Analyst: Nintendo should aim for $300 or less

According to analyst, Mike Hickey if Nintendo want the Wii U launch to be successful they should aim for a pricepoint of $300 or less for the new system.

“Nintendo should be thinking $300 or less for their new console,” Hickey told NowGamer. “The ability to successfully launch game centric hardware within our current economic profile remains challenging, particularly when competitors have effectively extended their value proposition to the casual market at compelling price points.”

A price point of $300 would make it only $50 dollars more than what the 3DS and the original Wii launched at in the US. Hickey suggests that if Nintendo go above this price they would risk losing the casual consumers that were so drawn to the Nintendo Wii.

“We suspect a meaningful portion of the Wii market is now dark or non-migratable, as competitive casual content opportunities have accelerated meaningfully since the original Wii release in 2006,” he added.

I think Nintendo could get away with charging a bit more than $300 but over $350 may be a bit risky. Do you think Nintendo can get away with charging more than $300?

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Comments, Reactions, and General Hooliganism

  1. Daimyo Nintendo

    I think they could get away with it, because it is an HD system, a high end system but its still not a PS3 which is a multimedia system. I feel $400 would be the max, its the most I would pay for this system, HD plus tablet controller, for sure. But it all depends on how strong the launch game lineup is. If Nintendo drops this console at $350 or $300, I am sure everyone will be pleasantly surprised.

  2. George Tirebiter

    The only reason people were shocked about the 3DS costing $250 is because it’s a handheld. When the Wii launched @ $250, however, it was surprisingly cheap considering the $400-600 competition.

    Though Sony are gambling this time on $250 for the wifi only PSV, they probably wouldn’t pull the same move when they finally do release a console (which is looking more likely to happen with their original “10-year plan” than 2014). I’d say even if Wii U gets a $350 price tag, it would still be cheaper than Xbox 720 whenever that comes out.

  3. Dan

    I say $350 would be fair… $250 would be too cheap. It would have to have much older hardware. The Wii was really cheap, and we are now feeling the pinch because of it.

    • Ruthie

      It would be too cheap but make it too expensive and casual consumers may not bite as $350-$400 is a lot of money for someone they won’t use a lot.

  4. Dan

    Also, who says it has to be a $50 increment??? Why not $325? $319?

  5. Limelight788

    The max I’m willing to pay for at launch is $400, but I would really like for it to be at $300 or less.

  6. Mariomaster1

    $300 eh? I had previously pegged the possible price at maybe being between $350 and $400…….but this new recommendation is quite the eye catcher! I don’t think anyone would complain about that price!

  7. Tak

    Id hate to see it going for under 399$! The tablet isnt free and I also would like the console to be next gen instead of current (HD-Rady) gen.

    These “analysts” are nothing but lobbyists. An analyst wouldn’t want to stain his name with these kinds of ‘analyses’, that are being spammed towards Nintendo. A cheaper will usually sell better? No sh!t Sherlock!?!

  8. bamby

    i say 350 is fair the original ds was 149.99 and the 3ds is 249.99 100 dollars more wich is fair cuse the 3d tech. on it, so the wii u be 100 more than the wii ist the right way cuse 400 and dont paly dvd or blue ray not goood not cuse it need it just cuse custumer will be like tis “400 for just play game ?……naaaaaaaa the ps3 is 300 and play games and movies”. how i now this i work for best buy and this is my daily bread …jajajajajajaj i hear this all the time.

  9. Jadnice

    I will reserve my thoughts on pricing till someone breaks open the new dev kits that will be given out by Nintendo and tell the world the hardware specs. I just cannot see how you can talk pricing just based on the controller and not the console itself.

    If the spec are the same as the PS3 then it cannot sell for more than $300 (which would be disappointing to be 6 yrs late to the HD era and not be more powerful). If the rumored specs of using a triple core IBM CPU and the higher end model ATI Radeon HD 4000 series (which comes with 1GB of memory) is true…. then a price point of $350 would be acceptable.

  10. James

    Awww…. There isn’t going to be another famous “599 US DOLLARS” announcement?

  11. Andodel

    Unlike Sony and MS, Nintendo doesn’t have money to throw away. $300 dollars for a console that’s better than the PS3 and has an epic controller is ridiculous. Try $400 at the least. While Nintendo is going to try and lure in the casual crowd, I don’t think that they really want to pay the amount of money it would cost. I don’t care if this guy is some hot shot analyst, I think that he’s wrong. To get the casual crowd doesn’t just mean cheapness, it also means the kind of games. A lot of the hyped games are definitely not casual. I think that Nintendo should price it for core gamers, while still keeping it at a relatively low price so that they can compete with the PS360 consoles.

  12. I will gladly pay $350 for a Wii U, which is actually the more realistic expectation for its launch price. And games will most likely cost $50-$60 each. I bet you these will be the prices. I tell you, these analysts stinks. Honestly, they can’t expect Nintendo to release something more powerful than a PS3–which is ALREADY $300–for the same price at launch. $350 is a more reasonable expectation.