So I was waxing nostalgic today as I am wont to do, and I got to thinking about the crazy-haired ghost of Christmas Past…
Here’s a refresher:
- The Wii price point is $50 too high.
- Launching two days after the PS3 is a big mistake.
- Making a profit is a bad thing.
I’m having writer’s block and I seriously can’t remember… did all of these come true or not?
Oh wait. Now I remember. None of them did.
- The Wii is largely sold out. This is significant given that inventory is 4:1 over the “other” system that also launched in November, and demand still remains strong. I rarely if ever hear anyone scoff at the price of the Wii. Do you?
- The vacuum created by both the PS3 shortages and its lackluster launch line-up (yes, there is that “revolutionary” FPS, Resistance) has created a surge for both Nintendo and Microsoft.
- Video game sales as a whole are through the roof for the last part of 2007. People are using buzzwords like rebirth and “surging” and the word “buzzword” a lot, and it doesn’t take a genius to see that maybe, just maybe, when Reggie says Nintendo was responsible for 55% of that growth, he ain’t spinning so much as telling the truth.
This post brought to you by those who said it was dishonest when “below $250” turned out to be $249.99.
UPDATE: Used Routers in the comment section made a great correction. It was “will not be more than $250.”
I have heard many people scoff at the price of the Wii, all non-gamers! Of course, I remind them right away that the 360 is $400 and the PS3 is $600, but those consoles are not even in their radar… It is actually a good thing for Nintendo that these people are actually considering buying a Wii. But you have to take in account that, in many of these people's minds, the DS was the last "console" they saw in the news, so they are really comparing the DS $150 price tag with the Wii's $250!
I've always thought that $250 was a pretty rockin' price, as Ms. Kaplan would say. Didn't break the bank at all, and I'm a dead-broke college student.
You have failed, and continue to fail to show why launching 2 days after PS3 is better than launching prior to the PS3.Having launched prior to the PS3 would have undercut stories of PS3 lineups and all the other hype associated with the PS3. As such, perhaps less people would be holding out for the PS3 and be actively trying to pursue a Wii instead.
Can someone please post a link to where Nintendo publicly claimed the Wii would be "Under" $250? As I recall, they said it would be "No more than" $250. There is a big difference. I can understand the griping at $249.99 if they said it would be "under" but I don't think thats what they said.Also, its very clear that the Wii launching AFTER the PS3 was a success because it not only allowed for the SUCCESS of the Wii but it also allowed for the FAILURE of the PS3 launch to help the Wii. As Jack mentions repeated (and accurately) the PS3 under delivery of systems created a massive vacuum. All the hype of the PS3 was floating around looking for success and the only success it found was that of the Wii. Now all the shows that started the month talking about PS3 lines are finishing the month talking about Wii sales. It's brilliant. I have to admit I thought launching 2 days later than PS3 was a BAD idea. Boy was I wrong. Ninty couldn't have played this launch any better.
I knew it and it was true, the Wii came out days later to capitalize on Sony's shortages and make sure that once it launched, it was the only new console available. So when parents went in to get a PS3 for their kid, instead they found the new, much cheaper, and apparently more fun-looking Wii.Let's just see Nintendo pump out more Wiis and see if this holds up.