Rumor: Wii to sell for $249? [update 2]

by Blake Snow { May 8th 2006 at 6:23PM }

Some speculative Wii details have begun hitting internet forums. From the post: "I just picked up the EGM issue with Zelda on the cover that I spoke about in the Nintendo conference. There are new Zelda shots, looks GREAT... There's also pics of Monkey Ball, Tony Hawk, Rayman and Red Steel."

Here's what else shows up in the thread:

$249 Price tag [we've learned that this price may not be accurate.]
Virtual Consoler (we knew this)
3d Controller (we knew this)
ALWAYS online (console is always online, even when OFF)
Built in speaker on the controller

Less than a day, and we'll know for sure or not how much of the above is true.

[Updates 1 and 2: added and adjusted a note hedging price accuracy in first bullet point.]

Tags: e32006

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Uglypimp @ May 8th 2006 6:33PM

What sense does it make for it to be always online when it's turned off? Also, why would a speaker be needed on the controller? I know this is all speculation, but it doesn't even make sense =/.

kimo @ May 8th 2006 6:33PM

Sounds plausible. I'll get one.

Kevin @ May 8th 2006 6:33PM

anyone else curious about the batter on the wiimote w/ and w/out attachments?

Bobill @ May 8th 2006 6:34PM

$249 thats pretty ok I guess from what we have so far. But if the PS3 goes any lower below or at par with the 360.

But camon if you buck a bit more you got yourself a finely tuned 360. Plus I wouldn't bother reading magazines info unless it's a world exclusive to them only.

Internet is much faster so...

Lynk @ May 8th 2006 6:35PM

I'm still hoping for a 199USD price...

Ace! @ May 8th 2006 6:35PM

Im more curious about this speaker on the controller lol

Ace!

Tom @ May 8th 2006 6:38PM

249 USD is roughly 135 GBP. If Ninty can get retail the Wii for �150 I will be very impressed indeed. It's going to take a much lower price in comparision to the PS3 to do well and grab back some of the console market share on the British market. Sony rules the roost here, but consumers are money-conscious.

Paul Gale @ May 8th 2006 6:38PM

Electronic Gaming Monthly always delievers big. Just wait until May 15th and you should all have the issue in your hands!
Paul Gale
1up.com

tony @ May 8th 2006 6:39PM

maybe the person meant to say a mic on the controller? That would make much more sense and should be practically expected from Nintendo (after hey you, pikachu, mario party 7 and of course the DS). This would also pave the way for Yoot Saito to bring us Seaman 2!

boots (former bd (former b)) @ May 8th 2006 6:41PM

249 doesn't make sense with the "It's going to be cheap" policy, unless they meant "cheap(er than PS3 and 360)". The Xbox 360 stripped package could cost as little as 199 or 249 when PS3 launches; 360 could cost 299 or 349 tops. If you are able to get it for just 100 dollars extra, then that's not much of a differenc. 199 would be fair. 149 would be excellent; after all, it's a souped up gamecube, so how much could that cost to Nintendo?

Pretty Obvious @ May 8th 2006 6:42PM

Anything above $150 for this system is rip-off. If Microsoft plans on dropping the price of the 360 this Nov and the core is $299. The PS3 launches at $399 (speculating). Why pay $250 for a souped up Xbox?

I say $150 and it comes packaged with a game (like the old days), and $100 for a bare Wii.

sracer @ May 8th 2006 6:42PM

Always online and speaker in the console makes me think that email/messaging is going to play an important role on the Wii. Kinda like an answering machine that beeps when an unplayed message is available.

ryan @ May 8th 2006 6:45PM

the speaker is like the sound of a gunshot when u fire or a mario bouncy noise when u make him jump and stuff, not for game speech and music

wanderer @ May 8th 2006 6:46PM

I could see $250 if it comes with four controllers (the equivalent of a $550 Xbox 360 package). How come there's been no rumours yet about the number of controllers in the box?

Adam @ May 8th 2006 6:50PM

IF the price is $250 then

= �135, + 17.5% VAT (TAX) = �159

+ UK Standard price hike = �199.99 around xmas time

patrick @ May 8th 2006 6:52PM

You know, I used to think my dad was a retard for lunging the NES controller every which way while he was playing Super Mario Bros...Remember how grown-ups back in the day couldn't seem to understand that moving your hands does nothing to effect how far Mario jumps?

Now it looks like we're all happy to look like retards falling all over ourselves playing games on our new Wii (snicker) controller.

Maybe I'll buy one for my dad...at least he won't suffer from any learning curve.

tactics @ May 8th 2006 6:52PM

jesus christ... you people are ridiculous.

YOU DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT WII CAN DO YET. how can you say that $249.00 is way too much?

Revolution is just around the corner.

You will say "Wow!"

-"superfan" tactics.

neale @ May 8th 2006 6:54PM

what if the controller is also a VOIP handset? makes sense for a speaker, and always connected even when off so u can recieve calls. (it wouldnt truly be off, itd be like the 360s controller able to turn it on. you cant tell me the 360 is 100% off)

rokerovakero @ May 8th 2006 6:55PM

"I could see $250 if it comes with four controllers" that's hilarious! Considering what's inside the controller I guess that's the expensive part of the console. It's going to have just one. This isn't Microsoft who can afford to lose billions in any product they make. Not even Sony does that.

Sir Stank @ May 8th 2006 6:55PM

Way to expensive for a toy but Nintendo usually drops the price periodically over time.

Grant @ May 8th 2006 6:57PM

How is anything over $150 for the Wii a ripoff, when the Wii is the most technologically advanced console in the area that matters the most?

Arrey @ May 8th 2006 6:59PM

Hmm Paul Gale's comments (from 1up.com, which is from the same network as the magazine) dont seem to give much away.

Also

N64 was supposed to be $250 at launch and came down to $199

Gamecube was supposed to be $250 at launch and came down to $199 IIRC

Hopefully this will come down to the $199 sweetspot

Robotic House Plant @ May 8th 2006 6:59PM

$250 seems a bit high to me. I was expecting much lower. With the possibility of Microsoft lowering the price on the 360 before year end, it would either make the WII less attractive or force Nintendo to also lower their price, which isn't being introduced till year end.

But then again consoles typically start high and adjust lower over time.

Where is the expense coming from? GPU? Control and receiver?

jgrey @ May 8th 2006 7:03PM

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Nintendo recently hint at the fact that their controller is the costly part?

If so, the so-called "souped up gamecube" value won't be the value of Wii. In fact, they'd set a precidence in deciding the value outside the processors and memory.

mjp @ May 8th 2006 7:05PM

I'd pay $250 for it. The technology in the controller keeps this from even comparing with XBox and PS3. People will pay the $250 because they're getting something different, and potentially more entertaining. Like they've said- they're not after the hard-core gamers. They know the 5-12 year olds will want this for XMAS- and parents won't feel as bad buying it- movement required and family friendly titles. My 2-1/2 year old points and clicks on the disney site like there's no tomorrow, she can use a remote control with a color scheme, but she has trouble with a standard system videogame controller. She'll love the Wii.

Eric @ May 8th 2006 7:08PM

Comparing what the Wii has to offer hardware wise to the other consoles, $250 seems pretty steep to me. I was expecting no more than $200...I figured Wii would be a nice 2nd console but if these rumors are true it looks as if I'll have to choose one of the 3.

tcc3 @ May 8th 2006 7:08PM

ALWAYS on is not only strange its a concern. It it going to be chewing into my bandwidth even when im not using it? Admittedly it probably wouldnt do very much when idling. buy why is it necessary at all? Thats not cool.

skyrous @ May 8th 2006 7:09PM

Since some of this info about what the controllers can do and how much technology that's been packed inside them i could possibly see $249. Certainly the Wii's graphical doesn't justify that kind of price which is why i was always hoping for $149.

Babylonian @ May 8th 2006 7:09PM

Hahaha. I seriously don't understand the bitching about $249. That's really fucking nice for a next-gen console to launch for.

And to the guy who said it should be retailing for $149 (which, incidentally, is the current price of a DS Phat), and $99 without a bundled game...are you 10? Seriously?

John Lucas @ May 8th 2006 7:12PM

Nope.
Don't believe the $249 price tag.
Nintendo has ALWAYS and I mean ALWAYS sold their units at $199.99 or in plain English $200.
I don't see why this would be any different.

NES (1985) = $200

SNES (1991) = $200

N64 (1996) = $200

GCN (2001) = $200

See a pattern?

Besides $200 is the price a game console SHOULD cost anyway. Once you go above that you're starting to ask for a lot.

$300 should be absolute cap on ANY gamesystem.

Wii (2006) = $200

A perfect price for a perfect system.
John Lucas

Lynk @ May 8th 2006 7:13PM

You know... Nintendo chose to go with the double i in its logo to emphasis plurality... it could be that you will be getting two controllers bundled with the console... as well as two analog attachments.

It would make more sense to have the 249USD price tag if it were like that.

striderhayasa @ May 8th 2006 7:15PM

I agree, 250 for the Wii is too much. Some developers speculated that the Wii could launch for as low as 99. YES 99! I expected 199 at the most. 249 for the Wii is suspect. Unless the other functions of the Wii are huge I can't see paying 250 for that and it's a jazzed up GC. I understand the controller is supposed to be the most expensive part but it's still a GC 2.0.

vidGuy @ May 8th 2006 7:18PM

If they are going to launch at $249, I predict the package will be:
- Wii console
- 2 Wii controllers, complete with nunchuck attachment
- Voucher for $20 worth of virtual console downloads: with N64 at $5-10, SNES at $3-$5, NES at $1-$5.

Or launch at $199 for
- Wii console
- One controller with attachment

idioteraser @ May 8th 2006 7:19PM

Huge credibility problem with EGM

They say the sword swing isn't going to be used in the wiimote play just a button press.

This contradicts what Nintendo reps have hinted at as well as the recent Time Magazine article.

The Metroid Prime 3 info also contradicts numerous other sources who say the game is almost complete.

The price contradicts what Nintendo reps have said. 250 maybe a bundle price. Nintendo used to have some incredible bundles such as multiple controllers, games and periperhals.

Heck EGM says the name is Revolution.

Their credibility hasn't been good these past few years on a number of supposed secret info.

Shagi @ May 8th 2006 7:20PM

Its looking more and more like my guess of a 'Wireless internet' could actually be happening with the Wii.

By Wireless internet I mean each Wii console acting as a router between all the Wiis in your neigborhood and creating a peer to peer wirless network with no central server. Thats a good reason for it to always be 'online' even when its turned off.

The big reveal could be just this announcement. I was working on developing something like this myself with a programmer friend but we found out we needed deidicated hardware to do this properly so we abandoned the effort.

Think about it, sharing your music in an Itunes like interface with everyone in your neighborhood as long as you can hop to the connection that is hosting them.

This is a reason to buy the Wii for me if it turns out this way...more so than the gimmiky remote. I'll be expecting my star from joystiq if im on the money on this one.

Navstar @ May 8th 2006 7:28PM

I predicted the speaker on the controller months ago.

Imagine having light saber sounds or twinkly Harry Potter magic sounds coming from your Wii-mote. Or having Navi whisper hints to you in a multiplayer Zelda game.

tactics @ May 8th 2006 7:40PM

interesting prediction, shagi... very interesting. didn't reggie make a weird comment like, "there are lots of ways to do that [play with people in your n'hood and around the world]"

man, i forget the quote exactly but, that's an interesting idea.

however... even "superfan" tactics is worried about his bandwidth... nintendo better not just assume that revolution eating bandwidth 24/7 isn't going to piss people off...

-"superfan" tactics.

Dekaritae @ May 8th 2006 7:41PM

It's not that the console is always online. It's that the console is always "on", like PalmOS devices. When you turn it on, it resumes at the exact point in the game you left off. You won't really _need_ cards for saved games, hence the decision to hide them under a cover.

The New Revelation @ May 8th 2006 8:12PM

I agree with John Lucas in the earlier post.

$249 is a deal breaker for me. Considering the lack of technology in the machine it's ridiculous for this to be anymore than $199.

Though it would keep inline with Nintendo recent (and successful) strategy of releasing abysmally powerful handhelds, overpricing them for the technology used, and marketing them successfully. I have no doubt they'd follow that plan with the Wii as well.

...and no, gyroscopes and motions sensors don't cost much at all so don't blame the cost on the controllers if it is $249. Go to your local electronics hobby shop and see for youself if you don't believe me.

Poopstains McGee @ May 8th 2006 8:50PM

If the DS Lite is going for $129 on release date then it makes sense that the Wii will be for $249. Although $199 sounds a lot more appetizing.

Kendrew @ May 8th 2006 9:02PM

I say in the range of 159-199. I mean look at the DS Lite, everyone thought it'd be 150 and bam, 129 or 139 forgot... but it'll be lower than 249. I'm almost 100% sure.

Pretty Obvious @ May 8th 2006 9:22PM

This is not a next-gen console. Therefore it should not have a next-gen price tag. Plain and simple.

$150 with a game, or count me out.

Ny @ May 8th 2006 9:37PM

Why is everyone going off over a rumor/forum thread? How about we all calm down and wait to see/hear Nintendo's official announcement?

Exo @ May 8th 2006 9:43PM

anyone that thinks 250 is too much is Wiitarted. You dont even know whats going to come with the system, or what kind of visuals it can pull off. You guys are just being negative useing rumord information rather then the actual facts. and since the facts dont come till tomorrow, all of you are full of hot air when it coems to what the system can actually do.

how can you say youd only buy it for 150? thast a DS basicly. The only reason you say 150 is because you wouldnt buy the system anyway, and you are just hatein for the sake of hatein.

J. Leck @ May 8th 2006 9:44PM

You all realize that E3 starts Wednesday, right? I mean, Nintendo doesn't even hold it's press conference until tomorrow. Why is everyone rushing to judge a "good" price point for the Wii?

Considering their marketing strategy for the past year and a half, I'd bet that Nintendo hasn't revealed all the details on the Wii quite yet. Playing along with the "Disruption" theme, it would make sense for Nintendo to reveal something really spectacular at the conference. What better way to steal the show from Sony and Microsoft?

As for the price, John Lucas (#31) claims that all the previous Nintendo consoles launched at $200. Assuming this is true, you still must account for inflation. According to the inflation calculator at http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl, $200 in 1985 equals $371.38 today. In addition, the SNES price would be $293.39, the N64 would be $262.20, and the Gamecube would be $225.64. On average, that's $288.15 per system. A launch price of $249 for the Wii hardly sounds unreasonable.

big dumb dave @ May 8th 2006 10:15PM

great logic, J. Leck.

i can't figure out how to use that inflation calculator. if i paid $250 for 8MB of RAM in 1996, how much should i pay for a 1GB DIMM of 533mhz DDR2 SDRAM today?

dumbace.

baR_n1 @ May 8th 2006 11:40PM

I quite like the idea of the speaker on the wiimote actually. One of the most common concerns with the thing has always been feedback: How will i know when my "sword" hits something? Sound from the controller combined with rumble might just do the trick. Imagine that tennis game where the controller responds with the appropriate THWACK when you connect with the ball... that would be quite neat imo. It would definitely help with the illusion of being "in" the game.

Oh, and i also agree that $250 is a bit too much. I would have to wait on reviews at that price, whereas at $199 i would be willing to pick one up at launch no questions asked.

Da_Kootsmeister @ May 9th 2006 12:03AM

to all you people bitching about the Wii's cost, how do you think us canadians feel? unless it's $250 in canada as well, it'll be like $300 for me! and besides, you can play all NES, SNES, N64, AND GCN!(assuming what i heard is true), that's like paying for 5 consoles for $250 bucks, that is an insanely low price! Peace Out