Critiquing Nintendo's Wii launch details

[wraggster]

Skeptical Gaming has compiled their list of reasons why Nintendo's Wii launch announcements today were less than perfect. Here's a rundown of some of their main points:

$250 price: "A $250 system becomes less of an impulse buy, and more of an investment. At $199, the systems would cater quite nicely to the EveryMan."
Cost of controllers: "Holy cow, Nintendo. $40 for the Wiimote, and $20 more for the Nunchuck? You're charging more for the two main accessories (needed for a lot of games) than you are for the games!"
Virtual Console pricing: "Most NES games aren't worth $5. Although I don't support the practice since it's illegal and all (wink wink), it's damned easy to find ZIP files with every single NES ROM included in them."
Photo system: "Sorry guys... it's hard to sell me on a Photo manipulation/storage idea when the system holds less than a gig of storage space."
Nov 19 launch: "Launching it two days after the PlayStation 3 means that, whether they like it or not, Nintendo is now competing with Sony for exposure."
How would you critique Wii's launch details? What are your biggest gripes?

[ninja9393]

i love the price and the fact it comes with wii sports

no dvd playback is retarded though

[stotheamuel]

i agree with the costs of controllers and nunchuck and definatly the virtual console games since i own a lot all ready...

and i think it is barely worth 250 since it is less powerful than an orig. xbox (which came out 4-5 years ago)

but i think its all pretty cool still

[SSaxdude]

Well I bet the motion sensors are pretty expensive.

[Graxer0419]

Nov 19 launch: "Launching it two days after the PlayStation 3 means that, whether they like it or not, Nintendo is now competing with Sony for exposure."

I thought the Playstation 3 was delayed until next May???!!! It is in Britain!

[stotheamuel]

Well I bet the motion sensors are pretty expensive.

and they cant lose money on them because??

[kcajblue]

-Iwata reveals Virtual Console Prices, (converted from Yen) NES - US$4.25, SNES - US$6.80, N64 - US$8.50$8.50 is a good price for some N64 games. $4.25 and $6.80 is too much for NES and SNES

[bsg]

No DVD playback was a big mistake. Nintendo wanted the Wii to become a living room entertainment system, but the Wii isn't an
all-rounder. Also for $250 I would expect DVD playback right out the box.


... and i think it is barely worth 250 since it is less powerful than an orig. xbox (which came out 4-5 years ago)

No one knows right now what is really under the hood of the Wii. Developers said that the Wii is more powerful then the original xbox. I really hope that one day the final specs of the Wii will be revealed or leaked out.

[Hevyduty]

Here are my gripes with today's press announcement.

The price of the console sucks ($50 too much).
The release date sucks.
The price of the downloadable games suck.
The price of the extra controllers suck.
The color (lame iPod white) sucks.

In other words, I didn't hear a single thing today that I liked. And you're not talking to a Nintendo hater. I can very honestly say that I have two Wii systems pre-ordered with $50 down on each. But after today, that's going to change. I'm definitely cancelling one immediately. And I might cancel the other if Nintendo doesn't throw us early adopters a bone in the next two months, like an extra free wiimote or something.

I hope Nintendo recognizes that they need to do some very serious damage control. Today's press conference was a f**kup of Sony proportions.

[Video_freak]

This brings up some interesting points on the Wii...

[stotheamuel]

its not to late for you guys to jump on the ps3 wagon with me heh >_<

[Easypunk21]

I'm a little tweaked off that I'm getting Wii Sports, and only one controller to play it with. Way to package the game with what is essentially only a multiplayer experience, and then charge me another 60 dollars to take advantage of it.

[Video_freak]

its not to late for you guys to jump on the ps3 wagon with me heh >_<
Lol. Possibly... ;)

[kcajblue]

I'm a little tweaked off that I'm getting Wii Sports, and only one controller to play it with. Way to package the game with what is essentially only a multiplayer experience, and then charge me another 60 dollars to take advantage of it.yeah. the price for the Wii controllers are way too expensive.

[Video_freak]

I'm not buying the controllers at $60. It BETTER have two Wiimotes, two nunchucks, Wii Sports, the Wii and for under $250! :mad:

[bsg]

Maybe after the holiday season the Wii will become $200 :D

[jwilds73]

I just read about the lack of dvd support and this burn's me. Also the classic game prices are to high. The price isn't that great either as stated $250 it's a well maybe at $199 it's a hell yeah. Will Zelda and Mario atleast be launch titles? Nintendo burned me with the N64 and Zelda being pushed back. To think I was thinking of giving them a second chance.

[ACID]

Hey the price is right and WII sports looks great

[stotheamuel]

hmm i hope my old gamecube controllers will work on new games :p im not buying a controller at 60 dollars... even 360 controllers a cheaper

[shinymusic]

Anyone remeber a month ago when they were saying the wii might launch as early as oct 1? i swear eveyrone was saying the wii was gonna be off to a huge head start on the ps3. but now i hear its launching after the ps3? whats that all about

[Video_freak]

Maybe after the holiday season the Wii will become $200 :D
Keep dreaming. ;)

[chipan]

How much can wii cost on europe? I hope they won't make the 1$=1€ conversion, because is not fair for european people (€>$).

[chipan]

How much can wii cost on europe? I hope they won't make the 1$=1€ conversion, because is not fair for european people (€>$).

[CrackA]

i agree with the costs of controllers and nunchuck and definatly the virtual console games since i own a lot all ready...

and i think it is barely worth 250 since it is less powerful than an orig. xbox (which came out 4-5 years ago)

but i think its all pretty cool still
the remote is quite expensive because of the motion sensing.

its more powerful than the original xbox, but less powerfull than the 360 (graphics wise)

im still getting one.


Skeptical Gaming has compiled their list of reasons why Nintendo's Wii launch announcements today were less than perfect. Here's a rundown of some of their main points:

$250 price: "A $250 system becomes less of an impulse buy, and more of an investment. At $199, the systems would cater quite nicely to the EveryMan."
Cost of controllers: "Holy cow, Nintendo. $40 for the Wiimote, and $20 more for the Nunchuck? You're charging more for the two main accessories (needed for a lot of games) than you are for the games!"
Virtual Console pricing: "Most NES games aren't worth $5. Although I don't support the practice since it's illegal and all (wink wink), it's damned easy to find ZIP files with every single NES ROM included in them."
Photo system: "Sorry guys... it's hard to sell me on a Photo manipulation/storage idea when the system holds less than a gig of storage space."
Nov 19 launch: "Launching it two days after the PlayStation 3 means that, whether they like it or not, Nintendo is now competing with Sony for exposure."
How would you critique Wii's launch details? What are your biggest gripes?
still much cheaper than any console.

remote has got motion sensing

u dont pay with money, u use some points.

dont care about photo system, we will see.

ps3 has got some issues, it wont affect the wii even if its 2 days later.

[arapozo]

I was eagerly expecting the Wii as i saw it as the only console with real innovation and a affordable price. IMHO $250 is not expensive, but is not a bargain. Also, $50 for a game and $60 for the controller is not "mainstream". Somebody that's not a gamer will not buy a wii at $250, then pay $60 for his wife, husband, brother, etc. to play. It should have come with 2 controller sets, as in almost all advertisement nintendo has put out, you see more than one people playing. Whats the point of wii sports.... passing the controller around?
So i'm not that exited anymore, i was expecting a lower price, the no-DVD playback means that you'll need another device, no matter if is another console or a standalone dvd player.
I'll just keep playing my PSP until i see what is all about the "next-gen" so far the xbox360 hasnt impressed me and the price of the ps3 makes me affraid of banckrupcy. The wii looks better but i believe Nintendo has failed, because they offered something and are now delivering something else.
This is just how i feel.

[Jenksie]

I understand that this is a thread for crtiquing the Wii, but it seems to have gone past that and is becoming very negative. Whilst i agree that the controller price is a little high we are paying for a new technology. I'm happy with all the news thats come out and as a European gamer i'm getting a console at a similar time to the Japanese at a very affordable price, plus i'm getting access to retro games at a very affordable price.

[morninghead]

The Wii doesnt cost that much. You're getting Wii Sports which would sell for $40 in the store right there and it comes with a Wii mote. Those things are $60. So reallly it's packed in with $100 of free stuff out of the box. And do you really care about the DVD playback? Don't you already have a DVD player in your living room? Plus you probably already have a system that can play DVDs (Playstaion 2, Xbox, Xbox 360) so them having DVD playback and the console being even more expensive really isn't that bad.

[Video_freak]

How much can wii cost on europe? I hope they won't make the 1$=1€ conversion, because is not fair for european people (€>$).
It's probably going to be like that. Remember that Europe has tax included, and the US doesn't though...

[ninja9393]

its not to late for you guys to jump on the ps3 wagon with me heh >_<
I wish i could but i could never affored one

and plus the wii is frekin' sweet

[gotmilk0112]

ps3 costs: 1 1/2 arms. 3 legs. 1 ear. 1 you-know-what. a total of 600$ for JUST THE SYSTEM IT SELF

wii costs: 250$ for the system itself. like, you could buy a wii and 4-5 games for the price of the ps3 ITSELF.

[dejkirkby]

The Wii is the UK is cheap as chips. £180 for a NEW console is excellent. You could buy three of them for the price of a PS3. I can't wait for release day!!