No price cut for Wii despite pressure from PS3
By Jonathan Schlaffer
Nintendo has said that the price cut by Sony on the PS3 will not affect its plans and there will be no price reduction on the Wii in the near future. The Wii costs $250 which is half the price of the (now) $500 60GB PS3. Though, the price cut on the PS3 isn’t really a price cut, it’s to sell the remaining 60GB PS3s which will then be replaced by the 80GB model for $600.
Still, Nintendo might have cause to be worried for at least the next few months. The Wii might cost $250 but it doesn’t play DVDs or next gen media, it doesn’t have high-def outputs and it doesn’t have a hard drive, though, Wii hard drive rumors persist. The only similarity it shares with the PS3 is WiFi and motion sensing controls, let’s not debate who copied who.
The PS3 on the other hand, offers a 60GB hard drive, Blu-Ray drive, high-def outputs (cable sold separately), motion sensing controllers, WiFi and even the Yellow Dog Linux operating system so you can turn your PS3 into a make shift computer.
If the Wii were selling for $200, I could forgive the lack of high-def anything but for $250 I expect to get at least 720p which is the bare minimum for any type of high-def signal.Sony offers more than twice the functionality of the Wii for twice the price, you get what you pay for but both Sony and Microsoft continue to lose money on console sales, Nintendo is the only company making a profit on the hardware, there is something to be said for that.
For $250 you get a Wii but I really can’t think of one game I would rather play on the Wii than the Xbox 360, take Call of Duty, better graphics on the Xbox 360 or poorer graphics on the Wii, I blame the Wii’s weaker hardware but debates will continue about the problems of porting games to different systems. There are no games that the PS3 and Wii have in common.
The PS3 doesn’t have a huge library of games to choose from but it only takes one, Resistance: Fall of Man, buy a PS3 for $500 while you can and buy that game. About 140 additional PS3 games are headed to the US market; some of them are bound to be good.
Nintendo did make a good party system with the Wii, it is fun with a group of friends but for solo gaming or playing first person shooters the clear winners are the Xbox 360 and PS3.
Microsoft should take note as well, with the Xbox 360 Elite coming in at $480 and the PS3 being $500 and including WiFi and a Blu-Ray drive, maybe it’s time for Microsoft to either reduce its prices as well or consider adding comparable features to the Xbox 360 line.
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July 16th, 2007
It is a price cut, the 80 GB model will retail at $499 too.
July 16th, 2007
Microsoft should just get out of the game while they still can. Not once have they turned a profit with the xbox 1/2. Not to mention the FACT that they build poor quality products, Xbox, Windows, Zune….and so on.
Wii is fun and Nintendo has always been about fun which is good.
Sony? well Sony just owns and will continue to own, baring some massive disaster that stops production of the PS3 i.e an earthquake
and remember kids, Little Big Planet is the key that will push Sony ever more forward.
July 16th, 2007
Sony doesn’t own. And the 80GB will retail for $599. Nintendo’s hardware shortcomings are inexcusable and their lack of real games doesn’t help either. Microsoft should step up the hardware some but for now, by playing it in the middle, I feel they have the best offer.
Unfortunately, I have a Wii. Why, I’m not sure. I haven’t played it in 3 months.
July 16th, 2007
wii is the best!!
here are some good wii games:
Legend of Zelda
Mario Party 8
Priunce of persia
Need for speed underground
wii sports
Redsteel
Marvel heroes alliance
these games have nice graphics, like the ps2, less than the ps3, while the differendce is very small…….
also, the games of ps3 and xbox360 are getting more and more boring, always the same thing, while nintendo has new ideas for new style of games, which makes wii more fun….that’s the reason of gaming as well….:P
July 16th, 2007
Would you dweebs just leave the Wii alone? Yeah, it does not have any of the high-defs, killer graphics, DVD playing capability etc.
But in terms of intangible value, it adds a whole new dimension. I would have bought the damn Wii if it costed as much as the PS3.
1. As a working father with a 5 year old kid, it makes the brief periods of activity before a night-time story magical
2. In my early 30s, I find playing DK Bongo blast with my friends a lot more amusing and fun than say…Halo.
3. As a PhD student, I find a little bit of bowling or tennis a lot more relaxing that a primodial scream.
4. Watch some Youtube? No sweat!
Should I even go into exercise and other aspects?! Also, why the hell do I want another DVD player when I already have three of the blasted things (not including my PCs)
As to the people complaining about the lack of real games, read the post by mii! Not satisfied?!Seriously, go buy the Xbox or the PS3 - we won’t miss you.
Sheesh.
July 17th, 2007
Please, please stop comparing the PS3 to th Wii, they are two very different consoles aimed at very different markets… I have a PS3 and am thinking of getting a Wii aswell, people should see them like me - TWO COMPLETLY DIFFERENT CONSOLES…
It’s like comparing a 1000cc Sports Motorbike to a Go-Kart…
July 19th, 2007
Are people STILL trying to put the Wii down? Sure, some don’t like it, but most people do. Take a look at the facts!
1. The Wii is the only counsle which is still in high demand–an XBox or PS3 is not hard to find.
2. Wii beats PS3 in the number of units sold, and probably the only two reasons the XBox 360 has sold more than the Wii is that it got a head start and is able to produce enough units to meet demand.
MAN, When will people learn that there’s more to gaming than high-def and DVDs according to other people? If you like the PS3 and the XBox better than the Wii, that’s great. But why put down a machine that’s higher in competition?