Even before the long-awaited Nintendo press briefing in Tokyo has begun, we can bring you pricing and the release date for the North American debut of the Wii. Showing an inability to read and understand basic embargo paperwork, several major newspapers have synchronised their online offerings with their print-presses, revealing Nintendo's big secret well in advance of the planned coming out party.
The Wii will cost $250 in the US and will go on sale November 19. Nintendo believes it will sell four million hardware sets before the end of 2006 and pledges a minimum of 25 games over launch.
Reports suggest much of Nintendo's focus at all of its looming conferences in the coming hours will be aimed at explaining its strategy of selling games systems to markets beyond that of the traditional gamer.
Wii software will be priced at $50 per game. 30 games will be available via Virtual Console. VC games will cost between $5 and $10.
Nintendo will also outline Wii Media Channels, aimed at generating interest amongst non-gamers. A photo channel will store user's photos online and Nintendo will offer an on-demand news and weather information channel. Nintendo also confirmed that the Opera browser will be a fully-fuctioning web-browser for TV users.
"Our goal is to bring gaming back to the masses," Reggie Fils-Aime, President and Chief Operating Officer of Nintendo of America, said in a telephone interview with a US newspaper. "You see that in our pricing, you see that in the number of units we plan to make available this year and you see that in how we are positioning the Wii to appeal to every member of the household, including but not limited to the hard-core gamer."
Reports also confirm that the hotly-anticipated Super Mario Galaxy will not ship until an unspecified point next year and will not make the Wii launch roster as many had hoped.
"We are including all of these capabilities as part of our overall strategy to expand the gaming market," Fils-Aime said. "Broadening the market is important because it will breathe new life into this business. Otherwise, this industry is moving down a path of being more and more limited to the hard-core gamer."
The Wii will cost $250 in the US and will go on sale November 19. Nintendo believes it will sell four million hardware sets before the end of 2006 and pledges a minimum of 25 games over launch.
Reports suggest much of Nintendo's focus at all of its looming conferences in the coming hours will be aimed at explaining its strategy of selling games systems to markets beyond that of the traditional gamer.
Wii software will be priced at $50 per game. 30 games will be available via Virtual Console. VC games will cost between $5 and $10.
Nintendo will also outline Wii Media Channels, aimed at generating interest amongst non-gamers. A photo channel will store user's photos online and Nintendo will offer an on-demand news and weather information channel. Nintendo also confirmed that the Opera browser will be a fully-fuctioning web-browser for TV users.
"Our goal is to bring gaming back to the masses," Reggie Fils-Aime, President and Chief Operating Officer of Nintendo of America, said in a telephone interview with a US newspaper. "You see that in our pricing, you see that in the number of units we plan to make available this year and you see that in how we are positioning the Wii to appeal to every member of the household, including but not limited to the hard-core gamer."
Reports also confirm that the hotly-anticipated Super Mario Galaxy will not ship until an unspecified point next year and will not make the Wii launch roster as many had hoped.
"We are including all of these capabilities as part of our overall strategy to expand the gaming market," Fils-Aime said. "Broadening the market is important because it will breathe new life into this business. Otherwise, this industry is moving down a path of being more and more limited to the hard-core gamer."
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Comments
soanso 14 Sep 2006 08:00
1/13
It costs a bit more than I expected but no doubt it'll translate to pounds as £149. Well hopefully.
And the release sounds the same as the DS setup with the US then Japan then us lot.
So are nintendo going to ruin our friday by telling us it's not coming out over till March 2007 as well?
I know people will hate me to say that but I bet they're thinking it too.
And the release sounds the same as the DS setup with the US then Japan then us lot.
So are nintendo going to ruin our friday by telling us it's not coming out over till March 2007 as well?
I know people will hate me to say that but I bet they're thinking it too.
Joji 14 Sep 2006 08:15
2/13
Good prediction by me I did say £130-150. Well I have no problem buying one for that price. It's cheap enough that I can bag a few games on launch day.
Glad the games are reasonably priced to, should be about £30-40 (correct if I'm wrong). Think if I get LoZ:TP, Red Steel and Trauma Center I'll be happy enough this xmas.
WVC downloads I thought were gonna be free, but I guess the pricing on those games can be tweaked if not perfect. I reckon £1-2 should be enough per game. I'mm just wondering how I'll pay seeing that I don't have a credit card, this same kind of thing stopped me getting on Xbox Live on xbox.
A we need now is the launch list confirmed and I'll preorder mine.
Glad the games are reasonably priced to, should be about £30-40 (correct if I'm wrong). Think if I get LoZ:TP, Red Steel and Trauma Center I'll be happy enough this xmas.
WVC downloads I thought were gonna be free, but I guess the pricing on those games can be tweaked if not perfect. I reckon £1-2 should be enough per game. I'mm just wondering how I'll pay seeing that I don't have a credit card, this same kind of thing stopped me getting on Xbox Live on xbox.
A we need now is the launch list confirmed and I'll preorder mine.
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ozfunghi 14 Sep 2006 08:42
3/13
I could live with € 250, but i seriously hope they are either including a game or a second controller for that price. Iwata said they'd sell at a loss or break even from the start... same thing like gamecube (which even made them a small profit at launch). The only difference is, GCN wasn't obsolete hardware when it launched.
EDIT: WTF??? i just read the Japanese price is the equivalent of € 168 ?!?! They better release it with a game or with an extra controller!!! I also read the NYT article has been taken down. Maybe we'll get it at a better price yet?
EDIT: WTF??? i just read the Japanese price is the equivalent of € 168 ?!?! They better release it with a game or with an extra controller!!! I also read the NYT article has been taken down. Maybe we'll get it at a better price yet?
realvictory 14 Sep 2006 09:15
4/13
Well I think Nintendo are getting away with being cheeky again - Mario might not have to be at launch, but it's a matter of principle - even though I'm not, it feels a bit like I'm being let down. They talked about a launch with all their best franchises and, even if it's a rubbish idea, that would make them look amazing; without Mario, it makes them look like they don't know what they're doing again in some ways.
Also, I was hoping that Nintendo would have more emphasis on either brand new franchises, or new versions of nostalgic games such as Pilot Wings...
The price is good, because it's not too low or too high - to be affordable, anyway. Obviously, lower would be better, but If they include two controllers, it will be ideal. Even if Nintendo don't include games with it (which I think would be sensible, even at a higher price), shops will do that for you. How can they seriously not have a Zelda bundle, though?
At the end of the day, though, I'm getting a Wii just because of Zelda - screw the controller!
Also, I was hoping that Nintendo would have more emphasis on either brand new franchises, or new versions of nostalgic games such as Pilot Wings...
The price is good, because it's not too low or too high - to be affordable, anyway. Obviously, lower would be better, but If they include two controllers, it will be ideal. Even if Nintendo don't include games with it (which I think would be sensible, even at a higher price), shops will do that for you. How can they seriously not have a Zelda bundle, though?
At the end of the day, though, I'm getting a Wii just because of Zelda - screw the controller!
ozfunghi 14 Sep 2006 09:25
5/13
Japanese prices are 3800 and 1800 for the wiimote, and the nunchuck. That's € 25 and € 12, yet US prices are rumoured at 40 and 20 $ respectively. Don't give me crap Nintendo! The classic controller is the same price as the nunchuck.
In good news though, seems like there will be a point system. And if Nintendo's star catalogue will be part of it, i'll be one happy gamer: I have well over 7000 of those babies (traded my first 4500 for the Zelda disc) :)
The classic controller seems to be 5000 points.
Or maybe they're just trying to say you can see how many credits your prepaid card holds, for classic game downloads :(
In good news though, seems like there will be a point system. And if Nintendo's star catalogue will be part of it, i'll be one happy gamer: I have well over 7000 of those babies (traded my first 4500 for the Zelda disc) :)
The classic controller seems to be 5000 points.
Or maybe they're just trying to say you can see how many credits your prepaid card holds, for classic game downloads :(
Joji 14 Sep 2006 10:56
6/13
Love that controller. I'd like us to get two of each controller in the box from day one but I doubt this will happen. We don't have to buy any memory cards from day one, so the only other thing to buy besides games are extra controllers really.
Jeez, I still haven't got a second controller for my GC, after all this time because I've been waiting to get a Wavebird. I better hurrry before they disappear for good.
Jeez, I still haven't got a second controller for my GC, after all this time because I've been waiting to get a Wavebird. I better hurrry before they disappear for good.
wiiwillwin 14 Sep 2006 12:56
7/13
that's 197 euro. It's 250 DOLLARS!
YenRug 14 Sep 2006 14:44
8/13
Let's check out likely UK/EU prices:
US$250 = GB£132.50
GB£132.50 + VAT@17.5% = GB£155.69
Hard to know which way they would go; psychologically, £149.99 works much, much better than £159.99. Probably easier to work on both, for now:
GB£149.99 = €222.59 ~ probably end up at €225
GB£159.99 = €237.40 ~ probably end up at €240
Just hope MCV were right on their pricing, then!
US$250 = GB£132.50
GB£132.50 + VAT@17.5% = GB£155.69
Hard to know which way they would go; psychologically, £149.99 works much, much better than £159.99. Probably easier to work on both, for now:
GB£149.99 = €222.59 ~ probably end up at €225
GB£159.99 = €237.40 ~ probably end up at €240
Just hope MCV were right on their pricing, then!
Ditto 14 Sep 2006 17:58
9/13
Gamespot wrote:
GameCube Twilight Princess now pushed back to December.
http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6157575.html
What did I tell you earlier? I bet they'll cancel it now. Nintendo just can't keep their promises.
tyrion 15 Sep 2006 07:23
10/13
YenRug wrote:
Let's check out likely UK/EU prices:
Not to diss your maths skills, but what has happened recently is identical US->EU prices and GB prices being slightly higher than the EUR->GBP conversion.
So $250 -> 250EUR -> £168.49 + "ripoff Britain tax" = £180. That is exactly what happened with the PSP.
Now it's to be seen if Nintendo will treat the EU and GB with more or an even handed approach than Sony did.
lozbag 15 Sep 2006 10:28
11/13
I could be a bit late on this, and I have not read all the other posts, but London's 'Metro' free newspaper claims it will cost £115 and be in shops before Xmas. Anyone else see that?
Ditto 15 Sep 2006 13:33
12/13
tyrion wrote:
So $250 -> 250EUR -> £168.49 + "ripoff Britain tax" = £180. That is exactly what happened with the PSP.
Well done, you were spot on.
F**k Nintendo, screwing us over by £50. I was just starting to think "at £150 it might be worth picking one up", at £180 it's turned from an affordable system into a major purchase.
wiiwillwin 16 Sep 2006 09:19
13/13
Actually I think nintendo said it will be £179 in europe. More expensive than I thought, such a shame.