Originally Posted by studvicious
When you look at the Wii's price in comparison to the PS3 and 360, yes, it looks to be the cheapest and most affordable system. But the problem is, the comparison isn't valid. Sure they might all be video game systems, but that's pretty much where the comparison ends. Nintendo is charging $250 for it, because their focus groups tell them that they will sell enough units at that price and they can get away with it. They are going to make a very nice profit at that price. I can guarantee you they didn't make a profit when they sold the SNES, or the Nintendo 64 or the GameCube. They might not have taken huge losses on those systems, but they didn't make a profit on day 1. This is the first time they are actually making a profit on day 1. They didn't have to do that, but they feel that they can get away with it this time, and I don't blame them. They can get away with it. The reason they can, is because the PS3 is $600 and the 360 is $400. That allows them to get away with it.
But trying to compare the Wii to the PS3 and XBOX 360 is just not valid. The Wii isn't even next-generation hardware. Key word being "hardware". It might have a next gen philosophy, a next gen controller, but it's not next gen hardware. It's a souped up GameCube. Let's call a spade a spade. Just look at Madden 07 for the Wii. Heck Madden 07 for Xbox 1 looks better than that. So it's obviously not next-gen hardware. Of course that doesn't mean it won't be tremendously fun, and very enjoyable to play. But we are talking about the price of the unit, and whether or not the $250 is really justifiable. Personally, I don't think it's as great a value as it might appear to be. I'm going to buy one on day 1, but that's just because I'm a video game freak and I can't help myself. But it's not a really great value. It's not a horrible value either, it's just not a great value.
If the PS3 was $400 and the Xbox 360 was $300, I can guarantee you the Wii would be $199.99 or even less. But because those other two systems are priced so high, Nintendo can overcharge for the Wii and get away with it. Again, I don't blame them at all, they are out to make money,and they are going to do whats in their best interests. But as a consumer, and a cheap ass consumer at that, it doesn't mean I have to celebrate it