Nintendo Wii to launch November 19th at $249.99

[klausien]

I love the knee-jerk reactions going on around here. Shame on all of you. Viewing this in perspective, this is a very good, if not great deal, and the Wii will absolutely be the hottest item this Christmas, slam dunk style.

Wii System with Remote & Nunchuck + Wii Sports - $250

Think about their price point for additional controllers:

Remote - $40
Nunchuk - $20

So, we have $250-$60=$190

Now lets say, $35 for the Wii Sports $290-$155=$155

That makes the MSRP of the Wii system alone approx $150. Add the $40 for one solitary remote, as a comparison to an XBox360 or PS3 with one controller and we have $195. The system is under $200. Everyone also seems to forget that there is a lot of tech going on in that remote & nunchuck. It is not "just a controller".

The "core", AKA neutered, systems from Microsoft and Sony are $300 & $500 respectively. Neither of them offer the full experience, and adding the eventually necessary HDD for the XBox360 later simply makes the $300 system the premium $400. It also still has a wired controller. A $500 PS3 will never have a 1080p connection or 60GB HDD no matter what you do. The only true choice is the full-price product for both systems, as you will either lose something or end up spending more in the long run. For the approximate price of a Core XBox360 with no games, you will be able to play Wii Sports AND the new Zelda on November 19th. How is that not a "no brainer"?

In addition to this shortfall, Sony & Microsoft are still taking a bath on their systems in the worst way. It is important to recognize that the "selling at a loss" phenomenon has reached upspeakable, and very dangerous (at least for Sony) levels. Nintendo is making money on the Wii even with the pack-in. And none of these "We are being ripped off because there is still only one controller" or "I don't want to pay for Wii Sports" shenanigans. Not wanting to play Wii Sports is total, unadulterated elitism. I hate sports games, but was interested in Wii Sports from day one. For anyone who knows my tastes (1,384 unique games including only about 10 or so sports games, three of which are tennis), that speaks volumes.

The average person is not adverse to a company making money on its products, nor do they even have the slightest idea of how much the gadget costs to make. Only mainstream gamers who buy every version of Madden for $50-$60 and are disappointed that "next gen" will also include best sellers that lack graphic violence and adult themes; or say, post-PSX fanboy types who think of Nintendo's IPs as being childish or "uncool" are so upset about the fact that they are set to remain number one in profits. Nintendo always makes money on their products. Fact.

I agree that the pack-in game also plays very well to the consumers' sense of value for their money. There is a full experience in that Wii box. Parents are going to love that. They have already accepted that a game and extra controller are in the cards when buying their kid a system, so the Wii softens the blow in a way that will be welcomed. Remember, we know way more about any of this than the average parent. It is purely psychological. "Oh yeah, it comes with a game, and its only $250!!!" The 18-25 set may be the largest demographic in the market, but that doesn't matter here. Said parents are also going to be the those very "non-gamer" people Nintendo hooks with Wii Sports, much like the old gun games even got my GRANDPARENTS to try and ultimately enjoy video games. It is a smart move.

Now, I can't say I'm not a bit disappointed. I would have felt it was truly perfect at $250 with the pack-in AND 2 controllers, but it sure beats what you get for the same $250 with something like the PSP as NE146 said before.

This price point is simply good business. Nintendo will not be going the route of Sega anytime soon, if ever, nor do they need to bargain basement themselves to remain solvent. The chance they took was in true innovation in the idiom, as opposed to better graphics or the "Look! Our game machine is a media center!" philosophy. They have "political capital" to spare coming out at $250 with this package. Sony thinks they have an unlimited amount of said "capital" to spend, much like a certain chief executive, and have taken a large, some say irrational, gamble. It might pay off for them, but it has the makings of a serious debacle. The people at large seem to take arrogance lightly in a political sense, but when they don their consumer robes, they need a return for their hard-earned money.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love gaming, period. I am not a Nintendo fanboy. I am just a rational person who loves their hobby and who is happy to see at least one of the industry leaders doing something to take gaming out of the doldrums it has been in. This is not a disclaimer. The writing is on the wall, and Nintendo is helping fade it, if not erase it.

[jajaja]

Its cool that the console is regionfree like the 360 (probly mentioned before here, but i havnt read all) :) First-party games will have no region so you can import from anywhere in the world and play without a problem. I wonder what the 3rd-party developers will do.

[geneshifter]

Thought you guys would like to know this. I just got a call from my local Gamestop and they are starting preorders for Zelda:TP Wii version tomorrow, Friday. Better get in there ASAP.

[MrRoboto19XX]

I plan on gladly plopping down 250+ on launch day.

[shopkins]

Wii System with Remote & Nunchuck + Wii Sports - $250

Think about their price point for additional controllers:

Remote - $40
Nunchuk - $20

So, we have $250-$60=$190


This is bullshit. No game system in history, at least as far as I know, has shipped without some way to control it. One controller is an expected part of the price, not an extra.

Pack in games shouldn't be considered extras to take away from the cost, either. It's still $250.

[Garry Silljo]

I agree with most of what klausien has said with a few minor disagreements that amount to nothing.

I wanted to add that for people who are complaining about no internal memory, though some consumers will have to pay extra to save, Nintendo has TRIED to use formats people already own. With the popularity of Digital Cameras, most people have one or more SD cards, and previous GameCube owners can still use their memory cards as well.

Also people who were hoping for an included "classic" controller, hopefully you have a Gamecube and you really don't need that then. Otherwise, It does suck a little you have to pay more. Hopefully many of these games will have alterante control schemes so players can use a game cube control if they can't afford extra controllers right away.

If I by some miracle have the money when this lauches, I'm jumping aboard right quick. I may even trade in my Cube and Xbox and all Xbox games so that I can pick this up. This is the only new console that interest me at all. PS3 and 360 have flashy graphics, sound I can't even use, and the same tired gameplay I've been ignoring for what feels like forever. This product is a bargain and truly inspiring to boot. My non-gamer wife wants one even more than I do and Wii sports to her is worht more than the system itself. She loves interactive controllers like guns or the wii-mote and she loves simple easy to understand games like bowling and Tennis. I may choose NOT to by one only to keep her off my gaming TV so that I can play.

[c0ldb33r]

With that many systems at launch, do you think we'll need to pre-order? Or should showing up on launch day with my wallet be enough?

[geneshifter]

I may even trade in my Cube and Xbox and all Xbox games so that I can pick this up. This is the only new console that interest me at all.

I'll buy it off you - don't trade it up!

[geneshifter]

I may even trade in my Cube and Xbox and all Xbox games so that I can pick this up. This is the only new console that interest me at all.

I'll buy it off you - don't trade it up!

er, I mean the xbox :embarrassed: I already have the gamecube.

[DreamTR]

A few things I have to note:


A big LOL to all the idiots that honestly thought Nintendo was going to just give away their NES, SNES, and N64 library for FREE on the Wii. Anyone with half a brain could see that would be a silly business decision on their part not to charge for their older properties.

A big WTF to ANYONE complaining about prices these days. The guy who wrote about inflation hit the nail on the head, $249.99 nowadays is nothing. At the very least we have an extra game. Nintendo also knows money is made off of extra accessories. Microsoft thrives off that. Check the NPD data for Microsoft 360 Wireless Controllers and see how many have been sold. Nintendo's are going to go through the roof as well.

Compare this $249.99 price point with the XBOX Core System at $299.99 with nothing, the $499.99 PS3 with nothing, or the higher end $399.99/$599.99 models of XBOX 360 and PS3.

This system is not meant to mimic these systems. Simplistic fun has all been forgotten these days and the Nintendo DS is a marvel at what Nintendo has been able to do to gaming. At the very least, they are not forgetting about games being fun instead of this hokey "I must be realistic trip with my 1080i/P HDTV with my HDMi Cables and High End BBQROFLMAO SuperTV OMG GRAPHICS RoxoRs systems."

I mean, I even saw people complaining about cables in this thread. You realize an HDMi is nothing more than glorified component cables centralized down to one port for easier, cleaner access? Let's go out and pay $100+ for a 3 foot cable, yay! All this talk about PS3 makes me sick. It's basically a media system. Games are more movie-like nowadays, you can't deny that. The "fun" has been gone for awhile, and this new generation of gamers has grown up on super realistic 3D games and basically judging a system solely by its graphic processor, especially when improperly comparing this system to PS3, or marketing it as a "glorified" GameCube.

Bottom line, the three systems are drastically different nowadays to the point where each one will have its own strengths, and 0 weaknesses unless you are comparing game to game, and even then, it's just a storage issue. BluRay has the best storage, disks are pricey. Anyone up for a 2,000 hour RPG? Not me. 360, PS3, and Wii all have something unique to offer, but the whining and moaning about the system not being good before it has even come out is so laughable. Some of these same people ridiculed the Nintendo DS and now I can't find any naysayers for that system at all.

[Fighter17]

$250 with a pack in game, Nintendo is going to become king this winter!

[ROBOTNIK666]

I was secretly hoping for under $200, but $250 is great. Even better, they actually have Wii Sports as a pack-in, which means I won't have to spend extra on games.

[Garry Silljo]

I may even trade in my Cube and Xbox and all Xbox games so that I can pick this up. This is the only new console that interest me at all.

I'll buy it off you - don't trade it up!

If and when that becomes an issue, I'll give you a PM.

[geneshifter]

I may even trade in my Cube and Xbox and all Xbox games so that I can pick this up. This is the only new console that interest me at all.

I'll buy it off you - don't trade it up!

If and when that becomes an issue, I'll give you a PM.

Cool beans :D

[kainemaxwell]

I'm liking the price of the Wii so far and the fact that it has a packin game (which we haven't seen with a console laugh in years) is good. Will the classic controller be seperate too?

[Trebuken]

This is almsot as bad as listening to people talk about the price of gas.

Anyways. The only point I have not heard mention is about Wii sports. This game is clearly packed intentionally to get 'Americans' (Japanese don't get the pack in), accustomed to the new controllers, and Nintendo's, hopefully successful, gimmick.

With Zelda as a launch title I doubt Wii sports will be much more than a demonstration, as it was at E3, though it might be fun for a few days...probably more so with a few people...

Later,
Trebuken

[jonjandran]

If the Wii is backwards compatiable with Gamecube discs would that mean that the firmware modchips will work with it ?
Hmmmmmm :-P

[Daniel Thomas]

I must admit that I was a little disappointed at the price. $250 sounds a bit much for an over-clocked Gamecube. Then, thankfully, I discovered that Wii Sports will be included as a pack-in game. That makes all the difference for me.

I thought $200 would be fine, so $250 for console and game works. This also, I think, situates Nintendo perfectly for when Microsoft or Sony start dropping the prices on their consoles. Sooner or later, Xbox will go down to $300 (let's just forget the cheaper versions, which are completely worthless). Nintendo should be able to either a) introduce the "core" package sans game, or b) bring the pack-in model under $200 or eventually $150.

Bottom line, the Wii console will always be significantly cheaper than the Xbox 360 and the SIX HUNDRED FUCKING DOLLARS.

Wii Sports is a perfect pack-in game. It's more of a show-off than anything, and lacks the serious depth to compete with other titles. You can't move the players in tennis, for example. So it won't dethrone Virtua Tennis. but as a pack-in, it's a great introduction to the Wii.

Complaints? Sure. $40 for Wiimote and $20 for Nunchuck? You have got to be bloody kidding me. $60 for a fucking game controller? Booooo!!!! What a rip-off. So now I have to start making tactical decisions about my money. I get a couple more Wiimotes for Wii Sports and Excite Truck and maybe Sonic (if it doesn't suck eggs as usual). Then, later on, I score a couple Nunchucks for Madden and Red Steel and Zelda.

Damn. They nickel-and-dime you to death, don't they?

So, here's the final tally. For $250, you get Nintendo Wii, one controller - Wiimote and Nunchuck, Wii Sports - Tennis, Golf, Home Run Derby, Bowling, Boxing, backwards compatibility with the Gamecube library, and online capabilities. That's a very good deal. I like that deal.

I think Nintendo is going to be very successful with Wii.

[Crazycarl]

region free

wii sports (which i played and loved)

250 price

Wii channels

yea i'm happy.

[LAGO]

A few things I have to note:


A big LOL to all the idiots that honestly thought Nintendo was going to just give away their NES, SNES, and N64 library for FREE on the Wii. Anyone with half a brain could see that would be a silly business decision on their part not to charge for their older properties.

A big WTF to ANYONE complaining about prices these days. The guy who wrote about inflation hit the nail on the head, $249.99 nowadays is nothing. At the very least we have an extra game. Nintendo also knows money is made off of extra accessories. Microsoft thrives off that. Check the NPD data for Microsoft 360 Wireless Controllers and see how many have been sold. Nintendo's are going to go through the roof as well.

Compare this $249.99 price point with the XBOX Core System at $299.99 with nothing, the $499.99 PS3 with nothing, or the higher end $399.99/$599.99 models of XBOX 360 and PS3.

This system is not meant to mimic these systems. Simplistic fun has all been forgotten these days and the Nintendo DS is a marvel at what Nintendo has been able to do to gaming. At the very least, they are not forgetting about games being fun instead of this hokey "I must be realistic trip with my 1080i/P HDTV with my HDMi Cables and High End BBQROFLMAO SuperTV OMG GRAPHICS RoxoRs systems."

I mean, I even saw people complaining about cables in this thread. You realize an HDMi is nothing more than glorified component cables centralized down to one port for easier, cleaner access? Let's go out and pay $100+ for a 3 foot cable, yay! All this talk about PS3 makes me sick. It's basically a media system. Games are more movie-like nowadays, you can't deny that. The "fun" has been gone for awhile, and this new generation of gamers has grown up on super realistic 3D games and basically judging a system solely by its graphic processor, especially when improperly comparing this system to PS3, or marketing it as a "glorified" GameCube.

Bottom line, the three systems are drastically different nowadays to the point where each one will have its own strengths, and 0 weaknesses unless you are comparing game to game, and even then, it's just a storage issue. BluRay has the best storage, disks are pricey. Anyone up for a 2,000 hour RPG? Not me. 360, PS3, and Wii all have something unique to offer, but the whining and moaning about the system not being good before it has even come out is so laughable. Some of these same people ridiculed the Nintendo DS and now I can't find any naysayers for that system at all.

Preach it brother!

[Hep038]

After reading some of the posts in this thread I guess I should fork over my 249.99 to nintendo and kiss their boots they charged me next to nothing to let me buy their system.

I think 249.99 is a good price point, I just find it sad people are being told not to express their opinions about the price of the console. But there are 100 page threads on the price of PS3 and the 360. :roll:

[geneshifter]

After reading some of the posts in this thread I guess I should fork over my 249.99 to nintendo and kiss their boots they charged me next to nothing to let me buy their system.

I think 249.99 is a good price point, I just find it sad people are being told not to express their opinions about the price of the console. But there are 100 page threads on the price of PS3 and the 360. :roll:

Preach it brother

[klausien]

Wii System with Remote & Nunchuck + Wii Sports - $250

Think about their price point for additional controllers:

Remote - $40
Nunchuk - $20

So, we have $250-$60=$190


This is bullshit. No game system in history, at least as far as I know, has shipped without some way to control it. One controller is an expected part of the price, not an extra.

Pack in games shouldn't be considered extras to take away from the cost, either. It's still $250.

Twisted logic to ram home the point that complaining about the price of the Wii is completely unfounded and quite frankly, unrealistic. Of course I am aware that all systems must come with a controller. I am not a dumba$$. The main reason for my breakdown, which seems to have been lost, was that the system itself, when you add what the controller costs to the total, minus the pack-in game priced at what the consensus feels it is worth comes to approximately $200.


Now lets say, $35 for the Wii Sports $290-$155=$155

I did F-up what I was saying though. Edit button would have saved me there. It was supposed to be $190-$35=$155. Add the $60 back in and you get $215, which is close enough to $199.99 to say it is basically a $200 system at launch; which is truly unheard of. Confused myself. Not the best way to make a point.

The pack-in game, which has been completely absent from a LAUNCH product for over a decade, really is an extra at this point. One you are paying for, yes, but an extra nonetheless. In the case of Wii Sports, why not throw the tech demos in there for free? It would have been a waste not to.

I was also trying to emphasize that the $60 you are paying for the controller is more important than the $155 for the console itself. The little white box really doesn't matter all that much. It might be worth even less if you consider the fact that the sensor, which will most likely not be packaged with extra controllers, is part of the package.

DreamTR said it all much better in his less convoluted post. I have had a lot of pent up energy about this for a while and it exploded in my that post. I haven't been this excited about a system launch since the SNES.

[Crazycarl]

Wii System with Remote & Nunchuck + Wii Sports - $250

Think about their price point for additional controllers:

Remote - $40
Nunchuk - $20

So, we have $250-$60=$190


This is bullshit. No game system in history, at least as far as I know, has shipped without some way to control it. One controller is an expected part of the price, not an extra.

Pack in games shouldn't be considered extras to take away from the cost, either. It's still $250.

Twisted logic to ram home the point that complaining about the price of the Wii is completely unfounded and quite frankly, unrealistic. Of course I am aware that all systems must come with a controller. I am not a dumba$$. The main reason for my breakdown, which seems to have been lost, was that the system itself, when you add what the controller costs to the total, minus the pack-in game priced at what the consensus feels it is worth comes to approximately $200.


Now lets say, $35 for the Wii Sports $290-$155=$155

I did F-up what I was saying though. Edit button would have saved me there. It was supposed to be $190-$35=$155. Add the $60 back in and you get $215, which is close enough to $199.99 to say it is basically a $200 system at launch; which is truly unheard of. Confused myself. Not the best way to make a point.

The pack-in game, which has been completely absent from a LAUNCH product for over a decade, really is an extra at this point. One you are paying for, yes, but an extra nonetheless. In the case of Wii Sports, why not throw the tech demos in there for free? It would have been a waste not to.

I was also trying to emphasize that the $60 you are paying for the controller is more important than the $155 for the console itself. The little white box really doesn't matter all that much. It might be worth even less if you consider the fact that the sensor, which will most likely not be packaged with extra controllers, is part of the package.

DreamTR said it all much better in his less convoluted post. I have had a lot of pent up energy about this for a while and it exploded in my that post. I haven't been this excited about a system launch since the SNES.

it dosn't matter. their is alwasy somebody ready to bitch about anything. be happy and don't care about them.

[Crazycarl]

Wii System with Remote & Nunchuck + Wii Sports - $250

Think about their price point for additional controllers:

Remote - $40
Nunchuk - $20

So, we have $250-$60=$190


This is bullshit. No game system in history, at least as far as I know, has shipped without some way to control it. One controller is an expected part of the price, not an extra.

Pack in games shouldn't be considered extras to take away from the cost, either. It's still $250.

Twisted logic to ram home the point that complaining about the price of the Wii is completely unfounded and quite frankly, unrealistic. Of course I am aware that all systems must come with a controller. I am not a dumba$$. The main reason for my breakdown, which seems to have been lost, was that the system itself, when you add what the controller costs to the total, minus the pack-in game priced at what the consensus feels it is worth comes to approximately $200.


Now lets say, $35 for the Wii Sports $290-$155=$155

I did F-up what I was saying though. Edit button would have saved me there. It was supposed to be $190-$35=$155. Add the $60 back in and you get $215, which is close enough to $199.99 to say it is basically a $200 system at launch; which is truly unheard of. Confused myself. Not the best way to make a point.

The pack-in game, which has been completely absent from a LAUNCH product for over a decade, really is an extra at this point. One you are paying for, yes, but an extra nonetheless. In the case of Wii Sports, why not throw the tech demos in there for free? It would have been a waste not to.

I was also trying to emphasize that the $60 you are paying for the controller is more important than the $155 for the console itself. The little white box really doesn't matter all that much. It might be worth even less if you consider the fact that the sensor, which will most likely not be packaged with extra controllers, is part of the package.

DreamTR said it all much better in his less convoluted post. I have had a lot of pent up energy about this for a while and it exploded in my that post. I haven't been this excited about a system launch since the SNES.

it dosn't matter. their is alwasy somebody ready to bitch about anything. be happy and don't care about them.

[SkiDragon]

Ok, I guess the price of the console isn't too bad, but the controller price definitely is. I would forgive one for being expensive and not the other, but now both seem to be rather pricey. Even though the controller is innovative, there is not really enough going on there to justify a $60 price. And the console on its own is also not worth the 250-60 ($190) price.
I wonder if we will see third party controllers, or at least numchuck attachments or "classic" controllers.

The virtual console games are too much but I was never interested in that in the first place. Not a fan of emulation.

I already am first in line on a reservation, so now it's a question whether I keep it or ebay it. I kinda hope it sells out and can get me a nice profit.

[Icarus Moonsight]

X_x Bitching about the cheapest next gen console being overpriced?!? *whine* Oh noes, it has a pack-in game that completely suits the new control scheme. Holy tamales... GET SOME PERSPECTIVE PEOPLE!

With that being said (sorry, couldn't help it), I am very pleased with Nintendo's announcement. November 19th is Wii Day YEA! Don't think I'll even need to preorder, with as many units as they are on track to run with there shouldn't be any shortage. Sorry eBayers :P Looks like y'all are gonna have to scalp PS3's and be happy with that.

Was rather shocked that a Japanese developed system will release in North America FIRST. @_@ Seriously, that just doesn't happen.

Region-free is also nice. Cheap as hell AND import friendly... all I can say is, "Wow, about damn time."

Now wth does Nintendo have planned for Wii/DS connectivity? :hmm: I'll bet it's real good :D

My last thought. Nintendo made us all some promises and managed to keep them all. Less than $250, check. 2006 release, check. Nunchuk included, check. Online service, check. Virtual Console games, check. Healthy stock at launch, check. Plus they are delivering things they never promised, such as a pack-in game. That is a HELL of alot better than the competition whom thrive on broken promises and missed marks, or at least it seems that way to me.

[Daniel Thomas]

I think everybody was expecting this console to sell for $199 or less. All the hype has been on its "overclocked Gamecube" angle, so we expected things to be super-cheap.

From Nintendo's angle, they're the low man on the totem pole, price-wise, so they'll win with consumers against the competiton regardless. Better to rake in a little more profit now, since pretty much every Wii that hits the shelves (man, that just sounds wrong :P ) will sell out from now until next spring. If and when Microsoft institutes a price drop on the 360, Nintendo is perfectly situated to drop the price of Wii to keep the distance. Don't forget, there's also the option of a core system, sans game. I'd have to believe that would become an option at some point in the near future.

So Nintendo's pretty much in the driver's seat. They have the buzz, they have some really cool games, and they have the advantage with price. Microsoft and Sony (especially Sony, which is taking a bath) don't have that freedom, since they're both losing quite a bit of money on their consoles. Hmm. Perhaps the next generation technology is simply too expensive. In another age, it wouldn't be out of the question to postpone it another year. But that's all academic now.

And, yeah, I hear the complaints. The whole damn videogame industry is nickel-and-diming us to death. The extra controllers are going to be the thing that really hurts. I suppose we'll have to buy one here, one there, and build up piece-by-piece. Throw in $50 games - why we ever shell out more than $35 is beyond me - and even the Wii gets expensive. Hey, at least we're not talking about Sony, right?

Anyway, crew, if you want to head over to my blog, V - The Next Gen, I've been writing a few posts on what upcoming games I'm looking forward to this season. Obviously, the big-name titles like Zelda and Madden and Metroid will sell, but I'm curious to see what everyone else is really interested in.

[ROBOTNIK666]

To all who complained about the launch price, here's something for you.
The Gamecube launch price was $199. Since many of you called the Wii a "souped-up Gamecube" I think it's worth paying $50 over the GCN launch price. And I say launch price, because in about six months the price will drop.

[THATinkjar]

Nintendo have just announced that the Wii will launch in Europe on December the 8th for £179. I am very relieved that we'll be seeing the Wii this side of Christmas. As for the price, though - I am undecided as to what I think. At least Wii Sports is included, though.

It was also said that games will retail for around the £30 to £40 mark. I am also happy enough with this.

Overall, I am fairly happy. Microsoft must also be pretty pleased, too. But, as long as Nintendo do their job properly in educating the masses, then perhaps the price won't be an issue at all.

[Slate]

Good to finally see the date and price.

And you know what, i don't care if it's $300 as long as it comes with two wiimotes, one standard controller, and the component cables.

This will be the first system i have bought at launch. 8-)

[Nature Boy]

I personally think the pack-in game is a good idea, as I can't see it being *that* big of a seller on it's own, and this way they get software that shows off the system's uniqueness into the hands of every Wii owner.

The price also seems reasonable to me. As a Sony fan who isn't going to touch a $600 console unless he wins a lottery (and I'm not buying any tickets mind you), the idea of spending less than half that and getting a game to boot is exactly what they need to do to get my money.

The only launch games that jumped out at me though were games I've pegged for purchase for my current systems (Twilight Princess and Dual Agent).

I'll keep my eyes on the situation, see if I can find a game that excited me, and go from there, but at this point I'll wait until Halo 3 comes out, see what it's like, and *maybe* make the 360 my first next gen purchase. Maybe.

[Lady Jaye]

BTW, the Canadian MSRP will be $279.99 and game MSRP will be $60.

I'm really, really interested by the Wii. BTW, there will be controller ports for GCN controllers on it. And Nintendo has announced a full backward compatibility with the GCN library (in comparison, how many Xbox games aren't compatible with the 360?). So if there are any incompatibility issues, they should be few and far between.

And if I get the Wii, one retro game I'm buying for sure is Paper Mario.

[FantasiaWHT]

Three cheers for a system FINALLY coming with a pack-in game once more! Hurray!

:guitar: :hail: :cheers:

[Kejoriv]

cant wait for it! I have a preorder at FYE. I wonder if the preorder people can get them earlier than 19th

[PentiumMMX]

Wii is going to have a pack-in game? Too bad it wasn't sonething worth playing. But I have a solution for dealing with Wii Sports:

1. Buy a Wii
2. Tahe out Wii Sports (If it's sealed, then unwrap it)
3. Take it into Gamestop
4. Buy something you'd actualy play!

...Am I a genius or what?

[Darren870]

Wii is going to have a pack-in game? Too bad it wasn't sonething worth playing. But I have a solution for dealing with Wii Sports:

1. Buy a Wii
2. Tahe out Wii Sports (If it's sealed, then unwrap it)
3. Take it into Gamestop
4. Buy something you'd actualy play!

...Am I a genius or what?

The trade in value is going to be like $5. Its going to be like the next mario/duck hunt.

Anyways

I am 100% pumped for this!

[MrRoboto19XX]

I was thinking last night about the wii and its various capabilities, and this bit came up.

The wii mote with a nunchuck is essentially a gamecube controller, right? Analog stick, Z button, A, B, X, Y buttons and a D pad. This makes me think that for games requiring the nunchuck, the GC controller might be an option as a substitute controller.

Granted, this may just be a pipe dream, but Im positive that nintendo still has one or two surprises up their sleeve before launch.

[jajaja]

Probly mentioned before, but Nintendo removed the possibility to play DVD movies on Wii. They did it to save money. No problem tho, most already have a DVD player, but i wonder how much extra it would cost if it could play DVD movies.

[Kejoriv]

Probly mentioned before, but Nintendo removed the possibility to play DVD movies on Wii. They did it to save money. No problem tho, most already have a DVD player, but i wonder how much extra it would cost if it could play DVD movies.

exactly. so many people have dvd players. doesnt it really matter that it doesnt play dvds? How big are the discs though? Gamecube size?

[jajaja]

I guess it still uses DVD, but just no support for playing movies.

[DreamTR]

Robotnik wrote:


"The Gamecube launch price was $199. Since many of you called the Wii a "souped-up Gamecube" I think it's worth paying $50 over the GCN launch price. And I say launch price, because in about six months the price will drop."


Why would NIntendo drop the price to $199 before Summer? It's not like they have any competition price wise. Historically, competitors only drop their prices when they want a bigger jump on the market, (which Nintendo will have plenty of based on this price point), OR if a competitor drops the price themselves. Even if the core 360 drops to $249, Nintendo still will not drop this console price that soon, they have way too much to gain from being the cheapest system on the market with tons of downloadable exclusive titles, online capabilities, and of course, the whole games actually being fun and not a damned movie experience.

[BrokenFlight]

I just thought I'd point something out to the people going for the "Wii60" choice, saying you can buy the two for the price of a PS3. You could actually have a PS3 and a good game for £460, as well as a high definition movie player and the same type of "revolutionary" controller as the Wii. Whereas with a "Wii60" you only have one crap game that almost no one wants and no next gen movie player.


Roll on the "troll" and "Sony fanboy" remarks. :roll:

[Anthony1]

To all who complained about the launch price, here's something for you.
The Gamecube launch price was $199. Since many of you called the Wii a "souped-up Gamecube" I think it's worth paying $50 over the GCN launch price. And I say launch price, because in about six months the price will drop.



I actually completely disagree with your logic, and I congratulate you for making my following point for me. When the GameCube came out way back in the year 2001, it wasn't a souped up Nintendo 64. It was a real deal "Next-Gen" system. It had an advanced GPU from ATI, and a nice fast IBM processor. In fact, it was actually much more advanced than the PS2. Not quite as advanced as the Xbox 1, but quite a bit more advanced than the PS2. It sold for $199.99.


So here we are, 5 years later, and we get a system that is only "marginally" improved over the GameCube from a technological standpoint, and they are going to price the thing even higher. Now, I know what everybody is going to say, "But this time we get a pack in game!!" Well, yes, but does anybody really feel that Wii Sports is a true full featured game? Or is it a collection of little mini games that will keep us entertained for minutes upon minutes? lol. But seriously, as interested as I am in Wii Sports (it's actually the game I'm most interested in playing), I wouldn't want to spend more than $34.99 for it. Yet, with this package deal I have to pay $50 for it. And all this on top of the fact that the GameCube sells for $79.99 brand new, and the tech in the Wii is only marginally advanced beyond that. The fact of the matter is that Nintendo decided that they are going to make a profit from the very beginning, a healthy profit I might add. The only reason they can get away with it, is because both Microsoft and Sony are going in a totally different, and much more expensive direction.


Here is a quote from your boy Reggie:

"We will make a profit on the entire Wii proposition out of the box--hardware and software," Fils-Aime told Reuters. "That really is a very different philosophy versus our competitors. "


I would be shocked if they wouldn't be making a nice little profit with the exact same package at $199.99. Pack in included. But they want an even greater profit, and their focus group testing has shown that the system will sell just fine at $249.99 so why not make even more money. It's like you guys are celebrating the fact that Nintendo is going to make even more money off of you, I don't get it.

Also, please don't start with the "Oh, Anthony1, just go back to playing on your big HDTV's and your RGB's and your 7.1 sound, all we are interested in doing is having fun with our Wii's and we don't want your elite ass coming in here and ruining our party". If people want to have this misguided opinion of me, fine, go the fuck ahead. I'm still getting a Wii on day 1, and I will be playing some Wii Sports Tennis, and I'm sure I'll be enjoying it, but that doesn't change the fact that it's an overpriced GameCube 1.5 and that Nintendo is milking me for everything I got with the fact that I'm going to have to pay an additional $60 just to get an extra controller, and probably another $30 to get a component cable. All of a sudden this so called "cheap console" is going to cost me $366.31 with tax. I don't consider $367 to be cheap. I'm still getting it, and I'm sure I'll still enjoy it, but let's stop pretending this is cheap or some super great deal.

[Fighter17]

Also, please don't start with the "Oh, Anthony1, just go back to playing on your big HDTV's and your RGB's and your 7.1 sound, all we are interested in doing is having fun with our Wii's and we don't want your elite ass coming in here and ruining our party". If people want to have this misguided opinion of me, fine, go the fuck ahead. I'm still getting a Wii on day 1, and I will be playing some Wii Sports Tennis, and I'm sure I'll be enjoying it, but that doesn't change the fact that it's an overpriced GameCube 1.5 and that Nintendo is milking me for everything I got with the fact that I'm going to have to pay an additional $60 just to get an extra controller, and probably another $30 to get a component cable. All of a sudden this so called "cheap console" is going to cost me $366.31 with tax. I don't consider $367 to be cheap. I'm still getting it, and I'm sure I'll still enjoy it, but let's stop pretending this is cheap or some super great deal.

I consider $367 cheap compair to $599 for a PS3 without any extra stuff. For $367 with a extra controller and component cables, plus a free game, that's good.

[Anthony1]

I consider $367 cheap compair to $599 for a PS3 without any extra stuff. For $367 with a extra controller and component cables, plus a free game, that's good.



Damn, you must be making a heckuva lot more $$$ than me, because in my neck of the woods, $367 isn't cheap by any stretch of the imagination. Heck, even $199.99 wouldn't be cheap to me, it would be understandable, but it wouldn't be cheap. Now, if the Wii was $149.99 and had Wii Sports packed in, then that would be cheap. I would actually consider that cheap, but $367 for the Wii and extra controller and component cables isn't cheap.


I guess I need to find a new job, because $249.99 isn't cheap to me. It might be cheaper than the alternatives, but you can't compare them directly. 2 of them are next-gen and 1 of them isn't. It's like comparing apples to oranges.

[Nature Boy]

and that Nintendo is milking me for everything I got

How can you rant on the one hand about people having a bad opinion of you and then come right out and say your buying something even though you think you're getting taken to the cleaners? How can I have a good opinion of someone who just blindly buys whatever the industry wants to sell him? You're a freaking Lemming! (and that's the bad kind, corrupt from sequelitis, not the good "hey check out this new game Lemmings" kind).

[Lady Jaye]

As others have pointed out, the Wii's price point is actually faithful to traditional console launch prices (and that's without accounting for the inflation of the past 20 or 30 years). It's the same thing EVERY SINGLE TIME a new console comes out: at first, its MSRP is at a premium price point.

If you wanna game on the cheap, you should never opt to be an early adopter. That was true 20 years ago (in the late 80s, those of us who couldn't afford a NES or whose parents refused to pay that much money for videogames, gamed on their old Atari 2600 or Colecovision) and it's still true today. You don't wanna dish out a few hundred dollars for a brand-new, just-released system? Stick with the previous generation of systems (GCN, PS2, Xbox) and wait for a couple of years before upgrading.

I really don't see what's the fuss with the Wii's launch price, especially when compared to the X360 and PS3's MSRP.

[jajaja]

It feels like Nintendo hyped the price to be damn cheap, but when the price got out many got pissed and "shocked". So if you have to pay ~$350 to be able to play 2 player, its not cheap anymore. Compared to PS3 its cheap yes, but in generaly and how Nintendo was promoting the cheap price (before it got known) its not cheap.

I never really understood the phrase milking tho. If you dont want to spend the money on something, just dont buy it. Its actually that simple :)

[jajaja]

But $249 for the console itself isnt a bad price i'd say.

[norkusa]

Wii is going to have a pack-in game? Too bad it wasn't sonething worth playing.

Wow, you really know allot about a game that you've never played before. What other unreleased games aren't worth playing?

[Anthony1]

and that Nintendo is milking me for everything I got

How can you rant on the one hand about people having a bad opinion of you and then come right out and say your buying something even though you think you're getting taken to the cleaners? How can I have a good opinion of someone who just blindly buys whatever the industry wants to sell him?



You can have whatever opinion of me you want. And I'm not saying that I'm getting taken to the cleaners, it's just all this shit adds up, and adds up quick. You start off with the base price of $249.99 and that's not too bad, but of course my little boys are going to want to play, and they are going to need two controllers, so now, I'm pretty much forced to buy a second controller or deal with the wrath of my little boys being dissapointed that they can't play too. So then you add a extra Wii-mote $39.99 and a extra Nunchaku $19.99, and I might as well view it in 480p, assuming some of the games run in 480p, so I might as well get the component cables $29.99 (I'm guessing they'll be $29.99 hopefully it's not even more than that). Then the guy at the counter starts ringing everything up, and whoila, He says, "That will be $366.31 sir".

Certainly, nobody is holding a gun to my head forcing me to buy it, but come on, you need a second controller unless you live all by yourself. I have two little boys that are both going to want to play, Heck, I might actually have to get 3 extra controllers so my wife can play as well, and we can play doubles. So I might actually get into the $400 range. Damn, now it's really starting to get pricey! @_@

[BrokenFlight]

But $249 for the console itself isnt a bad price i'd say.
No, it's not bad.

But it's going to be $340 for the same pack over here.

The remote RRP is £30 and the nunchuck RRP is £15. £45 ($85) for a controller isn't good value.

[jajaja]

But $249 for the console itself isnt a bad price i'd say.
No, it's not bad.

But it's going to be $340 for the same pack over here.

The remote RRP is £30 and the nunchuck RRP is £15. £45 ($85) for a controller isn't good value.

Ye, same here. Price in Europe is set to 249 euro which is about 330 US dollars. Im sure its more like like $380 in my country, and that is just for the console itself.

[Anthony1]

Why are you limiting it only to Nintendo consoles. the Genesis launched at $250 remember? So did the Atari 2600 . And I remember buying my Turbografx-16 at launch for the same amount as well!




Your location says Seattle, did you live in another country back in 1989? Here in the U.S. the Genesis launched at $189.99 with Altered Beast as the pack in. The TurboGrafx-16 launched at $189.99 too, I think, or maybe it was $179.99, with Keith Courage in Alpha Zones as the pack in. I know it was either $189.99 or less. The Turbo came out in August of 1989 and the Genesis came out in September of 1989. I remember it pretty well, because I bought my TG-16 that December, and I got a Genesis in February of 1990.

[jajaja]

Well, $250 in 1978 (or when 2600 got released) was alot more money than it is today. Same goes for Genesis in 1989.

[Lady Jaye]

http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl

If your console cost you 179.99 in 1989, it'd cost 295.97 in 2006 dollars.

[LAGO]

and that Nintendo is milking me for everything I got

How can you rant on the one hand about people having a bad opinion of you and then come right out and say your buying something even though you think you're getting taken to the cleaners? How can I have a good opinion of someone who just blindly buys whatever the industry wants to sell him?



You can have whatever opinion of me you want. And I'm not saying that I'm getting taken to the cleaners, it's just all this shit adds up, and adds up quick. You start off with the base price of $249.99 and that's not too bad, but of course my little boys are going to want to play, and they are going to need two controllers, so now, I'm pretty much forced to buy a second controller or deal with the wrath of my little boys being dissapointed that they can't play too. So then you add a extra Wii-mote $39.99 and a extra Nunchaku $19.99, and I might as well view it in 480p, assuming some of the games run in 480p, so I might as well get the component cables $29.99 (I'm guessing they'll be $29.99 hopefully it's not even more than that). Then the guy at the counter starts ringing everything up, and whoila, He says, "That will be $366.31 sir".

Certainly, nobody is holding a gun to my head forcing me to buy it, but come on, you need a second controller unless you live all by yourself. I have two little boys that are both going to want to play, Heck, I might actually have to get 3 extra controllers so my wife can play as well, and we can play doubles. So I might actually get into the $400 range. Damn, now it's really starting to get pricey! @_@

Ok, you're complaining about a price point because of all the extra shit you want to buy ... not the actual $249.99 price point.

[Anthony1]

Ok, you're complaining about a price point because of all the extra shit you want to buy ... not the actual $249.99 price point.


We are now towards the end of page 6 of this thread. If you check the first 5 pages, you'll see that I've complained about the $249.99 price as well LOL



Since you obviously haven't read all that, here is a synopsis of it:

Seriously though, it's not that the $249.99 price is so horrible in and of itself, it's the fact that Nintendo has been going on and on about how cheap this thing was going to be, and how it would be so affordable to attrack a mass audience, and how it would be below $250. Well, they got 1 penny below $250, so I guess they really followed through on that, but you know what I mean. They kept bragging about how their console was going to be so cheap, and then it ends up more expensive than the GameCube. I think the GameCube is a great comparison, because alot of people are talking about inflation, and I really don't think inflation has been that huge in the last 5 years. Also, the GameCube was brand new technology, it wasn't a Nintendo 64 1.5. It was brand new, state of the art technology at the time it was released, technology aimed at going head to head with the PS2 and Xbox 1. While the Nintendo Wii is essentially a souped up GameCube. Even Nintendo themselves will admit that the Wii is a suped up GameCube. The GameCube sells brand new for $79.99 and I would guess they are making a small profit on that $79.99 version. So if you consider that, they are making a pretty huge profit on this $249.99 package.


From a business standpoint, you have to hand it to them, they know that plenty of people will buy it at $249.99 and they are making a very good profit from the very beginning. I just wished they gave us the option to get the system by itself for $199.99. If the system was available by itself for $199.99, I really wouldn't have anything negative to say at all. I guess I thought that $199.99 was guaranteed, so the $249.99 thing caught me off guard. As for Wii Sports, I think it's a $34.99 value, and I don't buy games, I rent them, so I would have never bought it. For me, I'm paying $50 more than I would want to, $50 that would have gone towards getting a extra controller and a component cable.

[Garry Silljo]

Ok, you're complaining about a price point because of all the extra shit you want to buy ... not the actual $249.99 price point.


We are now towards the end of page 6 of this thread. If you check the first 5 pages, you'll see that I've complained about the $249.99 price as well LOL



Since you obviously haven't read all that, here is a synopsis of it:

Maybe people would read your rants more closely if you didnt have to write a god damn novel every post. I don't blame anyone who skims past your endless babble.

[SkiDragon]

To all who complained about the launch price, here's something for you.
The Gamecube launch price was $199. Since many of you called the Wii a "souped-up Gamecube" I think it's worth paying $50 over the GCN launch price. And I say launch price, because in about six months the price will drop.

By that logic, if the Wii is 100x as powerful as the NES, we should all pay $20,000 for it.

Technology makes these things cheaper. That's why Gamecubes go for $80-$100 now.

[eggwolio]

Technology makes these things cheaper. That's why Gamecubes go for $80-$100 now.

Well, that and the fact they removed the digital video port.

[LAGO]

Ok, you're complaining about a price point because of all the extra shit you want to buy ... not the actual $249.99 price point.


We are now towards the end of page 6 of this thread. If you check the first 5 pages, you'll see that I've complained about the $249.99 price as well LOL



Since you obviously haven't read all that, here is a synopsis of it:

Seriously though, it's not that the $249.99 price is so horrible in and of itself, it's the fact that Nintendo has been going on and on about how cheap this thing was going to be, and how it would be so affordable to attrack a mass audience, and how it would be below $250. Well, they got 1 penny below $250, so I guess they really followed through on that, but you know what I mean. They kept bragging about how their console was going to be so cheap, and then it ends up more expensive than the GameCube. I think the GameCube is a great comparison, because alot of people are talking about inflation, and I really don't think inflation has been that huge in the last 5 years. Also, the GameCube was brand new technology, it wasn't a Nintendo 64 1.5. It was brand new, state of the art technology at the time it was released, technology aimed at going head to head with the PS2 and Xbox 1. While the Nintendo Wii is essentially a souped up GameCube. Even Nintendo themselves will admit that the Wii is a suped up GameCube. The GameCube sells brand new for $79.99 and I would guess they are making a small profit on that $79.99 version. So if you consider that, they are making a pretty huge profit on this $249.99 package.


From a business standpoint, you have to hand it to them, they know that plenty of people will buy it at $249.99 and they are making a very good profit from the very beginning. I just wished they gave us the option to get the system by itself for $199.99. If the system was available by itself for $199.99, I really wouldn't have anything negative to say at all. I guess I thought that $199.99 was guaranteed, so the $249.99 thing caught me off guard. As for Wii Sports, I think it's a $34.99 value, and I don't buy games, I rent them, so I would have never bought it. For me, I'm paying $50 more than I would want to, $50 that would have gone towards getting a extra controller and a component cable.

Actually I have read all 6 pages of the thread. I also know that you've basically been complaining about the price from the get go, but your latter argument seems to be honed on all the extra stuff you have to buy to play it instead of the $249.99 price point.

Ok so Nintendo's new system has a slight graphics upgrade, but I wouldn't necessarily call it GC 1.5. The freaking controller is motion detectable. That in itself changes the scope of playable games.

Also if you compare prices to the other current gen system that is uot now, the 360, it is cheap. $250 + game vs. $400 - game. You could even put it up against the core system and it would still be cheaper.

I just don't understand how come people aer complaining about how expensive something is when it happens to be $150 cheaper than the closest competitor.

[Nature Boy]

Certainly, nobody is holding a gun to my head forcing me to buy it, but come on, you need a second controller unless you live all by yourself. I have two little boys that are both going to want to play, Heck, I might actually have to get 3 extra controllers so my wife can play as well, and we can play doubles. So I might actually get into the $400 range. Damn, now it's really starting to get pricey!

Nobody *needs* anything. If the price of that second through fourth controller is too much money and you don't feel right buying the system without them (the kind of decision I applaud - knowing up front how much the whole thing will cost to make you satisfied) then, well, DON'T BUY THE SYSTEM. Wait for a deal (we all know they're coming, right?). You've got a 360, don't you? Spend a fraction of the cost of the Wii and buy yourself a couple of games you can play with your family!

If we all act like consumers we should win because they'll have to charge what we'll pay. If we all act like cheese eating fanboys who have to buy the next Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft machine just because it's out then they win because we'll end up paying whatever they want us to.

[bunbunz23]

I really believe the price is fair compared to the other next gen systems. Nintendo stuck by it word stating the Wii will be cheap and I believe it is cheap comparing it to Xbox 360 and PS3. The pack in game is okay with me becuase not everyone will be able to buy the system and a 50 dollar game. It sucks on Christmas to get a new game system and have no game to play becuase you parents can afford only so much. That was the feeling I had when my parent bought me a SNES system without Super Mario World for my 13th birthday but could not afford a game.

[Garry Silljo]

I really believe the price is fair compared to the other next gen systems. Nintendo stuck by it word stating the Wii will be cheap and I believe it is cheap comparing it to Xbox 360 and PS3. The pack in game is okay with me becuase not everyone will be able to buy the system and a 50 dollar game. It sucks on Christmas to get a new game system and have no game to play becuase you parents can afford only so much. That was the feeling I had when my parent bought me a SNES system without Super Mario World for my 13th birthday but could not afford a game.

Thank you for mentioning that. I keep saying that having ANY pack in title is a great idea. I hated when they stopped doing it and I hope it becomes the standard again.

[CosmicMonkey]

http://play-nintendo.com/news/images/wiikiosk.jpg

Official Demo Kiosk mock-up.

[DreamTR]

Anthony1: If the system is too much, and your kids want controllers and the latest games and it "adds" up as you say, try comparing that to the "additional" costs of extras for any next gen system. My advice to anyone "complaining" about the price being expensive, and still bringing up the graphics remark, go buy a PS2, XBOX, or GameCube, and wait 5 years for the Wii to go down to $80 like the GameCube.

A NEW system by definition is going to be expensive. This system's new technology and extra features make it worth the price. It has technology that brings back the FUN in gaming just like the DS. The DS is weaker technology wise than the PSP, but how fun is that little handheld??? Exactly. You'll regret NOT buying a Wii.

[klausien]

I was thinking last night about the wii and its various capabilities, and this bit came up.

The wii mote with a nunchuck is essentially a gamecube controller, right? Analog stick, Z button, A, B, X, Y buttons and a D pad. This makes me think that for games requiring the nunchuck, the GC controller might be an option as a substitute controller.

Granted, this may just be a pipe dream, but Im positive that nintendo still has one or two surprises up their sleeve before launch.

Not going to happen for the same reason that StarFox Command on the DS is stylus only. It is a cop out and defeats the purpose. For instance, Zelda will not work with a GC pad on Wii. It may be possible to play GC games with the remote/nunchuck combo, but why would you? That is doubtful anyway as that it what the classic controller is for.

One thing they haven't talked about much is DS connectivity. You know it will be part fo the deal. It should definitely function as a controller for NES & SNES game.

[189]

One thing they haven't talked about much is DS connectivity. You know it will be part fo the deal. It should definitely function as a controller for NES & SNES game.

Maybe even act as a way to take your NES or SNES games with you. Sort of like an iTunes iPod thing.

[Kid Ice]

Seriously though, it's not that the $249.99 price is so horrible in and of itself, it's the fact that Nintendo has been going on and on about how cheap this thing was going to be, and how it would be so affordable to attrack a mass audience, and how it would be below $250. Well, they got 1 penny below $250, so I guess they really followed through on that, but you know what I mean.

Do ya?

So...uhhh....you were wrong, but we "know what you mean". OK. And if you expect a state of the art console to sell for less than $200 at launch, you're just stupid. OK?


They kept bragging about how their console was going to be so cheap, and then it ends up more expensive than the GameCube.

Did they?

The console costs fifty dollars more. Gas costs three times as much. Go figure.


I think the GameCube is a great comparison, because alot of people are talking about inflation, and I really don't think inflation has been that huge in the last 5 years.

Do ya?

If YOU don't think inflation has been that huge, I guess that means to the rest of us that it hasn't.


Also, the GameCube was brand new technology, it wasn't a Nintendo 64 1.5. It was brand new, state of the art technology at the time it was released, technology aimed at going head to head with the PS2 and Xbox 1.

Was it?

IIRC Nintendo said the exact opposite.


While the Nintendo Wii is essentially a souped up GameCube. Even Nintendo themselves will admit that the Wii is a suped up GameCube.

Is it?

If you can show me a place where Nintendo admits this I will send you my boxed Vectrex 3D imager. And all my boxed VCS games. And my Radiant Silvergun. And my testicles.


The GameCube sells brand new for $79.99 and I would guess they are making a small profit on that $79.99 version. So if you consider that, they are making a pretty huge profit on this $249.99 package.

Does it?

Uhhh....huh?


From a business standpoint, you have to hand it to them, they know that plenty of people will buy it at $249.99 and they are making a very good profit from the very beginning.

Do they?

Yes! So what is the other standpoint they are supposed to be looking at this with?


I just wished they gave us the option to get the system by itself for $199.99.

Do ya?

I wish I could get just the white shiny case for $30 with no internals, cables or anything else. Oh well I guess Nintendo fucked me.


If the system was available by itself for $199.99, I really wouldn't have anything negative to say at all.

Would ya?

I would. I think they should sell it for a dollar.


I guess I thought that $199.99 was guaranteed, so the $249.99 thing caught me off guard.

Do ya?

I mean imagine, it's $50 more than you speculated. Perish the thought. Guess what...the PS3 is about $300 more than I expected.


As for Wii Sports, I think it's a $34.99 value, and I don't buy games, I rent them,

Do ya?

So according to this math the system is now $15 above your expectations. If you ask me "Wii Sports" is *absolutely worthless* (but still better than a demo disc), and the system itself is well worth what they are asking.


so I would have never bought it.

Wouldn't ya have?


For me, I'm paying $50 more than I would want to, $50 that would have gone towards getting a extra controller and a component cable.

Would it?

Let's have Nintendo price everything around what *you* would buy. Frankly I don't see very many children sitting around the Christmas tree crying because there's no component cable. It's a toy for kids, dummy.

[jajaja]

I really believe the price is fair compared to the other next gen systems. Nintendo stuck by it word stating the Wii will be cheap and I believe it is cheap comparing it to Xbox 360 and PS3. The pack in game is okay with me becuase not everyone will be able to buy the system and a 50 dollar game.

Here in Europe (atleast where i live) the core version of the 360 is already cheaper than what the Wii will launch at. The core version is now at about $300 and the Wii will cost cost about $330 - $380 here when it gets out, i can guarantee that 99%. The premium version is about $465, so if Wii launches at $380, its not really that big of a price difference. The PS3 pre-order price is currently at $860 tho hehe ;)

I agree that the pack in game is great! I wonder why they stopped with this in the first place. Possibly to cut the costs, but still..

[s1lence]

Well said Kid Ice LOL


Anthony1 is making all sorts of friends today.

[ty896]

In my mind Nintendo is on track to deliver more than anyone could have expected 2 years ago.

This is NEW technology people. Maybe it's all hype, but this isn't Sony so it may very well not be.

Why shouldn't Nintendo make a 'healthy' profit off the early adopters? The fact is, if the big N deliverers the Wii in the numbers forcasted, ANYONE will be able to walk into a store and for $290 get everything (system, cables, Wiimote & 'chuck, Wii Sports and extra Wiimote) you need for a great NEW experience for you and a buddy. [I assume you won't need an extra 'chuck to play tennis]

This is important, the numbers that is, because if you think you can just assume that $600 will get you a PS3 for Xmas...well I hope you have a direct line to the fat man at the pole.

Common sense should tell you that by the time the Ebay profiteers take their cut, the AVERAGE price for that $600 PS3 is going to be much closer to $1000, if not much higher.

<HR>

Now having said all this, I doubt very much that I will get one at launch. I haven't ruled it out, but if Anthony1's prediction of a 360 core price drop comes true...well I really want to play Dead Rising.

If not at launch, then with the first price drop or maybe a new color. Are the extra Wiimotes going to be available in colors?

I did buy a DS at launch, still have it, still love it. But I remember that first $20 drop came pretty fast. It would not have killed me to wait.

But for those of you who feel Nintendo is gouging you with the whole profit thing...the flaw in Anthony1's logic is that MS is already losing money pretty fast on the 360. If anyone will be in a position to lower prices in the near to mid term, it will most likely be a company that has positive margins to soften the blow of reduced revenue.

[kainemaxwell]

From a business standpoint, you have to hand it to them, they know that plenty of people will buy it at $249.99 and they are making a very good profit from the very beginning. I just wished they gave us the option to get the system by itself for $199.99. If the system was available by itself for $199.99, I really wouldn't have anything negative to say at all. I guess I thought that $199.99 was guaranteed, so the $249.99 thing caught me off guard. As for Wii Sports, I think it's a $34.99 value, and I don't buy games, I rent them, so I would have never bought it. For me, I'm paying $50 more than I would want to, $50 that would have gone towards getting a extra controller and a component cable.
Hell, far as we know also Nintendo could come out with the basic Wii 6 months from now. :)