versions have the same value and should be priced the same," Iwata said.

"Some companies price downloads cheaper due to the there being no used sales or store price reductions. We stress the value of Nintendo software, so we price the same."

Iwata agreed that digital downloads don't carry inventory risk, and made a follow-up comment suggesting Nintendo intends to pass the consequent savings on to the consumer through some sort of value-added scheme.

"We plan to provide some benefit with the new membership service starting in the fall," he said. What could that mean?

This all comes via Japanese Twitter user Nstyles reporting live on the briefing, with well-known and trusted Japanese newshound Cheesemeister translating.

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