Critiquing Nintendo's Wii launch details
by Blake Snow 
{ Sep 14th 2006 at 2:30PM }
Skeptical Gaming has compiled their list of reasons why Nintendo's Wii launch announcements today were less than perfect. Here's a rundown of some of their main points:- $250 price: "A $250 system becomes less of an impulse buy, and more of an investment. At $199, the systems would cater quite nicely to the EveryMan."
- Cost of controllers: "Holy cow, Nintendo. $40 for the Wiimote, and $20 more for the Nunchuck? You're charging more for the two main accessories (needed for a lot of games) than you are for the games!"
- Virtual Console pricing: "Most NES games aren't worth $5. Although I don't support the practice since it's illegal and all (wink wink), it's damned easy to find ZIP files with every single NES ROM included in them."
- Photo system: "Sorry guys... it's hard to sell me on a Photo manipulation/storage idea when the system holds less than a gig of storage space."
- Nov 19 launch: "Launching it two days after the PlayStation 3 means that, whether they like it or not, Nintendo is now competing with Sony for exposure."
[Thanks, Journal Fan]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
JayPaps @ Sep 14th 2006 2:36PM
I think that will all the expensive accesories its not going to be a cheap game system anymore. I don't think a casual gamer is going to invest this much money "just for fun."
Nick @ Sep 14th 2006 2:39PM
Break it down,
wii-250
extra controller 40 (this system is all about party games so this is a must)
Nunchuck 20 (required for most games
a real game 50 (wii sports don't count)
an sd memory card 20
250+40+20+50+20=380*1.05(tax)=400 for me wii
NATO_Duke @ Sep 14th 2006 2:41PM
The controller price is way too high! I also feel that the launch date is bad. Sony will have a good grip on that week.
Glad to see its all finally in the open though.
Almack64 @ Sep 14th 2006 2:40PM
As I said elsewhere my bigest gripe is combination of the price of the console, the price of an extra controller and the fact that in order to get the most out of the bundled game it comes with you need an extra controller. If any 1 of these things were different it would mean a lot but all 3 of them together makes we want to cry wiivolt.
matt @ Sep 14th 2006 2:39PM
What I am really upset about is the "bait and switch" that Nintendo seems to have thrown at us.
They promoted the Wii as a family console and an impulse buy for non-gamers. At $250 with one controller it is niether.
$250 + 4 wiimotes? Yeah, then it is a family system
$250 + 2 wiimotes + 2 nunchucks? Yeah I could still go with that.
Wii sports has the potental to be a great family or non-gamer game. Too bad nobody will know since they have one wiimote and they are the gamers already anyways. No person who is not into games is possibly going to drop $250 on a gaming system. $250 is too much for a non-gamer.
Sony and Microsoft never touted their systems has being the family gaming system that is going to get grandpa to play. Nintendo did.
I was eager to be out there on launch day waiting in line for this system, but when the launch package fails to satisfy the two main tenants of Nintendo's philosophy then I simply won't be there.
In order to get the family and non-gamers on board it has to accomplish that out of the box. Packaging it with 4 wiimotes (no nunchucks)and a game like Mario Party for $250 would have accomplished all that Nintendo was going for. $250 for a family of 4 is an impulse buy. $350+ for a family is not. $250+ for one person is not.
As soon as you break that $300 mark you get over the 10% of the paycheck that people are willing to consider still an impulse buy.
Just my take.
Sebastian Murphy @ Sep 14th 2006 2:40PM
Compared to all of the other systems it's a lot cheaper. I think that ninteno will sell more systems than sony just do to availablity. Come christmas when the ps3 is plauged by shortages and the nintendo wii is sitting on the store shelf. Parents will probably pick that latter of the 2 for a x-mas present.
n @ Sep 14th 2006 2:40PM
Yeah, bafflingly unaggressive release date and price. I'm feeling a gamecube flashback here...
Daniel @ Sep 14th 2006 2:40PM
The DVD playback thing kinda annoys me, but its not critical. Given what nvidia and Ati have been doing with their drivers lately, processing DVD's through the video card has been shown to produce images far superior to $500+ dvd players and I was really hoping to see one of the consoles exploit that.
The lack of bundling 2 controllers is a bit of a bummer too.
CannedPasta @ Sep 14th 2006 2:41PM
I personally think releasing the Wii two days after the PS3 comes out is a brilliant move.
Think about it, the PS3 will be sold out EVERYWHERE on the first day. So when people go in looking for that PS3 that no one will have in stock, they see the demo unit for the Wii. They go over and try it out. Then they see that it's $250 and comes with a free game. They buy one of those cause it's so much fun.
There you go, piggybacking on the fact that the PS3 will sell out to help push systems.
Jerm @ Sep 14th 2006 2:42PM
That was a very well thought-out and balanced summery. We all love the Wii, but the pricing and launch date are both less then perfect.
Tim @ Sep 14th 2006 2:42PM
Out of all of those points, I think the prices of the controllers hurt the most. I'm going to wait and see what other previews/reviews come through before making a purchasing decision.
Nintendo took a little bit of a hit today.
Pat @ Sep 14th 2006 2:41PM
He's right on nearly every point. The price of $60 for the full controller????? That just really really hurts. All this time I was cursing Microsoft over the idea that I would have to choose between a game or a controller, knowing full well that Nintendo would never do something so stupid to the consumer. But here we are. I'll still buy one, but I doubt I'll be buying 3 controllers at launch to play with family and friends.
By the way, his impression of the Photo Channel is wrong. You'll be inserting the SD card from your camera or whatnot into the system, so you won't be relying on the 512MB of built-in memory.
Jeremy @ Sep 14th 2006 2:43PM
I WANT THE BLACK CONSOLE, NOT THE IPOD SHOVED DOWN MY THROAT!
http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/videogames/detail-page/revolution-1-lg.jpg
chaoticmagus @ Sep 14th 2006 2:43PM
Say what you will about the cost of the system, they're STILL undercutting the competition's price points for this generation as well as the previous generation of consoles.
I think my biggest gripe is the cost of those controllers. Who's idea was it to sell half the controller for more than half the total cost of the complete assembly? It seems criminal considering that some games will undoubtedly require use of the analog stick.
FSK405K @ Sep 14th 2006 2:43PM
I think they've nailed it. Of course, I would add that it appears to ship with composite cables. ...still going to preorder as soon as possible.
bv @ Sep 14th 2006 2:43PM
I'm not really digging the motion sensing in general. Holding that remote steady is like chinese water torture to me, i don't know why. The web browser/internet functionality seems awesome, as does the legacy of Nintendo games to download, but I'd rather buy a pc and connect it to my tv for much cheaper. Actually I think I'm just going to do that this weekend!
JoseMiguel @ Sep 14th 2006 2:46PM
Whoever complains of having to pay 50 bucks more for a console that has a game included needs a life.
That and unless you're buying a ton of controllers, the controllers issue isn't something to cry about at all.
Marc Butler @ Sep 14th 2006 2:45PM
I'm just trying to look on the bright side, but maybe the controllers are expensive to make. Maybe that's why the system is $250 instead of $200 and why they're $60 a pop.
And seriously, why the hell would you seperate them like that? That's asking for confusion right there. Mainstream people don't like confusion.
dantebk @ Sep 14th 2006 2:45PM
$250 is more than I hoped it would be, and the $60 for another controller is a major sticker shock...
But in fairness, wireless remotes are usually expensive, and if the motion sensing tech works as well as it needs to, then it's probably not $60 just to f*** us over, it's probably just to recoup the costs of manufacture, yes?
As for not needing a Virtual Console because of emulation, remember the average person is not aware of emulation or willing to spend that kind of time figuring it out, and even the people who are might still spend $5 for Duck Hunt or Gunsmoke.
Jermaine @ Sep 14th 2006 2:46PM
I think the launch day is awesome! The only problem I have with everything is the price of another controller. Although I won't need one since I have at least one roommate that will buy a Wii with me. As far as the Photo system...why whine? It's not for the hardcore, it'll be for grandma and grandpa to see their grandkids on the tv.
ninx @ Sep 14th 2006 2:48PM
My Gripe. $40 should include Nunchaku controller. There is no excuse for the cheap ass move by Nintendo. That's just blatantly expensive esp. since the console should be a great multiplayer system..
Randomoriginality @ Sep 14th 2006 2:49PM
People said that no one would pay $150 for a Nintendo DS, which was just an overpowered Gameboy with a stylus. The PSP is better graphically, therefore it is the winner... Nintendo is set up for the same position. "No one will pay $250 for a wii, it's just an overpowered gamecube with a wiimote. The PS3 is better graphically, therefore it is the winner." History may prove that not to be the case. Also think of the PS2, it was graphically inferior to gamecube and xbox yet it was the winner. If he DS has taught us anything, it is that people will be willing to pay more for a unique experience instead of the same ol' new graphics scheme. Twilight Pricess graphics are satisfying enough for me not to need a PS3 based on graphics alone. I dont need a Blu-ray Sony. Think about where this is going for the gamers, not the non-gamers...It's a trojan horse. The gamer needs to bring the Wii into the fold, the parents and siblings will note how fun this system is and want in on the action...soon dads will be talking about it at work and they will convince other dads to buy one. People 18-34 male demographic will be the first advertisement...it will take a short time but by x-mas 2007, wii will take a 150% jump over ps3 in sales..I guarantee it.
gameclu @ Sep 14th 2006 2:46PM
The only true critique I have is the price of an extra (complete) set of controls. Especially since I'd really like to own four sets.
Otherwise, I think pricing is about right. Nintendo is following Xbox live in terms of classic game prices. And even if the wii costs $250 now, it will certainly be the first of the three to reach the $200.
I was also only expecting Wii Sports to contain three mini-games. The extra two are a bonus. And I'm certainly happy to see Nintendo bundle the title with the system.
coalhalo @ Sep 14th 2006 2:47PM
I think it's great that Nintendo is going right after the Sony launch. Nobody will be able to find a PS3, but with 4 million shipped by Dec 31st, lots of people can get their Wii on.
cringer8 @ Sep 14th 2006 2:47PM
The controller is not too expensive. It's got Bluetooth (licensing fees), accelerometers, IR output and image sensing, and it's a one-time purchase for the life of the console. No big deal.
You can add storage memory to the Wii via SD slots and USB connections. If you really need 20 GB of storage on it, you can do that for cheap.
Launching after the PS3 amounts to nothing but a broken promise (they did say they would launch before). Other than that, it won't affect sales in the least. No one is choosing between the two.
$250 for a new console is cheap. You can't argue with that (I guess you *could*, but you'd be wrong).
eight @ Sep 14th 2006 2:47PM
On the controller. yes, its 60 dollars. but, so is the Xbox 360 wirless controller with rechargabel battery. So what. Thats the going cost for controllers. and you dont need the attachment to play the Wii Sports games (it doesnt seem).
Also, lets be for serious about DVD playback. You're trying to tell me that you dont already have a DVD player? or a Playstation 2? or an Xbox? OR a 360? Doubtful.
Artefacto @ Sep 14th 2006 2:55PM
$250: I think its ok considering it has Wii Sports packed in + all the features of the Wii Channels / Virtual Console.
Cost of controllers: Yes, $60 bucks for the full controller is expensive, but considering it has so much technology in it, and you have to make a profit from every piece of thing you sell to recoup the investment of developing such technologies it is understandable why it is sort of expensive
Virtual Console Prices: Hey! somewhere Nintendo has to gain some extra cash. Xbox Live Arcade costs the same and the games arent as nostalgic or well developed as the classics of the old school times and no ones complains about it.
Photo Sistem: It may not sound that exciting to you, but my little sister is already excited about it after I told her, even more so about "Mii" Its a really good complement for the SD card slot.
Nov 19 launch: After major shortages of PS3s all around the world, Nintendo will be ready to convince angry fans into buying a Wii. Sound good to me. Besides, every Nintendo console has launched on a sunday.
Marc Butler @ Sep 14th 2006 2:49PM
Oh and as far as VC pricing goes: what did you expect them to sell them for? $1, $3, and $5? No way. You could have looked at the cell market and see that they charge you $7 for a 5 level game. $10 might seem steep, but with games like Mario 64 and Zelda:Oot they look better. Same with the SNES and NES. True there are tons of NES games that aren't worth it, but I think $5 is a fair price for LoZ, Kirby's Adventure and Super Mario Bros. 3.
FSK405K @ Sep 14th 2006 2:49PM
I believe the controllers do cost nearly $60 to produce, and like with the Gamecube, Nin will be selling umpteen times as many controllers as Sony & MS, so it would not be responsible to sell each at a loss. But come on....don't make me buy a second one separately just so I can have a decent game of Wii Tennis! How about some rebate on additional controllers if bought at the same time as the system?
Robert C. @ Sep 14th 2006 2:54PM
Today, as usual, Nintendo's fans are left bewildered. Nintendo's marketing decisions aren't so much bad (although they are bad) as they are incomprehensible. Who would ever, in a million years, suggest to Nintendo that they launch directly after the PS3? How does that even get considered as an option?
That feeling, of not understanding Nintendo's decisions--it's a familiar one. The system's name, the price point, the controller pricing, the removal of DVD playback and simultaneous addition of photo storage: these are all blunders. They're not huge mistakes, but they add up to a Nintendo that has still lost its way when it comes to console launches. It's still amateur hour at Nintendo.
Orion @ Sep 17th 2006 1:11PM
Please remember its a free game, 10 dollars less a game than 360 titles, and free online. It comes with a stand, a sensor bar, a sensor bar stand, batteries, a controller, ac adaptor, and video cords... not bad for 250 on a next gen system. So you have to pay 60 instead of 30 on a controller... you save much more than that vs Live and 60 bucks a pop for a game. As far as the NES games being 5 dollars i dont think its that bad, epecially since the n64 games are only 10 bucks. Many people know that games that will be most likely ported like Sin and Punishment, Kirby 64, Mario Kart, Zelda, Paper Mario all go for more than 10 dollars used.
Almack64 @ Sep 14th 2006 2:50PM
@16,chaoticmagus
While I too an upset about the controller it makes since that the wiimote would cost more than the nunchuck. It just has more tech in it. You can use the wiimote without anything else but the nunchuck is simply an accessory to the wiimote. I guess its an accessory to an accessory.
Tad @ Sep 14th 2006 2:50PM
I agree with every single one of Blake's comments. I also lament the fact that Wii releases in white only.
I bet most of the Nintendo execs wanted to release in October, but the game support just wasn't there. The extra month is just what lots of third party developers need to complete their games on time.
Nintendo is betting their big ones with this release date. They want everyone in the stores to see what fanboys witnessed at E3 '06... Nintendo stomped the competition. The fact that there will be approximately 4 Wiis for every 1 PS3 indicates that people just might jump on the Nintendo wagon.
Sheesh if the console price was only 20 bucks less... what a psychological impact that would've created.
oe @ Sep 14th 2006 2:54PM
Yup. Extra controller cost is a mistake. #3 put it very well.
After I read the announcement today, a 360 started to seem very tempting, especially in a software bundle.
Still, I will buy a Wii for Zelda, Metroid, some VC games.
My largest remaining question is regarding DS connectivity:
Will we be able to download VC NES/SNES games to our DS's?
If so, that will be huge. If not, kinda lame.
Yoshi Likes Boys @ Sep 14th 2006 2:50PM
The emulation argument is a non-starter. I can easily bittorrent any type of software I want. Does that mean all software is overpriced? Because you can STEAL it?
Raphael @ Sep 14th 2006 3:03PM
This is pretty smart for Nintendo. The price is right ($250 is the same price as an iPod). There is playability right out of the box. It encourages expansion (3 games use 1 remote, boxing and tennis multiplayer use 2). It may not appeal to the teenagers and college students at first, but it appeals to the guy with too much money and a little bit of nostalgia, his girlfriend, and their parents.
Also, I have a feeling that this is going to have a Guitar Hero effect. I know that after I played GH with one guitar I scoured this entire campus for a second guitar.
Oxybeles @ Sep 14th 2006 2:52PM
I agree, the main deficiency is the missing second controller. To have four people play will require an investment of $180. This cannot be family friendly. Even without the nunchucks, it still requires another outlay of $120.
However, this is no different from any other console, including previous Nintendo consoles starting with the N64. One controller only that is included with the system.
Clealry, $40 is $10 too much for the Wiimote.
KobayashiMan @ Sep 14th 2006 2:52PM
The most damnable offense here is definatly the controller issue. How can you be all "Wii stands for us playing," and then only have one controller pack in box and then sell the two components of a controller seperately.
Also, very odd to have Japan get the Wii second. I guess NA really is the battle ground?
Nodnetni @ Sep 14th 2006 2:51PM
I am not shocked by the $60 Wii-mote/nunchuck price. I mean look at the $50 XBOX360 controller its only ten more. The Wii-mote alone is cheaper then a wired Xbox360 controller. So its not that bad. and i still see the system as being $199 probably just because i would have gotten wii sports anyways. So come November 18th I will be standing in line with my $400+ to buy my Wii(that just sounds wierd) and extra controllers and Red Steel.
And I'll still have a couple hundred left over from the profit im going to make from buying a ps3 and selling it for a very very inflated price :)
schtum @ Sep 14th 2006 2:51PM
I'm a casual gamer, but I've been playing games forever. Atari, Intellivision, C64, etc. This will be the first system ever that I buy at launch.
Artimus @ Sep 14th 2006 2:52PM
I agree about everything except the VC prices. I'm pretty sure, though, that those accessories aren't gouged very much. The Wiimote has a lot of tech in it. Compared to the 360 wireless it's a steal. That said, the VC are reasonable. Apple is charging $5 for a tiny version of Tetris on your iPod, so it's not unheard of.
Adam Johnson @ Sep 14th 2006 3:29PM
I think that over the last four months we forgot something about Nintendo; their stubborn morons that talk big things that they often dont deliver.
The $250 price doesnt bother me seeing as I planned on getting Wii Sports anyway, but not including an extra controller is a real unpleasant suprise. Whats up with this late-ass release? Didnt they say that they were launching before PS3? Didnt they say over a year ago that a new Mario title would be available at launch? Nintendo are flakes; plan and simple.
Matt @ Sep 14th 2006 2:54PM
I am not sure I could've said anything in this article better. :)
Hachi_Roku @ Sep 14th 2006 2:54PM
How many games actually NEED the Nunchaku attackment. I dont get why so many people are bitching about a $60 controller. Im a pretty poor guy, and the biggest problem I have is the date. Im also an Unemployed 18yo and My parents arent going to be buying this as a gift. But you dont see me complaining about prices.
SecretAgent @ Sep 14th 2006 2:54PM
Post #21 is right on the money (literally, heh).
All of the initial Wii shipment will sell out despite the price (just like the PS3 will sell out). And eventually the system will drop down in price and they will sell all kinds of packages that include certain games etc (very similar to how they did the Gamecube).
Since Nintendo knows initial shipments are gonna sell out regardless of price they might as well keep it bit higher.
Moe A @ Sep 14th 2006 2:54PM
Forget about the price of the system for now. $50 or $60 games? All I've been hearing about from Nintendo is cheaper and easier development and cheaper games because graphics weren't the focus. Where are the savings for the consumer?!
If anything, people should be angry about the cost of the games more than anything else.
Negativecool @ Sep 14th 2006 2:54PM
I know my comments will be lost in the heaps of comments...but I must profess my disappointment with the Wii's price and functionality (ie not able to play DVD's)
I realize $250 is cheapER than the competition, but it is by no means cheap. $199 to me sounds cheap, it would be REALLY cheap at that price halfway through its lifecycle.
I'll be lambasted by people telling me "ITZ CHEAPR TAN URVY TING ZOMG YOU NUB!" But 250...sorry, I'll go with a 360 for an extra 50 bucks.
And $60 bucks for the "whole package" Wii controller? Jeepers H crackers! Thats not cheap at all!
I am seriously disappointed that it is not actually the cheap system with more value than the 360 and PS3.
And it doesn't play Hollywood DVD's but can it play games off of a DVD...if not I won't even consider the Wii.
TSOLfan @ Sep 14th 2006 2:54PM
Does anyone know if component cables are included? I assume, like the Gamecube, that answer is no and that I'll have to pick them up separate (lets hope they remain available longer than the Gamecube component cables were).
Sloppy Seconds @ Sep 14th 2006 2:58PM
Oh my god, the Wii is going to have a weather "channel"?! Don't you all know what this means?!
REAL-TIME WEATHER IN ANIMAL CROSSING.
If it's raining outside, it'll be raining in Animal Crossing. If they don't include this I'm going to crap my pants and eat it.
Willie @ Sep 14th 2006 2:56PM
Almost $300 for a system that does not have much power to it. It doesn't make any sense. Why not sell it for $150. What is inside for it to cost so much? Why not include every controller for that kind of money? In all honesty, I think this is the biggest rip off yet from a next-gen system.
You are looking to pay the same price to get the system up and running as an Xbox 360.....LOL!