Nintendo has announced that its flagship, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess title has been delayed and will not be released until 2006 and that it is cutting the price of DS by 13 per cent. The DS, as of August 21, 2005, will retail for USD 130 from 150.
The former news means no new Zelda over the busy Christmas holiday period when rivals will be parading new consoles and new titles. Sounds like Nintendo may face one of its worst holiday seasons yet, as far as the GameCube is concerned and possibly one of its best as far as handhelds are concerned, especially as it is also planning to throw its GameBoy Micro into the mix this September at the USD 99 price point.
The Japanese gaming giant claims that the new Zelda title will not appear before April 1, 2006 (a significant date?) The full statement regarding the delay states: Our development team has decided to take extra time to add some incredible new elements to The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. As a result, the game will now launch in 2006 globally. We recognize there may be some disappointed fans, however we firmly believe this additional time will result in a much more enjoyable gaming experience. GameCube fans will have a variety of Nintendo games to choose from this Christmas, including Mario Smash Football, Battalion Wars, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness.
