Hope You've Saved Up: Rumored Wii U Costs Are Expensive

The Wii U is slated to arrive sometime during the Holiday season this year and despite Nintendo's big announcement last year at E3 2011 proper news has been hard to come by on the system.  Despite having an estimated launch roughly six to eight months from now we barely know anything more than what we learned almost a year ago.  This, in my eyes, is a little troubling as right now is the proper time to start ramping up the PR machine and get the word out there that Nintendo has finally decided to join Microsoft and Sony in the 7th generation.

While official words from the hardware manufacturer are nowhere to be found rumors have risen in recent months regarding the system's capabilities and its eventual price point.  Gaming site Forget the Box may be ahead of the curve in this department though as they report to have sources inside the Wii U's manufacturing and distributing processes.  What they have to say though isn't encouraging.

Forget the Box is reporting that the current manufacturing cost of Nintendo's upcoming system will cost them $180 per unit, putting it on par with what Microsoft is estimated to pay for each Xbox 360 produced.  They report that the final cost has yet to be determined but this seems to be the base price for the system currently.  Using current generation tech for the system provides a substantial savings measure per unit as Nintendo seems intent on maximizing profits and actually launching a system at a strong profit in comparison to every other console launch this past decade save for the Wii.  For reference: the Xbox 360 cost Microsoft $715 to manufacture at launch and the PS3 was a $805 burden to Sony.

So, for all the profit maximizing Nintendo's attempting, how much do they want for it?  Well, according to Forget the Box, that figure comes out to no less than $300 as a starting price.  This most likely includes standard composite cables (more than likely no HDMI/component cords with it), the Wii U controller/tablet/thing and the system itself.  To me this sounds about right but I personally expect the launch price point to be at $349.99-$399.99.  If Nintendo can undercut me I certainly welcome them to do so and, believe me, it would be appreciated.

For me this is a big problem.  I remember the 2006 launch of the Wii and I specifically recall spending close to $600 getting controllers and a bunch of other accessories to go with it.  With the Wii U though there's no way that, given the couch multiplayer experience Nintendo prides themselves in, anyone would want to be stuck with a Wiimote when player one gets exclusive control of the Wii U tablet.  Nintendo has yet to say whether the tablet will even be on sale separately from the system or even if two can be played on one system at the same time.  I'm sure that Nintendo can find a way to make this happen but even if this does come true there's no way in my eyes that the tablet will be anything less than $100 at retail.

Doing a quick count, I expect the average full price for the consumer at launch to get the system, an additional tablet and a game to be nothing less than $500.  This would have been a reasonable cost seven years ago against the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 but, with Sony and Microsoft getting ready to announced 2013 release dates for the 8th generation, it isn't reasonable to expect the average "hardcore" gamer to be willing to spend that much when they can get a far more powerful system for a little bit more than that come next year.  Even with all the bells and whistles that come with the Wii U (it does have some pretty nifty features to it) Nintendo might have a tough sell on their hands unless they can demonstrate the full capabilities of the system as well as strong third-party support over the next few months.

Oh, and Nintendo, do me a solid: do a little redesigning on the controller if you don't mind.  I like what I felt at E3 2011 but I'd appreciate some soft rubber gripping around the ends where your hand goes.  Thanks.