Rumor: Expect to see a $300 launch price for the Wii U

[TheDickWard]

Sources close to Nintendo have come up with cost estimates that put the Wii U at a higher price than Nintendo is used to.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/wii-u-c...report-6370933

[Badger3920]

Ridiculous.

Again, then, I'll be waiting until quite late next gen to pick up Nintendo's console and buy my new copies of all their worthwhile games on the cheap. Picking up a wii U at launch for $300 to wait a few years until the system has a couple good marios, zeldas, and a mario kart -OR- pickup a wii U ~4 years after launch and the 3-5 games I want for $20 new?

That decision is easy.

[Pyrochaos]

But the question is, will this be the new Holiday Ebay/craigslist money maker due to limited supplies? Like when the Wii first came out?

[gravis778]

This really isn't that bad for a launch price. Yeah, they may have historically introduced their systems in the $149-$249 range (I was going to say the NES was $99, but that was when I bought mine, not when it came out, and I think the Gameboy was introduced at $99 but that was too long ago for me to say for sure), but inflation has occured. $300 is a justifiable launch price. Its just that this time, I think I will wait a bit. I bought the Wii at launch, still have it, and it hasn't been turned on in probably 9 months. In fact, right now, its sitting in storage. I realized that, as much as I may love Zelda, I am just not in enough shape to whip a controller around like its a sword! Actually, I used my Wii more for Gamecube games and retro games than I did for Wii games!

[Badger3920]

But the question is, will this be the new Holiday Ebay/craigslist money maker due to limited supplies? Like when the Wii first came out?

People will certainly try to make money off of it; hopefully Nintendo produces enough that there is no shortage and stockpilers lose money. I'd like to see the hoard+markup+sell-on-ebay trend come to an end.

This really isn't that bad for a launch price. Yeah, they may have historically introduced their systems in the $149-$249 range

Valid consideration, but it's really a compilation of outdated hardware that is supposedly outperformed by the xbox 360 and ps3 (which are available at $199 and $250 respectively - and profitable on the hardware even at that price).

Will be nice to play Zelda and Mario in HD, but that's not worth $300 plus the price of a new game.

[gravis778]

Valid consideration, but it's really a compilation of outdated hardware that is supposedly outperformed by the xbox 360 and ps3 (which are available at $199 and $250 respectively - and profitable on the hardware even at that price).

Will be nice to play Zelda and Mario in HD, but that's not worth $300 plus the price of a new game.

Microsoft and Sony both sold their consoles at launch at a loss - the price of what was inside was more than what they sold it for. Even at $600 for the PS3, it had over $1200 worth of hardware at launch. They do this to get systems into people's homes, and then make money off of selling software.

Wish I could find the article, but Nintendo claimed that they have never sold hardware at a loss - they are always profitable. Hence Nintendo using outdated hardware, and still costing more than an Xbox 360.

[CorruptedDragon]

Nintendo....you never learn.

[Godstar]

Well if they are the only console selling titles that aren't DDL only, then it might be the only way to go.

[rm082e]

I'll bet they sell 5 million units or more before 01/01/13. I certainly won't be buying one, but I have little doubt we will see great sales out of the gate.

[michealo]

Not underestimating the power of casuals with low expectations this time.
This gimmick will sell like crazy.

[Reverend Blu]

I'll bet they sell 5 million units or more before 01/01/13. I certainly won't be buying one, but I have little doubt we will see great sales out of the gate.

Nah!
Oh look it has a video screen on the controller!
Yawn!
One of the selling? points?? was that you can play a game on the controller with the tv off!

Yawn my tablet also does that and I can wander anywhere! anyplace! as the game unfolds unlike the U Leash from Nintendo that has you tethered to the room where the Wii-U is just like a dog tied to a doghouse.

Theres a better option to use the Vita to play PS3 games anyplace!.

They hype for the U-Leash is real low since folks this time around have familiarity with what tablets do.

Looking at a gimped and underpowered tablet/console that has you tied to a room is boreing!

Low hype, low sales.
300 bucks? nah! folks are going to expect a price cut a few months later.
Four million out of the gate then folks that saw the 3DS debacle will expect a price cut on the U-Leash to 199.

[Reverend Blu]

Not underestimating the power of casuals with low expectations this time.
This gimmick will sell like crazy.

To who??
When the options were 600 S, 500MS or 250 Nintendo then yeah! get some!!

Now its reversed with 300 N or 199 MS or (2013) 199 Sony.
Its going to be hard to get sales with low hype on a console whose hook?? is a gimped tablet??

A tablet from Nintendo for 300 or a tablet from Acer, Samsung, etc. for 199 to 119 (depending on model).
How did selling?? the 3DS at 249 turn out for Nintendo??

[TheAnalogKid]

For 300 bucks, the general public see a video game console AND a tablet. The media will not be pushing any sort of hard facts about this thing when they trumpet it on Good Morning America and Regis Philbin. CNN/Fox/MSNBC etc will have some asshat talking-head who is an 'expert' in some tech industry or another, because we are all fucking experts these days, and they will crow about how revolutionary this thing will be; all in one nicely packaged 35 second sound-bite. Millions of people will buy into this garbage, and a piece of shit $300.00 toy that doesn't excel at video games or tablet functions will be all we hear about for 5 years.

Good on Nintendo for understanding and capitalizing on this. People are dopes. Fuck their wallet while you can.

[CorruptedDragon]

To who??
When the options were 600 S, 500MS or 250 Nintendo then yeah! get some!!

Now its reversed with 300 N or 199 MS or (2013) 199 Sony.
Its going to be hard to get sales with low hype on a console whose hook?? is a gimped tablet??

A tablet from Nintendo for 300 or a tablet from Acer, Samsung, etc. for 199 to 119 (depending on model).
How did selling?? the 3DS at 249 turn out for Nintendo??

Apparently better than Vita

Sony's PS Vita continues to struggle to pick up traction in Japan, where hardware sales for the handheld fell to a new low last week -- almost all consoles suffered significant sales drops, too.

PS Vita's system sales slid to 8,931 last week, slipping into the four-digit range for the first time. It was stuck around the 10,000 mark for a month before a small boost lifted PS Vita sales to 12,105 last week, but the portable wasn't able to keep that upward momentum for long.

The handheld doesn't appear to be performing well in the U.S. either, where Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter predicts Vita sales to be around around 125,000 units in March, its second month on sale. Pachter described those numbers as "meaningfully below our expectations."

[Badger3920]

Microsoft and Sony both sold their consoles at launch at a loss - the price of what was inside was more than what they sold it for. Even at $600 for the PS3, it had over $1200 worth of hardware at launch. They do this to get systems into people's homes, and then make money off of selling software.

Wish I could find the article, but Nintendo claimed that they have never sold hardware at a loss - they are always profitable. Hence Nintendo using outdated hardware, and still costing more than an Xbox 360.

Right, and my argument was that this was a bad deal. You argued that the price really isn't bad. So supporting your point with evidence showing that Nintendo is releasing tech that is lesser than what I currently have, but charging me a premium -- well, that's probably the last type of evidence you'd want to offer me.

Apparently better than Vita

While that might get his goat (which was probably the aim) - that only serves to support his point