Wii less than 250 euros, says Nintendo German chief
by Kyle Orland 
{ Aug 23rd 2006 at 2:55PM }
Reuters is reporting that Nintendo's head of German operations, Bernd Fakesch, expects the Wii will retail for less than 250 euros (roughly $320) across Europe. Fakesch told the news organization that the European price hadn't been officially set, but speculated on the price during the Leipzig Games Conference. The speculation is in line with statements from Nintendo that the Wii will cost up to $250 in the U.S. and up to 25,000 yen in Japan.Apparently, Nintendo's formula for calculating maximum prices around the world is:
- Start with 25
- Multiply by ten
- If price is too low in local standard currency, multiply by ten a few more times.
- Voila! A price ceiling!
[Thanks, crono141]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Petrie @ Aug 23rd 2006 2:58PM
Nintendo has absolutely mastered the art of marketing. Release nothing and let unpaid fans and journalists do the advertising for you.
ultimatecinema @ Aug 23rd 2006 3:01PM
Yes, I agree.
Cabbage @ Aug 23rd 2006 3:03PM
Nintendo is having a little invitation only get-together on September 14th. I imagine that will be where everything becomes a little clearer.
Grimes @ Aug 23rd 2006 3:10PM
The European estimate doesn't mean Nintendo is trying to pull one over on the region--gaming merchandise typically retails for higher prices in the area, mostly due to higher taxes being included in the price. For example, online retailers are selling the premium Xbox 360 pack, which retails for $399 in the US, for the equivalent of $520.
Petrie @ Aug 23rd 2006 3:11PM
Does anyone think this could have worked even better for Sony, had they let the hype build up for months and months without a price point and such, making it so people felt like they HAD to have it no matter what, rather than letting the price have time to sit and fester in people's minds?
game-mp4 @ Aug 23rd 2006 3:19PM
That basically means that in USA it will cost even less as all the consoles are more expensive whne sold in Europe.
.ed @ Aug 23rd 2006 3:23PM
in the end, price doesn't matter. gamers buy or get what the want eventually, and the initial release is always short on supply, so we will see over time as more people buy what they want.
unfortunately, if/when Wii completely outsells PS3, most people will always use price as the probable reason, when most consumers will have independently thought otherwise.
this is not the automotive industry, although analysts often fail their audience by making such comparisons [that i have seen in the past].
I'm way over interested in getting Wii, but the jury is still out on XBox 360 and PS3 for me... I just don't really want the games or experiences they have.
OOOOPs @ Aug 23rd 2006 3:28PM
This wouldnt work for Sony. People would have expected to be the most expensive, so, the rumours would be all around how expensive, unaffordable (etc) its gonna be .. not good. Wii on the other is the cheapest of the bunch, so, the rumours actually are benifically since they all revolve around how affordable and different it is.
I still think 200USD (or whatever) is too expensive for an overclock GC with a motion control remote.
Yamen @ Aug 23rd 2006 3:45PM
"I still think 200USD (or whatever) is too expensive for an overclock GC with a motion control remote."
Ok, can we please stop this. The Wii is far more than an "overclocked Gamecube". Not just the potential gaming experiences, but the hardware is also totally different. The place where the GC and the Wii are similar are in the development tools. The API's and such on a Wii are based around the same ideas as the GC, but this is kinda like saying "FarCry uses WASD to move and the mouse to shoot, so it's really just an overclocked Unreal Tournament". Sure, there are similarities, but the description you used isn't very accurate.
Now, on topic, I'd be willing to bet that the Wii comes out in Europe closer to 200 Euros, but Fakesch couldn't say that specifically without Nintendo's permission, so he had to choose a price significantly higher to make sure it was just a "ball park figure". 200 Euros is about $250 ($257 according to Google), so I think it's a much more likely price.
Brad Lee @ Aug 23rd 2006 3:47PM
@ Petrie
I think that would have been worse for Sony to wait, because before the price was announced everyone seemed to be predicting $300, since thats what the PS2 launched at... $400 at most to compete with the 360. If they would have waited until right before launch to announce the price, gamers I'm sure would be really, really pissed. I think Sony announced the price to let it sit AND to make sure their die-hard fans come prepared at launch with enough money. Remember, this is a system you want to work two jobs in order to afford (LoL).
I think $200 for the Wii would be an acceptable launch price. It may not have the 'super-computer' power of the PS3, but it is offering something different and, unlike past Nintendo console launches, it actually seems to have an awesome launch lineup. Although, if Nintendo really wants to reach nongamers, they are going to have to drop it farther than $200. I think $100-$150 would be the ideal price to reach the casuals and nongamers.
TxdoHawk @ Aug 23rd 2006 3:48PM
Holding the cards could go either way with Nintendo. I'm personally a little worried...my opinion is that a low price point should've been advertised early, and that a mid-to-high price point should be held until close to release.
My take: $200 at most. I think a higher price point wouldn't go over well with the casual crowd at all. If Nintendo really wants to push for that casual market, they have to entice them with the right price. $150 or $175 would be even better. The mass adoption sweet spot is what they need to go after.
I'm unsure how much the remote technology costs, but the big N would be wise to price their modest hardware accordingly, especially with all the "looks like a Gamecube game" talk being thrown around by previewers. Is this a bad thing? Absolutely not. Gameplay innovation over graphics is a good call, as the DS has shown, and a rock-bottom price coupled with great gameplay could easily grab back tons of market share. But that price is a key factor, and Nintendo understandably has some people worried.
reguy @ Aug 23rd 2006 3:57PM
@yamen
why does it bother you if people think the wii is an overclocked gamecube(which it so is) does oooops' perception of the console mean you cant have fun? you wont like mario if others prefer a more powerful console like the xbox 360 and ps3?
and how do you respond to my claim that the remote on the wii could have easily been sold as an attachment esp now that nintendo wants to sell gamecube games with wiimote(god thats a stupid word) functionality.
Darth Pixel @ Aug 23rd 2006 4:00PM
That's kind of steep for a GameCube upgrade and a TV-remote-turned-controller.
Oh well, the fans will pay anything anyway.
BPM? @ Aug 23rd 2006 4:05PM
#5 .ed:
"unfortunately, if/when Wii completely outsells PS3, most people will always use price as the probable reason, when most consumers will have independently thought otherwise."
Just like why people think the only reason DS outsells PSP, right? It has absolutely nothing to do with the software! Just that the hardware is cheaper!
There's no doubt hardware cost plays a factor into whether or not someone supports a platform (I would've gotten a PS3, until the price was announced). But a strong software library is what really sells a system.
If Wii can get a very strong library (not just first-party, but third-party, too. And many have already supported the Wii for launch!), there is a possibility that Nintendo could "win" the next console war. Possible, but not guaranteed.
gman @ Aug 23rd 2006 4:12PM
man i wish people would think. The GAMECUBE is not selling much at all anymore. So the whole point of the NEW console, is a ton more power, a shitload of hype, and a chance to start fresh. If the remote was released as a simple gamecube peripheral, it would not make even a fraction of the profit the Wii is going to rake in. The gamecube DID sell a lot better than most people would like to admit, and did make Nintendo a LOT of money, but as a peripheral the remote wouldn't be used by a majority of the games..it would really be a gimick then, much like the microphone accessory. What Nintendo is trying to do here is adopt a NEW STANDARD controller for the future of gaming. It seems to be working, the Wii and DS go hand in hand, employing Nintendo's new marketting strategy. And the Wii currently has the momentum of a freight train..no matter what Nintendo will make a killing. They definitely made the right choice here
Cry Havoc @ Aug 23rd 2006 4:17PM
Yeah, 200 is pretty steep for an upgraded Gamecube. That's why I'm gonna buy a PS3, because it's SO MUCH MORE than just a better CPU and graphical chi.... wait a tick.....
...
...
Ethan @ Aug 23rd 2006 4:24PM
WOW, I thought it was under $250 usd, now they are upping it to 250 euros, what is the cause for the price hike. I think $150 would be a good price for this inferior console, and even that is pushing it. hmm...
Brad Lee @ Aug 23rd 2006 4:29PM
"That's kind of steep for a GameCube upgrade and a TV-remote-turned-controller.
Oh well, the fans will pay anything anyway." Darth Pixel
They sure will. *See Sony fans
Besides, I'd rather pay for new Gameplay than for improved graphics, hence why I bought a DS instead of a PSP. I might still get a PSP, but certainly not for $200.
I mean, I bought a 360 and it's cool and all, but nothing is really all that new about it gameplay wise. It is pretty much the same as last gen only with minor upgrades in gameplay because of the extra processing power (more enemies at once, farther drawback distance, more intricate online system, etc.). And it looks like Sony is just following MS's lead by promising better graphics, better gameplay (simply due to more processing power), and a better online system. I already have that with my 360.
Meanwhile, Wii is coming out offering something completely different than the competition at almost half the price. Sure, if you look at the Wii as a slightly improved GameCube with a new controller then may seem expensive. But when you look at it compared to the competition, its a fine deal.
Ryan @ Aug 23rd 2006 4:33PM
If Nintendo releases it at $250 or higher, I probably won't be buying a next gen system anytime soon. $229 and lower would sell me.
broseph @ Aug 23rd 2006 4:38PM
So, it's going to be less than 250 Euro- which is roughly $320- and that's "in line" with the rumored $250 price. Seems as though that leaves a $70 gap which I wouldn't exactly call in line. I'd call it potentially MORE expensive.
peko @ Aug 23rd 2006 4:39PM
only here, in brazil the Nintendo's formula for calculating maximum price.
here works like this.. get the american price triple it plus 20-50 dollars and exchange to our currency and thats our price... :/
so the only console me and my friends can pay (and want) is wii :D
gman @ Aug 23rd 2006 4:40PM
remember kids, this is euro pricing...not the same as North American pricing....people are still hinting at $170 US...which would be hot
Darth Pixel @ Aug 23rd 2006 4:42PM
You know what's funny? Time. I hear the same echo of it.
There is a piece of text published when the first PlayStation came out.
Note how PlayStation and PlayStation 2 failed to fail.
"With the growing popularity of 3D gaming during this era, the industry saw the birth of a term that some older video game players used: "new school" gaming. Largely derogatory in nature, the term came to denote what the older gamers perceived as a lack of gameplay quality in the new titles; they claimed that the focus of newer games was entirely focusing on the graphic capabilities of the new systems, and less about the way the games themselves played. Many critics, some of whom began to call themselves old school gamers, call this the beginning of an "industrial revolution" of video gaming, and adamantly state that SNES games are more entertaining than 32-bit / 64-bit era video games (and by extension today's video games). Fundamental gameplay changes between the old school and new school era include gameplay actions revolving around more true-to-life animation (which had already been done with Prince of Persia, but really brought to the fore with the addition of fully 3D environments in games like Tomb Raider and Tekken), instead of the quicker, 2D cartoon-style action typical of titles like Super Mario World and Sonic the Hedgehog.
Another fundamental change was the widespread adoption of CD-ROM technology which allowed more storyline content into games. The critics claimed that the longer, more involved plotlines diverted developers' attention away from creating quality gameplay content."
reguy @ Aug 23rd 2006 4:46PM
@gman
so the wiimote is all about money huh? thats cool, business is business and i will NOT talk crap about a company that wants to make a profit
but if your post you also say this 'point of the NEW console, is a ton more power' are you saying that the wii brings a ton of power to the table? because if you are i call bs on that.
and by the way, the day the wii's remote becomes the industry standard, is the day i quit gaming.
Joel @ Aug 23rd 2006 4:56PM
This Nintendo marketing crap is driving me crazy. Either tell us something substantial, or tell us nothing. MY EMOTIONS CAN'T TAKE THE TORTURE!!!
I also hope the Wii is 200USD or less. I personally believe that no game system should ever have sold for MORE than $200. In a world where the home PC is growing ever cheaper, why are game systems growing more expensive? I'd rather have a slower hardware curve, have them give us $100 units and make up the rest on software. If they didn't have to spend so much on cinematic quality, they could have a higher profit margin on their games and still focus more on gameplay, which is more like the industry needs right now.
phantom42 @ Aug 23rd 2006 4:59PM
"When Nintendo will make any of these prices (or any release dates) official is still anyone's guess..."
actually, it looks like we'll probably find out on september 14th.
http://blogs.ign.com/Matt-IGN/2006/08/22/28830/
Yamen @ Aug 23rd 2006 5:07PM
@reguy
Actually, your opinion doesn't affect my enjoyment of the system at all. Nor did I claim that it did. I was simply trying to point out how inaccurate the phrase "overclocked Gamecube" is. I was referring to facts, not opinions. I didn't argue with your personal views of the Wii, only with your misguided analysis of it's hardware.
Now, if you decide you want to label your misinformed concepts of the Wii hardware just an "opinion" well, there's not much to be said about that other than reality is not defined by your perception.
As for the Wii remote being sold as an attachment, certainly it's possible, but it wouldn't do so well. Historically, add-on perephrials don't sell very well, and fail to spark a new market. By packaging the new controller in with the new system, Nintendo has made sure that any game for the new system can utilize the new features if they choose to. In addition, Nintendo has improved thier hardware significantly, the Wii quite obviously outpreforms any of the current generation systems, even though it's processing the new controller's features on the fly. That may seem insignificant, but that amount of data coming through the input ports would have an impact on the Gamecube, and probably lead to poor perfromance with the controller. However, with the Wii, the controller was in mind while they designed the system, allowing them to optimize for top performance. So, perhaps it would have been possible to make the Wii Remote a perephrial, but it really seems like a better move to release it as an integral part of Nintendo's new system.
If, however, you were trying to imply that the Wii (or it's game selection) is no different from the Gamecube outside of the controller, then I respond that I think you are quite mistaken. Some people complain about sequels, without ever considering that the new Metroid game might actually be fun ("sequel" does not inherently mean "crap"), or say that Mario is overused as if the plumber's guise somehow effects a game's gameplay in any way. But even if those complaints do strike a chord with you, there are certainly many other Wii games coming out that aren't based on established IP's, and plenty that are offering gaming experiences not available on the Gamecube. Nonetheless, you are entitled to your opinion, my original post was just to point out that your claim "The Wii is just an overclocked Gamecube" is not accurate.
broseph @ Aug 23rd 2006 5:09PM
$200 sounds like so good old fashion wishful thinking. Only $70 more than a DS Lite- which is repackaged year old technology- and the Wii is supposed to be next gen? Interesting. I don't see it coming in at less than $249.99. We shall see.
Keits @ Aug 23rd 2006 5:13PM
@reguy
Goodbye!
reguy @ Aug 23rd 2006 5:17PM
@ Keits
LOL
you are telling me goodbye for something that hasnt even happened yet!
Your sooooo cool man!!!!
theboy @ Aug 23rd 2006 5:31PM
@ reguy
LOL
you are spewing mindless BS, trolling a topic, and being annoying as usual!
"You're" soooooo cool man!!!!
Adam Johnson @ Aug 23rd 2006 5:44PM
I just hope that they announce the price/street date before World War 3 starts up.
All Your Lost Socks @ Aug 23rd 2006 5:50PM
*stares blankly at the article*
Okay, so we have a general idea of a UK pricepoint. We had a general idea of a US pricepoint already. We know the JP pricepoint So... I don't see what this really tells us, aside from those of us that live in the UK. There is nothing new in this article. I predict the Wii to retail $199.99 or $174.99. But I could have said that long before this article. Much ado about nothing.
Super Dumper Mario @ Aug 23rd 2006 5:58PM
Wii :
hype sells
as it did with the xbox 360
bob @ Aug 23rd 2006 8:27PM
heh $300+ for the upgraded successor to a bombed console (gamecube).....hope you europeans dont fall for a flop a SECOND time, for your intelligence's sake
Antipilor @ Aug 23rd 2006 9:57PM
250 250 25000... hmm, I wonder if nintendo is trying to hint at a certain number here.
BPM? @ Aug 24th 2006 12:21AM
Time to feed the troll...
#33 bob:
"heh $300+ for the upgraded successor to a bombed console (gamecube).....hope you europeans dont fall for a flop a SECOND time, for your intelligence's sake"
How exactly did GameCube bomb? It sold 21 million units. And Xbox sold 24 million. How does a difference of 3 million units make the GameCube a bomb, but the Xbox a success?
And even if you want to consider American sales only (meaning, ignoring Japan, which is a strength for GCN and a weakness for Xbox), GCN sold 12.27 million units in North America alone, and 13.5 million Xboxes were sold. Less than a million units total sets the two apart for NA (and think of where Xbox'd be without Halo! :P).
And even so, both trail far behind PS2, at 106.23 million units shipped (Though, I can't help but wonder how big the userbase actually is, given the high failure rate of PS2s...).
If GameCube was a bomb, then so was Xbox. As their sales combined don't even make HALF of as many PS2s sold!
nootau @ Aug 24th 2006 8:27AM
@BPM
The gamecube being a "failure" when compared to the Xbox is just silly. The Gamecube turned a profit, sold very well. The Xbox was a lost of billions of dollars to Microsoft, and sold only marginally better than the gamecube.
I also find it funny when people say the N64 "bombed". Granted it was light on software, but it sold 34 million units. By those standards, it was more successful than the Gamecube OR Xbox. But most concede that the N64 was a failure...
Nintendo considers the N64 and Gamecube failures because of the HORRIBLE sales in Japan. I think both got around 5 million consoles sold. Thats pretty bad for nintendo, being a japanese company and all.
John @ Aug 24th 2006 11:38AM
I already have a gamecube lol