Wii U price cut 'not an easy option' for Nintendo, says Iwata

June 20th, 2013, 00:57 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo is unlikely to introduce a Wii U price cut because the console already sits at 'an aggressive price point', according to company CEO Satoru Iwata.
Nintendo used a price cut to turn around the early-life sales slump of the 3DS, slashing almost a third off its asking price (from $249 to $169.99 in the US).Retailers have voiced their desirefor a similar Wii U price cut, but such a tactic is 'not an easy option' for Nintendo, says Iwata.
"From the very beginning we came up with a very aggressive price point. We do not think [a price cut] is a very easy option to take," the exec toldCNBC.
Iwata admitted that a 'relaxed' marketing campaign was partially at fault for Wii U's poor sales, as the company struggles to communicate the uniqueness of Wii U to potential consumers.
"We are to blame," said Iwata. "We relaxed our [marketing] efforts, so the consumers today still cannot understand what's so good and unique about the Wii U. Because we're always trying to be unique, it takes some energies on our side to [make] people understand the real attractions about whatever we are doing."
A general lack of software is also a part of the problem, but Iwata points the finger more specifically at the lack of game that really shows off the system in the way Wii Sports did on the original Wii.
"We have been unsuccessful in coming up with one single software with which people can understand, 'OK, this is really different,'" he said.
"As long as people have hands-on [experience], they can appreciate the value of the Wii U, but because there's not software that's simple and obvious for people as 'Wii Sports' for the Wii, potential consumers do not feel like trying the Wii U. Our challenge today is with the software lineup we are introducing now, we have to encourage [people] to experience the Wii U in the first place."
Nintendo used E3 last week to show off several major new Wii U titlesincluding Mario Kart 8, Super Mario 3D World, Super Smash Bros, Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD and Pikmin 3

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...do-says-iwata/

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