Nintendo Confirm Wii Games Pricing as "broadly in line" With Current Gen

[Zeus]

A Nintendo UK Spokesperson has confirmed that the pricing of Nintendo Wii games will be 'broadly in line' with current-gen prices, this means we can expect to see Wii games at least $10 less than 360 titles. As earlier stated earlier, looks like the standard price will be $49.99 a piece.


A spokesperson for Nintendo UK has confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz that the price of software for the next-gen Wii console will be "broadly in line" with the cost of current-gen games.

The confirmation follows a suggestion by Electronic Arts that Nintendo's first-party titles will go on sale for US$49.99. That would put games like Super Mario Galaxy on store shelves for US$10 less than their first-party Xbox 360 equivalents.

Clarification of the comments was not immediately available, but a Nintendo UK spokesperson pointed out that the company made similar remarks at E3.


News Source: <A href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=18701" target="_blank">Gamesindustry.biz</a>

[daps83777]

couldn't broadly in line also mean cheper than current gen?

[thePANICHIOteam]

Well hes using the word broadly so that must be in line but in a wide range? A Bit contradictory.

I think hes basically trying to say dont be shocked if some are about $49.99 price. But I think the large majority will be under that price?

TBH I dont see why Nintendo shouldnt charge around the same price for theyre games. I've been paying around £40 for a new game in the UK since the mega drive days, so why shouldnt Nintendo just follow suit with everyone else. From the few wii games i've seen there are plenty there that justify a $49 price just as everyone else is charging.

Also, Sorry to digress, but have they got any of those brain training games planned for the wii? They could probably think up some good ones with the motion sensing. One of the most competitive games ever made lol.

[daps83777]

the $49 price actually worries me, because some rumors indicate that one of the ways 360 is going to be more competitve with the PS3 and Wii is by lowering game prices, even on new releases, so hopefully most Wii games will be $40. i wouldn't mind paying an extra $10 for games like zelda, as long as i get alot of play time and its a quality game.

[chukz]

Well like Iwata was saying a while back, if a game takes a lot of development time (read: money) then they can justify a $49.99 USD price tag.

However, games like Brain Training and Wii Sports and Wario Ware are definately not the most time consuming games to develop. These are the games that I think will be going for $24.99 or $29.99 USD.

Again as for the $49.99 USD I would see maybe some top games like Zelda or Mario Galaxy, but I really believe most of the Wii's games may be $39.99 or $44.99

Remember there are a lot of "current gen" games that are retailing for like $24.99 now, a few new games for PS2 went for that price as they were simple and didn't require much development time. I don't see why it won't be the same for the Wii.

[thePANICHIOteam]

souns about right chuckz.

[galaxykidgamma]

remember the neo-geo, the ridiculous 250USD game prices?

i guess my point is, compared to paying 90USD for a Vectorman game, I'm pretty satisfied w/ what the game companies are charging right now. As long as Wii games aren't too high above 50USD I'm quite satisfied.

[CagadaMan]

$50 sounds just about right. I don't think we'll be seeing many, if any, $60 games for the Wii.

[dreary79]

Is Nintendo undercutting Sony and Microsoft even legal? Or are they going to get by with breaking the law by saying that their console is not "Next Gen"? I think that the government should make system sell for the same price and the games as well. If Nintendo keeps undercutting people like they did to the PSP with the DS then, and its games, then Nintendo will have an unfair advantage and surly win. Someone needs to do something about this. NOW!

[chukz]

Well if it costs less to make the game, why do they need to sell it for $49.99?

Also they don't want to sell the games just because another console sells it at the same price. If nintendo did what PS3/Xbox360 did then it wouldn't try to release a $250 console, it would try to go nuts with all the tech specs and launch a $350-$400 machine. This is not the route they are taking.

Also I'm not sure the government can control the MSRP. If it costs Nintendo $20 or $200 or $2000 to make something, they can sell it at any price they want. You are also getting a lot less with the Nintendo Wii (in terms of horsepower) than PS3 and Xbox360, so why should they "FORCE" you to pay $500 for it?

The reason it costs more for PSP games is the media they are on. UMD discs aren't the most popular things and putting games on them costs more. Think of back in N64 days when a game was like $60 or $70 USD because it was cartridge format that costed more just to make. Compared to PSX which was CD-R which were like pennies each, so most of their games were $49.99.

Also how is it breaking the law if they are undercutting prices? Nintendo makes the product they can sell it for whatever price they want. Just because it costs the other companies more money to make games, why should nintendo charge it's players more?

You are basically saying "nintendo should charge more so it can be equal with PS3 and Xbox360" which makes no sense. The hardware is much less than the Xbox360 and PS3, nintendo decided to do this to lower costs.

[dreary79]

Well if it costs less to make the game, why do they need to sell it for $49.99?

Also they don't want to sell the games just because another console sells it at the same price. If nintendo did what PS3/Xbox360 did then it wouldn't try to release a $250 console, it would try to go nuts with all the tech specs and launch a $350-$400 machine. This is not the route they are taking.

Also I'm not sure the government can control the MSRP. If it costs Nintendo $20 or $200 or $2000 to make something, they can sell it at any price they want. You are also getting a lot less with the Nintendo Wii (in terms of horsepower) than PS3 and Xbox360, so why should they "FORCE" you to pay $500 for it?

The reason it costs more for PSP games is the media they are on. UMD discs aren't the most popular things and putting games on them costs more. Think of back in N64 days when a game was like $60 or $70 USD because it was cartridge format that costed more just to make. Compared to PSX which was CD-R which were like pennies each, so most of their games were $49.99.

Also how is it breaking the law if they are undercutting prices? Nintendo makes the product they can sell it for whatever price they want. Just because it costs the other companies more money to make games, why should nintendo charge it's players more?

You are basically saying "nintendo should charge more so it can be equal with PS3 and Xbox360" which makes no sense. The hardware is much less than the Xbox360 and PS3, nintendo decided to do this to lower costs.Good point, I guess I just wasn't making myself clear.

EDIT: This is the point I'm trying to make.... If people go into Walmart and see 3 next gen systems they are going to by the Wii because its half the price and the games are way cheaper. They aren't going to realize that the Wii is just like a Gamecube with a wireless remote. PS3 and 360 won't sell as many because they cost more and then... next gen will lose to a current gen system like the Wii. You can't tell me that Nintendo isn't trying to work this trickery for their advantage. PS3 and 360 should get the government to force Nintendo to raise their price so that they can sell more systems. Nintendo is fooling uneducated people into thinking the Wii is next gen. But behind their back.. they are saying "legally we are new gen, not next gen".

[msaraiva]

Good point, I guess I just wasn't making myself clear.

EDIT: This is the point I'm trying to make.... If people go into Walmart and see 3 next gen systems they are going to by the Wii because its half the price and the games are way cheaper. They aren't going to realize that the Wii is just like a Gamecube with a wireless remote. PS3 and 360 won't sell as many because they cost more and then... next gen will lose to a current gen system like the Wii. You can't tell me that Nintendo isn't trying to work this trickery for their advantage. PS3 and 360 should get the government to force Nintendo to raise their price so that they can sell more systems. Nintendo is fooling uneducated people into thinking the Wii is next gen. But behind their back.. they are saying "legally we are new gen, not next gen".

I'm sick of people like you claiming the wii is just a "gamecube + wiimote". Do you have technical insight of the machine and know-how to justify your claims? If not, please STOP the BS.

[dreary79]

I'm sick of people like you claiming the wii is just a "gamecube + wiimote". Do you have technical insight of the machine and know-how to justify your claims? If not, please STOP the #@.You know... your right, I'm sorry. I guess wii just have a misunderstanding. =(

[msaraiva]

You know... your right, I'm sorry. I guess wii just have a misunderstanding. =(

excuse accepted :p

[daps83777]

you know dreary79, you should really make up your mind if you are going to support the Wii, or bash it, because you sure seem to contradict yourself all the time.

[dreary79]

you know dreary79, you should really make up your mind if you are going to support the Wii, or bash it, because you sure seem to contradict yourself all the time.I just got done saying that the Wii has an unfair advantage and will win and you're saying that I bash the Wii?

[Radiozo]

So next gen = better graphics? Then why bother buying a console since PC kicks consoles ass when it comes to graphics. :)

Alright back to the topic. I dont think Nintendo will have cheaper games than the other consoles. Why should they? People will buy Zelda, Mario, Smash brothers and so on at any price. I know I will :D

Also I dont think people are that stupid that they buy games that just look good. They want great gameplay.

Before you label me a Nintendo fanboy you should know that I already own a 360 an will buy a PS3 also.

There is room for all 3 of them in the marketplace. They all have great franchises. Wii has the Zelda, Metroid, Mario games. PS3 has Metal Gear, Gran Turismo, Final Fantasy. 360 has Halo 3, Fable 2 and GTA.

Sorry if I got a bit off topic but Im kinda sick of this "My console is better than your console" bullshit. They are all great :D

[Havok154]

Also I dont think people are that stupid that they buy games that just look good. They want great gameplay.
That's not 100% true. Most people are stupid, in general, not just with their game buying. But how often do you see the casual gamer just go to walmart, gamestop, etc, and pick up a box, look at the pictures on the back, then buy the game. Obviously there are those that buy games purely on looks. The average, casual gamer, doesn't look at reviews or videos, they look at a box, ask their friend who's next to them how they think the game looks, then buy it from a couple 1"x1" screenshots.

While most of us on here don't do that, we aren't the average consumer.