25 replies to this topic

[Alex Wolfers]

NoA's Scott Mofitt believes console offers "great value"

We won't bore you with a summary of why the Wii U needs a price cut — after all, we've been over that many, many times. With the PS4 and Xbox One looming on the horizon and Wii U sales in the toilet, it's the most logical way of reigniting consumer interest and making sure there's a large install base to attract vital third-party support.

However, although retailers are screaming for a lower price, Nintendo seems comfortable with the cost of the Wii U right now. In an interview with VentureBeat, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of sales and marketing Scott Mofitt claims that the console offers great value, and that the games shown at E3 will be enough to trigger a revival:

We have no plans to change the price of Wii U. The Wii U is a great value. With great content coming, that will drive the hardware installed base. We’ve gone from being the highest-priced console on the market to now being a great value with the announcements from our competitors. The perception of our price has changed, but what’s also changed is that people now see what great content is coming. They’ll see the value in those games. They’ll be able to enjoy a Wii U in their household for a lot less than a competing console.

Mofitt certainly has a point — if anything is going to get people interested in the machine, it's Nintendo's amazing first-party output. However, Wii U needs to be significantly cheaper than Sony and Microsoft's new consoles when they hit store shelves this holiday season, because retailers will be sure to point out the technical disparity between the respective platforms. One of the best ways to overcome that hurdle — aside from killer games — is to have a much lower price than your rivals.

Do you think Nintendo will really enter into this hardware battle without dropping the price, or is Mofitt merely bluffing in order to prevent people from holding back on a Wii U purchase until the price is slashed? Drop a comment to tell us what you think.

 

If I was them I would drop the price by at least $50 but oh well...

Source: http://www.nintendol...n_says_nintendo

 

[BanjoKazooie]

It needs a price drop, BADLY! If it doesn't get one, it will drown in PS4 sales. Although I don't see the X1 ever breaking 10 million sales unless they cut the crap with their DRM.

[Gruff]

Why do so many people say it needs a price drop? For what you get I think it's a great deal. And FYI for anyone saying the Wii U is selling bad here's a video proving them wrong: (My friend Kirby showed this to me)

[DéliopT]

Wii U is already 100 dollars/Euro/pounds (?) cheaper than the competition.

Wii U Premium vs PS4 + game, still has that difference of 100.

Not to mention that it will have a good library of games by the time PS4 and XB1 come out.

 

With all the games coming from August onwards, what`s the point of lowering the price?

[LinkKennedy]

The Wiiu needs a price cut, I would suggest a 100 dollar cut. The PS4 is only 50 dollars more and a price cut would sway people to buy this system without a second opinion.

[grahamf]

I think Nintendo might drop the price when the XBone and PS4 actually hits stores. And a $50 drop would be enough.

[Doc]

EDIT:Whoops Ignore this post, something wrong happened. 

Edited by Pikmin Pie, 17 June 2013 - 09:14 AM.

[the gamz girnalizt]

I'll give my honest opinion. No, I don't think we really need a Wii U price cut right now. If there was a price-cut, I'd suggest at MAX $25. Half of the launch line-up you can already get on PS360. The only original games I see in this list (http://uk.ign.com/wi...4_Launch_Titles) that most people care about that are exclusive to PS4 are Knack, Killzone and Driveclub. By the time PS4 launches, there will be games such as Super Mario 3D World, Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD and Sonic Lost World.

Now, about the price. PS4 is $399 and it doesn't include any games and if you want to pay online (which a lot of people would), there's a $50 online fee on top of that. With the Wii U, it's like $350 with Nintendo Land and you also can get one more game near Christmas like one of the games I specified before. That would equal to approximately $400. And another thing, a lot of people would already have Wii Remotes for their Wii Us, so that could take off some additional controller support costs.

Edited by Xeuman, 17 June 2013 - 03:04 PM.

[Doc]

Wii U is like buying 2 consoles, Wii and Wii U. Plus comes in with an off screen controller; which costs a lot less than a PSvita or an Windows phone,iPhone,iPad etc. ALSO FREE ONLINE. That's just my opinion so I don't think it needs a price cut, just put make moar games and put N64+GCN games on VC.

[meitantei_conan]

 

I'll give my honest opinion. No, I don't think we really need a Wii U price cut right now. If there was a price-cut, I'd suggest at MAX $25. Half of the launch line-up you can already get on PS360. The only original games I see in this list (http://uk.ign.com/wi...4_Launch_Titles) that most people care about that are exclusive to PS4 are Knack, Killzone and Driveclub. By the time PS4 launches, there will be games such as Super Mario 3D World, Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD and Sonic Lost World.

Now, about the price. PS4 is $399 and it doesn't include any games and if you want to pay online (which a lot of people would), there's a $40 online fee on top of that. With the Wii U, it's like $350 with Nintendo Land and you also can get one more game near Christmas like one of the games I specified before. That would equal to approximately $400. And another thing, a lot of people would already have Wii Remotes for their Wii Us, so that could take off some additional controller support costs.

 

I have to agree with Xue here. If you plan on getting the most out of ps4 you will be spending over $500 just for the console,1 game, and online. while wiiu which is $350 you get a game and no fee for online. Plus the slew of first party titles that are going to be arriving this holiday season will make it even more worth while compared to xbox one and ps4 which will have 2-3 exclusives each, almost everything else can be found on last gen consoles.  

[Hunter]

The Wiiu needs a price cut, I would suggest a 100 dollar cut. The PS4 is only 50 dollars more and a price cut would sway people to buy this system without a second opinion.

 

lol Nintendo is already selling at a loss. There won't be a $100 price cut for a long time.

[NintendoReport]

lol Nintendo is already selling at a loss. There won't be a $100 price cut for a long time.

 

Yes, and that steep of a cut would interfere with 3DS price point. 3DS is selling very well at it's current price. Any price cut would be $50 or less for Wii U, expect more bundles perhaps with bonus digital game already installed for holidays. Big games coming around holidays will boost sales and will carry until more big releases in Q1, Q2 of 2014.

Edited by Sorceror12, 17 June 2013 - 10:52 AM.

[grahamf]

I could see a price drop of $25. It's not much, but $275 is psycologically way cheaper than $399/$499 than $299 is.

[YoshiGamer9]

Why do so many people say it needs a price drop? For what you get I think it's a great deal. And FYI for anyone saying the Wii U is selling bad here's a video proving them wrong: (My friend Kirby showed this to me)

 

Yoshi approves of this video.

The Wiiu needs a price cut, I would suggest a 100 dollar cut. The PS4 is only 50 dollars more and a price cut would sway people to buy this system without a second opinion.

 

A 100 dollar price cut?! It would be 200 and 250! That's the price of when the Wii came out! 250, plus like Hunter said they are already selling it at a loss...

[Dharmanator]

I have had a Wii U since day one, so a price cut does not directly effect me.

That said the only game I am plsying on the U is mh3u. It is all I will play until the ps4 comes out (maybe Pikmin3).

Infamous Second Son looks phenomenal. Knack will be a good demo game and fun. Kill zone or whatever may be good but I am sticking to 2 launch games this Time 8).

For Some reason I am far more excited about these games then Wind Waker HD. Go figure.

Sadly mh3u may be my last Wii U game for well over a year. I bet a lot of people have the same problem.

[LinkKennedy]

I don't get how are they selling it a loss? I seriously dont understand that so if anyone can explain much appreciated. I see the PS4 and it's clearly a more powerful system, more expensive system yet its only 50 dollars cheaper I dont get it.

[Julio93]

You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Damn it Nintendo, Sony will have more sales than ever.

[MatrixChicken]

Why does everybody think the Wii U needs a price cut? -_(\ The PS4 costs $100 dollars more than both versions of the Wii U (deluxe comes with a $60 game -- subtract that off and the Wii U deluxe set actually costs $290). The Xbox One costs even more. For what you get with the system -- especially the deluxe model -- the price of the Wii U is very fair, IMO.

 

Sure, there aren't that many games for it right now, but we know that's gonna change over the rest of 2013.

[routerbad]

If I was them I would drop the price by at least $50 but oh well...

Source: http://www.nintendol...n_says_nintendo

This isn't the first time they've said things like this

 

http://mynintendonew...-3ds-e3-revamp/

 

They also denied that there would be a 3DS price drop.  Take that as you will.

[Nintyfan86]

This isn't the first time they've said things like this

 

http://mynintendonew...-3ds-e3-revamp/

 

They also denied that there would be a 3DS price drop.  Take that as you will.

Yeah, never confirm a future price drop. Current sales will come to a complete halt (almost).