UK Supermarket Drops Price of Wii U to £149
And it's not just the basic model that has received the price slashing treatment. The premium model is now selling for £199, down from £249 last month and £299 before the March price drop.
Asda hasn't yet mentioned whether or not this new price is around for good or if it is just a promotional price that the retailer is running for a limited period of time. Still, two price cuts within six months of a console's availability doesn't exactly scream, "Selling like hot cakes," does it?
In other Wii U news, Nintendo this week sent a message to Wii users explaining that the Wii U was an entirely new console and not just an upgrade. Check the full message below:
Play your Wii games and accessories on Wii U
Did you know that you can play nearly all your existing Wii games on Wii U? Your Wii controllers and many Wii accessories can also be used with a new Wii U console -- along with any downloaded games, save data, and other info stored in your existing Wii console.
It's time to discover Wii U
Wii U is the all-new home console from Nintendo. It's not just an upgrade -- it's an entirely new system that will change the way you and your family experience games and entertainment.
The second screen on the included Wii U GamePad controller enables never-before-seen ways to play games and enjoy TV. And for the first time ever, you can see Mario and your favorite Nintendo franchises in glorious HD.
Learn more about Wii U at Nintendo.com/WiiU
Let's hope Asda's new price has people rushing out to buy this all-new home console eh?
I guess Nintendo are finally discovering casuals are not as loyal as the 'real' gamers they've been ignoring.
(250 UKP, vs. 165 UKP equivalent in Germany). Thousands complained; the
distributor THE Games was forced to give compensation in the form of various
free games & extras (I received Mario kart, but others were given a lot more -
seemed to depend on who one talked to at THE.G and how loud one shouted).
It's the classic UK retail disease: selling something for how much a company
thinks the public is willing to pay, irrespective of what the price could easily be
while still offering a good profit margin.
Alas, consumers here seem happy to pay over the odds for all sorts of things,
typically 50% more than what a US consumer would tolerate. It's always been
this way. US citizens on holiday here must get a bit of a shock...
Btw, senior person I knew at Nintendo at the time told me distributor pricing
was out of their hands, ie. it wasn't Nintendo's doing, or the end-of-the-chain
shop, it's the middleman distributor. Until the N64 pricing debacle, most people
had never heard of THE Games.
Ian.