The very steep decline of the Wii

[tcpballa93]

Certainly, some people feel it is worth that much, but I'm not talking about it's perceived value. I'm talking about it's intrinsic value. The Wii is, in essence, a Gamecube+ with BlueTooth, and yet the price does not reflect this. For $50 less, I can get a machine with HD capibilities, DVD functionality, Online Support, Hard-Drive Options and more. For $50 more, I can get a machine with all of that plus Blu-Ray functionality. I honestly feel that the Wii should cost about half what it does, especially considering the X360 and PS3 both cost about half what they did when they first came out.

I was just going to argue that $250 is cheap enough and that I worry more about game prices because that I will pay over and over, again and again. But putting it that way just made me realize how much the Wii is over priced. I bet they make 80% markup on the system.

They make about $50 on each wii, whereas Microsoft and Sony lose with each 360 and PS3.

[ejamer]

I'm still not forgiving Nintendo for some of its transgressions, although the biggest one is one that they've always been guilty of - they never lower their prices. $250 for a Wii is high-way robbery.

...

I honestly feel that the Wii should cost about half what it does, especially considering the X360 and PS3 both cost about half what they did when they first came out.

(bolding added by me)

We've probably got different tastes in games, since I still find Wii enough cheap games and variety to appease my gaming needs. But you had a lot of good points in your post --and I especially agree with the bolded sections.

If I didn't own a system and was looking to buy right now, current pricing would likely push me towards PS3 instead. In one way, it makes me wonder if Nintendo is already starting to look towards the next console and viewing continued Wii sales as icing on their fiscal cake. Surely they've done better than anyone expected this generation.



It's weird that we (as gaming fanboys) care so much about pricing for systems we already own though. When I bought my Wii years ago, the price was reasonable for that time. Now that I already own the console, I really don't care what Nintendo chooses to do with their pricing scheme... so why the interest in pricing?

Is it the desire to be part of a "winning" group? To have something in common with more of the people around us? Or maybe seeing a console succeed provides justification for our own decision to support it? Is there a vested interest, with the hope that more console sales will lead to stronger developer support? Maybe we're all just crazy.

[the7k]

It's weird that we (as gaming fanboys) care so much about pricing for systems we already own though. When I bought my Wii years ago, the price was reasonable for that time. Now that I already own the console, I really don't care what Nintendo chooses to do with their pricing scheme... so why the interest in pricing?

Is it the desire to be part of a "winning" group? To have something in common with more of the people around us? Or maybe seeing a console succeed provides justification for our own decision to support it? Is there a vested interest, with the hope that more console sales will lead to stronger developer support? Maybe we're all just crazy.

For some, it is the desire to be part of the "winning" group. The desire to justify your purchase in the face of opposition.

For me personally? When the PS3 dropped in price, it didn't phase me. However, the fact that the PS3 Slim was at the top of Amazon's charts for a while, and the fact that my GameStop is actually continuously running out of PS3s is encouraging. I'm leaning towards the developer support position.

For example, the PS3 version of Ghostbusters has had graphical problems for a while, and it just now got a patch that makes it look as good as the 360 version. Coincidence? Maybe, but I'm honestly leaning towards developers actually giving a crap about the PS3 now that sales have picked up.

Maybe now that PS3 sales have picked up, Sega will bring Yakuza 3 here. Maybe now that PS3 sales have picked up, Atlus will localize some of those quirky RPGs like Tears to Tiara and Rorona no Atelier. That's how I'm looking at it.

[RCBH928]

Certainly, some people feel it is worth that much, but I'm not talking about it's perceived value. I'm talking about it's intrinsic value. The Wii is, in essence, a Gamecube+ with BlueTooth, and yet the price does not reflect this. For $50 less, I can get a machine with HD capibilities, DVD functionality, Online Support, Hard-Drive Options and more. For $50 more, I can get a machine with all of that plus Blu-Ray functionality. I honestly feel that the Wii should cost about half what it does, especially considering the X360 and PS3 both cost about half what they did when they first came out.

I was just going to argue that $250 is cheap enough and that I worry more about game prices because that I will pay over and over, again and again. But putting it that way just made me realize how much the Wii is over priced. I bet they make 80% markup on the system.

They make about $50 on each wii, whereas Microsoft and Sony lose with each 360 and PS3.

$50 x 50 million units= 2, 500, 000, 000

Thats just on units sales not speaking about licensing fees and sales of their own games!
I wonder how much did it cost to develop a last generation console.
I bet Nintendo has made money this generation that makes up for the loses on N64 and Gamecube. It probably made more money than psx+ps2.

For me I look at sales not price. More units hopefully means better games, and $250 at Wii's release was damn cheap compared to $700 ps3. Wondering when serious games are coming a long, I see some movement now much better than before.

[MrPopo]

They make about $50 on each wii, whereas Microsoft and Sony lose with each 360 and PS3.

$50 x 50 million units= 2, 500, 000, 000

Thats just on units sales not speaking about licensing fees and sales of their own games!
I wonder how much did it cost to develop a last generation console.
I bet Nintendo has made money this generation that makes up for the loses on N64 and Gamecube. It probably made more money than psx+ps2.

For me I look at sales not price. More units hopefully means better games, and $250 at Wii's release was damn cheap compared to $700 ps3. Wondering when serious games are coming a long, I see some movement now much better than before.

The beauty of it is that as I recall the Gamecube also made a profit on each unit at launch. Not sure if the N64 did. So Nintendo has never had financial trouble even though they weren't the top seller.

[executioner]

Certainly, some people feel it is worth that much, but I'm not talking about it's perceived value. I'm talking about it's intrinsic value. The Wii is, in essence, a Gamecube+ with BlueTooth, and yet the price does not reflect this. For $50 less, I can get a machine with HD capibilities, DVD functionality, Online Support, Hard-Drive Options and more. For $50 more, I can get a machine with all of that plus Blu-Ray functionality. I honestly feel that the Wii should cost about half what it does, especially considering the X360 and PS3 both cost about half what they did when they first came out.

I was just going to argue that $250 is cheap enough and that I worry more about game prices because that I will pay over and over, again and again. But putting it that way just made me realize how much the Wii is over priced. I bet they make 80% markup on the system.

Yes nintendo needs to cut their price, before it seemed barely ok but now that the others have gone down its feels very overpriced. They could do a lot of sales by lowering it to maybe $179. They would not lose money they've made millions with the units and the games.

[RCBH928]

Don't stress it
if they are still selling like crazy at $250 , why lower the price?
Would you?

Once sales drop it is time to drop the price.
Sure the Wii is over priced, but demands keeps the price high. Remember to Maximize the profit

[RadarScope1]

I agree they won't lower the price while still in first place and selling like crazy. But for me personally I feel like the Wii should be a little cheaper. Again, that's my subjective position. I would buy one for $150 but not much more.