Nintendo's Delayed, Expensive Console

Oh, I tease. Well, kinda. Apparently the Wii will be out December 2nd in Japan for $220. This is apparently straight from the horse's mouth and conflicts directly with current rumormongering that the console will hit U.S. shores in November for $250.

It conflicts because Nintendo's never released any product I can think of in the U.S. before Japan. The price point might be about right, although Nintendo's U.S. prices often play pretty close to their Japanese ones. So if Japan gets it Deember 2nd ... when will Santa bring me mine?

It's also interesting to note that Nintendo has never released a console over $200 nor have ever released as late as December. That latter makes me suspect that the Wii is actually delayed, but since (unlike a certain other company) Nintendo focuses on features and not release dates ... nobody is really the wiser.

Is $250 expensive? It sounds crazy to ask ... but remember in a non-bizarro world Microsoft and Sony would have been sticking to the $300 price point. By asking $250, we'd actually be talking about how Nintendo was closing out one of their prime assets ... their cheap price. But since $400 is the new cheap, Nintendo looks practically bargain basement.

So is Nintendo releasing a more expensive console which has been potentially delayed ... or an inexpensive one with enough supply to bear a holiday rush? The answer seems to be both.

Update: Engadget confirms the November date and price from The Reggie himself. Weird. Either NewLaunches' info is off, it's PR mishap or something. But Reggie says November is a worldwide launch.


tagged: nintendo, gaming