Topic: Official Wii Events thread

[BigJim]

Nintendo never promised a 512MB card.  There is 512MB of INTERNAL flash memory.

[GoldenPhoenix]

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Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
What.

You act like Nintendo isn't supposed to make a profit on it.

Not when you are trying to competitively price a weaker console, my figures were genorous too. I wouldn't be surprised if they are making 70-100$ on each system sold if those supposed production cost numbers are right.

[ShyGuy]

looks at Basic economics.

looks at VGrevolution.

Watches Wii sell out at Suggested Retail Price.

[Athrun Zala]

well, ign confirmed that DVD playback is out (not that I did care about it, but it was a ncie addition)

http://wii.ign.com/articles/732/732730p1.html

[GoldenPhoenix]

Quote
Originally posted by: ShyGuy
looks at Basic economics.

looks at VGrevolution.

Watches Wii sell out at Suggested Retail Price.

That price is already severely limiting who will be able to afford one, it will probaly sell out at launch but what about after? Pretty much every system sells out at launch, but it is after christmas that things start to change.  When it appears you are making alot of profit on each system sold and your competition is breathing down your back with better hardware at 50$ more (which could easily change within the next few weeks) things start to look alot tougher. A 180-200$ price range would have been a good gap, but a 50$ gap is going to look like a terrible buy compared to a system that perceived to wipe the floor with Wii graphically.

[SixthAngel]

I was very impressed with all the features and videos from the press conference.  It is shaping up better then I expected.

I am fine with people complaining but can we keep the price whining contained in a single thread so the others can actually be used to talk about the new features?

Does anyone know what that person making program is for?  Is that your profile for games like Wii sports?  Is that character also what is sent to other Wii's instead of a gamertag/friendcode?

[thame^]

I don't know where to post this, but IGN has some interesting updates so far:

DVD playback out (already mentioned)
Proper controls for Metroid Prime 3
Wii Region-Free Says Nintendo VP
and "The browser will normally cost money, but Nintendo will make it available for free download until June of 2006." (2007?)

[vudu]

Quote
Originally posted by: VGrevolution
Not when you are trying to competitively price a weaker console, my figures were genorous too. I wouldn't be surprised if they are making 70-100$ on each system sold if those supposed production cost numbers are right.

You realize that retailers don't sell products with zero markup, right?  Just because the MSRP is $250 that doesn't mean Nintendo is collecting $250 for every system sold.  I'm not sure what the typical console (or electronics in general) markup is, but with most other products it's anywhere from 10% to 50%.

[Nick DiMola]

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Originally posted by: vudu

Quote
Originally posted by: VGrevolution
Not when you are trying to competitively price a weaker console, my figures were genorous too. I wouldn't be surprised if they are making 70-100$ on each system sold if those supposed production cost numbers are right.

You realize that retailers don't sell products with zero markup, right?  Just because the MSRP is $250 that doesn't mean Nintendo is collecting $250 for every system sold.  I'm not sure what the typical console (or electronics in general) markup is, but with most other products it's anywhere from 10% to 50%.

Vudu is exactly correct, I know that the Slimline PS2 retails for $129.99 but retailers buy at $69.99. That is a $60 price markup, which is HUGE, nearly 50%. I wouldn't be surprised if the Wii was marked up more than $50 as well. Figure the Gamecube had 0 shelf space, so maybe to reclaim some space in game stores Nintendo had retailers mark up the price of the system a bit that way the retailers make more money and are more interested in carrying Nintendo products and setting aside shelf space for them.

[capamerica]

The way it normally works with retail price is:
The Distributer buys the Product from the Manufacture, The Distributer then turns around and sells the item to the Retail outlet for 50% more, The Retailer then turns around and marks it up another 50% before the consumer buys it.

[wandering]

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That interface is brilliant! Check out the one of the globe, and you control it with the remote, looking at the weather

the interface. That globe....I wonder if you could use that for more than just global weather....

[JonLeung]

Maybe Animal Crossing for the Wii will have local weather affecting your village?  (Though I guess that means more gyroids and more rare fish for people who live in rainy climates...)

I dunno, the weather could affect certain games somehow, whether for major or minor gameplay purposes.

[Donutt007]

That release date sucks so BAD...well for me at least. I'm actually going on a family vacation from Sunday the 19th to Wednesday the 22nd, then it's fricking thanksgiving....man oh man.

What should I do, stay up and find a midnight sale before I go on vacation, or just order one and have it waiting for me when I get back? There's no way in hell I'm going out shopping on black friday or that weekend, I'll be home playing my Wii!

[Donutt007]

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Originally posted by: vuduYou realize that retailers don't sell products with zero markup, right?  Just because the MSRP is $250 that doesn't mean Nintendo is collecting $250 for every system sold.  I'm not sure what the typical console (or electronics in general) markup is, but with most other products it's anywhere from 10% to 50%.

When I use to sell video game console and home audio/video equipment, consoles only had about a 2-7% markup.

[BigJim]

$50 GameCube games had something like a $10 markup for resellers. Dunno about the console.

[Smash_Brother]

Many retailers (Circuit City, Best Buy, etc.) were selling the original Xbox at a loss. I spoke to an employee about it and they were forced to drop the price of the consoles below cost.

[Donutt007]

yup, that's what happens to the older stuff. That's why as the system gets older there are more and more value packs, the real markups come from the accessories, games not too much. I rememebr the accessories having like a 30-80% markup, usually the aftermarket brands were always the biggest money maker, which is why you'll see them throw in a console with two madcatz (or whoever) controllers, an aftermarket memory card, and a greatest hits game. They suck up the loss off the console by forcing you to buy the accessories.  

[Donutt007]

Anyone know what time the Europe event is???

[GoldenPhoenix]

Might as well bump this up for the European Press Conference, it is supposedly at 12pm BST whatever that is (I think it may be 4am Pacific time or something.

[wandering]

Live blog of Nintendo's European MEGATON press conference

Kid Icarus Wii will be announced any moment now. I can feel it.

[wandering]

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07:47.40 - Almost forgot: one of our spies who got here at about 10am claims that Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski (tennis players) and were wandering around.

(gonintendo.com)

[wandering]

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07:55.22 - “Introducing Wii”. Quotes flying up from various sources. Magazines, CEOs, old women. Video of people playing with it.

07:55.56 - I Don’t Feel Like Dancing is playing. Gerhard Florin from EA has a quote up: apparently Wii is ace!

The megaton could come any second now!

[wandering]

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13:10 - Aha! We’re onto the Wii now! Oh, well I thought we were. Shibata just left the stage. Ah! Logan is back and we’re about to see Wii Boxing in Wii Sport for the first time. Literally, my knickers just went damp. Apparently, Shibata is going to take on Iwata! One round in the ring!

Oooh this is quite good. You punch and jab with the Wiimote and guard by holding the nunchuck and remote close to you. AAAAAND Satoru Iwata has just come on stage to tell Shibata off - it was all big comedy ruse! (IGN UK)

Perhaps Iwata can punch us out with some huge announcements next!

[wandering]

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13:16 - Today, says Iwata, it's time to introduce the fifth mileston in Nintendo's strategy - the Wii Channel. And the offers a much tougher sell for Nintendo. Games consoles don't travel see! So generally, they're only seen by the people who live under that roof. Iwata says, to expand console audience, Nintendo started by increasing the number of gamers playing in one household.

When the Wii is first turned on, they'll see the Wii channel page. First up is the Disc Channel, used to access either Wii or GameCube titles. Now he's going through things like the photo software designed to offer "simple organisation and manipulation of photos".

Iwata is good at manipulating photos, but better at manipulating my emotions.

[wandering]

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15 VC games available during launch period. Roughly 5-10 titles will be added per month. When purchased, always accessible and will become a new channel on the main screen.

Quality over quantity is my motto.