N-Gage QD reached the stores in Europe and Asia 2 weeks ago. Nokia negotiated with American carriers but could not confirm QD to sell below $199 when it now arrives at June 24. QD has not changed the shipping dates for US"s northern neighbors (Canada) as it will still arrive as expected on June 29.
Quoted by Gamespot :
Nokia explained the delay with this chestnut of modern marketing-speak: "While the product is ready for shipment, we have made a business decision to maximize the impact of the launch by synchronizing across all channel partners." No other reason was given, nor was a price point for the QD offered.
Dice says:
Europe and Asia was not all ecstatic about the arrival of N-Gage QD. The price, features and unpopularity were one, and quality was another. Nokia and US are worried about the distribution process of this product due to previous marketing crashes regarding N-Gage. Gamers worldwide have never been fond of N-Gage including myself. Perhaps it might make a come back, but it is very unlikely for that to occur.