Nintendo has had to hike up the price of the Wii in Europe. While the retail price is still £179.99, MCV says that the Wii will cost retailers around £16.50, or around £19 including VAT.
I don't know what the margins are for European retailers, but I'd guess that they're pretty tight. This may have retailers raising the price of the Wii a bit.
"Due to the severe and continuing depreciation of the pound, we are, unfortunately, having to raise our trade price to UK retailers of Wii hardware," a Nintendo UK spokesperson said.
"The price that they then offer to consumers is, of course, up to the retailers. We are only - reluctantly - raising our trade price now to retailers due to unprecedented and sustained depreciation of the pound. This is a problem brought about by extreme currency fluctuations that are a symptom of the global economic situation."
If a retail price increase actually goes down, that would be pretty backwards, wouldn't it? Games recession proof? Maybe not.
[Via CVG]
Dale North is Destructoid's Editor-In-Chief, a founding editor, and specialist in Japanese gaming. An accomplished musician, Dale was reporting from Japan during the earthquakes of 2011. Luckily, he got the fuck out alive and is home in America now with his wife and beloved corgi, Einstein. Dale is also a co-founder of Destructoid's sister anime site
Japanator. Likes Corgis, Sega Saturn, PSP, iPhone, Photographic tools.
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Contest:
2:10 PM on 03.11.2009
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As in the price has gone up £19
You won't believe it but they're just a part of it. Most of us actually belong to the continent and have a moderatly stably currency, even though I hate the Euro.
It's not even as if they have any top rate titles out for it - mine is gathering massive amounts of dust. Even the wife doesn't play it anymore. But she won't let me sell it!
Whether retailers follow with their own price hike is a separate issue. My guess is that there's some on Nintendo's payroll with a 7-figure salary whose job it is to look at questions like this. Clearly they decided the risk of reduced sales was worth it to maintain per unit revenue.
As I posted on Eurogamer, the time to be cynical is when Nintendo (or another company) fails to reduce prices in appreciating currencies, preferring instead the short-term windfall.
Furthermore.. This system is almost 3 years old. The first law of computers is that the machiene is obsolete when you buy it. So.. Sony took a $100 price cut (at the expense of backwards compatibility). Microsoft does a price cut at the very end of last year (they use different configurations/parts on the arcade)... Now what's Nintendo doing? NOTHING! No price cut, no bargain console (with game and extra controller), not even a box to push HD graphics... This won't help your sales Nintendo. it will hurt them.
Honestly.. I think an International Trade organization needs to look at why Nintendo gouges us for an over glorified DVD player... That doesn't even play DVDs.
I'm seriously appalled at how these people conduct business. This is why my Wii only has games that were produced by Sega, Capcom and Ubisoft (Total of 3 disc based games and only a handful of VC titles). What they don't realize is that when the rest of the PLANET is having a hard time making ends meet, this is not the time to RAISE THE PRICE OF YOUR SYSTEM! Where the HELL is our price cut?! remember last year when they said "Nope, were not upping production. So you can't have a Wii if you want one.. go buy a new one on eBay for $500 or more during the holidays."
bah, I think I'm just as confused as Chronic on this one. How can they do something like this to people? Especially with the global economy being the way it is.
Finally: Don't give me the "They get less in return" Seriously, Look at the people in charge of that company (and their local branches respectively). Do they LOOK like they're "losing money"? Do they LOOK hungry? They need to take some losses if you ask me... Especially after the shitty-ass games they've presented us with in the past half a decade. I'd be willing to bet that that system has about the same parts and components as a DVD player (better yet a PS2) save for that waggle sensor. I don't see anywhere that's charging $250 for a powerful DVD player. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Nintendo! Stop being so damn greedy!