European Wii price cut hitting this May?

According to a source close to Nintendo France the company is planning a Nintendo Wii price cut in Europe, plus the introduction of new bundles and colors. This price cut should go in affect sometime in May and it should put the Nintendo Wii Sports pack at a new retail price of €149,99 compared to the previous €249,99. According to the source Nintendo is also planning a Mario Kart Wii bundle, which should cost €199,99. Last but not least, Nintendo is planning to release a third bundle which would include a Nintendo Wii console including two controllers and two games. No official response from Nintendo yet.

[sonarus]

Battling with the wii on their terms is a mistake. If msoft thinks they can capture the casual market by releasing the arcade and adding a wii mote to it, then they only waste their time.

They are better off with operating on the argument that wii isn't really a gamers console and only a fad and hopefully consumers will move on

[Genesis5]

They can't keep them in stock now! What's a price cut going to do.

[LightningPS3]

Now the Wii would really tear up the competition.

[Yi-Long]

... but tbh they arent really in competition with the PS3 and 360, as they seem to be bought by a completely new audience.

The 'hardcore' gamer, so to speak, will still be investing in a 360 and/or PS3, and that's where the money is being made.
The Wii only has a handfull of really good games (and I WILL end up buying a Wii to play those games, some day), but it's not enough to really convince gamers to choose a Wii over a 360 or a PS3.

A Wii, for many gamers, is a nice 'extra', next to their PS3 and/or 360.
For casual people with kids, or old folks, or gadget freaks, the Wii does appeal, but that audience doesnt really go out and buy 10-20+ games for their system.

[ruibing]

I just don't understand these companies (Nintendo and MS) that makes a price cut and cry out supply shortage at the same time. Most responsible companies only commit to a price cut in the face of excess supply.

[deepio]

"The 'hardcore' gamer, so to speak, will still be investing in a 360 and/or PS3, and that's where the money is being made."

Are you saying Nintendo ain't making much money from the Wii? I bet they're laughing all the way to bank!!

[ChickeyCantor]

Yi-long,
you know not all people pick one console, so they wont be picking a wii over a 360/PS3.....they will pick a wii after or before they buy a Ps3 or/and 360.

not every gamer is a one sided fool =D

[Yi-Long]

... I havent seen a Wii for sale in a Dutch store for over 6 months now. They're always sold out, and the ones they do get in, are reserved.

Second of all, I aint interested in a Mario Kart Bundle. I would much much rather have a Mario Galaxy bundle, which is a great game for someone who has no friends (read: me), as opposed to Wii Sports or Mario Kart, which is only fun with friends.

Anyway, any news about any pricedrop or bundle means very little to me, since they arent sold anywhere here in Holland.

[Spydr07]

You have no friends? But...but...me love Yi-Long time!

Ok, poor joke...

[KeiZka]

Then they should perhaps ship some from Finland to there, then. Finns seem to stick to their PCs rather than to their consoles... Woe upon them? Nahh.

[Baliw]

The Wii moment is already fading off. Its time to squeeze the average user without a Wii.
150€ is like woah! gonna buy one to let it root after third week.

At this price Nintendo is luring non gamers into buy one and test it even if they never used a console before.

[hotrider12]

if Wii going to be 150.00 in europe cant wait til it comes to america for same 150.00 I'll buy a Wii then. yes Im a casuel gamer never been a hardcore game. I do play my friend ps3 from time to time
playing a game that allow you to blow someone body apart spreading blood all over the screen is not appealing to old school gamers thats why there is a balance of casuel and hardcore gamers. you'll never get casuel gamers to convert to hardcore and you'll never get hardcore gamers to convert to casuel gaming its like duh!!!!!

[goodgameslover]

Yi-long: With all do respect but the Wii is plentyfull available in Belgium as well in Holland.
I was in a Bart Smit last week and then the Fnac and Intertoys and in every store where at least 5 to 10 Wii in stock.
And this has been so since new year. There is absolutely no shortage in Belgium or Holland.

[Yi-Long]

... cause here in Alkmaar, Noord-Holland, I havent come across one for many months. Bart Smit, Intertoys, Toys R Us, Free Record SHops, Dixons... they all say it's sold out.
Maybe it's more available in the south!? I dont know man. I do know I aint lying when I'm telling you I havent seen one in stores here for a long long time.

[ChickeyCantor]

Niet waar !>=(

goodgameslover, i have to agree with yi-long, i havnt seen a single wii since launche.......its just weird

[whoelse]

I doubt it. If they are struggling to meet demand then whats the point in a price cut!

[mistertwoturbo]

Probably because they're going to relaease they're hidden stock of 5 million Wii's before the price cut. And magically they're "supply shortage" will be over just in time.

Nintendo is like Microsoft. But nobody see's it. They're like the hidden evils in the world, while Microsoft is blantantly evil.

[S1nnerman]

why they even need to have a price cut? Where the Wii is available, it's selling very well clearly. Pretty soon everyone on the planet will have a Wii but be playing on the PS3/XBox360 ...

[wiizy]

yes nintendo do the price cut already to 199 for all regions

[Blank1017]

oh look, its the monthly "guy close to nintendo says there's gonna be a price cut" but this time its combined with the "new colors!!" and "new game includeded" stories.

Not gonna happen. I say it every time and I'll say it again, not gonna happen. Nintendo has no reason to cut the price, they are still selling like crazy at their current price

Nintendo and the media have made the image of the Wii "the video game for people who don't play video games" so even if the XBox is the same price (or a little cheaper) casual gamers are still gonna get the Wii because they heard how great the bowling and tennis is.

price cut, not gonna happen

[sleepyk]

why would somebody put a price cut on wii? it's selling more than the others. This is pointless.

[texism]

Does Wii even need a price cut?

[ChickeyCantor]

lets say this is true, will all those wii hater who said: "I WILL GET ONE WHEN ITS BELOW 150 DOLLARs" actually get one? ......

[willmeteora]

Hope this analogy would work, but that's the way i see it. It's a nice toy-ish game console (arent the all?) Anyway, I will be delighted to see a Wii price cut down under and will buy one if it hits $249 to $299 AUD. Then I will get it chipped...hehehe...

[bootsielon]

I was gonna say that the gamecube was 79 or 49 now, but again, let's compare it with PS2 which still has almost as much life as the Wii. If the PS2 was still $129, the Wii would definitely be worth it with that little extra graphical punch it has over the PS2, and of course, the fact that it's WiFi enabled out of the box. But the PS2 is $99 now I think... but the Wii has a game too, and the little extra bucks... well, I guess $149 is OK, I'm not gonna go poor for those $19-49 extra bucks it costs over its real value.

If that happens, the Wii will only need more third party hardcore games, and it's all set. I might just buy a Wii for the upcoming holiday season.