I don't know if this is really illegal to post, but the TOS probably is not against this. If it is, please tell me and I will delete this message.
We just received some information from Nintendo regarding the price needed to purchase the Nintendo DS Development Kit. We requested for a single kit, because I am working on a Nintendo DS game called Ikhánja (check the other topic for more information).
We had a vague idea of how much it will cost us, but now we have the exact price, and date that we will receive it. Apparently, until the end of 2004, the Development Kits for the Nintendo DS will only be handed to specific publishers and developers across the world. There will be around 150 Development Kits spread across the globe.
From 2005 and after, the "Quality Assurance" will be obviously left aside, and the Development Kits will be available for purchase by institutions (such as research teams, universities) and companies (registered games developers, or registered games publishers).
As an institution, my university will receive the Nintendo DS Development Kit, but it will be with a catch: We cannot market or sell our product; but we can re-license it to another developer or publisher if it is complete and gets approved by Nintendo.
In other words, we will NOT be able to make our game ourselves alone. We will make it and complete it, then send it to a registered developer or publisher and re-licence it to them. This sounds so far so good, but that actually means that we will NOT have any rights on the game anymore; and probably not even any profits.
It's the price you have to pay for creating a game for "research purposes" (That's the "reason" you request a Development Kit if you are an institution).
But still, I will be more than proud if we are able to make this game, no matter if we are only credited for it in the ending credits!
Here is a list of prices of Development Kits for 2004 and Q1 2005, FOR INSTITUTIONS (companies, depending on the contract with Nintendo, may receive them at higher or lower prices). I don't know if this is illegal to reveal, but it will generally give you a rough idea of how much will WE need to pay to actually make something that will NOT generate us ANY money :S
Playstation 2 Development Kit: 13.000£ (2004 AND 2005)
Nintendo Gamecube Development Kit: 14.000£ (2004 AND 2005)
Microsoft XBOX Development Kit: 4.000£ (2004 AND 2005)
Nintendo Game Boy Advance Development Kit: 1.000£ (2004), FREE (2005)
Nintendo DS Development Kit: UNAVAILABLE (2004), 7.000£ (Q1 2005)
The institution will grant us some money paid by the E.U. (European Union) for research so we will not have to pay exactly the 7.000£. But it sure will be more than a couple thousands pounds still, so I am worried if we will find the money. Hopefully we will!
