Wii Launch and Price Revealed

[Xantar]

It looks like they're trying the same strategy as they did with the DS. It had a pretty high launch price compared to the PSP, but once the early adopters had bought it, Nintendo dropped the price and the thing took off like a rocket.

I'm not too sure it will work this time around, though. For one thing, when Microsoft drops the price of the Xbox 360, Nintendo is going to be forced to follow suit. Dancing to another company's tune is no way to be a market leader.

That said, I'll be getting one. And I think the initial shipment will sell out just fine given that the PS3 will only have 400,000 units at launch anyway. I just wish Nintendo's PR department had handled this better. They should have noticed how everybody thought the price would be lower than this and started taking some damage control measures.

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by Xantar

It looks like they're trying the same strategy as they did with the DS. It had a pretty high launch price compared to the PSP, but once the early adopters had bought it, Nintendo dropped the price and the thing took off like a rocket.

I understand the strategy, but the handheld and console markets are two completely different animals. Nintendo dominates handhelds like no other. People trust the Nintendo brand name on a mass-consumer scale when it comes to that market.

The console market is much different. Both MS and Sony have better brand names in consoles in terms of visiblity and market share in the west. They aren't going to have that automatic trust outside of their hardcore fanbase.

All said and done, though, I'm conflicted about the price point. True, its higher than we'd like, but its also quite different from the other consoles and still priced lower for a full system, and not a half-assed one like the low rent, HD-less abortion MS tried to sell with little effect. I don't even see advertisements for that version much anymore.

All in all, I think they would push more consoles at $200, but a $250 pp might actually be more profitable in the long run, and Nintendo has always been very smart about remaining profitable.

[Teuthida]

If you want to play a 2 player game that uses the nuchuck it'll cost you $60. In conjunction with the console price itself that's a bit too much. Since you're really buying the system for the controller more so than the console, the standard console price should be lower to accommodate the hefty controller price. Or throw in a 2nd controller rather than include Wii Sports. I can't imagine that being much fun single player.

[manasecret]

Originally Posted by Teuthida

If you want to play a 2 player game that uses the nuchuck it'll cost you $60. In conjunction with the console price itself that's a bit too much. Since you're really buying the system for the controller more so than the console, the standard console price should be lower to accommodate the hefty controller price. Or throw in a 2nd controller rather than include Wii Sports. I can't imagine that being much fun single player.

Last I saw the $60 was a conversion from yen to USD. Is that still where you're getting your figures from?

If so, I'm hoping that price comes down a bit. Even a cut down by $10 down to $50 would be nice.

[manasecret]

Hmmm Dyne might be right about the Wii launching for $212 in Japan. Look at this picture recap page of the Japanese conference video.

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/topics...tation/13.html

The last three pictures at the bottom give what I guess is the Japanese release date and the launch price of the Wii and the Wiimote. So that's Wii launching on December 2nd, 2006 (like was said) for 25,000 yen. The Wiimote is 3,800 yen, and the nunchunk and the VC controller (look on the next page) are each 1,800 yen.

So? Well according to the conversions from XE.com...

25,000 yen = $213
3,800 yen = $32
1,800 yen = $15

So what the hell is going on? I assume XE.com's conversion ratios are updated. That seems a helluva lot cheaper than what every other source has said.

Note that the video recap page I linked above comes straight from IGN article's here. http://wii.ign.com/articles/732/732669p1.html They link to it in (currently) the last paragraph.

EDIT: Hah, those are the same yen numbers in the IGN article. I saw the difference in conversion price and got excited. So why are IGN's conversions from yen to USD so different?

[Dyne]

5% japanese tax maybe.

[DarkMaster]

Wait a bloody minute. So that's $300 Canadian? Isn't that the same price as the core 360 pack?


I'll be holding off on next-gen purchases for a while then. Until the big titles start coming out, I just can't justify the price point for any of the next-gen consoles.