Wii U: Amazon distributor claims Nov 11 release, $249 price tag

Wait, what’s the difference between the listed items? Nintendo usually sticks to a single SKU with a single price point. From $250 to $350 feels a bit strange for them.

@1 I noticed that too. I reckon it could just be game bundles, or accessories.

@2
Yeah.
Are they going to charge 250 for the system alone (With no pack-in game like Wii Sports)? That would be suicide for a system like Wii U which like Wii, needs the one single bundled game to show its early promise.

Of course seeing how original Wii sold rather well in areas where it wasn’t bundled with Wii Sports, maybe they can get away with it too. Still, 250 for that system with no packed game seems a bit too much.

Hope the 250 USD Bundle is with the Pad controller…

Probably with Nintendoland. Extra prices for one or two extra games.

@4
You mean with a pro controller too? Unlikely.

Well, if you are not interested in dual screen gimmick , its still overpriced compared to ps3 and 360 which can be bought cheaper and has library of 1000s of games.
Will be interesting to see the sales. Although priced well for ninty fans.

@6

Or get a PS2 or NES as their even cheaper…

Dual screen gimmick? Like the DS? Oh wait a minute…

Also, at least you can use peripherals from your Wii, that means most people will be able to play 4 player from the get go, that doesn’t happen often with a console release.

they’ve priced it accordingly, when PS4 / 720 are about to release, they can drop the price to take the wind out of their sales. Kinda like 3DS to Vita.

Unless PS4 and 720 run a subscription based model, their going to be waaaay overpriced or lose the companies too much. They can’t really afford to sell at a loss again.

@7,
Dual screen is a gimmick for me (and many others), totally fine if some like it. Also dual screens on handheld and on home console are COMPLETELY different. For starters, you cant focus on 2 screens at once on a home console. Also there isn’t a single game announced that makes a compelling case for dual screens (ZombieU is okay, but not something revolutionary).

It’s not only dual screens, it’s also remote play. You’re playing and people can still watch TV, the kind of technical thingy that, advertised well, can put an impression on the so-called casual/family audience.
And again, if that’s the correct price and you’ll be able to re-use your wii accessories, Ninty could do it again.

The controller screen, far from being a gimmick in any way, is going to be the best addition to consoles since dual sticks.

If it only ever got used for hotbars it would be worth the entry price and more. Its not about what gets shown on the screen, it’s about how it takes input.

Games have struggled with multiple radial menus and awkward button combos for a long while now.

Gaming has moved beyond the traditional controller. The WiiU controller will allow compromise-free strategy, simulation, RTS and RPG games through configurable touch-buttons.

If Sony and MS don’t follow suit they are going to lose a great deal of the less well trod genres to WiiU.

Nintendo having multiple SKU is really strange, i do wonder what is the difference, and i dont think is an aditional gamepad or game like nintendoland, it has to be something else IMHO, but i agree with the people that think they need to bundle nintendoland with every WiiU, will be a sweet deal hard to resist at that price with a game, especially because wii sports did well for the wii.

Could be something to do with storage. They can’t be relying on SD Cards again. Nothing has been announced in that area yet. The 299 and 349 options are definitely “with” something hence the “W/”.

#12 yes that could be an strong posibility, i agree.

must be hard drive. wish for a gamepad+wiiupro controller 120gb nintendoland bundle for 299…unlikeley that they´ll include the pro controller though. 349 as a max price is good news to me though.
@dragon: you are doing it again;)
it´s not a gimick.
wii u, with this price is pretty competitive priced imo. just remember that it will have the gamepad AND the wii sensor bar, which makes it comparible to the kinect/move ps360 offers…since this is a brandnew and fresh console 299 is totally legit.

^ the wii didnt launch with 2d 20 million selling mario

it can do whatever it wants with the bundled games

Judging by the price of their storage USB for Dragon Quest Wii, a 250 gig hard drive will cost approximately £799.99…