Nintendo Wii to launch November 19th at $249.99

[geneshifter]

You guys should check out this page. These videos make me feel better about the price that's for sure!!!

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/topics...ion/index.html

It's several pages but videos on most. Cool as ice

[s1lence]

I think it's funny how Nintendo have said from the beginning that this console is being aimed at the so called "non gamers." Yet it's priced higher than any Nintendo console before it. With the most expensive controllers to boot.

Will I buy one? Sure. But is $249.00 attractive to people who have no interest in gaming? No.

And 600 dollars for a ps3 is? lol

We don't even know the price of the PS3 controllers but if they arent 50-60 bucks I would be surprised.

[AMG]

I think it's funny how Nintendo have said from the beginning that this console is being aimed at the so called "non gamers." Yet it's priced higher than any Nintendo console before it. With the most expensive controllers to boot.

Will I buy one? Sure. But is $249.00 attractive to people who have no interest in gaming? No.

And 600 dollars for a ps3 is? lol

What does the PS3 have to do with this?

[189]

4CR is reporting that Zelda 1, Mario World, Donkey Kong, and Mario 64 will definately be available on launch day.

[s1lence]

I think it's funny how Nintendo have said from the beginning that this console is being aimed at the so called "non gamers." Yet it's priced higher than any Nintendo console before it. With the most expensive controllers to boot.

Will I buy one? Sure. But is $249.00 attractive to people who have no interest in gaming? No.

And 600 dollars for a ps3 is? lol

What does the PS3 have to do with this?

Saying that its expensive, thats all.

[neuropolitique]

If Nintendo wanted my money they should have not only included Wii Sports, but also compentent cables, Twilight Princess, Mario Galaxy, and 4 Controllers with nunchucks. And have priced it at $199. But since they seem to have their head up their ass, I won't be buying.

Don't they know that charging fair prices for shit alienates hardcore gamers!!!1??

Sorry nintendo, you blew it. Nintendo is going software only in 3 years.

[189]

There are two more features that Nintendo left out today. If you go to Wii.com there are still two empty video slots for the Wii Channels! So that means there are two suprises left for the Tokyo Game Show. Wonder what they could be? My guess is something big with the DS.

[s1lence]

If Nintendo wanted my money they should have not only included Wii Sports, but also compentent cables, Twilight Princess, Mario Galaxy, and 4 Controllers with nunchucks. And have priced it at $199. But since they seem to have their head up their ass, I won't be buying.

Don't they know that charging fair prices for shit alienates hardcore gamers!!!1??

Sorry nintendo, you blew it. Nintendo is going software only in 3 years.

[189]

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/topics...ie/lineup.html

Found some new footage from some of the games being shown today. I'm really thinking that everyone is underestimating the power of this puppy.

If you watch closely...you can see some RE Wii video in there.

[NE146]

It seems right in line to me for the average range of console prices ever since the Atari VCS of $199-$299.

The only ones really to break that mold were stuff like the 3DO & Neo-Geo. Or maybe the Saturn.. I forget. But still, the majority are right in that range. So we can include the Wii now.

[Anthony1]

In regards to the price, people can see we are bitching about complaining about the price, but you have to realize that Nintendo kept saying that there system would be the cheapest and that it would be affordable to the masses, etc, etc. I find it somewhat odd, that the Wii will be their MOST EXPENSIVE home console in America ever. Super Nintendo = $199.99 Nintendo 64 = $199.99 GameCube = $199.99.


Also, the Wii is essentially a suped up GameCube with a special controller. GameCube's currently sell for $79.99 brand new. Certainly the controller costs some money, but at $249.99, Nintendo is definitely making a profit on this package, and I just think if they really, really, really wanted to appeal to the masses $199.99 would have been a better idea. $199.99 with no pack in, is much more attractive. Do you really think Wii Sports is enough of a game to sell on it's own for $49.99? I don't think so. I think Wii Sports is a $34.99 game. It's a very basic game, almost a tech demo for the Wii or a sample type game. Even if Nintendo sold the Wii with Wii Sports packed in for $199.99 I don't think they would be taking a loss. They might only have a couple of bucks profit on each unit, but I don't think they would be taking a loss at all. But with the $249.99 I think they are making a healthy profit on the Wii right from jump street, which is absolutely wonderful for them as a company, but not so great for us as consumers.

To be totally honest, this package isn't that bad a deal for me personally. Wii Sports is probably one of my most wanted Wii games period. I don't think it's a Wii game that is worth $49.99 or $44.99, but at $39.99 or $34.99 it's not a bad deal. If I was the type of person that bought new games (I have a rental only policy for any game above $29.99), I would have bought Wii Sports on day one if it was priced $39.99 or less. So for me, it's not that horrible a deal. The system is worth maybe $199 and Wii Sports is worth $34.99, so I'm only over paying by $15. So it's not that big a trajedy. I still would much rather buy a Wii with no game at all for $199.99, because I rent games anyways, so I wouldn't be buying anything until it hit the bargain bins.

[Anthony1]

that top sentence was supposed to read:


"In regards to the price, people can't see why we are bitching about the price....."

[AMG]

I think it's funny how Nintendo have said from the beginning that this console is being aimed at the so called "non gamers." Yet it's priced higher than any Nintendo console before it. With the most expensive controllers to boot.

Will I buy one? Sure. But is $249.00 attractive to people who have no interest in gaming? No.

And 600 dollars for a ps3 is? lol

What does the PS3 have to do with this?

Saying that its expensive, thats all.

My point is Nintendo has priced themselves out of the non gamers they're supposed to be aiming for. Why would someone with no interest in games want to spend $250? Even if they try the Wii out and like it they most likely won't spend that kind of money for it. If they really wanted to hit the non gaming market they should have gone cheaper.

Now I do feel $250 is a good price for gamers, but that wasn't the subject of debate.

[mario2butts]

In regard to the Wii's price being higher than the launch prices of past Nintendo consoles, we have to remember that these prices do not reflect inflation. A dollar today can buy more than a dollar 15 years ago, so its only natural that consoles today cost more than they did then. The Wii, at $249 2006 dollars is not a ripoff compared to, say, the Super NES at $199 1991 dollars.

According to this calculator, prices have increased by 48.98% from August 1991 to July 2006 (the latest month for which data is available). So the Super NES would have cost 199x1.4898= $296.47 in today's dollars. Likewise, the N64 would have cost $255.91, and the Gamecube $228.27 in 2006 dollars. So in comparison the Wii's price is really not that unusual or surprising.

[Neo Rasa]

My point is Nintendo has priced themselves out of the non gamers they're supposed to be aiming for. Why would someone with no interest in games want to spend $250?

Speaking from experience, as far as people who aren't obsessed with gaming like we are go, EVERYONE who got a DS, even those who originally weren't gamers, wants a Wii. That's at least true in this region. Marketing wise, the price is flawless because it's significantly lower than the perceived competition.

[Captain J]

In regard to the Wii's price being higher than the launch prices of past Nintendo consoles, we have to remember that these prices do not reflect inflation. A dollar today can buy more than a dollar 15 years ago, so its only natural that consoles today cost more than they did then. The Wii, at $249 2006 dollars is not a ripoff compared to, say, the Super NES at $199 1991 dollars.

According to this calculator, prices have increased by 48.98% from August 1991 to July 2006 (the latest month for which data is available). So the Super NES would have cost 199x1.4898= $296.47 in today's dollars. Likewise, the N64 would have cost $255.91, and the Gamecube $228.27 in 2006 dollars. So in comparison the Wii's price is really not that unusual or surprising.

excellent point! you can even go back to the vcs price of $199 and it would be over $400 today!

[7th lutz]

The price isn't bad with the pack-in. One of the reason why I wanted wii was because of wii sports.

[Captain J]

Nintendo is going software only in 3 years.

sheah, right, and monkeys might fly out of my butt!

[c0ldb33r]

So will a classic controller be included?

[koster]

I'm glad that the Wii is backward-compatible with the entire Gamecube library, as I have a stack of games to finish, and more Gamecube games that I want to play.

Too bad there was no additional info on DVD playback, or a complete list of Virtual Console titles that would be available at launch.

Opera costing "Wii points" to download?
Internet Channel compatible with Macromedia Flash and AJAX?