N-Sider reader Zak took the time to jot down his feelings and drop them into our email box. So if you haven't heard enough Wii-speak, we invite you to peruse the thoughts of a fan.
Zak says,
Nintendo Wii. A revolutionary system designed to bring gaming to the masses, embracing the non-gamer and keeping development costs low from the dizzying heights it has reached with systems such as the PS3 and Xbox 360. One of the biggest things going for the system in this regard was its price, the fact that it would be below $250. Today, we officially learned the (North American) launch details. The system will launch for $249.99 on November 19th. It will come with one remote, a nunchuck attachment, a copy of Wii Sports along with expected sensor bar, AV cable etc. Personally I feel this price is ridiculous, given the power of the system: a few notches above what the GameCube is capable of with motion sensing technology. GameCube was going for $100 with an extra controller and a Mario Party game (likely still at a profit). So how does the capability of the Wii warrant a $150 higher price point? Don't get me wrong, I know aspects such as perceived value, profit and the cost of research and development behind the system come into play here - I don't have much of a problem with that. It is the fact that Nintendo has constantly spoken about the consumer-friendly price of the system, how it won't break the bank, and how it's cheap compared to its competitors.
I wonder how much extra cost that copy of Wii Sports adds to the package. What if you don't want Wii Sports? Unfortunately you can't do anything about that, because it's going to come with the system regardless (as opposed to Japan, where it seems the game will be sold separately). Ok, so that's not too bad, you can get over that because not every console manufacturer is perfect. You won't get everything you want. The thing is, Wii Sports is made to be a multiplayer game. Look at the promotional videos, Nintendo's PR stuff: it's about gamers, non-gamers, social interaction, coming together and having fun. So clearly, you will at least need an extra controller. That will set you back $40. But that won't cover your multiplayer bases, because games like Red Steel, Madden '07 and Nintendo's own Metroid Prime 3: Corruption require the nunchuck combination to play as standard. The nunchuck attachment costs an additional $20. So that's $60 to make sure you're covered for multiplayer in all games that allow it. If you plan on getting a full set — an additional three so you can have four player gaming sessions — that will cost you $180. But wait, if you wish to play four player N64 games, you must have four remotes too, cause the classic controller has no wireless technology built in and must be hooked up to the remote to be played! Don't worry, it's still so much cheaper than Xbox 360:
"Here's some good news for those on a shoestring budget when this year's holiday season rolls around. Nintendo has announced that their new next-gen console, the Wii, will be priced below $250 in America. This is a stark contrast when compared to Sony's wallet-busting $499, for the low-end version at that. It is also cheaper than Microsoft's Xbox 360." - link
Yes, it's cheap compared to the PS3 and Xbox 360, but not as cheap as we were initially led to believe. Say you don't want to be stuck playing Wii Sports and want another launch game? That will likely cost you $50. Sure, it would have cost you $50 regardless, but it will be a game you, yourself chose to buy. It also adds to your launch expenditure.
So, what has Nintendo done to keep the cost of the system low?
1. "Nintendo of America's vice president of marketing and corporate affairs, Perrin Kaplan, confirmed to IGN Wii today that its forthcoming Wii console will not play Hollywood DVD movies. The decision to remove the functionality was made in order to deliver the machine at a cheaper cost and because most people today already own DVD players." - link
DVD players are so cheap these days that it's easy to include the functionality in hi-fi systems, games consoles and even TVs. I wonder how much it would have hurt Wii's $250 price tag.
2. No digital audio output.
3. No Ethernet port. Hi, we're Nintendo. We like to keep things simple, and at a low cost for the consumer. The Wii system will not be able to play games in high definition. Why? It raises development costs and most people don't even have a HDTV yet, so there's really no point. Guess what? Most people don't have a wireless internet connection. Most people use a cable to access their internet connection. An Ethernet cable. Why did you not include this port on Wii? It's not like this would add much cost to the system. Here's a scenario: a mother and her son walk into the store. They want to buy a Wii, the woman likes that you're able to check the news and weather on it as well as her and her family being able to enjoy games on it. So you would like to use the awesome WiiConnect24? Don't worry, it won't cost you a thing — you just need an internet connection. You have one, right? Yes. Wait, what? You use wired internet? You're going to have to buy the USB wi-fi stick or spend money on a wireless router. But don't worry, it's a product from Nintendo and they like to keep things cheap and simple for you, the consumer! They're not like those overpriced manufacturers, Sony and Microsoft!
So, the lack of these features helped keep the cost of the system at the low price of $250 (note: when Sony dropped features from PS3, everyone jumped on them...but it's OK for Nintendo to do it?). It somehow doesn't seem right, does it? Especially with how much extra you're going to spend. It's such a nice small, sleek little system that doesn't take much room. No wait, throw that out of the window. Wii is likely to be the console that you'll have the most accessories and controllers for: there'll be remotes, analog attachments, classic controllers, and other add-ons (e.g racing wheel). Suddenly, the Xbox 360 doesn't look so big and expensive anymore.
For the record, I will be buying the Wii at launch, but it doesn't mean I'll be satisfied with the price. All the talk about it being cheap seems to have amounted to nothing; this system will cost you - just not as much as PS3 and Xbox 360 (which in turn are rightly more expensive because they have higher powered technology in them and are/will be sold at a loss anyway). Nintendo claim that they're not competing with these systems, so why compare your price to theirs? Maybe because it plays games? You may as well say that Wii is cheap compared to a PC. In that regard, Wii is cheap compared to a lot of things. It's just not cheap for what you and I as a gamer are getting, and I have complete confidence in saying that Nintendo will be making a hefty little profit out of each system sold. That's completely fine. Nintendo, however, had no right to be shouting off the rooftops about how cheap this system was going to be, because it is anything but that.
This price point also completely alienates non-gamers. Non-gamers who may have bought the system for social gaming. What are they going to do when they see the $250 price? That's just the entry price, there's the extra controllers they'll need so they can play with their non-gamer friends and family. But that's another story. The bottom line is Nintendo have their fans by the balls, and don't they know it.