AfterDawn: Tech news

Nintendo to sell Wii U in U.S. for $300

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 13 Sep 2012 10:28 User comments (19)

Nintendo to sell Wii U in U.S. for $300 Despite pricing the console at $338 in Japan, Nintendo has priced the upcoming console cheaper for U.S. consumers.
Set for release on November 18th, the base model will cost $300 while the deluxe edition will sell for $350.

The base model will include the Wii U console with 8GB memory and the Wii U GamePad in all white. The deluxe edition comes with 32GB and a GamePad charging cradle. Additionally, it will come bundled with the game NintendoLand.

President Reggie Fils-Aime says neither version will come with regular Wii U controllers since the console is backwards compatible with all existing Wii controllers.

There was no word on how much additional GamePad controllers will cost, but in Japan, an additional touchscreen remote will cost you 13,000 yen ($167). That being said, we expect controllers in the U.S. to cost around $150.

Previous Next  

19 user comments

113.9.2012 13:17

$150 USD a controller hahahahah who do they think they are? Apple?

213.9.2012 13:47

I'll wait till its heavily softmoded.....

313.9.2012 14:40

I think EVERYONE will wait... Until this turkey dies.

413.9.2012 15:05

Originally posted by Gradical:
$150 USD a controller hahahahah who do they think they are? Apple?
It is a rounded rectangle with a touchscreen, and it even comes in white...maybe they DO think they are Apple.

So much for the hacking community at least making good use out of the controller...for that kind of money you could just get a used Xperia Play or something, with money left over.

513.9.2012 15:29

What did you EXPECT the controller to cost? I mean, it has the screen, cameras and all that jazz.

I'd like the 3DS to be functional as a controller. At least that way you have another console at your disposal for that type of money.

613.9.2012 18:01

Originally posted by SProdigy:
What did you EXPECT the controller to cost? I mean, it has the screen, cameras and all that jazz.

I'd like the 3DS to be functional as a controller. At least that way you have another console at your disposal for that type of money.
It isn't much more than a $50 DS3 (which is drastically overpriced) with a $20 (maybe) touchscreen built in. I figured $80-$100.

If this controller was actually a $150 part, that would make the system itself a $150 part...and with the specs on the system being (overall) better than the PS3 ($200 part if you figure the included DS3 is $50) it just doesn't add up. Well, for that matter, having a whole console that is only worth the price of the controller doesn't add up either.

713.9.2012 18:07

Originally posted by KillerBug:
Originally posted by SProdigy:
What did you EXPECT the controller to cost? I mean, it has the screen, cameras and all that jazz.

I'd like the 3DS to be functional as a controller. At least that way you have another console at your disposal for that type of money.
It isn't much more than a $50 DS3 (which is drastically overpriced) with a $20 (maybe) touchscreen built in. I figured $80-$100.

If this controller was actually a $150 part, that would make the system itself a $150 part...and with the specs on the system being (overall) better than the PS3 ($200 part if you figure the included DS3 is $50) it just doesn't add up. Well, for that matter, having a whole console that is only worth the price of the controller doesn't add up either.
Since when did you know ANY company to sell us something for the cost of the parts? Even auto mechanics don't do that!

Not a rant at you, but it does get on my nerves when people complain about prices. No one's holding a gun to your head to buy it.

Never does anyone take into account costs involved outside of the parts. A bunch of people spent time and research to make the part. Someone puts it together. Someone puts it in a box. Someone designs that box. Someone ships that box. I could go on, but you get the idea. That doesn't even include the website the info was on, the executive giving the speech (his meals, travel, and salary) the conference room this speech was given in, marketing, promotion...

Okay, I'll stop while I'm ahead. I think $150 is a fair price for now, considering it's a launch item. I wouldn't expect it to still be $150 3-4 years from now.

813.9.2012 20:59

Wii-U game pad isn't even being sold as a separate accessory State-side anyways. - IGN.

913.9.2012 21:31

If media wants to be bought it needs to be cheaper, 60$ games are a thing of the past......

1013.9.2012 23:41

Originally posted by SProdigy:
Originally posted by KillerBug:
Originally posted by SProdigy:
What did you EXPECT the controller to cost? I mean, it has the screen, cameras and all that jazz.

I'd like the 3DS to be functional as a controller. At least that way you have another console at your disposal for that type of money.
It isn't much more than a $50 DS3 (which is drastically overpriced) with a $20 (maybe) touchscreen built in. I figured $80-$100.

If this controller was actually a $150 part, that would make the system itself a $150 part...and with the specs on the system being (overall) better than the PS3 ($200 part if you figure the included DS3 is $50) it just doesn't add up. Well, for that matter, having a whole console that is only worth the price of the controller doesn't add up either.
Since when did you know ANY company to sell us something for the cost of the parts? Even auto mechanics don't do that!

Not a rant at you, but it does get on my nerves when people complain about prices. No one's holding a gun to your head to buy it.

Never does anyone take into account costs involved outside of the parts. A bunch of people spent time and research to make the part. Someone puts it together. Someone puts it in a box. Someone designs that box. Someone ships that box. I could go on, but you get the idea. That doesn't even include the website the info was on, the executive giving the speech (his meals, travel, and salary) the conference room this speech was given in, marketing, promotion...

Okay, I'll stop while I'm ahead. I think $150 is a fair price for now, considering it's a launch item. I wouldn't expect it to still be $150 3-4 years from now.
You are right, no one is forcing me to buy it, and I won't. I probably would have considered buying the gamepad to hack it for a project I am working on, but not for that price.

I understand companies have to make profits, and I understand the costs of R&D, production, shipping, marketing, etc...that's why the DS3 costs $50 instead of the $10 it costs to make (heavy profit item). So, figuring they wanted to make even more profit on essentially the same thing with a cheap BT/WiFi/whatever adapter and a ~$20 touchscreen, I figured it would be $80-$100 retail. They threw an extra $50 in pure profit on top of that, and for this reason they will sell fewer units and actually make less profit in the long run.


Originally posted by Mysttic:
Wii-U game pad isn't even being sold as a separate accessory State-side anyways. - IGN.
It will be; how could they sell a console without replacement controllers?

Originally posted by ZippyDSM:
If media wants to be bought it needs to be cheaper, 60$ games are a thing of the past......
As long as people are willing to pay it, they will charge it. There was a time when Nintendo games were upwards of $80, and with inflation, that would be over $100 today...and people paid it.

One thing on media tho...they REALLY need to provide a BluRay playing option. A lot of these are going into the rooms of little kids where there is no bluray player in spite of what Nintendo claims. If they don't include the feature, hackers will try to implement it themselves, and they will probably break all the security features that prevent the use of pirated games in the process.

1114.9.2012 00:50

Quote:
It will be; how could they sell a console without replacement controllers?
Ok correction, it wont' be this year, or first quarter next year, because Nintendo said they fear they can't meet demand. Will the controller be out eventually? Sure. Right now as Nintendo said, there is no software app or game that features the need for 2 controllers.

1214.9.2012 03:34

I said months ago they'll start out at $150 and probably drop to *maybe* $90=$100 over time. I hope people just figure out a way to make tablets replace one.

I'd rather buy a JXD S7100 that can be used as a Wii-U controller rather than a Wii-U controller. More utility.

I hope these things are durable...controllers aren't treated very gently even under the best of conditions.

1314.9.2012 03:51

YOU ONLY NEED ONE WII U TABLET. Why haven't people listened to them saying that over and over...

1414.9.2012 09:06

Originally posted by shortybob:
YOU ONLY NEED ONE WII U TABLET. Why haven't people listened to them saying that over and over...
What console has EVER had a controller that never wears out even under the best of circumstances (especially the launch controller)? Now factor in that there will be kids using these, spreading peanut butter into the cracks and using crayons on the screens. Do you need two? No, not yet at least...but if you have the console, you might at least need one.

1514.9.2012 13:30

Wait, we're talking about the price of this thing, but you want them to throw in Blu-Ray? Not only the price of the drives, but the royalties for putting that BD sticker on the box would drive the price up.

I agree Zippy, but games need to be mass purchased in the levels of movies. The budgets to make games are pretty crazy and that's why companies like EA stand in the dust of many others that fell (Midway)

1614.9.2012 13:39

Originally posted by SProdigy:
Wait, we're talking about the price of this thing, but you want them to throw in Blu-Ray? Not only the price of the drives, but the royalties for putting that BD sticker on the box would drive the price up.

I agree Zippy, but games need to be mass purchased in the levels of movies. The budgets to make games are pretty crazy and that's why companies like EA stand in the dust of many others that fell (Midway)
2 things need to happen before games can be sold en mass like films, one they will have to have a film mode that plays itself.

And 2 buck up and take the hit and halve the Gdamn price. I don't mind paying 5$ a month or 70$ for MP stuff but normally paced games kinda need a film mode in order to gain mass appeal. And frankly I would rather watch half of them then play the shtty things....

1714.9.2012 14:59

Originally posted by SProdigy:
Wait, we're talking about the price of this thing, but you want them to throw in Blu-Ray? Not only the price of the drives, but the royalties for putting that BD sticker on the box would drive the price up.

I agree Zippy, but games need to be mass purchased in the levels of movies. The budgets to make games are pretty crazy and that's why companies like EA stand in the dust of many others that fell (Midway)
It is already a BD drive...if the laser can't do multiple layers, then it is a terrible laser that won't last very long anyway. All that they would need to license would cost them very little, and I didn't say they needed to include it. They are going to have something like the PSN/XBL store on there...they could have a $5 bluray playing app in there that would cover all the fees plus the cost of development, and the sales would be the surest proof that people actually do want it. I think that they know people want it anyway...their justification for not having bluray support is that everyone already has a bluray player, and then they have netflix support...and everyone has netflix support!

BTW...I was not complaining about the price of the console, I was complaining about the cost of the controller.

1814.9.2012 20:40

Idon´t care what you say i´m getting one the day it comes out

1914.9.2012 20:56

Originally posted by neo1000:
Idon´t care what you say i´m getting one the day it comes out
I hope you enjoy it...and I'm not being sarcastic there. Personally I know I would not enjoy it at all as the specs are far less than the system I am already using, there isn't a single Wii title I want, and the launch titles don't look very promising...but most importantly, that controller. My wrists hurt just thinking of holding it.

Comments have been disabled for this article.

Latest news

VLC hits milestone: over 5 billion downloads VLC hits milestone: over 5 billion downloads (16 Mar 2024 4:31)
VLC Media Player, the versatile video-software powerhouse, has achieved a remarkable feat: it has been downloaded over 5 billion times.
2 user comments
Sideloading apps to Android gets easier, as Google settles its lawsuit Sideloading apps to Android gets easier, as Google settles its lawsuit (19 Dec 2023 11:09)
Google settled its lawsuit in September 2023, and one of the settlement terms was that the way applications are installed on Android from outside the Google Play Store must become simpler. In the future, installing APK files will be easier.
8 user comments
Roomba Combo j7+ review - Clever trick allows robot vacuum finally to tackle home with rugs and carpets Roomba Combo j7+ review - Clever trick allows robot vacuum finally to tackle home with rugs and carpets (06 Jun 2023 9:19)
Roomba Combo j7+ is the very first Roomba model to combine robot vacuum with mopping features. And Roomba Combo j7+ does all that with a very clever trick, which tackles the problem with mopping and carpets. But is it any good? We found out.
Neato, the robot vacuum company, ends its operations Neato, the robot vacuum company, ends its operations (02 May 2023 3:38)
Neato Robotics has ceased its operations. American robot vacuum pioneer founded in 2005 has finally called it quits and company will cease its operations and sales. Only a skeleton crew will remain who will keep the servers running until 2028.
5 user comments
How to Send Messages to Yourself on WhatsApp How to Send Messages to Yourself on WhatsApp (20 Mar 2023 1:25)
The world's most popular messaging platform, Meta-owned WhatsApp has enabled sending messages to yourself. While at first, this might seem like an odd feature, it can be very useful in a lot of situations. ....
18 user comments

News archive