- Joined
- Jul 18, 2012
Rumor: Wii U Pricing & Release Date Leaked | GenGAME
A few things to keep in mind:
- Yen product prices don't always convert nicely to dollars. Iwata's minimum price for Japan may differ from what Nintendo believes the minimum price for America should be. 3DS launched for 25,000 yen in Japan, which would have come out to $300; in America, 3DS launched for $250.
- $200 is actually about average for Nintendo hardware launches. NES, SNES, and GameCube's standard bundles all went for $200 at launch.
- Nintendo says that a competitive price for Wii U compared to other products on the market will be very important.
- The U.S. economy is not in very good shape, so a much lower price for America is reasonable.
A few moments ago, we received a tip from an insider who attended the recent GameStop product conference about the price and release date for the Wii U. According to the source, the Wii U will launch on November 18, 2012 (the date that was reportedly previously leaked) with an astounding price tag of $199.99.
That sounds low – and Mr. Iwata has stated that Wii U’s minimum price would be around 20,000 yen (roughly $250), but a reduced Wii U price for America could make sense considering the poor launch of the 3DS for $50 more. Nintendo hopes to avoid a similar launch for the Wii U, and I can’t imagine that they wouldn’t be successful at that price. However, keep in mind that until Nintendo makes an official statement, this should be considered a rumor.
A few things to keep in mind:
- Yen product prices don't always convert nicely to dollars. Iwata's minimum price for Japan may differ from what Nintendo believes the minimum price for America should be. 3DS launched for 25,000 yen in Japan, which would have come out to $300; in America, 3DS launched for $250.
- $200 is actually about average for Nintendo hardware launches. NES, SNES, and GameCube's standard bundles all went for $200 at launch.
- Nintendo says that a competitive price for Wii U compared to other products on the market will be very important.
- The U.S. economy is not in very good shape, so a much lower price for America is reasonable.