Is the Wii U Going to Follow the 3DS?

[Ventus]

So I can't say Nintendo has started a trend since it's only been one of their many pieces of hardware, but we all know that the 3DS was sold at a price point of $250 at launch, and later the price was cut to $170 because sales were so poor. That gave birth to the 3DS Ambassador Program which IMO is unfair but that's for another topic elsewhere.

My question is, do you think the Wii U is going to follow the 3DS, being sold at a hefty price at launch then needing a cut to generate more sales? It's too early to say exactly since the launch price hasn't been given and of course we don't know the exact specifications, but in my opinion I think it will. All of the abilities that the controller alone will be able to do, those likely take a huge toll on the system and the controller itself. That means money and a lot of it is needed to make both the system and controller. However, common people may or may not have that money.

 

[Spirit]

Everything is ridiculously priced when it comes out, even consoles, Xbox360s are still going for about £300 here in england if you're wanting an R2-D2 version that beeps... I agree with you, the Wii-U will be a hefty price and then dropped but most things drop, especially since it'll most likely be released in the summer of next year, few months later xmas sales and a price drop 'offer' style decrease in price will follow. That and the price will be high because it will be the first of the next gen consoles and people will want a piece of it.

 

[CCG <3 Zelda]

Nintendo actually brought up in an interview regarding the Wii U that they had drop the price of the 3DS due to poor sales, and that they didn't want the Wii U to have the same problem. I can still see something like that happening, though. It would probably help increase its sales like it did for the 3DS

 

[ImpaMale]

I worry about this too actually. I don't think the price drop for the 3DS was really that significant (in terms of profit loss I mean), but if Nintendo is forced to drop the WiiU price from $350 to say $199, or even $99 it would look extremely bad on them. Maybe they'll drop it to $250-$275 eventually?

 

[A Link In Time]

I think Nintendo has learned to price its hardware appropriately. I'm thinking the system will retail for either $300 or $350 dollars. The controller truly is a marvel in social communication and the graphics are definitely a step up from 360 and PS3 even if minimally. Whether or not a price cut will be needed soon after release, however, will be determined by the software that is available at launch. With titles like ZombiU, Darksiders II, Rayman Legends, Nintendo Land, and New Super Mario Bros. U already confirmed for launch, the company will need to pull all the stops to ensure Assassin's Creed III, Mass Effect 3, Batman Arkham City: Armored Edition, and above all, Pikmin 3 find themselves on that list as well. At this point it's a waiting game. Here's for an optimistic future for the Big N. :yes:

 

[Zelda-Rocks]

i think it will cost around $300 at launch, but it will probably drop to more like $200-$275 range.

 

[goomboo]

Everything is ridiculously priced when it comes out, even consoles, Xbox360s are still going for about £300 here in england if you're wanting an R2-D2 version that beeps... I agree with you, the Wii-U will be a hefty price and then dropped but most things drop, especially since it'll most likely be released in the summer of next year, few months later xmas sales and a price drop 'offer' style decrease in price will follow. That and the price will be high because it will be the first of the next gen consoles and people will want a piece of it.

Actually I'm pretty sure we've been told the Wii U is releasing this year

 

[donpedrox]

I hope its affordable and comes with good launch titles not like PS3 at launch which was overpriced and there wasn't much going on for it. I am hoping for a 300 or less price tag but that's me being hopeful

 

[Jimmu]

So $250 was too much? So they cut it to $170 for you? Come and live here in Australia.
It was $350 and was cut to $250. At the time I'm pretty sure the Australian dollar was worth more than the American dollar so after the price cut we would have still been paying OVER $250 American dollars for a 3DS.
I'm sick of the racism towards Australians in the video game industry, I can't see any good reason to price games and consoles that high. Why do we pay $70 for a RRP 3DS game? Why do we pay $100 for a RRP Wii game? I could keep going with rage but I'll stop to avoid getting banned.

I hope the Wii U is affordable here in Australia and their shouldn't be anymore than a $50 price gap between Australia and America. The Wii launched in the USA at $249.99 while the Australian price was $399.95. I want a strong lineup of Game Cube games on the EShop from launch and I want Nintendoland to be packaged with the Wii U like Wii Sports was with the Wii.
/rage

 

[ImpaMale]

i think it will cost around $300 at launch, but it will probably drop to more like $200-$275 range.

I heard $350 just from quickly surfing the net, but if Nintendo still hasn't confirmed that...

So $250 was too much? So they cut it to $170 for you? Come and live here in Australia.
It was $350 and was cut to $250. At the time I'm pretty sure the Australian dollar was worth more than the American dollar so after the price cut we would have still been paying OVER $250 American dollars for a 3DS.
I'm sick of the racism towards Australians in the video game industry, I can't see any good reason to price games and consoles that high. Why do we pay $70 for a RRP 3DS game? Why do we pay $100 for a RRP Wii game?
/rage

That sucks. The only reason I can think of for that amount of price differential is population size. America has a population that's way larger than Australia, making it a much bigger market. That's still really high price though.