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Wii

Wii For $170, Says Electronic Arts

by Steven Rodriguez - August 21, 2006, 1:36 pm EDT
Total comments: 43 Source: GamesIndustry.biz

One of EA's top men is saying the publisher expects the console to be cheap.

News site GamesIndustry.biz has learned from an EA executive that his company believes the North American Nintendo Wii hardware will retail for somewhere in the neighborhood of $170.

David Gardner, an EA executive vice president and COO of the company's worldwide studios, also said to GI.biz that "Nintendo has come up with a very clever strategy," citing that consumers have the option of buying a Wii along with another console.

Nintendo has only gone on record to say that Wii will retail for "under $250." The official price and other launch details are still not known, but they could be revealed as early as this week at the German Games Convention.

Thanks to segallane for the tip!

Talkback

AcefonduAugust 21, 2006

Wii will be my first choice of console regardless of the price. It's sad when EA is dishing out more pricing info than Nintendo though. SPEAK TO ME NINTENDO! (shakes computer hoping the Goldeneye won't blow up.)

ArbokAugust 21, 2006

At this stage in the game, Nintendo needs to announce the price before others start to give low-ball figures that will have people dissapointed when the system ends up being more (I doubt the system will sell for $170... but it would be nicer on my wallet of course).

PopeRealAugust 21, 2006

That just doesn't seem possible. I hope no one is dissapointed if it is $220 or more....

thomaseiAugust 21, 2006

wii for $170 would be a smart move for nintendo. i would never by wii for over $200

wanderingAugust 21, 2006

The Wii won't retail for $170. Or at least, it better not. The GameCube failed to win over customers and third parties at $99, how is the GameCube 1.5 supposed to that at almost twice the cost? The DS just barley got away with its outrageous pricepoint because of how expensive the PSP was, and now they're expecting people to pay MORE for a system that isn't even a portable? Well, I for one, won't buy the console if it costs more than $99.Though it should really cost $79, considering how outdated the technology is.

I'm the new Mario

PopeRealAugust 21, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: wandering
The Wii won't retail for $170. Or at least, it better not. The GameCube failed to win over customers and third parties at $99, how is the GameCube 1.5 supposed to that at almost twice the cost? The DS just barley got away with its outrageous pricepoint because of how expensive the PSP was, and now they're expecting people to pay MORE for a system that isn't even a portable? Well, I for one, won't buy the console if it costs more than $99.Though it should really cost $79, considering how outdated the technology is.

I'm the new Mario


Yeah, that motion sensor technology is really outdated. Oh wait no one has ever used that yet.....

"now they're expecting people to pay MORE for a system that isn't even a portable?"....ummm ok... do I really have to say that portables are always cheaper than home consoles?

There are just too many things wrong with this post, I don't want to even bother covering them all....

JensenAugust 21, 2006

$149 seems reasonable. Game Cube with Wifi, 512mb of flash storage, a controller that costs a few bucks more and some IR LEDs. Getting the Wii will also require you to get (rechargable) batteries. I wouldn't want the price of both together to be more than $199.

KnowsNothingAugust 21, 2006

I completely agree with wandering, I don't know what you're talking about PopeReal.

PopeRealAugust 21, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: KnowsNothing
I completely agree with wandering, I don't know what you're talking about PopeReal.


$99 (or $79) for a new console? The DS is outrageously overpriced? I'm sorry I just can't agree with those ideas. And I don't think the Wii is just a GameCube with a remote either. But everyone is entitled to their opinions.

PopeRealAugust 21, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: Jensen
$149 seems reasonable. Game Cube with Wifi, 512mb of flash storage, a controller that costs a few bucks more and some IR LEDs. Getting the Wii will also require you to get (rechargable) batteries. I wouldn't want the price of both together to be more than $199.


$149 seems like a bargain to me, not reasonable. But hey whatever I seem to be in the minority here so maybe I'm wrong. I don't consider the Wii to be a GameCube with Wifi (and the other stuff) either. But again I am hearing this comment more and more.

wanderingAugust 21, 2006

The majority is never wrong.

especially when the majority is being sarcastic.

PopeRealAugust 21, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: wandering
The majority is never wrong.

especially when the majority is being sarcastic.


Sorry I couldn't tell.

CericAugust 21, 2006

But you will be able to. One day I envision PGC's forum to be Wii compatible so if they do the voice to style text thing we will all know when someone is being sarcastic by how there text is styled. I've been meaning to start a thread on how the forum be different with that sort of tech.

BigJimAugust 21, 2006

Text highlighting so old-gen... I'll buy it for $49.

$170?? Good lawd, that's a lotta money! How bout I give you ten bucks for an Atari 2600 with a Furby plugged into it?

CericAugust 21, 2006

THATS real entertainment.

TJ SpykeAugust 21, 2006

I've seen the quote, he basically said something like "i've been hearing $170". The EA exec was basically saying he hear what that analyst company said.

JonLeungAugust 21, 2006

Well, I've been hearing everything between $99 and $249. So if I was an EA exec and could spout that off as news?

Nile BoogieAugust 21, 2006

No it won't.

GoldenPhoenixAugust 21, 2006

Well Nintendo has about always sold their consoles at little to no loss or a LITTLE profit so I have a feeling that whatever the final price is, that will be cost of the hardware included.

nemo_83August 21, 2006



MicroSoft is prepared to lower its core system price next year. How will a two hundred dollar Wii look to consumers (core and noncore) sitting next to a two hundred dollar 360 running Halo 3 in HD.

$170 for the Wii sounds better than $199, but $149 sounds sweeter than both.

Kharon AlphaAugust 21, 2006

I don't think Microsoft would drop price that much so soon. It's still selling at $300-400, so they may drop it $50, but not $100 at once. And to me, a new gameplay experience looks better than any pretty picture, so majority or not, I'd go with a $200 wii over a $200 (core package) XBOX2.

wanderingAugust 21, 2006

Quote

How will a two hundred dollar Wii look to consumers (core and noncore) sitting next to a two hundred dollar 360 running Halo 3 in HD.

Pretty damn sweet, is how.

Microsoft really isn't looking for that big of a price drop, methinks, but even if they were, Nintendo can always match when it happens, if it happens, next year. This year, $250 would be fine, $199 would be perfectfully reasonable, and $170 would be awesometastic.

GoldenPhoenixAugust 21, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: Kharon Alpha
I don't think Microsoft would drop price that much so soon. It's still selling at $300-400, so they may drop it $50, but not $100 at once. And to me, a new gameplay experience looks better than any pretty picture, so majority or not, I'd go with a $200 wii over a $200 (core package) XBOX2.


Exactly, and like others have said there is no reason why NIntendo can't follow suit with a price drop of their own. Or they could make an even sweeter package with tons of extras.

nemo_83August 21, 2006

For some reason I threw in HD at the end of my statement, though the tard pack doesn't do HD.

sycomonkeyAugust 21, 2006

I wonder if he is willing to bet on that. We could start a pool. Personally I'd put my money on the Wii retailing for $249.99.

Ian SaneAugust 22, 2006

$170 seems like a good price. I just don't think it's likely since it's kind of an odd number. Usually prices are in $25 intervals so something like $175 or $150 seems more likely. That's just nit picking though. EA has probably heard $150 and $200 tossed around and is picking a number in between as a safe guess.

KDR_11kAugust 22, 2006

Usually prices are in $25 intervals

No, usually prices are xxx9.95

GoldenPhoenixAugust 22, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: Ian Sane
$170 seems like a good price. I just don't think it's likely since it's kind of an odd number. Usually prices are in $25 intervals so something like $175 or $150 seems more likely. That's just nit picking though. EA has probably heard $150 and $200 tossed around and is picking a number in between as a safe guess.


Well Nintendo DS is 129.99, I don't see why the Wii can't be priced similarily.

Ian SaneAugust 22, 2006

"Well Nintendo DS is 129.99, I don't see why the Wii can't be priced similarily."

You're right. Actually when I write it out as $169.99 it looks more normal to me.

GoldenPhoenixAugust 22, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: Ian Sane
"Well Nintendo DS is 129.99, I don't see why the Wii can't be priced similarily."

You're right. Actually when I write it out as $169.99 it looks more normal to me.


You know the more I think about it, since Wii is trying to distinguish itself perhaps an odd pricing would fit? I dunno perhaps that is a stretch but I can see Nintendo doing something like that lol.

wanderingAugust 22, 2006

$169.99 is like a price you'd see on a crappy on-sale tv at walmart. Sounds good!

NinGurl69 *hugglesAugust 22, 2006

$148.59

that's my new zip code backwards.

KnowsNothingAugust 22, 2006

My zip code backwards is the price of a PS3 with a 1.3666894448240804013400223337056% sales tax.

NuclearSpeedAugust 22, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: wandering
$169.99 is like a price you'd see on a crappy on-sale tv at walmart. Sounds good!


we all know that if 169.99 is the price it will be 168.88 at WalMart, cause they like those crazy eights.

CericAugust 22, 2006

It's just to claim the cheapest price.

KDR_11kAugust 22, 2006

NuclearSpeed: Of course they like 88, that's the codenumber for "Heil Hitler".

IceColdAugust 23, 2006

Quote

You're right. Actually when I write it out as $169.99 it looks more normal to me.]
Not to mention, then it would probably be exactly $200 CDN for us.. But I don't think this is true - I see it starting at $230 USD, which hopefully translates to $250 CDN. I was pleasantly surprised that the $600 PS3 price will be only (heh) $660 here..

GoldenPhoenixAugust 23, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: IceCold
Quote

You're right. Actually when I write it out as $169.99 it looks more normal to me.]
Not to mention, then it would probably be exactly $200 CDN for us.. But I don't think this is true - I see it starting at $230 USD, which hopefully translates to $250 CDN. I was pleasantly surprised that the $600 PS3 price will be only (heh) $660 here..


Lol only $660 face-icon-small-smile.gif. That Sony is almost giving PS3s away in Canada!

odifiendAugust 24, 2006

The exchange rate has just changed is all. I think it is only about 1.1 CDN for 1 USD.
170 for Wii would be awesome and I can't remember who said it but would fit with Wii uniqueness.

GoldenPhoenixAugust 24, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: odifiend
The exchange rate has just changed is all. I think it is only about 1.1 CDN for 1 USD.
170 for Wii would be awesome and I can't remember who said it but would fit with Wii uniqueness.


I believe that was me who said that. The system is supposed to break the mold when it comes to next generation game systems, so why can't price represent that.

Personally I anticipated a $179.99 price, but $170 works too!

~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

People would pay for a $199.99 product as quickly as they would for a $170 or $180 item. So Nintendo will ask $199.99. That's all I'm going to say on the subject.

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