Nintendo: Wii < $250

  • By Phil Elliott, Staff, GameSpot UK
  • Posted May 25, 2006 7:04 am PT

Mario factory announces price point (sort of), says six million units in channel by March 2007.

Nintendo has announced the price point for its new living-room console, the Wii, which will be launched globally in Q4 2006. Although for now the pricing is not exact, it will not exceed $250 in America or 25,000 yen in Japan. No estimate was announced for the European market, but the indication given was that it would be a "similar, affordable price."

In addition, Nintendo said it will soon release details on the Virtual Console, and "exact launch dates." Nintendo's wording of the "launch dates" is ambiguous--it could refer to Wii games alone, or it could mean a staggered launch of the system, or both. Regardless of when the launch happens, the publisher said it expects to ship 6 million consoles before the end of March 2007, as well as 17 million games.

The news comes hot on the heels of an earlier posting by the company of a 19 percent drop in annual profits, and a warning that results for the current financial year would be 3.5 percent lower than previously thought.

However, Nintendo still expects sales to grow by 18 percent globally, based on continuing sales of the Nintendo DS, and hopes for a successful Wii launch. The DS Lite, a new, sleeker version of the twin-screen handheld, is due to launch on June 11 in America and June 23 in Europe, and new key titles such as New Super Mario Bros. will no doubt cause sales spikes globally.

Nintendo's pricing decision will compare directly with key Japanese rival Sony, whose PlayStation 3 console will ship for a significantly higher price at around the same time, and will cost up to $599 for the top-end model.

984 Comments

  • zrio

    Posted Dec 27, 2008 9:43 am PT

    im going to get a wii and just talk to me and add me if you want to and im not braging

  • CampusVoice

    Posted Jan 30, 2008 9:36 am PT

    If it wasn't selling so darn well maybe we could get a price drop sometime this decade.

    -----signature-----
    buy upcoming nintendo wii games online

  • gigabrowser12

    Posted Feb 18, 2007 6:40 am PT

    Wait, what does this have to do with new super mario bros?

  • S_Griffen

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 6:31 pm PT

    The wii sounds great...

  • immortalcyrax

    Posted Sep 14, 2006 8:44 am PT

    muuust geeeeettttt wiiiii

  • Merovingin33

    Posted Sep 14, 2006 12:26 am PT

    hmmm ill have to keep a close eye on this info

  • Epic_alchemist

    Posted Aug 19, 2006 1:24 am PT

    Im glad to see that someone out there likes to keep there prices resonable.

  • Justlink619

    Posted Aug 5, 2006 11:01 pm PT

    shooot! 250 dollars for or less thats a bargain for a system that has wireless abillties and Super Smash online!

  • jtnhl11

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 8:29 pm PT

    hope its 199.99 that would be so awesome

  • trabracha

    Posted Jul 26, 2006 9:08 am PT

    How in the name of everything that is good and holy can you think that $250 is pushing it? I won't argue that PS and XBOX are good, but this price range is going to sway many fans back from the dead. I personally think that $600 is pushing it.

  • matsonpp

    Posted Jul 25, 2006 7:59 pm PT

    excellent, i don't have to break the bank with crazy 500-600$ consoles.

  • senorjoeyo

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 2:40 am PT

    Gimme a wii (revolution name was so much better) two remotes with numchucks and a game for £180-210 and Im laughing.

    PS- Im so sick of the assumption that Nintendo is just for little kids, If people wern't so wrapped up in what is cool and uncool they would see that aslong as a game is fun to play then nothing else matters.

  • Spectre_Ops

    Posted Jul 20, 2006 7:22 am PT

    The reason that the GameCube didn't do as well was due to Nintendo's poilcy of not liking very violent games, which turned many gamers away. That's why Sega came out on top of the SNES in the sales of Mortal Kombat. Nintendo didn't allow blood in its version, which was a main selling point.... Back to GmaeCube. Later on though, when games such as Metroid Prime, Zelda, and Resident Evil 4, started coming out, I realized the GameCube wasn't that bad. Now, since great games such as Super Smash Brothers Brawl, Zelda: Twilight Princess, and Metroid Prime 3 are coming out very close to launch, I think older Nintendo fans that loved those series, but didn't buy a GameCube will buy a Wii. I was already going to buy a Wii and that be it, mainly due to pricing, but I think I can last 3 more years playing great Nintendo series games and the Virtual Console, as long as Nintendo can put out good games with all of our favorite characters.

  • CheeseSack89

    Posted Jul 16, 2006 2:38 pm PT

    i believe the price is incredibly reasonable. The company must always think of the consumer. IMO a younger child's parents are less likely to buy them a console priced $400-$600. The Wii seems to be promising, with alot of platform launch titles (Zelda, Metroid, Mario). Really, I think the controller will be as successful as the average video gamer is with the controller. It is innovative and it took balls. I have deserted Nintendo since the N64 which I never truly liked but I think I may be purchasing the Wii now. IMO Gamecube just didn't have it. No internet play, no DVD playback, uncomfortable controller. But that's just me. I don't think Sony is going to do well simply because of price. But hey, I'm no expert.

  • timo7781

    Posted Jul 14, 2006 8:56 pm PT

    if u complain about $250 for the wii then i guess u wont buy any upcoming system since even the xbox360 is not as good as the wii and is more expsensive, mabey even the PS3 will not be as good as the wii and its more than twice the price, this is the best deal u gonna get

  • kingofgames4000

    Posted Jul 8, 2006 1:23 pm PT

    YES good price BETTER then the other two...lol

    nice going nitendo

  • CUDCUD

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 12:52 am PT

    i want wii now or i cut my wrists or maybe i'll just cry either way i want it now!

  • Dudeflameboy

    Posted Jun 10, 2006 5:34 pm PT

    Im glad the price was that i had 400 dollars saved up just for that ! Nintendo is going to chang game play once again and its going to be great.....I heard there was going to be a sports bundle but im not shure if its a reliable sorce if you are intrested in watching some cool videos u should go to youtube.com and do a search on either Nintendo Revolution of Nintendo Wii boath work : )

  • Areon7

    Posted Jun 7, 2006 11:31 pm PT

    Yeah...Boi.......!!!!!! much better than the other two

  • Alex_14

    Posted Jun 7, 2006 8:25 pm PT

    I would like to see a firm $200, but $250 fine. Plus, in less than a year that price will go down to $200 probably

  • uk132002

    Posted Jun 7, 2006 5:47 am PT

    The price is good caus here in the UK in comes down to 103 pounds which is a steal. what im looking forward too is both the controller and being able to download classic NES/SNES games. Nintendo are the second best company. (1. Playstation, 2. Nintendo, 3. Xbox).

  • sonicphoto

    Posted Jun 6, 2006 4:13 pm PT

    250 or less is nice and perhaps too low for something that is totally different gameplay to the other consoles that only improve graphics.

  • bbgamemaster

    Posted Jun 5, 2006 6:52 pm PT

    50 bucks who cares
    less than a day of work

  • --MasterLink--

    Posted Jun 5, 2006 4:05 pm PT

    Sweet, less than $250 is a good deal.

  • GMCTrucks

    Posted Jun 5, 2006 3:35 pm PT

    Nintendo is so nice!!!

  • nenolen

    Posted Jun 5, 2006 7:40 am PT

    I'll pay the $250 if I don't see any of the $60 a game crap.

  • Unleashed666

    Posted Jun 4, 2006 7:54 pm PT

    $250.00 not bad

  • thumbnails

    Posted Jun 4, 2006 2:26 pm PT

    how much will it be in Canada?

  • Tromboner_08

    Posted Jun 4, 2006 10:22 am PT

    I don't understand how you guys/gals can gripe about a $250 price point. For the top end 360 it's $400 and for the PS3 it's $600. It's between $150 and $350 cheaper than it's opposition. I truly think with the controller and price point it will have the highest initial sales of any console. After seeing this I may buy a Wii first....

  • sithlordmaikel

    Posted Jun 4, 2006 7:38 am PT

    when are you gonna come with specs of the wii!!!!

  • alpha_company

    Posted Jun 3, 2006 11:41 pm PT

    Yeah....that's good. Unlike some other next gen console.....SONY!!!!... I'm disappointed

  • bugexe

    Posted Jun 3, 2006 9:23 pm PT

    I think you missed the mark BladePenguin. Xbox was not a weak system at all. Xbox 360 will probaably get killed yes, but don't go saying that Gamecube was all the and a bag of chips. Gamecube was nearly a flop because it didn't give the gamers the good games they wanted for the most part. Don't go bashing Xbox for no reason buddy, because its still really popular and not weak at all.

  • BladePenguin

    Posted Jun 3, 2006 7:21 pm PT

    First who cares if the xbox drops

    Xbox is a crappy system in the first place...

    Ps3 and Wii will kill it after so meh.

    Id pay 310$ (Canadian) To be able to play Super Smash bros Brawl.

    Its not a solid 250$ so why do people say its pushing it when the price is not fully decided, It's still a range.

    Aswell is the fact that just because Wii is cheaper then the other systems, doesnt mean it's weaker.
    For the Most Part Xbox was the weakest system for gameplay. Ps2 and GC gave us more, GC being more innovative even for years.

    So Conclusion
    Dont complain about Wii, Insult Xbox, and Dont complain about ps3 either

  • bugexe

    Posted Jun 2, 2006 11:07 pm PT

    Anybody who says the price is pushing it should be flamed.

  • Ninjitsu_Gamer

    Posted Jun 2, 2006 9:32 pm PT

    Who's going to want an Xbox 360 core system? Plus, even if the 360 drops $100, when the Wii does the same, it will be cheaper.
    A 250 STARTING Price is not pushing it compared to $300, $400, $500, and $600 starting prices. It is a friggin' STARTING PRICE.

  • viperfang101

    Posted Jun 2, 2006 8:02 pm PT

    As long as the price is around $200-$250, I'll be happy. Wii Hii!

  • swirskytheman

    Posted Jun 2, 2006 5:16 pm PT

    Come on now you are just taking advantage of the people

  • darthzew

    Posted Jun 2, 2006 5:16 pm PT

    This is pushing it. While still a rumor (all of the others have come true), the 360 will drop in price by $100 dollars. You'd pay 200 for the core package and get a much better system.

  • keitaro0516

    Posted Jun 2, 2006 3:05 pm PT

    Hellooooooooooooooo Beautyfull!!!!!! finale nintendo's rebirth
    innovation against power same technique that the ds against psp!!!!!!

  • darksniperdrago

    Posted Jun 2, 2006 1:19 pm PT

    definitely getting it now

  • AsadMahdi59

    Posted Jun 2, 2006 1:19 pm PT

    how much can u sell a gamecube for at gamestop?

  • AsadMahdi59

    Posted Jun 2, 2006 1:17 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • swirskytheman

    Posted Jun 2, 2006 12:26 pm PT

    250!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TOO MUCH IM BUYING A PS3 LOL

  • bugexe

    Posted Jun 2, 2006 11:43 am PT

    Well said drksamus101

  • drksamus101

    Posted Jun 2, 2006 11:27 am PT

    $250 in itself is a damn well reasonable price
    and under $250 could only mean good things
    even the previous generation playstation and xbox were realeased at higher prices than that
    $300 to be exact

    remember, sony is the cheap company
    not nintendo
    nintendo is going to make any price worth a consumer's time and wallet

  • levin_tureno

    Posted Jun 2, 2006 10:18 am PT

    I don't really know what to think. I guess since the rest of the Nintendo consoles were $199.99, they'll lower the price. But, one way or another, I'm getting it!!

  • 3233945424

    Posted Jun 2, 2006 8:41 am PT

    TO LOW $250 I EXPECT $350 AT LEAST

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