Nintendo is feeling guilty about slashing the price of the 3DS from $250 to $170 fewer than five months after it released. Attempting to ease early adopters’ buyer’s remorse, Nintendo has already promised 20 free downloadable games to those who log on to the device’s e-shop before the price cut goes into effect Aug. 12.

Not only has company president Satoru Iwata taken a 50 percent pay cut, he’s also released an apologetic letter to current 3DS owners.

An excerpt:

This unprecedented timing for a price cut is because the situation has changed greatly since we originally launched the 3DS. We decided it was necessary to take this drastic step in order to ensure that large numbers of users will continue to enjoy the 3DS in the future.

If the software creators and those on the retail side are not confident that the Nintendo 3DS is a worthy successor to the DS and will achieve a similarly broad (user) base, it will be impossible for the 3DS to gain popularity, acquire a wide range of software, and eventually create the product cycle necessary for everyone to be satisfied with the system.

Those customers who purchased the 3DS at the very beginning are extremely important to us. We know that there is nothing we can do to completely make up for the feeling that you are being punished for buying the system early.

If you bought a 3DS early, are the free games and apology enough to win back your trust?

Read Satoru Iwata’s Apologetic Letter to Existing 3DS Owners [Giant Bomb via Kotaku]

Previously: Nintendo Slashes Price on 3DS, Gives Free Games To Those Who Paid Full Price

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.