Iwata continues to deny Wii price drop

But it's really not selling that well anymore, now that systems are easier to comeby sales have slowed. This is coming from someone who works in retail, we have a mountain of them on the floor and probably even more in the back

and don't get me started on wii fits...

That's probably because nearly every home in America has one by now, knor.

What are you talking about, knor? Of course it's still selling well. Selling more units than both of your competitors combined = selling well. The percentage increase isn't as high but that's going to level off eventually.

"Why change the price when it's selling well?"

It's 3 years old (well almost) and it has the power of the last generation of systems (slightly higher than original Xbox). Yes, it is selling well, but this isn't to hardcore gamers. They need to lower the price to get the smarter, scratch that, more informed of us on board.

If they'd want to appeal to the "hardcore gamers" demographic, wouldn't you think they'd try to push more "hardcore" games?

Ha. I love it when people get voted down. Especially when they're right, the Wii is last gen's tech in a shiny new box.

@Fullmetal: Sure, they're right - the Wii has a slow processor and is broadly equivalent to the fastest of the last-generation systems in hardware terms...

...Who would have thought?!!?!?!!

We all know that already, which is why bringing it up yet again is a bit pointless. A lower price won't get many of the h@rdc4re to buy it - more top-quality first and, less likely, third party games are the only hope on that front. Because hardcore gamers are early adopters, most who would be in the market for a Wii have probably already got one. There have been many excellent games released over the years, and although it's certainly not as many as most of us who *did* get one early would have liked, if you're getting a Wii now, it's a pretty good list. I guess the concern would still be that after you've bought those top-class games that are already out, will releases of good new games continue to be a bit slow... but I don't really see a $50 price cut making that decision any easier.

Wii is still selling superbly in the US and, as of recent weeks, is again selling well in Japan too. ('selling well in Japan' = twice PS3; in US = twice 360). However, I wouldn't be entirely surprised if sales drop back again [relatively] toward the end of the years, in which case, a price cut isn't out of the question. I'd not be surprised if they try other options first - new colours (as in Japan) and/or better-value bundles (Wii Sports Resort w/ MotionPlus for the same price).

If Nintendo wanted to surprise everyone, they could always release a 'Wii Slim' (same thing but with chips on newer processes to achieve lower power consumption and no fan etc, removed back-compat with no GC ports, and a really teeny-tiny box) but I don't think that's really likely as it is already quite small and stylish compared to both other systems and probably even compared to a PS3 Slim.

getting healthy in front of a TV is a fad?? lol...you DO realize there are like 10 Workout channels at LEAST??

No, just Wii Fit is a fad. I don't know anyone who still uses theirs with any regularity, myself included, let alone enough to drop another 50 bones on the Plus sequel/expansion/upgrade.

gotcha...,my wife still uses ours...I might use it once every few weeks....and unfortunately she wants to get WiiFit+

You should look into the EA Active game for your wife. I hear that it's a better workout than Wii Fit, though it's probably not as "fun".

I read somewhere that Wii Fit Plus will be only $20... So I think it's likely to sell that many, considering the low price.

There are 20 channels that are dedicated to wrist workouts alone.

@playwhutyoulike: I see what you did there.

I disagree, considering that you can get a 360 for $200 and a PS3 now for only $299. The PS3 is an especially good deal considering that it comes with a built in Blu-ray player that's worth maybe $200 alone. The Wii's price should be dropped to $150 as soon as possible and $99 by 2010 holiday season. I do think that most hardcore gamers have probably already bought the Wii, but they might still buy it if it gets to $99, or even $150. I do think that the black Wii will boost sales, but not by much.

I think the thing is, people with balance boards WILL buy another version of the game since it's been a year since Wii Fit came out and we've yet to see another title that takes advantage of the board's promise. Unfortunately, the only changes will probably be a few more minigames and the ability to string games into a playlist (a rudimentary feature that should have been in Fit in the first place,) and people (myself included) will eat it up so we don't feel like we wasted $90 on a pretty white doorstop.

(PS. expect me to copy and paste this same post a year and a half from now about that vitality sensor thing.)

You can't draw a direct comparison to Super Paper Mario, though. People saw that game and thought of Paper Mario, not nearly so recognizable as the 19-million-selling NSMB.

I don't know if it will sell quite as fast as Iwata says, but 10 million overall is at least a given.

Last time I checked, NO ONE is forcing anyone to buy the New Play Control games. So just don't buy them!

Though you are entitled to your own opinion. Your points are invalid for using the sentence, "They gawt thurd party!"

I've bought three wii games so far this year, will most likely buy about five more new ones by year's end.

Meanwhile, my xbox 360 hasn't seen a new game since Left 4 Dead, and I only plan on buying two to four new ones before the year is up.

I'm not trying to play console wars here; i'm just saying if you think the wii doesn't have games, you're not looking for them. I've been playing videogames since the late 80's (and skipped the SNES/N64), so don't label me as a Nintendo fanboy or casual mini-game yoga training type of person either.

I know Kimp, but it's pathetic, that was my point.

Wardo, I dunno why I wrote that... akward...

MLS, I won't label you because you don't flame like a retard, but I've looked for games, and barely any appeal to me. But unlike your Xbox, mine sees at least 1 game every few months and in the holiday season, I add like 2-5 games to my collection. But to each his own. enjoy the games on your wii, and i'll enjoy games on my 360. =P

Thank you MLS!

I've been a gamer since the beginning of the Atari 2600.
Apart from the a few consoles, I own them all.

The Wii has been my main console for this generation. People complain that there is no games but there is. I own about 22 already and play on getting more. I still havent even opened my copy of METROID PRIME 3 and ZELDA as I already have plenty of games I'm finishing.

If you've enjoyed the Wii so far KIMP, you are definitely going to enjoy Metroid Prime 3.

I actually just recently finished it myself despite buying it when if came out.

Good times!

Wow, I got voted down for my opinions which were executed with proper grammar and no flaming (except for the "third party" shit). I just don't like the rehashing that nintendo does.

Good for KIMP and MLS that you guys are entertained and like Nintendos games and their re-releasing of everything they've made, mazel tov. I don't. And I'm glad you can "find" games that I apparently am too blind to see, but don't put me down for it.

Congratulations, internet.

It's not that there's no games for it. I had 45 Wii games. It's that there's hardly anything coming out for it in the last year or two that's peaked many people's interest. Sure there's Madworld and such, but it seems that Nintendo's actual games are seriously either lacking in numbers, or lacking in quality.

I know I know I know... Wii Sports Resort can be fun. I'm not denying that. But for people who grew up with Nintendo, their first party efforts are very shallow. Where's Starfox? Where's F-Zero? Where's our new IPs that were promised to us?

I'm sorry, but again, Wii Resort and Wii Music, and any other mini game compilation that they release as their new IP games aren't a good substitution for what we have grown accustomed. Let's face it. The last time we saw something like TP or MP3 has been forever.

But hey, I used to think like you did as well. Maybe one day you guys will realize that Nintendo left the games you love in the dust a long time ago in favor to quick selling "for everyone" games. Oh and btw, we don't buy the repackaged Wii Control games. Many of us have not been buying any of the crap they've thrown at us for some time.. but it doesn't really help now does it?

Yeah Wardo, I'm looking forward to play it. I actually bought it last winter but had too many games to play.

And its cool aacman007. So far the only New Play Control game I bought was Mario Tennis... and sadly its one of the few games I haven't played much cause it ain't that good.

I just don't get why people keep complaining about the Wii not having enough core Nintendo games. It's going to have just as many main zelda games as the GC, more 3d mario platformers, it's got MP3, it's got Smash Bros, it's got Mario Kart, its got Animal Crossing, it's going to have Pikmin. At the rate its going theres no reason to say "OMG NINTENDO ISNT MAKING ITS MAIN GAMES ANYMORE" because they are going at just about the same speed as the last 2 generations, and releasing casual games at the same time. 3rd party support seems just about as good as the last few generations too, theres a just a ton of nonsense games making it seem like theres less.

As for New Play Control, people wanted them to do that, so it's not like Nintendo is trying to force us to buy their older but fun games. Plus a lot of the new Wii gamers (and a lot of gamers in general) have never played pikmin or metroid prime so a re-release is a good idea.

It's obnoxiously arrogant to think that the remaining Nintendo fanboys are just people who haven't "woken up" to the "fact" (fiction) that Nintendo has changed, Orion.

Just saying "nope, they suck now, you just haven't figured it out yet," just shows ignorance, aside from the aforementioned arrogance.

"The Wii WAS a good system, and there are games that are very good for it.. just in the first couple of years though."

Preposterous.
By May of next year, in theory, Nintendo alone will have given us NSMB Wii, SMG 2, Sin & Punishment 2 and Metroid.
And that's ignoring third party games like Monster Hunter, NMH2, Muramasa, Tatsunoko vs Capcom...you know I could go on.

But it's never enough. The new titles du jour that people whine about not having from Nintendo are Star Fox, F-Zero and Pikmin (and Zelda...always Zelda).

...but you just KNOW that when when those games come out, those same people who whined about how awful Nintendo is for not releasing them sooner are going to whine about how awful the new games are and not buy them.

"Wii music, sports resort, music, who gives a fuck."

A lot of people do, well when it comes to Sports Resort, and I am not even considering that it is bundled with the M+. You fail.

To be fair, there are a few good games for the Wii (I just recently took stock and realized that I have almost 10 games now,) but yeah, the 3rd party signal to noise ratio is pretty high. Especially when you consider that every multiplatform game is worse on the Wii than on the other consoles (Tiger Woods 10, excluded.) First party stuff is okay, but most of the franchises are definitely showing their age at this point.

All in all, the Wii is disappointing, but not a total waste.

Thank you for saying that Jordan. You'll probably get downvoted, but what the hell. The Wii WAS a good system, and there are games that are very good for it.. just in the first couple of years though.

Just because a game sells well doesn't mean it's good either. If all the Wii mini games sell 10 billion copies, does that mean I'm going to go run out and buy Wii Fit? Hell no. It just means there's 10 million idiots out there who aren't gamers and are making software sell for a GAMING system that works for them (non gamers), not us.

If they play games, they're gamers, Orion. Now you're just being pig-headed.

babysea tuna, technically high Signal to Noise Ratio is good. :P Low SNR is bad, it means that the signal and noise have similar power levels.