Spring 2007 to bring Wii price drops and color choices?

Well it seems the bevy of Nintendo news just isn't slowing down, as the past 24 hours have seen DS / DS Lite power adapters recalled, Wiimote straps deemed unworthy, the truth (right?) behind how much loot Nintendo's pulling in on each Wii sold, and now we've got a potential price drop on our hands. Not even waiting for the backlog of lines that form each morning as Wii hopefuls stand vigilantly and await their prize to calm down, the big N just might have next year all mapped out already. While we've heard whispers of Microsoft knocking a few bucks off the Xbox 360's price, we aren't exactly sold on Nintendo cutting into those (questionably) sweet profits so soon after launch. Nevertheless, a very talkative Toys 'R Us manager apparently let a "few details" about the Spring 2007 plans "slip," insinuating that Nintendo would be "relaunching" (saywha?) the Wii for $200 and in a variety of colors to boot. Notably, this is about the time the firm will start pushing its WiiConnect24 service, but if sales keep up, the company shouldn't have to lower prices to entice folks to hop on in. While we can't entirely dismiss the (admittedly exciting) claims, we've really nothing substantial to go on here, and until we get confirmation from someone other than a retail store overlord, we're taking this one with a dash of salt.

[Via Digg]

[akijikan @ Dec 15th 2006 11:13AM]

I think it's brilliant! It's staying ahead of the game and putting them in a position to continue their success.

I just hope sony drops some...though thats completely unlikely at any point in the near future.

[greg Sciulli @ Dec 15th 2006 11:09AM]

I could see Nintendo dropping Wii Sports and the price to $200. That's probably their plan all along.

[McHoffa @ Dec 15th 2006 11:19AM]

Whether this is true or not, I am glad I am waiting until April to buy my son a Wii... WiiPlay coming with the remote, color choices maybe, lower pricing maybe, and bugs all worked out...

[Namssorg @ Dec 15th 2006 4:07PM]

Wow, Toys R Us Managers! They must get the LOW DOWN from Nintendo Reps! What a reliable news source, we should tap them more often.

[O.I. @ Dec 15th 2006 11:19AM]

Color choices maybe, I highly doubt a price drop so soon. But everyone wants to see Nintendo are the savior of the gaming market, so people will believe just about anything they say right now.

[wte @ Dec 15th 2006 11:25AM]

What bugs are you talking about McHoffa?

My Wii has over 200 hours playtime with zero problems...and as for the wriststrap breaking you need to read this:
http://www.nintendojo.com/fullfocus/view_item.php?1166055790

As for my 360 it died minutes after I fired it up, the next one died on a MS update and the third was sent to me already broken and dirty. I'm on my forth 360 now and MS has been kind enough to phone me and let me know I no longer have a warranty. 3 months because they know they made a crap product unlike the Wii that has a year warranty that renews if it is ever used.

[Loban @ Dec 15th 2006 11:29AM]

If this is true, the black one will sell like crazy.

[Dan @ Dec 15th 2006 11:31AM]

If Pokemon Revolution is any indication of what the WiiConnect24 online gaming is going to be like, count me out.
Btw, price drop and new colors, probably not gonna happen in the Spring, or even by the holidays. I could maybe see a black color becoming available, but that would be it.

[Austin @ Dec 15th 2006 11:37AM]

Oh, by the way, I heard from my UPS guy that he talked to a supervisor at the local KFC who's dating the manager at Bestbuy and he claims his district manager's boss said that Wiis are going to come out with a clear case and that they're going to sell them for $15 the day before Christmas.

Good thing we don't need any sort of journalistic integrity whatsoever.

[Brian B. @ Dec 15th 2006 11:48AM]

A local Toys R Us manager? Might as well ask the guy who pumps my gas, it's not like the guy has access to any inside info because he works at a toy store.

[JP @ Dec 15th 2006 11:48AM]

Over time, manufacturing costs will drop, so i don't think that Nintendo will be cutting into too much of their profits.

[Colin @ Dec 15th 2006 11:50AM]

The 360 will come down in price a little but Xbox Live is rumoured to be going much cheaper or even free....

http://www.thestreet.com/_googlen/newsanalysis/investing/10328038.html?cm_ven=GOOGLEN&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite=NA

[Vidikron @ Dec 15th 2006 11:58AM]

Black should have been a launch color.

[Revels @ Dec 15th 2006 11:53AM]

Pink Hello Kitty edition with diamante kitty charm Wiimote strap FTW.

Not like that horrible chavvy pink PSP.

[Robertsaron @ Dec 15th 2006 12:03PM]

Nintendo has always done things differently and better than MS and Sony. The PSP is a better product. Upon realease though there was no software support for it, which made it inferior to the DS. 6-8 months after release of the DS, they dropped the price and came out with different colors. They have always had different colors on their products, and drop prices pretty fast on their consoles. I would not be one bit surprised if this were true.

[Earl @ Dec 15th 2006 12:06PM]

This is called "Phase 2" of world domination!
Why is it hard to believe they may drop the price so soon? They have made a profit from day 1, and $200 right now means they will break even.
It isn't so hard to believe since Sony and M$ take an initial loss when they release their consoles.

[John @ Dec 15th 2006 1:59PM]

There was an article in an Australian paper/magazine that quoted someone from Nintendo saying that the original release price was supposed to be $200 US, but retailers started giving the company crap because they weren't making enough profit off of the console. I'm not sure if that was posted here, or on another site, but I will try to find and post the link.

[Jason W @ Dec 15th 2006 12:23PM]

And after countless missteps since the release of the original NES, Nintendo may yet rise again...

If they do drop the price in Spring and keep pushing out killer fun titles, Sony is in deep, deep trouble.

The Wii60 combo will rule at least in the US and Nintendo will stamp out Sony in Japan. I think it's time MS put up the white flag in Japan - it's fairly clear they are just not wanted there.

[Nick @ Dec 15th 2006 2:50PM]

does Japan ever want foreign brands? jw

[philadelphonic @ Dec 15th 2006 12:58PM]

No way they lower their price that quickly. It's product and brand image suicide. You cannot lower a price until the initial buzz of the product tapers off, at the very least. Usually, the price drop occurs after the initial boost of the launch dies off and sales need a boost (see XBox360). Then you glide home having different iterations and killer apps keeping you afloat until the end of the product life cycle. No way that, after all their great marketing moves, they pull a stunt like this.

[Grimm @ Dec 15th 2006 12:54PM]

Well if we look at what Nintendo did with the GC...

North America
* US$199.99 (November 18, 2001, Launch Price) (CAD$299.99)
* US$149.99 (May 13, 2002) (CAD$229.99)

I don't think it's hard to believe at all that they plan to drop the price of the Wii by $50 in late spring of 07.

[OGHowie @ Dec 15th 2006 2:11PM]

Big difference is that the GC didn't sell nearly as well as the Wii. Xbox 360 was rumored to have a price drop for about a year now and looked what happened?

More colors for sure, but I doubt there is a price drop in the near future.

[Widgetdude @ Dec 19th 2006 12:57PM]

I heard this at a Target. Apparently this may be a legit claim. That guy mentioned a price drop as well as the colors.

[Christian @ Dec 15th 2006 3:17PM]

They need to release more colors or do what they've done with GBA and DS with special designs/theme on them.

[Christian Martin @ Dec 15th 2006 4:54PM]

What? No brown?

*dodges blunt objects being thrown*

[Scott Neary @ Dec 15th 2006 5:02PM]

Thats "a grain of salt"

[GhostDoggy @ Dec 16th 2006 7:44AM]

To me, it would seem like bad business to lower the price on a less than one month old new product that has no problem selling every unit at its original price. Then again, I cannot speak for any action of an absurd.

[Martin Wilson @ Dec 16th 2006 8:55AM]

If china can make dvd players with something like 200mhz risc processors and dvd drives built in plus have remote controls, internal psus for about $8 there is no way the wii costs anywhere near $100 to make. I mean the gamecube launched at a cheaper price and that was cutting edge technology at the time. The wii is just a slightly faster gamecube with a bit of extra memory and a new controller. Its obvious Nintendo are making these for peanuts (my guess $40 and I doubt if I'm more than $10 out). The pcb is very simple. The 360 is about 15-20 times faster.

Lets face it Nintendo want to get as many people to buy a wii as possible but they need to max out sales at each price point. I.e. soon as they have exhausted the people that will pay $250 sell at $200 etc. Lets face it the wii was originally meant to sell at $100 but the phenomenal interest in the new controller meant that went out the window. Like any good business they are getting as much as they can for the wii. It will probably be sub $120 by next christmas. In the uk the N64 was launched at £250, a month later £150, a few months later £100 a few months after than £100 with a game. I'll admit that was a different scenerio. They basically launched at a stupid high price and created bad will which meant it spent most of its life struggling for market share and was very low priced. Anyway after the honeymoon period of the wii launch people might be a bit more realistic about the wii's last generation performance compared to 360/PS3 and even the original xbox and not be willing to pay so much. The original xbox is a dead format now but easily outperforms the wii in any real world test except for the new controller which I admit is briliant.

[TxdoHawk @ Dec 16th 2006 12:50PM]

$200 Wiis early next year are entirely plausible. Over in Japan, Wiis sell at around that price point...mainly because they don't ship with Wii sports. Nintendo will probably either:

1. Offer a game-devoid bundle for around $200-$215 post-launch, and start selling Wii Sports seperately, but still offer the $250 game and console bundle

or

2. Do all that and drop the $250 bundle entirely.

Viola, early price drop with no damage to the product image (since they can simply say you just aren't buying Wii Sports).

[casey @ Jun 24th 2007 6:11PM]

I already have a ps3 but till the good games start comeing out ill have to wait. maybe ill buy a wii to pass the time sice its got lots of funlight games. ((I hope they have the colors black would go along with my ps3 ^^

[Kyte420 @ Aug 6th 2007 2:29PM]

don't know what this means the thru sep21 part that is is the wii going up? http://www.shoplocal.com/default.aspx?action=detailbroadreach&listingid=-2093117816&storeid=2395499&adref=froogle&EntryPageOption=0

[Anthony Huff @ Oct 5th 2007 4:10PM]

A little color in my life would really help. It looks great in white, but nothing like seeing a pack of skittles.