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WiiU

Call from EU: Most Wanted U and Game Pricing

by Daan Koopman - March 4, 2013, 8:52 pm EST
Total comments: 26

Do we really have to pay that much more for a re-release?

EA, can you explain this to me? ''Need for Speed Most Wanted for Wii U will be available March 19 in North America for $59.99 and March 21 in Europe for €69.99.'' If you are unaware, I am not here to bash the port of the game. The team at Criterion clearly cares about the Wii U version and I have nothing against them. In fact, I love their games and find it fantastic that they put this much time on a Wii U version.

However, EA, how can you explain a price of €69.99? Compared to the American price, we are being offered a very bad deal, and this is honestly not what I was hoping for. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions already retail here new for roughly €39.99, and even that is bitter pill to swallow. Moreover, the game launched on those systems at €59.99, so you are now asking for an additional 10 bucks out of our wallets. I am sure the game can be found for a lower price if one looks around enough, but the suggested retail price is out of proportion with what we have come to expect.

How is this justified? You said that you were open to the idea of charging consumers more for next generation games. One thing should be kept in mind, though: many don't even consider the Wii U to be part of the new console generation. Furthermore, you made many promises at E3 2011, none of which have truly come to fruition. You released an enhanced version of Mass Effect 3 and left Wii U owners without the major trilogy release. We got less interesting versions of FIFA and Madden with, for example, no access the Ultimate Team portions of the former.

Finally, when a game truly became an interesting deal for Nintendo lovers, you had to screw Europe over with your pricing. After that, do you really think many people will bother buying it? Has it not occurred to you that you will hurt your sales on the system? You can complain all you want, but without the proper support in place, you can only blame yourself. Granted, I might still pick it up and enjoy it. However, others might prefer to purchase Monster Hunter or LEGO City Undercover this March.

I am going to stick to my word and support Criterion with the same love that they have given us. Sadly, EA, you don't seem to want to embrace our love for the game. With a better pricing structure, this could have been a surprise hit on the system and maybe gotten more people intrigued by the Wii U GamePad.

If a company really wants to support the Wii U, they should let their games be proof of that. This is a case of a publisher stopping progress in its tracks. For me, it is a saddening affair.

Talkback

Even the American price is crazy... that Euro price is ridiculous to the max. No one is going to buy it at these prices. I feel bad for the developers, as they surely wanted it to be a modest success.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorMarch 05, 2013

Guys, you're looking at it wrong.  You need to buy this overpriced game because third parties.

CericMarch 05, 2013

Quote from: Jonnyboy117

Even the American price is crazy... that Euro price is ridiculous to the max. No one is going to buy it at these prices. I feel bad for the developers, as they surely wanted it to be a modest success.

I have to agree.  Pricing the game as New and in Europe case New++ is crazy.  Maybe if this was the FIRST version of the game but now at least the game is still Officially retailing on consoles for $59.99 but its easy to find at least $10 off.

Pixelated PixiesMarch 05, 2013

Euro to Dollar -  €69.99 = $91.16

Hahaha. Why do we always get screwed in Europe?

StogiMarch 05, 2013

Because you like it.

Fatty The HuttMarch 05, 2013

+1 for this blog post and I am not even in Europe.
I want to support this game but EA is making it reeeeeeeaal difficult.

Ian SaneMarch 05, 2013

This isn't strictly a European issue but one for the general videogame market.

When the Wii U was due to come out I said that it won't sell worth a shit on games the other systems already have.  No one will buy a Wii U for a game that came out six months ago on a system they already own.

Who is the market for these EA games?  It is strictly Wii U owners who only owned a Wii last gen.  Any one who owns a PS3 or Xbox 360 would have bought these games already for those systems if they wanted them.  So upping the price is idiotic because even at a discounted price point, it's a hard sell.  But then maybe EA knows this and is intentionally targetting Nintendo only customers and is trying to gouge them on purpose.  Perhaps they know that no one else would have to put up with this.

The whole situation is no-win for Nintendo.  Third party ports won't sell with anyone who owns another console and only exclusives will encourage a purchase.  Third parties will instinctively release ports because they're low-risk and easy to do but those very releases will not sell systems and this will make it harder to build any sort of userbase.  And these games will not sell to a fair sized chunk of the market even if they buy a Wii U.  So the Wii U doesn't sell and the third party ports don't even sell well for the small userbase and third parties bail which negatively affects the sales of the console even more and the whole thing spirals from there.

And that's why you don't intentionally stay a generation behind.  The Wii U should be the start of a new generation, getting new third party games that would eventually be ported to the PS4 for its launch.  Instead it's like launching a system years after the competition, when the userbases are already established.  Who wants a new PS360 NOW?  The market wants a successor to that gen, not a new competitor.  This is like launching a 16 bit console in 1996.

The only way for Nintendo to fix this is to provide exclusives games that will sell systems and "NSMB with graphics that were borderline impressive five years ago" is not going to cut it.

OblivionMarch 05, 2013

To be fair, I think 16-Bit graphics was superior to what the PS1 was capable of producing in 1996.

StogiMarch 05, 2013

God damn it, Ian. Can't you ever say something without it turning into a lecture?

SarailMarch 05, 2013

Quote from: Ian

No one will buy a Wii U for a game that came out six months ago on a system they already own.

Who is the market for these EA games?  It is strictly Wii U owners who only owned a Wii last gen.  Any one who owns a PS3 or Xbox 360 would have bought these games already for those systems if they wanted them.

I own a PS3. But I want this game on Wii U. Never played it on my PS3... mainly because I'm patient. I have too huge of a backlog to plow through to worry about buying a lot of these games on my previous gen console - since I knew several of them would make their way to the Wii U anyway. I realise I'm in the minority on this, but it's definitely my situation. Same could be said for Darksiders II, Tekken Tag 2, FIFA '13, and Ninja Gaiden 3 - each of those I own on the Wii U, and I never once played them on my PS3. I'm patient like that. No big deal to wait.

So yeah. I can't wait to play Most Wanted on Wii U - a clearly superior version compared to the PS3 and 360 versions.

smallsharkbigbiteMarch 05, 2013

Quote from: Racht

I own a PS3. But I want this game on Wii U. Never played it on my PS3... mainly because I'm patient. I have too huge of a backlog to plow through to worry about buying a lot of these games on my previous gen console - since I knew several of them would make their way to the Wii U anyway. I realise I'm in the minority on this, but it's definitely my situation. Same could be said for Darksiders II, Tekken Tag 2, FIFA '13, and Ninja Gaiden 3 - each of those I own on the Wii U, and I never once played them on my PS3. I'm patient like that. No big deal to wait.

So yeah. I can't wait to play Most Wanted on Wii U - a clearly superior version compared to the PS3 and 360 versions.

Your saying previous gen like the Wii U version is better.  That's the bigger problem.  These are previous gen games.  Whether you play them on a Wii U or not doesn't make them current gen. 


I was interested in Darksiders 2, but then got the PS3 version for $9.99.  The PS3 version runs smoother and shows more detail.  Yeah, it lacks the DLC, but you'll have to wait awhile to get the Wii U version at $9.99. 


Picked up Epic Mickey 2 for $10.99 for the Wii.  The Wii U version somehow doesn't support pointer controls?  One of the few games that is truely better with those controls.  Really makes no sense they left it out. 


Need for Speed with a logitech wheel is >>>>>>>>>>>> than a Wii U version with gamepad. 

SarailMarch 05, 2013

Except I don't play games like Need for Speed with a Logitech racing wheel - Gran Turismo and upcoming Project Cars, sure, but not NFS. So, your point on that is irrelevant to my situation.

And congrats for picking up those games at a cheaper price on previous gen systems. I want to support devs on Wii U...which is why I picked up said games on my console of choice.

And Criterion has already stated that NFS:MW is the definitive version of the game running on Wii U - it sports the higher texture and poly counts from the PC version (which the PS3/360 versions do not.) So, yeah. I'll count it as a next-gen version/port of the game.

oohhboyHong Hang Ho, Staff AlumnusMarch 05, 2013

Don't forget Australia and New Zealand. We get screwed even more than our EU mates. In NZ we get games any where from $100 - $130 NZD or $83.10 - $108.04 USD. 3DS games regularly go for $80 + NZD or $66.84+ USD unless it is shovelware.

The funny thing is that it is actually cheaper for us to buy it from the bloody UK than it is to buy it here. So much so it can easily be 30% cheaper with new releases.

Back in the GC/DS days I would buy almost all my games from the US because the prices were night and day not to mention the far surpior selection on offer. That is why I hate the 3DS for having a region lock and why I don't buy Nintendo's BS excuse for it.

Fatty The HuttMarch 06, 2013

Quote from: Ian

Who is the market for these EA games?  It is strictly Wii U owners who only owned a Wii last gen.  Any one who owns a PS3 or Xbox 360 would have bought these games already for those systems if they wanted them.

Patently false. There are several games (not just EA) that are multi-plat that I have or will buy for WiiU, despite owning a PS3 for several years now. I want to play them on WiiU, Period.


I think Adrock made this same point also recently in another thread. So there's 2 of us now.
We're growing!
edit: ...and Racht made the same point above. That's 3.
still growing

OblivionMarch 06, 2013

Make that 4. I bought Black Ops 2 on Wii U, not PS3. Every single one of my friends had the PS3 version.

Ian SaneMarch 06, 2013

Wow four people.  You guys are Nintendo nuts so your buying habbits are atypical.  Is the typical person who is interested in a game on the PS360, who owns one of those systems going to spend $60 for a Wii U version, (assuming he even owns a Wii U because it would be idiotic to buy a Wii U for such a game) or $20 for the PS360 version?  Let's put it this way.  If Sony or MS offered a new tablet controller for the PS3 or Xbox 360 and said that you could convert existing games to use it for $40 would that go over well?  That's what Nintendo is asking.  "Don't buy that $20 version of the game!  Pay us $40 more to get tablet controller support."

Now if it's something released simultaneously for all the systems and you already own a Wii U then the purchase is pretty much up to your personal whims.  But a PS3 owner is going to put off buying a game for months and then later decide to buy it for a higher price?  Any third party relying on that is nuts.  The most logical target demo for such a game is Wii U owners who were not able to play the game prior to their Wii U purchase because they only had a Wii.  The assumption is that Nintendo gamers have not had a chance to buy it yet.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorMarch 06, 2013

Quote from: Ian

That's what Nintendo is asking.  "Don't buy that $20 version of the game!  Pay us $40 more to get tablet controller support."

No.  That's what EA is asking.  Nintendo is only asking for $1 to upgrade your old games with tablet support. :D

OblivionMarch 07, 2013

Quote from: Ian

Wow four people.  You guys are Nintendo nut

You must not have seen my post history. I'm not a "Nintendo Nut". I didn't grow up with Nintendo like you all did, my first Nintendo home console* was the Wii. I was a Sony and Pokemon** diehard before that. That isn't me being a Nintendo blowhard, that's me supporting the console I want to support with my hard-earned cash.


*That I owned personally. I played various N64 games when I was around the age of 8-10, but nothing important enough to leave an impact on me. I owned a Gameboy Advance, but it was my Pokemon Machine.


**At that time, I didn't care that Gameboy's were a Nintendo product. I only cared that it had Pokemon on it. I only got a DS for Pokemon Diamond version.

AdrockMarch 07, 2013

If a game was a simultaneous release on all 3 consoles, I'd probably get the Wii U version every time (as long it wasn't a shoddy port). If it was a delayed release, I wouldn't pay more specifically for the priviledge to play it on Wii U. There are other factors like how well it uses the GamePad and additional content. Generally, I'd just wait for the price to drop to what I felt comfortable paying. I may be a Nintendo fan, but I'm a consumer first and I'm cheap as hell when it comes to nonessentials.

ymeegodMarch 07, 2013

I don't see the big deal?  Games always launched at full price regardless of timing--late PC ports were always retail pricing so why should Nintendo's console be any different?

Spend the money, support the console or don't.  Nobody forcing you to buy it--you can just wait for it to go on sale.  Want more support for the WII U buy the game.

====================================
BTW:  There was an $20 gaming coupon offer for preorders already plus an additional $10 off/$50 spent so I ended up preordering it for my cuz for $30ish anyhow.  That deal has ended but I'm sure Best Buy will have another one soon.

CericMarch 07, 2013

Quote from: ymeegod

...
Spend the money, support the console or don't.  Nobody forcing you to buy it--you can just wait for it to go on sale.  Want more support for the WII U buy the game
....

Giving an Ultimatum is the about the same as Forcing.
"You want more support?  Buy this game at an exaggerated price."

ymeegodMarch 07, 2013

"exaggerated price" Huh?  Same price that people paid for when it was released on the Xbox/ps system? 

And the pricing is Europe isn't as bad.  Zavvi has it for pre-orders for $57ish (if you bought from them in the past quarter you'll likely to have another 5 pound coupon from them as well).


UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorMarch 07, 2013

Quote from: ymeegod

I don't see the big deal?  Games always launched at full price regardless of timing--late PC ports were always retail pricing so why should Nintendo's console be any different?

Obligatory mention of Mutant Mudds on iOS for $1. ;)

Seriously though, didn't RE4 launch at $39.99 on the PS2, or am I crazy?

Ian SaneMarch 07, 2013

Quote from: ymeegod

"exaggerated price" Huh?  Same price that people paid for when it was released on the Xbox/ps system? 

If the version on the other consoles was no longer in stores and was hard to find then paying the same price is reasonable.  But if the price has since been lowered for those versions then the Wii U version is just needlessly more expensive.  At the very least it makes the PS360 version preferable to anyone that owns the Wii U and one of those systems.  The Wii U version is at a disadvantage but then EA uses it to gauge interest from the Wii U userbase and bases support on that.

Amazon has the game for 360 for $50, going as low as $40 from other sellers. The Wii U version includes some of the DLC that would cost extra for that version, in addition to better graphics and GamePad functionality. Europe may be getting screwed (as usual), but the American price seems reasonable.

PlugabugzMarch 08, 2013

It's priced around £40 here - i haven't looked in more detail but i'm fairly certain i can find a cheaper price.

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