Topic: Wii U Pro Controller to Retail for $49.99 in North America

[Thaneros]

I'll wait for Nyko to make controllers with rumble. Best 3rd party controllers ever!
 
 
 

[Mop it up]

The price of this controller is quite a rip, there's no way it costs $30 over a Classic Controller to add a battery terminal, transmitter, and clicky sticks. This may not get much support if it doesn't have much adaption, so this could be a mistake on Nintendo's part. I'm certainly not going to get one until an extreme sale/price drop.

[UncleBob]

Official Wireless 360 Controller at GameStop - $49.99

Official Wireless PS3 Controller at GameStop -$54.99

Above-Standard, Name Brand Wireless PC Controller at GameStop - $49.99

****ing Nintendo and their ****ing gouging of consumers.

[NWR_insanolord]

I'm not sure why anyone expected Nintendo to charge less than the standard rate for extra controllers. That wouldn't make sense for any number of reasons.

EDIT: For the record, Mop it up's right, they're most likely charging way more than the cost of the components, just like everybody else in the business does.

[Mop it up]

I'm not sure why anyone expected Nintendo to charge less than the standard rate for extra controllers. That wouldn't make sense for any number of reasons.

Because it isn't the standard controller, the GamePad is, and because the Classic Controller is $20. I expected it to be $30.

[Chozo Ghost]

Can't we just use an Xbox 360 controller instead? Because that's essentially all this Pro controller is...

[Ceric]

I'm not sure why anyone expected Nintendo to charge less than the standard rate for extra controllers. That wouldn't make sense for any number of reasons.

EDIT: For the record, Mop it up's right, they're most likely charging way more than the cost of the components, just like everybody else in the business does.

Because it seems everyone thinks that Nintendo is a Church with a vow of Poverty.

[NWR_insanolord]

I'm not sure why anyone expected Nintendo to charge less than the standard rate for extra controllers. That wouldn't make sense for any number of reasons.

Because it isn't the standard controller, the GamePad is, and because the Classic Controller is $20. I expected it to be $30.

The Classic Controller was only $20 because it required a Wii Remote to work. Nintendo was wise enough to realize that people wouldn't pay $50 for something that required a separate $40 controller to function, or else they totally would have done that. This has almost nothing to do with component costs and everything to do with what they can get away with charging.

[Chozo Ghost]

I'm sure Nyko and others will introduce their own alternatives at a lower price (and quality).

[Ceric]

I'm not sure why anyone expected Nintendo to charge less than the standard rate for extra controllers. That wouldn't make sense for any number of reasons.

Because it isn't the standard controller, the GamePad is, and because the Classic Controller is $20. I expected it to be $30.

A fully functional Classic Controller Pro is $59.98.

Essentially you have a controller with the system that is the same functional and more then the WiiU Pro Controller.  So if you buy a second controller which this would be you can pay $49.99 for the Wii U Pro or $59.98 for the Wiimote+CCPro.  Since most of us have a Wiimote and CCPro this is a luxury item.

Insano beat me too it but I worked long on that

[Mop it up]

This has almost nothing to do with component costs and everything to do with what they can get away with charging.

I don't think everyone doing it makes it right, and I find it somewhat unsettling how people accept it so easily.

[NWR_insanolord]

I never said it makes it right, just that you shouldn't be surprised by it. And there's really nothing to do but accept it, because it's not going to change.

[UncleBob]

I say boycott and start an internet petition.

[NWR_insanolord]

I say boycott and start an internet petition.

Two very well thought-out, practical methods of protest with a proven history of success.

[Mop it up]

I never said it makes it right, just that you shouldn't be surprised by it. And there's really nothing to do but accept it, because it's not going to change.

I never said I was surprised by it, just that it's a rip. Thinking there's no way to change things is the only reason nothing changes, but that's a discussion for another time.

I say boycott and start an internet petition.

Nah, we need to reach people whose opinions actually matter.

[Adrock]

I don't think anyone saying the Pro Controller is a ripoff is also saying that the Dual Shock 3 and 360 Controller aren't ripoffs. Those are 2 entirely different comments. The former doesn't automatically lead to the latter. Do you know what I am saying? I would think people would agree that all 3 controllers cost too much. However, like insano said, Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are charging X amount because they can though as I said in another thread, I kind of feel like Nintendo pricing the Pro Controller similarly for parity so it doesn't seem inferior.

Any confirmation on whether the Pro controller has rumble? I haven't been able to find a concrete answer to that.

[NWR_insanolord]

I kind of feel like Nintendo pricing the Pro Controller similarly for parity so it doesn't seem inferior.

I also think this plays into it, as well as into the pricing of the console itself. If the Pro controller is $20 cheaper than the extremely similar 360 controller and Dual Shock 3, people will ask why, and not necessarily come to flattering conclusions. For every person like Mop it up who is angry at it being $50, there's someone who would question its level of quality if it were significantly less than that.

[Louieturkey]

I have not heard any confirmation that it has rumble.  No confirmation of analogue triggers or not either.  They sure don't look analogue though.  Both of those and six way accelerometer are all in the ps3 controller (two rumble motors in fact).  I think most without the accelerometer are in the 360 controller.  Seems like Nintendo has the bigger ripoff, even though there controller is brand new and the others have been out for 6-7 years.

[Mop it up]

For every person like Mop it up who is angry at it being $50,

Woah, woah, I'm not angry about it. I'm just not buying one. I'm sure it will be bundled with a game at some point, and that's when I'd get one.

[UncleBob]

I don't think anyone saying the Pro Controller is a ripoff is also saying that the Dual Shock 3 and 360 Controller aren't ripoffs.

Does anyone actually have a reliable breakdown of manufacturing costs for any of these controllers?

[Adrock]

My understanding is that hardware teardowns typically compare to similar parts with known prices and cost is estimated. The best I was able to find on the Wii remote was, I think, last year. This website mentioned that the parts were something like $9 in 2009 or 2010. I don't think that was official or reliable by any means, but the estimate didn't seem terrible off base. I'm too lazy to dig up that old post.

I have no opinion on the whole ripoff thing. I bought an additional Dual Shock 3 controller and will undoubtedly buy 2 Pro controllers if only for the next Smash Bros. game. I'd rather not pay $50 for anything, but that's just unabashed consumerism. The only point I'm trying to make is that after 5-6 years, the price of components inevitably drops. That's just the nature of technology and the passage of time which I'm sure we're all well aware of. Something that cost $50 half a decade ago probably shouldn't cost that much today. It's important to note the difference between what something is worth and what something costs. I don't think any of these controllers (GamePad not withstanding) are using parts that aren't dirt cheap now. Still, every day we pay for things in which the individual parts are worth less than the whole.

[UncleBob]

Is it fair to say this is 6 year old tech?  We don't know what's in the controller...  could be all kinds of new tech that makes the wireless communication more reliable, the batteries last longer, the construction be more durable, etc. etc.

[Adrock]

I was referring more to the Dual Shock 3 and Xbox 360 controller (though I suppose the Dual Shock 3 is technically less than 5 years old). As for the Pro Controller, this is Nintendo so I wouldn't expect especially new tech. Perhaps it's newer compared to what's inside Sony's and Microsoft's controllers though not new enough to push the price upwards for $50 for more than parity. I admit that's only a guess based on the fact that Nintendo has made it a point to not use cutting edge/state of the art technology. Even the Wii Remote wasn't new technology, just new in a gaming context. They're still following Gunpei Yokoi's "Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology" philosophy.

[ShyGuy]

My opinion matters.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Ahh, blame Wikipedia. LOL

Actually, we should blame you since most of your post sound like they are excerpt'd directly from wikipedia, yet you continually try to pass it off as if it was something you already knew.