What was the "price at launch"?

[digitalpress]

So this is for the "system-specific pages" I'm working on.

This is a list of game consoles and their original retail prices in the USA. Please help fill in the blanks if you know the answers. Please don't guess or speculate. In fact, proof would be nice :)

Here's what I've got so far.

System Original Price
32X 159.99
3DO 699.99
AdventureVision 74.99
APF M-1000
Arcadia 2001 199.95
Astrocade
Atari 2600 249
Atari 5200 329.95
Atari 7800 149.99
Atari XE
CD32 399.99
CD-I 399.99
CDTV 999
Channel F 170
ColecoVision 175
Commodore 64 595.95
Creativision
Dedicated Consoles 0
Dragon 32 455 Francs
Dreamcast 199.99
Game & Watch
Game Boy 109
Game Boy Color 79.95
Game Gear 149.99
Game.com 69.95
GameCube 199.99
Genesis 189.99
Handhelds 0
Intellivision 299.99
InteractiveVision
Interton VC4000
Jaguar 249.99
Laseractive 969.99
Lynx 159.99
Mattel Aquarius
Memorabilia 0
Microvision
MSX
N64 199.99
Neo Geo 699
NGPC 69.99
Nintendo NES 199.99
NUON
Odyssey 99.99
Odyssey2
PC Jr
PC-FX
Pico 139.99
PlayStation 299.99
PS2 299.99
Publications 0
RCA Studio II 149.95
R-Zone
Saturn 399.99
Sega CD 299.99
Sega Master System 199
SG1000
Sinclair Spectrum
SNES 199
SuperGrafx 39800 yen
SuperVision 49.95
Telstar Arcade
TI-99/4A 1499
Tomy Tutor
TRS-80 599.95
TS 2068
Turbografx-16 189
Vectrex 199
VIC-20 299.99
Video Brain
Virtual Boy 179.99
Xbox 299.99

[MarioAllStar2600]

Why was Neo Geo 700 bucks!!!! Im lost.

[Raccoon Lad]

I remember the Sega CD being $300 dollars, 'cause that's what I payed x_x

[icbrkr]

My original Intellivision had a 249.99 price sticker on it.

Brian

[kainemaxwell]

I remember the Sega CD being $300 dollars, 'cause that's what I payed x_x
The CDX was $300 at launch, I know that much.

N64- $199.95 (was $249.95 orginially).
Pico- $49.99

[Drexel923]

N64 was $199.99.

[Pantechnicon]

Why was Neo Geo 700 bucks!!!! Im lost.

You're not the only one who is/was lost by this, and thanks to Leonard Herman for illuminating all this for me in his book Phoenix ;)

The NEO-GEO home system contained the exact hardware as SNK's Neo-Geo multi-game arcade hardware system. There was literally no difference - with respect to source code or performance - in what you saw at the arcade and what you played at home. The cartridge-based software (and the games themselves ran for around $250 brand new O_O ) was actually interchangeable between home and arcade machine, provided one had a pin adapter to accommodate the different connectors. So for $700 one could have the literal arcade experience of Neo-Geo in their home.

It was around 1989 when those came out. I was in the USMC at the time stationed in Jacksonville. My knoweldge of the video game world up to this point was confined to the sub-$100 world of Atari 2600 clearance bins and my then-brand new Game Boy. So one day I'm at the mall and I see this Neo-Geo retailing for $700 (and those were 1989 dollars, mind you) and I just thought "Great God in Heaven! Who would ever buy something like that? Who could afford it?" :o Incredible. Fifteen years later and to my knowledge nobody (not even Microsoft) has ever tried to sell a game console for such a staggering amount of money.

BTW, Neo-Geo is a very cool system. I've played some of its ROMs in emulation and it's pretty good stuff. I especially like Metal Slug and Bust-A-Move.

[NoahsMyBro]

I recalled the 5200 being either $249.95, or $299.95 at launch.

BUT, according to this:
http://www.msu.edu/user/reicher6/5200/5200.htm the original price was $270. (I'd assume it was actually $269.95.) btw, is this Matt's page?

From IC When ( http://www.icwhen.com/book/the_1980s/1982.shtml ):


Atari, Inc. releases the 5200 (codename "Pam") gaming system. It features 16K RAM and sells for $299

Hmmm.....

[evilmess]

I think i read somewhere that the Sega Nomad was $189 at launch

[YoshiM]

TRS-80: I'm assuming you mean the Color Computer? There were different ways to get the system (4K Color BASIC, 16K Extended Color BASIC, etc.). To get a "good" model (the 16K with ECB) I want to say it was $599 (computer only, as per the 1982 catalog). I'll see if I have any info at home. I'll check on the Dragon 32 as well. With proof if I can russle it up.

I think the Game Boy Color came out at $99, if I'm not mistaken.

[Kroogah]

NGPC - $70 ($100 with Sonic Pocket Adventure)

[The Unknown Gamer]

Atari 7800 $149.99 That's what I paid for mine

[Mayhem]

C64 was $595 upon launch in August 1982...

[sniperCCJVQ]

My NES Deluxe Set have a 249,99$ CND tag on it. Probably the same in the US (~ 250$ USD)

[rolenta]

When the PS2 was released, the officail US Playstation Magazine had me do an article called "Console Launches Through The Years", which included launch prices. This is what I came up with:

Magnavox Odyssey - May 1972 - $100
Fairchild Channel F - August 1976 - $169.95
Atari VCS - October 1977 - $199.95
Mattel Intellivsion - 1980 - $299.99
Colecovision - August 1982 - $175
NES - Fall 1985 - $249 with ROB - $199 without ROB
Genesis - August 1989 - $199.99
SNES - September 9, 1991 - $199.99
3DO - October 4, 1993 - $700
Sega Saturn - May 11, 1995 - $449 with Virtua Fighter, $399 without game
Playstation - September 9, 1995 - $299
N64 - September 29, 1996 - $199.95
Dreamcast - September 9, 1999 - $199.99

Retrotaku, thanks for the plug! I'm happy that you found Phoenix helpful!

[mikeetler]

When the PS2 was released, the officail US Playstation Magazine had me do an article called "Console Launches Through The Years", which included launch prices. This is what I came up with:

Colecovision - August 1982 - $175
Sega Saturn - May 11, 1995 - $449 with Virtua Fighter, $399 without game


You sure about hese two? I remember the Colecovision being $199 at Toys R Us in October '82 when I got it and the Saturn was $399 at launch with VF packed in.

The Genesis was definitely $199. I don't know where Joe got the $249 figure from in his original post. Also, The original Gameboy was shelved at $99.99 though it's possible the MSRP was $109.

[Raedon]

C64- $595 but dropped to $299 from what I remember seemed like only a year.

Vic-20 - $299.95 1981

[IntvGene]

Gamespot had a history of Sega article here:
http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/sega/p3_01.html

In the article, they list the following launch prices:

NES $159
Master System $199
Genesis $190
Sega CD $299
Saturn $399

The 32X FAQ, by Barry Cantin lists the launch price at $159.
http://www.gameconsoles.com/32X_faq.htm

Sega.com has a nice history of the company, but doesn't list any launch prices that I could find.

And, you can remove the Sega SG-1000 from your list, as their was no American release for it. But, you already knew that! :P

[Half Japanese]

I can't help out a whole lot, but I can tell you that launch prices for the NUON are not going to be all the same. The NUON was basically a half-assed game system that was built into some different dvd players (or something like that). So your prices on NUON's is going to vary depending on which dvd player.

[GaijinPunch]

I thought my Genesis was either $189.95 or $289.95... can't remember exactly. :(

[TheJuggala]

I remember i paid 129.00 for my nes when it first came out.

[nildem]

I KNEW there was a reason I saved these:


AdventureVision - $74.99

Arcadia 2001 - $199.95

Atari 5200 - $329.95

Atari Jaguar CD (With Blue Lightning and VidGrid.) - $149.95

Atari Lynx - $159.99

Channel F - $169.95

Commodore 64: $595.95

Commodore Amiga CD32 - $399.99

Commodore VIC-20 - $299.99

Famicom Disk System - ¥15,000

GameBoy Advance SP - $99.99

Game Boy Color (In "Grape" or "Atomic Purple" colors.) - $79.95

Game Boy Pocket - $59.99

Game Gear (With Columns pack-in.) - $149.99

Game.com (With Lights Out pack-in.) - $69.95

Game.com.Pocket.Pro - $49.95

Intellivision - $299.99

Neo*Geo CD - $399.99

Neo*Geo Pocket (B/W version) - ¥7,800

Nintendo 64DD - ¥30,000 (12 Monthly Payments of ¥2,500)

Philips CDi - $399.99

Pioneer LaserActive Player - $969.99
Pioneer LaserActive: Mega-LD Pack (Sega Genesis / CD) - $599.99
Pioneer LaserActive: LD-ROM2 Pack (TurboGrafx / CD) - $599.99

RCA Studio II - $149.95

Samsung Extiva DVD-N2000 - $349.99

Sega CD - $299.99
Sega CD2 - $229.99
Sega CDX (With Sonic CD, Ecco the Dolphin and Sega Classics: Arcade Edition pack-ins) - $399.99
Sega Nomad - $179.99
Sega / JVC X-Eye (With Prize Fighter, Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia and Karaoke CD pack-ins.) - $499.99


Sega Master System (With Hang-On / Safari Hunt pack-in.) - $199.00

SuperVision (With Crystball and earphones.) - $49.95

TRS-80: Model 1 (With monitor, Realistic CTR-41 cassette tape drive, and Backgammon/Blackjack - $599.95

TurboExpress - $299.95
TurboGrafx-CD - $399.99

[rbudrick]

I remember my NES with Rob the Robot, Duck Hunt and Gyromite was $140 at Ames when I got it....probably not what it started at thpugh.

I remember I busted my balls to earn the 1/2 of that $ my dad said i needed for him to fron the other half. That was a bitch when you are like, 8-10 years old...

-Rob

[NE146]

I know my momma spent over $200 ($250 maybe) on my 5200 when she bought it. The 2600 was also about $200 when we bought it at Sears on a trip to the states one year.

I remember I paid about $200 for the SNES .. but I forget how much the Genesis was. If I recall correctly I also spent a little over $150 for the turbografx-16 if not $199. (I also stole another one but that's another story). :P

[hezeuschrist]

I could have sworn the Playstation was $399... why do I think that?

[digitalpress]

Wow, great info folks. I've updated the list above.

@Kaine23: are you SURE Sega Pico was $49 at launch? I dunno, I know it's more of a toy than a video game console but that seems really low. Now I wish I had been paying attention.

[rolenta]

The PICO wasn't $49 at launch. That was the price that it was sold for after Majesco began distributing it.

[rolenta]

You sure about hese two? I remember the Colecovision being $199 at Toys R Us in October '82 when I got it and the Saturn was $399 at launch with VF packed in.

No. I wrote the article 4 years ago and have absolutely no idea where my notes are, or where I got the information from then.

[GrandAmChandler]

A little off topic.... Wasn't Virtua Racer for Genesis like $90 USD when it launched? That always amazed me for being a genesis game.. now its only worth a couple bucks. go figure.

[Arcade Antics]

A little off topic.... Wasn't Virtua Racer for Genesis like $90 USD when it launched? That always amazed me for being a genesis game.. now its only worth a couple bucks. go figure.

Yup. It was the "Super Neat-O 3D Grafix Chip" that drove the price up. Or so they said. ;)

[chadtower]

Sega Saturn - May 11, 1995 - $449 with Virtua Fighter, $399 without game!

I remember the Saturn launch very clearly. It was $399 and my console box still has the EB sticker on it reflecting that. I never saw any $449 offer with VF, that would have had to have been in Japan or something, since it came with VF for the $399 price and that was the week of the launch. They then very soon after, probably about a month, offered three games for free with the purchase of the Saturn, Worldwide Soccer, Clockwork Knight, and one other that slips my mind at the moment, all for that same $399.

[nildem]

The PICO wasn't $49 at launch. That was the price that it was sold for after Majesco began distributing it.


The Sega Pico launched at $139.99 with one pack-in game, the title of which I cannot recall.

[Zap!]

Not to but it, but the Genesis was NOT $199. I have my original receipt from Toys R' Us dated August, 1989, for $189. I will photocopy it if anyone wants me to.

As for the Neo-Geo, someone said it was released in 1989. False. It's official release in the US was October 25, 1990. I got mine in November, 1990. For some reason, I seem to remember paying just $600, but I could be wrong on this one. I will double check my receipt when I find time.

[Ed Oscuro]

More systems :D

Dragon 32

Dragon 32 : 455 (France, november 83)
Dragon 32: 211 (France, november 85)
(old-computers.com for the price, note this is the French monetary unit of the time, not euros but Francs)

Dragon 64

608 (France, december 84)

(same source)

I'd put up the SC-3000H if old-computers.com had a price listed, but no...just as well, they're not my gold standard for accuracy anyways.

What about Sharp x68000 stuff?

Sega Teradrive (OF COURSE!)
Model 1
¥148,000 ('tis a Yen symbol if you can't see it right)
Model 2
¥188,000
Model 3
¥248,000

(source here: official Sega history page translated)

[Gamemaster_ca_2003]

According to the All Game the Neo-Geo Launched at $899.99

[Zap!]

According to the All Game the Neo-Geo Launched at $899.99

That's wrong. It wasn't even close to that high.

[XxMe2NiKxX]

Yerr, your Genesis launch price is wrong. When it was launched in Los Angeles and New York City in January 1989, it was $199.99. Pico was $129.99 and came with a pack-in title. Neo-Geo was $789.99.

[Zap!]

Yerr, your Genesis launch price is wrong. When it was launched in Los Angeles and New York City in January 1989, it was $199.99. Pico was $129.99 and came with a pack-in title. Neo-Geo was $789.99.

No way. Genesis was not launched anywhere in the US until August, 1989. I live in NYC (all my life), and bought it in Toys 'R Us the day after it was released, for $189. I will photocopy the reciept for proof. The TurboGrafx 16 was launced about a month later, for $199.

[briguy578]

I thought the N64 launched for 249.99, not 199.99. Am I thinking of the cube?

[goatdan]

I can update NUON a bit:

The Samsung Extiva DVD-N2000 launched for a list price $349.00 and was the first official NUON console released. I had a friend who picked one up about a month after release for $199.00, so it dropped fast.

The Toshiba SD2300 was released for $299.00 and I don't think ever dropped in price, seeing as how it was the model with the Next Tetris game included, that now fetches a ton on eBay. Never saw one myself.

The Samsung N501 launched for $199.00.

There are two RCA players that use the chips, but can't run the games too. They don't really matter though ;)

[pacmanhat]

I thought the N64 launched for 249.99, not 199.99. Am I thinking of the cube?

The Cube was $199.99...I'm assuming the 64 was, too.

More that could be added to the list:

GBA SP: $99.99
Nintendo DS: $149.99
Sony PSP: $249.99

For some reason, I can't remember what I paid for an original GBA on launch day.

[NintendoMan]

I could have sworn the Playstation was $399... why do I think that?

Yeah, for some reason I thought it was $399 too?

This is a very cool list though! Very informative and answers to lots of questions I always had. A big thanks goes out to everyone who contributed!

[legov8]

Nintendo DS: $149.99 USD

[GamerNerd]

Nintendo Entertainment System: $149.99

[SirDrexl]

I thought the N64 launched for 249.99, not 199.99. Am I thinking of the cube?

I was thinking that too. I know it was lowered to $199 when Sony lowered the price on the PS, but I don't remember when that was.

[Mattiekrome]

Nah, Playstion was $299.99 at launch. Got mine at "Electronics Botique" LOL

http://premium1.uploadit.org/mattiekrome//PSX.JPG

[CreamSoda]

Nah, Playstion was $299.99 at launch. Got mine at "Electronics Botique" LOL

http://premium1.uploadit.org/mattiekrome//PSX.JPG

Hey man thats cool, I still got my PlayStation box with that $299 sticker on it too. :D

[Zap!]

19 years, 450+ played games, 391 beaten games & 320+ billion points scored

Heh, an amature! 8-)

[DeputyMoniker]

Does anybody know the MSRP for the original Atari Pong?

[c2000]

The PICO wasn't $49 at launch. That was the price that it was sold for after Majesco began distributing it.


The Sega Pico launched at $139.99 with one pack-in game, the title of which I cannot recall.

Probably the Winnie the Pooh Bear game. It was game that came with the Pico in Europe.

[c2000]

The PICO wasn't $49 at launch. That was the price that it was sold for after Majesco began distributing it.


The Sega Pico launched at $139.99 with one pack-in game, the title of which I cannot recall.

Probably the Winnie the Pooh Bear game. It was the game that came with the Pico in Europe.

[neogeokult]

here are the german launch prices (http://2d-games.blogspot.com/2006/04/hardware-release-preise_06.html)

[Playcosm]

I am told the Philips CD-i initially sold for $2000 !!!

Can someone confirm this?


__________
MyCD-i (http://cd-i.eigenstart.nl)

[Kid Ice]

I am told the Philips CD-i initially sold for $2000 !!!

Can someone confirm this?


__________
MyCD-i (http://cd-i.eigenstart.nl)

According to wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cd-i) it was priced around $400.

$2000 would have been almost enough for a real computer back then.