UK Supermarket Drops Price of Wii U to £149

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Bargain bin pricing for Nintendo's new console.

UK supermarket Asda has dropped the price of Nintendo's recently released Wii U console. Again. CVG reports that Asda has dropped the price of the basic console down to £149, having just dropped the price by to £199 in March. The console was originally priced at £249.

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 UDid 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 UWii 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?

Jane McEntegart
5 Comments Comment from the forums
  • blubbey
    So that's ~$150 cheaper in a few months? Damn that must suck.
    Reply
  • CrArC
    SNORE. Boring console, boring games, ridiculous controller.
    I guess Nintendo are finally discovering casuals are not as loyal as the 'real' gamers they've been ignoring.
    Reply
  • mapesdhs
    Same thing happened after the N64 launched; the initial price was far too high
    (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.
    Reply
  • g00fysmiley
    its like the wii... i will buy it, use it to play some games, mostly nintendo's origional titles. avoid the rest liek the plauge since nintendo lets so much shovelwarwe through that it is not worth even trying to find the one or two diamondc in the fields vallies and mountains of rough
    Reply
  • Ninjamonkeh
    90% of normal non video game nerds I talk to think the wii u is a new controller for the wii. Most of these are older women I work with that have wiis for their kids. I have to assume thats a bad thing if most of your loyal customers dont even know you have a new system out.
    Reply