No plans for budget Wii range

Wii News | RIP Player's Choice?

One of the possible reasons why some consoles have enjoyed healthy sales in the past is that they've offered a budget range for consumers. Not only does this attract potential buyers to their respective markets, but it also encourages current system owners to try out software that they wouldn't normally purchase.

Nintendo weren't one to ignore this, and offered similar schemes during the SNES, Nintendo 64 and GameCube lifespans. However, if a recent interview with MCV is anything to go by, potential and current Wii owners may have to wait a little longer than preferred to find Twilight Princess for that eye-catching price of AU$49.95

"We have no plans for a Wii budget label," a Nintendo UK spokesperson told MCV. "Nintendo Wii software is performing very well at its current price points."

Of course, it's still only eight months since the Wii's launch, so we'd imagine a budget range will arrive eventually. While you eagerly wait for an official Wii budget range, you can always view the latest Australian Gaming Bargains feature on PALGN for up to date info on retailer specials across all consoles.

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24 Comments

Nev

4 years ago

Quote

"Nintendo Wii software is performing very well at its current price points."

I could be wrong, but isn't the whole point of the Platinum range on the PS2 that it's for games that have already "performed very well?"

Qbert

4 years ago

I doubt Nintendo will lower the RRP of any first party games if they keep selling well. Eventually they will have to though, it would be stupid not too.

It sucks that Nintendo really don't seem to push forward budget prices on high selling games, whereas Microsoft and especially Sony get right behind it. But like the article says, most Wii games are already well below RRP by around $30...which is where they should be anyway based on US prices, but that's for a different thread.

Joseph

4 years ago

Nev wrote

Quote

"Nintendo Wii software is performing very well at its current price points."

I could be wrong, but isn't the whole point of the Platinum range on the PS2 that it's for games that have already "performed very well?"

Yeah, you'll only find the games that sold really well on the PS's platnium range. For others that didn't do too well in terms of sales, wait for about a year and they'll be in the discount bin/table anyway - and in some cases at a better price.

?oe?oe

4 years ago

Nintendo rarely drop their RRP for their games, you really have to rely on sales. I still see (the very little selection) GCN games at $80, such as Geist and Mario Strikers at Target. I hardly ever saw their Player's Choice range in shops anyway aswell.

genxevo

4 years ago

^ then you got those sellers who sell 'players choice' versions of metal gear solid twin snakes for like $89.95

tootie_kicks

4 years ago

I still see Paper Mario TTYD for full $99.95 in my local shop.

Luke

4 years ago

Nintendo products hold value for far too long, it's ridiculous and a valid reason to choose the 360 over the Wii right now, the Wii may be cheaper (albeit minorly) but the 360 has games from like $20.

thebigm

4 years ago

Disappointing that there's no officially reduced price ranges, but retailers do seem to be doing a somewhat decent job at slashing prices ($70 for full price games).

tootie_kicks: I feel sorry for you, found it for like $20 a year or two ago at DSE. Then again everywhere I look for Metroid Prime 2, it's still $100

David

4 years ago

thebigm wrote

tootie_kicks: I feel sorry for you, found it for like $20 a year or two ago at DSE. Then again everywhere I look for Metroid Prime 2, it's still $100

Yes, it's demonstrative of the market shift. A year or two ago, if you lived in a large city you could get Gamecube games for peanuts, as retailers were clearing out of all Nintendo stock. I got many valuable games like Paper Mario 2, Mario Kart, Pikmin 2, Viewtiful Joe, Beyond Good and Evil etc for $12 each, brand new from various retailers. And their value at the time was relatively low on eBay.

But now the Wii is about to become market leader in Australia, and may already have passed the Gamecube life to date. With not much apart from kiddie licenced games to play on it on a month to month basis, owners who previously did not own a Gamecube are turning to the backward compatibility for some games, and the value of Gamecube games at the few retailers that still stock them has skyrocketed. They've gone from garbage to specialist products, and they're now worth more on eBay two years later.

In terms of Wii games it won't last forever, as the console is only eight months old, and most high profile games haven't yet left their initial sales cycle. But PAL Gamecube games may now hold their value semi-indefinitely, since many more people may now want to go back and play Metroid Prime then there are copies available.

tootie_kicks

4 years ago

thebigm wrote

I never said I bought it at that. I usually got them during their 'launch' discount week ~$70-80, or eBay.

But the fact that a game from mid last generation is retailing at more than new releases of this generation is a complete joke.

phenomenon9999

4 years ago

What a load of bull. What a way to jip customers. I mean, Xbox and PS have budget ranges. Is the Wii games really that cheap then in all? I don't think so. It is how they make so much money and such. If Nintendo ever did do budget releases, then their DS games would have been quadrouple platnium or something. Paying 70 dollars Australian still for "new" super mario brother. Nintendo are the real rorters. Not the other 2 big names.

bluejay

4 years ago

open your eyes people, if you just wait for the sales now and then, you can get most good games around about the players choice (or equivilant) price anyway, considering that the console has only been around what? 9 months? I think that's acceptable enough for now.

4 years ago

Those Gamecube games you still see selling at the original launch price are infact the original launch stock! They are just getting dusty taking up shelf space (usually in the worst position in the store).

One by one the retailers started dumping the stock for a few bucks. I purchased a hundred titles in one hit. It cost me bugger all, but cost Dicksmith Powerhouse lots and lots in losses. I also picked up titles for $6 at the Games Rush chain closure auction in Melbourne and GB/Myers Sydney City dump sale. - I then ran across the mall to EB Centrepoint and traded in 15 x copies of $4.50 Minority Report and a similar number of $4.50 Largo Winches for some nice stock...

Nintendo Australia employ administrators who never leave their office to visit retailers nor do they understand the products they are selling - they are monkeys being paid peanuts.

I wonder if the "marketing" manager or "product managers" (if they have one of those) can spell the word "Merchandising" let alone execute on a consumer retailing push program. Nintendo Australia just sit at their desks and do as Japan tells them. At the moment the orders are to do nothing, say nothing, just sit still and don't cost too much money else you get the chop chop...

INITIATIVE? PARTNERING? SUPPORT? - No! Bad Monkey Bad! back to your desk - EEeeeK!

Passa

4 years ago

David wrote

Beyond Good and Evil etc for $12 each

God you're lucky, I can't even find the game anywhere let alone for that cheap

On this players choice stuff, so what, the Xbox 360 has few players choice games, the prices of the games just seem to fall themselves (personally I've only seen a Dead Rising player's choice..)

You could say the same for previous consoles. Halo 2 never became a 'classic' range title, and thats because it could hold its own. I really can't blame Nintendo not for lowering the prices, what insane business model would they be running if they're lowering prices when their products are still selling?

borgster101

4 years ago

Meh, JB sell games for $69 - $79 on launch day anyway.

DancesInUnderwear

4 years ago

^yeah but if the RRP was $50 they'd end up being sold for less than $40.

Weak, Ninty.

eviladrian

4 years ago

When I was buying a console in 2004, the lack of any discount range was a big factor in my decision not to buy a gamecube. Looks like now it can be a factor in my decision not to buy a wii.

Nova Prime

4 years ago

No-one else's happy about not having to chase old stock when getting a game after it's hit the budget range because the budget packaging is always so fugly? Really? And prices will go down anyway!

Puddingfork

4 years ago

Nova Prime wrote

No-one else's happy about not having to chase old stock when getting a game after it's hit the budget range because the budget packaging is always so fugly? Really? And prices will go down anyway!

Its just packaging get over it geez

ittekimasu

4 years ago

nintendo is already the cheapest console on the market, and while it might not have the power as the other two, it doesn't really show through their sales since they are leading. they won't have to worry about anything until the competition starts to heat up and they start to loose sales, but with how its looking so far its not going to happen for awhile.

borgster101

4 years ago

DancesInUnderwear wrote

^yeah but if the RRP was $50 they'd end up being sold for less than $40.

Weak, Ninty.

True, but they wont ever be $50 at launch.

Plus retail stores discount old games themselves anyway, you don't really need an 'official' price reduction by Nintendo themselves. Look at the EB sales in June for example.

Crestfallen

4 years ago

borgster101 wrote

DancesInUnderwear wrote

^yeah but if the RRP was $50 they'd end up being sold for less than $40.

Weak, Ninty.

That's not how retail works. They'll sell according to competition and whatever prices their suppliers offer.

Nova Prime

4 years ago

Surely competition would invariably force prices down over time anyway though? But I guess you're saying prices don't go down just because a game is 'old'.

borgster101

4 years ago

crestfallen wrote

borgster101 wrote

DancesInUnderwear wrote

^yeah but if the RRP was $50 they'd end up being sold for less than $40.

Weak, Ninty.

That's not how retail works. They'll sell according to competition and whatever prices their suppliers offer.

Sure, but they get rid of old stock to make way for new stock, many people got awesome deals on 360 games at the EB sale in June, I imagine it would be the same for Wii in the next sale for the older games. And Players Choice games themselves are essentially older games.

Of course an "official" Players Choice range is nice, but simply from a personal perspective I buy games at launch and these days you can get games at launch for below retail prices anyway.

[quote=Nova]Surely competition would invariably force prices down over time anyway though? But I guess you're saying prices don't go down just because a game is 'old'.[/quote]
Well yeah this is true, look at GCN games, they were still expensive even though old (unless Players Choice), likely because a lack of competition in selling them. Wii is a bit different though, it's going to take over GCN userbase in AU (if it hasnt already) and will probably continue to grow, meaning its more likely retailers will discount games themselves.

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