Wii console price drop to $199.99 starting 9/27/09

It appears that the Wii console will be available all most retailers for $199.99 this coming Sunday.

I've read scuttlebutt that it could be due to the Wii 2 (perhaps upgrading to HD graphics and internal storage) coming out in 2010.  Plus Nintendo is finally seeing demand sliding for the console sales, and the price drop would clear out inventories and bring in some revenue before the Wii 2 shows up.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ea15ed4c-a8bf-11de-9242-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=rss&nclick_check=1

Yep.  They are also planning to update the bundle, and as mentioned above, there is reportedly a Wii which is fully backwards compatible, HiDef with more space coming next year.

The president of Square Enix said that the new Wii (which is being referred to as the Wii HD by rumor) will probably come out in 2011, not 2010.  I don't think Nintendo would want to release a new Wii next year.  Typical console lifespans are 5+ years, and the Wii came out in 2006.

Well, I was planning to get a Wii soon or at least for Christmas.  I'm thinking it might be best to hold off now.  I don't mind waiting to play the games, as I've waited this long, but I do at least need to start buying titles I want before they go OOP.

If there's going to be a Wii HD, I'd guess that it would probably have graphical capabilities that match (or even exceed, although slightly) the PS3/360 but would probably also have a decent sized HDD for downloadable content.  The SD card solution is good enough for now, since the only things you can download are older games (that max out at a few MB) and extra content for a few games (mostly Guitar Hero and Rock Band).  On the PS3 and 360, you can download full games (as in, full PS3 and 360 games).   I'd guess that Nintendo would want to put GameCube and Wii games up for download in a future console.

In simpler terms, those OOP games for Wii will probably be downloadable on the next console, so you might not need to worry about buying them now.  This is all me just guessing, but this sounds reasonable and competitive.

Any expectation that the new motion plus hardware gets integrated into the current Wii controllers? Or maybe it's add-on until Wii2.

Possibly, but I'm not going to risk missing out on Super Paper Mario.    LOVE Thousand Year Door.  I plan to get the first Galaxy, New SMB and Zelda TP even if I can't play them for a while.

Super Paper Mario wasn't really that much like the other Paper Marios.  It's ok, but it's pretty much a platformer and not really an RPG.

I think the Wii MotionPlus is going to stay an add-on.  Nintendo said they had considered adding it into the remotes but decided against it.  If anything, they'll start bundling the two in one box but not integrating.

Thanks for the info. I'm trying to give a coworker some tips on buying a Wii this year. I won't tell him to wait for integrated MotionPlus :)

Edited by DaveF - 10/2/09 at 9:52am

The Wii is now $199.  I think there is a new bundle being released soon with Wii Sports Resort that has 2 Wii MotionPluses for $60, which is only $10 more than the regular version with just one Wii MotionPlus.  Add in the cost of an additional remote and nunchuk, you can get a Wii, 2 remotes, 2 nunchuks, 2 MotionPluses, and Wii Sports Resort for $320 and tax.  That's pretty good.  I'm not counting the fact that Wii Sports is bundled with the Wii.  That's also just a little more than a PS3 or 360 Elite by itself and one controller.

Another 99 dollar price drop and I might actually consider getting one, because it will finally be selling for what it should have been selling for right from the start.

As seen by its poor sales.

Say what you will about the fact that it's essentially a repackaged GameCube, but taking into consideration the costs to produce a smaller console than the GameCube with more power, R&D for the motion sensor, and the fact that a game is packed in with it, it's actually a really good deal.  The X-Box 360 and PS3 released with just one controller in the box and nothing else (that has changed since then).  Nintendo may be making a profit on every Wii sold (unlike MS and Sony) but that's always been the case with their hardware.

There is no accounting for what people think something is worth.
The 600 bucks I paid for my PS3 was worth it to me, because it contained high definition graphics, cutting edge Blu-ray technology for movies, built-in wi-fi for ease of networking, SACD capability, lossless sound capability, and SD-card reading capability, and a hard drive. Obviously, a lot of people thought gimmicky controllers attached to what amounts to a Nintendo game cube was worth 300 bucks. In my case, that particular tech is worth a hundred bucks.
 
If the rumours about a Hi-Def WII are true then that might actually be worth 300 bucks to me, just as long as they add the capability to use a standard controller. I've tried demos on the WII, using those motion controllers and I just find that tech painful to use, as well as slow. It is even more painful watching someone else use it. Personally, the WII sold like it did because Nintendo Marketing did a masterful job convincing people that a video game system, where you operate the controls by waving your arms around, is conducive to maintaining physical fitness. The whole concept just made me laugh, but a lot of other people obviously didn't see a joke there.

480P graphics and Prologic sound does not equal more power to me. It equals Gamecube which equals 50 dollars in my book. Almost the entire high cost of the Wii was due to the controller which, IMO, doesn't even work particularly well. It certainly doesn't match up to a good Joystick/D-pad arrangement. I'm not knocking anyone who thought that was worth 300 bucks. I'm just saying in my case it is only worth a hundred bucks. Also, another factor that kept me away from the Wii is that the games still do not appeal. Nintendo has never been able to shake the aura that its systems are "kiddy" systems. The Wii system's capabilities and the game selection do nothing to shake that image.

I share your opinion on buy price: I think the Wii is a dull affair and might get one if it were $99. But based on initial sales and shortages, you're backwards: it should have sold for $99 more than the launch price. :)

Now you're just trying to start a fight... :)


Anecdotally, it sells like gangbusters because anyone -- not just hardcore gamers that spend $600 to play bloody shooters , but moms and dads and young kids and people-that-think-video-games-are-for-immature-junior-high-boys -- can play. And because everyone of those hardcore and video-games-are-stupid people that tries the Wii finds it easy and ridiculously fun to play (except me and you). And at launch it was less than half the price of a PS3 and 40% less than an XBox. It did everything right: friendly to the non-gamer, fun for everyone, and affordable.

I mean, everyone loved it so much, it took me quite a while to realize and admit to myself that I don't actually like Wii games enough to buy one...and I bought the 360 instead.

You misquoted the price of the Wii.  It launched at $250, not $300.  Also, the technology inside the Wii is better than the GameCube, at the very least because of things like Wi-fi built-in, but also in the ability to condense everything to a smaller package.  It may not be more powerful, but it certainly costs more than $99 to manufacture.

I'm a hardcore gamer and have been for a while.  I think the Wii is a great system.  I actually find the least amount of value in the X-Box 360, though this is probably because I don't like Halo or Gears of War.  On the Wii, I already have a good 15 or so games, about a dozen of which I think are great and a few that are kind iffy (but I keep them as reminders of bad decisions made).  Could they have been done without motion control?  Probably, but that's not the point.  You could also do Halo on a GameBoy, but it won't look very good or control as well.  The experience of the game is what matters to some people, not just the graphics.  Play the frisbee catch game in Wii Sports Resort, and tell me it doesn't put a smile on your face.  In fact, Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort are two examples of games that prove the utility of the Wii remote and the technology behind it.  Apparently, MS and Sony agree since they're working on similar motion-control systems (though I think Natal is a little naive, since MS thinks that people won't want anything to hold onto at a certain point and I think that's a bad design move).

If you look at the best game on the Wii versus the best game on the 360 or the PS3, then the motion control might not be the biggest factor.  But honestly, being able to point with the remote, shoot an arrow where I'm pointing, and hear it release from the remote's speaker and then hit in my TV's speaker in Zelda: Twilight Princess is probably just as cool as watching Killzone 2 in action.  It might not be as pretty but it's still a neat way to improve the gameplay experience.

And if you think the games aren't worth the motion control, then I would blame the developers for not taking advantage of the technology.  I think Wii Motion Plus is going to change that, in particular with a game like Red Steel 2 (which, it appears, is going to actually be good).

Also, just a quick question.  What do you think differentiates the X-Box, X-Box 360, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3 besides 1080p graphics?  The controllers from one generation to the other are pretty much the same (if not exactly) and the games are the same (Halo, Fable, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy).  Did you upgrade from one generation to the other?  Did you do so solely because of HD graphics?  I'll admit, I bought a PS3 because I wanted to play Metal Gear Solid 4 (and knew other games I would want to play were coming down the line).  I bought it because of the games, not necessarily because it has the best graphics ever or a HDD or goes online or plays Blu-ray discs.  That's essentially the same reason I got a Wii.

You're asking Edwin, but I had to sort this out last year before buying the 360. Family & friends have and love the Wii. But after playing, and coming very close to buying on sale last Fall, I realized I just didn't care for it. After 10 years of N64 and GameCube, I was tired of beepy-boop Nintendo characters and, honestly, the "kiddie" style. And the Wii didn't have the games I wanted at the time: racing games, shooters, and hi-res graphics. Between the PS3 and 360, it was easier: the PS3 was $100 more expensive and offered nothing for the cost (I didn't want a Blu Ray player).


That out of the way...

What's expected for Wii pricing come holiday season? Price reductions? Bundles? Sales on controllers?
Is there a Wii Fit 2 coming?

I sold my GameCube to a coworker, and it's been a smash hit with his kids. So now he's thinking of getting the Wii and Wii Fit for Christmas. I told him the GameCube games would play on the Wii (that excited him). And I told him there might be bundle deals on games with the Wii, but there won't be a price drop even on Black Friday. I thought there was a Wii Fit successor coming, but I wasn't sure. Is that a reasonable guess for the rest of the year?

I doubt any official bundles (like Wii with Wii Fit) but there might be deals on a store-by-store basis.  Also, Wii Fit 2 is coming out very soon (like next couple weeks, I think).  I doubt there will be sales on controllers, but the Wii Play w/Remote bundle is still around (I think) and there's a Wii Sports Resort w/2 Wii MotionPlus bundle coming soon.  There are a couple third party remotes that are supposedly pretty decent for a lower price than the Nintendo ones.

In the case of which games you were looking for, the 360 probably was the best choice.  Nintendo games usually shine brightest on their hardware, more than anyone else's games.  That said, I looked up the top 10 best reviewed games on GameRankings.com for the 360 and the Wii.  Of those, only 3 of the 360's top 10 were exclusive (unless you count PC, then its only 1) to the 360 and 3 of the PS3's top 10 were exclusive, whereas something like 5 of the Wii's top 10 were exclusive.  My point is more that the Wii has more exclusive quality titles than the other consoles, even though it also has a much higher number of crap games to go with it.  And before the argument of "only Nintendo makes good games for their consoles" comes up, it should be noted that the 360's flagship games (Halo, Gears of War, Fable) come from Microsoft.  Sort of the same thing for Sony, though Final Fantasy (no longer PS3 exclusive franchise for XIII in America, but XIV is exclusive so far) and Metal Gear Solid aren't Sony-published franchises.

Indeed! It's advertised in this morning's BestBuy email ad :)

How does it improve on the original Fit?

There are some more games to play, the ones from the first one are improved (I think better accuracy in measurements), and I think the online stuff has been fleshed out more.

Looking at the ads, it's just new software. There's not been a new / revised balance board created, correct?

The Wii Fit almost sold the Wii for my wife and me; it's a neat thing.

Yeah, its just a software upgrade.  The Balance Board itself hasn't changed.

I don't think you're looking at this quite right. Wii's top 10 has fewer multi-platform titles because Wii rarely gets multiplatform titles to begin with. Today's modern games just won't run on it. 

None of the 360's top 10 titles are available for Wii for instance, so praising Wii exclusivity seems a bit backwards.

I will be very blunt... I own all three systems (Wii/XBOX/PS3) and of those, the Wii has been the best bang for the buck, period.. it isn't even close.  Now part of this may be that since release I've replaced the XBOX 3 times (Red Ring twice, and now 2 Red lights..) but the other thing is a hard one to judge: fun factor.

 

The game that gets played the most by me on the XBOX is Hasbro Family Fun Night (Scrabble), and the game that gets the most PS3 play?  Little Big Planet or PixelJunk Monsters.
 

Out of all the games on any system I have, PixelJunk Monsters on the PS3 may be the one I will play most.  But the Wii has factors that are hard to adjust for... like games that have replay ability that gets me.  World of Goo on the wii?  Great stuff.  Lost Winds?  Access to old Mario games (I'm sorry, but even in a household with kids, very few games trump Mario3 as far as frustratingly great gameplay)

Some of the best games for the Wii are cheap.  I didn't bat an eye paying $6 for Mario3.  etc. 

Out of all the systems, the XBOX360 frustrates me most.  Yes, I've had several die.  But also the fact that there are monthly fees to basically upkeep it is amazingly annoying.

I guess I always look at games and gaming systems as what provides me the best experience, something I'd go back to and play again.

I've spent way too much time with "Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past" which is an OLD game, but it is more fun then I get out of other things.  Super Mario Galaxy?  Great stuff.  Super Paper Mario?  Hilarious fun. 
 

The PS3 is a close second.  Free online gameplay.  Games with great replay.  And Blueray.  One more pro for PS3: you can easily change the hard drive CHEAPLY on your own.  I put a 320GB in mine.. no sweat, less then $80.  Want to put a maximum 120GB on a XBOX360?  It's some outrageous crazy cost with their stupid dongle.  And FYI, bluetooth based controllers are WAY the hell better then whatever it is MS has going on...

Which is sad, because the XBOXLive Marketplace is great.

 

But once CastleCrashers appears on PS3, my playtime on the XBOX360 may go away.  I don't know if I'll bother. 

What monthly "upkeep" fees does your 360 have? Mine has none.

XBOXLive is a monthly fee.  I suppose you don't play online.

For most people X-Box live is an annual fee, and that's really very different.  Who would choose to pay a $10 monthly fee instead of a $40 yearly one, IDK. 

(I wouldn't pay them at all btw, I'm just saying)

I don't play online. It's semantics, but I wouldn't consider that an "upkeep" fee; that makes it sound you need a service contract to keep it working. It runs just fine without XBox Live :)


How so? In a practical way that you notice while playing games? Or from a engineering design philosophy way, that doesn't matter when playing games?

The fact that the PS3 has bluetooth allows you to use BT devices (like headsets, keyboards, etc.) which means not buying exclusive hardware that costs extra, which is what the 360 does.  Also having wi-fi out of the box is nice for the Wii and PS3, whereas you have to buy a $100 dongle for the 360.

Also, X-Box Live is $50 a year, I think.  This isn't that much as an annual fee, but keep in mind that the PS3 and Wii are free to play online, with the exception that some game companies can charge to play games (like MMOs) but that hasn't really happened.  I think you can check out the XBL Marketplace for free, but not play games online.