Nintendo rules out Wii price cut, unveils game-gifting

President Satoru Iwata says the price of his company's console is fixed for the foreseeable future, reveals new channel that allows people to exchange titles.

Two weeks ago, Nintendo of America's outgoing senior vice president George Harrison said his company wasn't planning to cut the price of the Wii. The news wasn't surprising, since NOA president and CEO Reggie Fils-Aime previously promised the console would be in short supply through next year. However, since both executives' statements, the next-gen console war has heated up. Last week, Sony unveiled a new $399 PlayStation 3 and Microsoft touted the $279 Xbox Live Arcade as a direct Wii competitor.

Will Nintendo retaliate by cutting the price of the Wii? The short answer: No. In Japan, Nintendo Co. president Satoru Iwata told the Associated Press that the console's cost will remain unchanged in all territories. "We're still focusing on how to meet booming demand," he explained. "We're absolutely not considering a price cut."

Though Iwata's comments weren't exactly shocking, Nintendo did have one surprise up its sleeve. Also today in Japan, the company unveiled a new channel for its console which will allow Wii owners to give Virtual Console games to one another as gifts.

"We think this will be a breakthrough in encouraging customers to spread news of fun games via word of mouth," Iwata told the AP. "We also hope to spur more users to connect their Wiis to the Internet." Such statements stand in stark contrast to Iwata's position during the GameCube era, where he said that consumers were averse to consoles with online functionalities.

Unfortunately, no further information on the Wii game-gift channel was available as of press time. Nintendo of America reps said they had no further details, but urged Nintendo fans to "stay tuned."

518 Comments

  • ClassicPlayer

    Posted Nov 1, 2007 12:40 pm PT

    Nintendo really need the money don't they?
    Sony owns (as well as microsoft). I mean, look at what exclusive titles the 360 and PS3 have, Resistance for Sony, Halo for 360, and Metroid for Wii.
    Metroid don't come close to these two amazing companies.
    Nintendo really need to look at older audiences.

  • Wurz1515

    Posted Oct 31, 2007 4:57 pm PT

    well, if the Wii was available, I wouldn't suggest a price drop either. Personally I think the Wii is an inferior system with only a few more great games to offer, but the inovation was a terrific and it's enjoyable to play for a short period of time.

  • sharpshooter188

    Posted Oct 31, 2007 1:44 pm PT

    breakthrough my ass!

  • SS4_Bowman

    Posted Oct 31, 2007 7:29 am PT

    Listen. The Wii to date has out sold Microsoft's X360 by 100,000 consoles and the PS3 by damn near a half million. The Wii is well priced and is appealing to the whole family, including the elderly and the fat broad of the family. You gotta understand, Nintendo LTD knows what they're doing, as they've been in the video game business longer than anyone now. Sony's only been in it for 10+ years and Bill Gates has only been doing it for 6 or 7 years. Nintendo is destroying competition and you Sony and MS fanboys can't handle it. Not to knock the other systems, but I'd rather have a Wii than a X360 or a PS3...Iwata is a pure businessman...he knows what he's doing and this Game-gifting Idea is pure gold.

  • Lumenadducere

    Posted Oct 30, 2007 7:57 pm PT

    I'm glad Nintendo finally realized how good online gaming can be, and I think it's a cool idea to be able to gift a VC game to a friend or family member. Nice stuff.

  • nvs22

    Posted Oct 30, 2007 7:22 pm PT

    The Arcade is just a basic Xbox (small harddrive) that comes with (i think) 5 arcade games. Nothings changed, its just cheaper to compete with the Wii. No gimmicks.

  • Shortyshrimp88

    Posted Oct 30, 2007 6:41 pm PT

    so is this Xbox live arcade a fully functioning xbox as well? or is some kind of gimmick that only plays arcade games?

  • LaN3y

    Posted Oct 30, 2007 8:19 am PT

    nintendo have hit it perfectly with the wii. i need one big time but im working at Game and there out of stock there on demand every day. not even a year and wii is at 13 mil keep it goin nintendo!

  • 09231991

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 6:38 pm PT

    @BradBurns

    Wow dude, Very clever. Never thought of it like that.

  • matrixman2k

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 4:04 pm PT

    There's this saying amongst my mates, and it goes something like this: "No man would divorce a good wife"

    How does that fit this scenario? Well, If the thing is selling like hot cakes, as it were, then why make it cheaper? Take a look at the PS2 it's still selling for 99.99 (pounds) in Game/Argos etc. As though it produces golden eggs... and it must be selling in order for it to remain at that price. And i'm also aware of Sony not even having a RRP anymore (according to some article i read a while back relating to Japan).

    This means, of course, shops are making a hugh profit (probably 40 percent atleast) per unit sold.

  • wwf20112

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 2:49 pm PT

    I would like a wii but im going to wait to demand drops in 2 or so years everyone should have one by then.

  • stealth89

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 2:43 pm PT

    while originally not interested in the wii, i keep finding myself really wanting one lately...

  • Staryoshi87

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 10:22 am PT

    The more VC features, the better. To be honest aside from Smash Bros Brawl, Mario Galaxy, etc, I would rather see more old games released than new ones =P

  • willripyouanew1

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 10:21 am PT

    It doen't take a freaking genious to figure out that the wii's price wotn drop soon they gotta milk the casual gamer and ride the hype all the way trough.
    Nintendo is laughing all the way to the bank baby!!

  • Brizen__Beez

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 9:41 am PT

    I think Nintendo is working too much on bringing out the virtual console games. I mean awesome, I get to play classic games I already beat the hell out of, some I never touched before, but I want to start using the Wii remote in games that uses its full potential. What about more sports games? What about a new and unique Action-adventure game? What about something new and now what we have seen before? Great news I can give virtual console games away but their focus should be on the new actual Wii games.

  • Chadius

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 9:17 am PT

    Whoa. That's a cool way to toss around finished VC games. Heh, it's like borrowing your friends' copy.

  • zaphod_b

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 8:43 am PT

    Supply and demand folks... If Nintendo is having trouble SUPPLYing, there is no need to increase DEMAND (lowering the price).

    Also, I know people are complaining about the lack of games for the Wii, but it is in its FIRST YEAR! So is the PS3 btw, and its in short supply of good games as well. The 360 had few good games the first year too, the same for EVERY CONSOLE EVER MADE.

    The Wii and PS3 are coming up on their one-year mark, and both have some big games coming out for Christmas and into spring. The drought that Wii owners are feeling right now is the price to pay for being an early adopter. Be patient. Games are coming. The same goes for PS3 owners.

    I have a Wii that has mostly been collecting dust for a while, but we just bought Zack and Wiki and played the hell out of it this past weekend, and November and December are going to be huge.

    Sure there are some developers complaining that they cannot find innovative ways to use the controller. Some developers claimed that the cell processor was too difficult to develop for, and some complained that the 360 wouldn't have enough storage space. Yet somehow, great games keep getting made.

  • funnyman10000

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 8:33 am PT

    You know I knew about these bits of information late last week. I always check two gaming sites regularly, Gamespot being one of them. Yet this article just appeared sometime yesterday. And it appears they "posted" it on the 26th, a Friday. Hmm. That's peculiar. Let's try some fair news. We readers don't need to be lied to.

  • teirdome

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 8:07 am PT

    Just an amazing marketing idea, and great for the consumer too.

  • ergonomico

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 8:01 am PT

    "That's neat, I guess. I think Iwata was against online before because he was afraid consoles would become a "poor-man's computer" so e-mail, surfing, and IM would rise at the expense of actual gaming. That's just my little conspiracy theory"

    And if I wanted to be a bit more "conspiracy"....couldn't be that the console producers have a secret agreement not to le t the console be the "poor man's computer"???
    I know that I am running on the OT line but it is quite amazing, from an economic and marketing point of view , that they did not make their console also good for websurfing and all the rest of the stuff.....
    I mean, a good part of the PS2 success was due to the fact that was a dvd player also.
    Now they all play dvds or HD videos but that does not make them different... a new controller (wii success) or beign a good substitution for a pc would make them stand out....or even a good divx player.....

    Or there is an hidden agreement behind it or, otherwise, they really missed a train.
    And nobody try to argue that they have good internet interection because they actually don't

    regards
    Giorgio

  • Rect_Pola

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 6:21 am PT

    That's neat, I guess. I think Iwata was against online before because he was afraid consoles would become a "poor-man's computer" so e-mail, surfing, and IM would rise at the expense of actual gaming. That's just my little conspiracy theory. It was probably something more practical like he didn't care for the mechanics of online games on a console.

    A price cut when they can't make enough units now would be very, very stupid.

  • Great_Ragnarok

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 6:05 am PT

    Come on Nintendo thats boring!! give me some news about an exiting game or sumthing!! don't treat us like n00bs ffs.

  • ergonomico

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 6:00 am PT

    I was really wishing for some better news from Nintendo....since Zelda (wich was awesome) I hadn't found a title worth playing (for my own tastes of course). Even the new super paper mario (finished the last one on the GC) was quite boring......

    I own the 360 and the wii and the DS.
    Personally I am disappointed from the wii....great idea the controller but it hasn't still being used well...also the graphics is pretty sluggish. I was hoping for some good titles to come out but seems that nothing is on the orizon.
    I would like to see if nintendo is selling as many games as it expected with all the wii hype.

    Meanwhile I am playing zelda the phantom hour glass...WOW. the DS, according to me, really rocks these days. It sells a lot and has got titles for all tastes. And they are making games wich actually use the touch technology!

    For the no portable consolles, at the moment, the 360 has the best range of titles. Let's hope that sony recovers from the pit....

    Regards to all
    Giorgio

  • pixiedust35147

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 5:28 am PT

    I am excited about the new channel...Sounds great!

  • razu_gamer

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 5:22 am PT

    @Themilkman418: ye and the Wii beat the 360 in under a year with only Wii sports. 360's third year is just about to start. Admit it, you are in utter denial that your precious lamebox got beaten by something called a Wii.

    And ffs, if you don't want Wii as your only console, it sucks for you not everyone else. You deal with your own console problems.

    @BradBurns: actually the Wii is intended for mass market which includes high and low end consumers...whatever thats supposed to mean.

    @tommyxx516: I understand you are sick and tired of looking at polygons blah blah. Hope you are enjoying Lair then.

  • deadkingdg

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 5:15 am PT

    CampusVoice
    Nintendo isn't getting cocky. There is no reason to reduce the price for a product that is selling out. And why should they package a second game with the Wii while the other consoles don't even come with one game?

    Well, they are the most overpriced console on the market right now. I said OVERPRICED, not expensive. Nintendo refuses to say how much they make per consoles sold, but we all know the hardware isn't so powerful and is probably pretty cheap today, so they obviously make more money per console sold than the others, thus it is overpriced. BUT, it is still selling like crazy because it is the cheapest, so why lower the price and make less money? That would be stupid since it sells so well.

  • deadkingdg

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 5:10 am PT

    PixyMisao
    the Belmonts in 3D...


    Castlevania in 3D sucks. Those games should stay 2D. (I'm a great Castlevania fan)

  • rouguesquadron

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 4:40 am PT

    Interesting.

  • PixyMisao

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 4:21 am PT

    I guess because I own a Wii and my PS2 is collecting dust, that I've become a "casual gamer", (even though I play my DS and PSP regularly). But to be honest, this whole HD and Blue Ray thing has me jaded as a gamer, (and had I bought into it, I'd also be a broke gamer). Games like Halo and Gears of War I don't consider fun, it intrigues me to see my old favorites like Samus, Ryu and the Belmonts in 3D... but I feel like the gaming industry has left me behind when people feel that a Wii isn't enough next (now current) gen for them.

    Anyway back to reality, hopefully this VC gift channel comes around sooner rather than later. As I have friends who aren't "allowed" to download games, maybe I could send a few their way.

  • lordmasterrof

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 4:14 am PT

    I have both a PS3, 360, and had a Wii, now i HAD a Wii, guess why i aint got it no more now when i have the two others... because they are better u say. BINGO! Both 360 and ps3 is way better, the motion sensor idea is really good, but its annoying in the first person shooter games, and Zelda Twillight princes was the only nice title that arrived early, i had to wait a year for all the big titles, no way hosay. I sold the machine, and i'm happy i did.

    Now i gotta get back to Heavenly Sword and Halo 3. Cya

  • Igac89

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 4:11 am PT

    If they fix those 360's it would be the best buy!

  • Themilkman418

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 3:48 am PT

    The 360 beat the wii simply with xbox live...

    I have a wii, it's really fun but to be my only console? That would suck

  • Delongman

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 3:37 am PT

    The day they cut their price is the day their sale will quintiple!!!

  • Limonadi

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 3:00 am PT

    Next Price 99$ in 2009

  • CampusVoice

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 12:24 am PT

    Nintendo isn't getting cocky. There is no reason to reduce the price for a product that is selling out. And why should they package a second game with the Wii while the other consoles don't even come with one game?

    -----signature-----
    Guitar Hero 3 Song List
    Buy a Wii

  • raghraghragh

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 11:23 pm PT

    They're getting pretty cocking. Even Sony wasn't this cocky with the PS2. They could at least package Super Paper Mario or Resident Evil 4 with the Wii, as well as Wii Sports or something.

  • metalisticpain

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 11:03 pm PT

    Glad to see Nintendos upper management is changing their perceptions based on new information. Iwata's move is in a positive direction

  • EmoChild999555

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 10:37 pm PT

    HUH?

  • PatLTornado

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 10:20 pm PT

    Brad that shows the immaturity of fanboys, they can't agree on nothing.

    ( if Nintendo fanobys don't want to respect vetern gamers like me then I don't respect them.)

  • BradBurns

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 10:15 pm PT

    I don't understand all these arguments about the Wii vs Xbox 360 and the Wii vs PS3 because Nintendo's Wii isn't really a direct competitor to those systems, it's actually meant for the low-end consumer. This argument should be about the Wii vs PS2.

  • sharpie_92

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 10:15 pm PT

    Just because the wiis isnt as powerful as the 360 or PS3 doesnt mean that the game have to look like **** There are plenty of games finally coming out that prove that the wii can make games look beautiful with the power it already has. Mario galaxy is a perfect example. (How good are those graphics)

    To those who say graphics mean nothing. they do but they dont mean everything its always nice to play a good looking game.

    To those who say graphics are everything. THEY DONT they are great to have but gameplay is even more important but thats not to say that good graphics arent needed

    To those wh

  • the_one_finn

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 9:41 pm PT

    at this moment i prefer the xbox360 as it has so far been putting out the games that i prefer to play, i also have a Wii but with only two games for it, and a few virtual-console games, it gets far less playtime than my 360 gets.
    I DO get excited tho when nintendo reveals more planned functionality for the Wii.

    As for graphics, well of course Wii's graphics falls short of the the others, but..
    Graphics isn't everything, but nor is it nothing. Yes it does contribute to immersiveness but by no means is it absolutely required. What's 'required' for good immersive gameplay varies on the player and the type of games he/she plays; for some that may indeed mean superior graphics and/or sound, for others it may just mean something completely different, such as RPG mechanics, or whatever.. Ultimately, it comes down to the types of games that are for a particular system will appeal to the people that bought that system (thus the existence of 'fanboys/girls'), and for 'most' of us who have multiple systems, if the game in question comes out for multiple platforms, we get the one that matches the platform more appropriately (i.e. i dont think i'ld ever buy a shooter for the Wii, that genre will always be on pc for me, tyvm), while puzzle type will most likely be Wii-titles (with a few exceptions for XBLA.

    Also, the control method is split a bit more too, thanks to the Wii's VERY different control-scheme.

    woopsie, this got a bit longer than i meant it to be, oh well

  • THizzle7XU

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 9:10 pm PT

    I'm thinking most people used to be Nintendo fans but continually got screwed by then since the days of the N64. I know I felt a little left behind after buying my GC with next to nothing to play on it. Plus, once I finished the single player games, the purple box just collected dust for another year or so until something interesting came out. At least with PS2 you had the choice to hop online and play more instead of letting the system sit. Plus, I don't want another system the third generation in a row that stops coming out with games not even 4 years after it's debut. To even stop manufacturing the current system before the next one comes out sucks. Since they've given up on the last two generations way early, who's to say they won't do it again 3 years from now?

  • wertyui5467

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 9:02 pm PT

    ...if halo 3 comes to the PC then the 360 is garbage to me...seeing as how I own a wii but don't wanna buy a 360...PS3 maybe in 4-5 years...but that'll be for MGS4 and nothin else!!!!

  • RADIUM-V

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 8:19 pm PT

    @09231991 and tommyxx516

    You're absolutely right. Graphics do count. That's why I have a PC ;-)

    I don't see why people complain about the Wii's graphics either. Super Paper Mario wouldn't look any better or worse on the Playstation 3.

  • tommyxx516

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 8:15 pm PT

    Any who says graphics doesn't mean anything obviously doesn't know any better. Every developer who is putting time and money into a game will do their best to make it as entertaining as possible, and that includes graphics, sound, and gameplay. The problem here is if the console has limitations and thats the weakness of the Wii. Nice HD 3-d graphics and surround sound immerses the player into the game. I'm sick of staring at ugly polygon 3-d graphics on the Wii.

  • 09231991

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 8:11 pm PT

    Ok not to start a flame war here but, a lot of the people saying stuff about graphics not being important are technically wrong. I believe that there are 4 key things that make a truly great. 1.Graphics 2.Gameplay 3.Character and Level Design and finally 4.Story-telling. I mean come on, anyone with brains would agree with me on this one but truthfully a lot of people overlook stuff like that. I mean graphics do get over hyped but it is actually really important.

  • Maxwell_Von

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 8:06 pm PT

    I already have one, but I don't have WiFi, so this will be of no use to me. But, more power to those that have it.

  • sonic_nhl

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 7:58 pm PT

    Nintendo's doing great, the Wii and the DS are kicking major ass.. the only problem is Xbox 360... its hillarious when i think about it... how Sony dethroned Nintendo for 2 generations...

    But now Sony is on the bottom... while Nintendo was last year... heh

    Nintendo and Microsoft... its like Nintendo vs Sega back in the early 90's in a way again.... they are both excellent systems with good quality of games to choose from.

    But AS to this topic... no need for a cut.. its 250 bucks american.. i got my PS1 for 300 bucks in 1997 *and was worth it to this day*, and Wii's also keeping games at 50 bucks max, instead of 60 like PS3 and Xbox 360 have decided to do.

    But i think thats really awesome that you can buy old school games for your friends... or your lover... thats really a neat and original idea on Nintendo's part.

  • Devvy01

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 7:44 pm PT

    if you want one, your still going to pay the price whatever it is, if you don't what to pay the price, then buy some icrecream.

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