Is the Wii as affordable as it used to be?

(Credit: Nintendo)

Nintendo announced the Wii MotionPlus Tuesday. It will cost $20 when it's released on June 8. The attachment, which is connected to the Wii Remote through the nunchuk port, will "bring 1:1 motion" to Wii gestures, Nintendo says.

The Wii MotionPlus will only work with games that are coded to support it, so older Wii titles are out. Virtua Tennis will support the MotionPlus when it's made available on May 19. EA's Tiger Woods PGA Tour '10 will also work with the accessory when the game hits store shelves on June 16. Wii Sports Resort, which will come bundled with the Wii MotionPlus, will cost $49.99 when it's released July 26.

Nintendo might run into problems with this accessory if it's trying to maintain its grip on affordability and value in the gaming space.

Nintendo goes out of its way to tell us that the Wii provides more value than any other console on the market. According to the company, the Wii not only boasts the best gaming experience, but it does so at a price--$250--that's far more affordable than competing products.

But now that the Wii MotionPlus is thrown into the mix, the cost to the consumer for a fully configured Wii controller just increased from $60 ($40 for the Wii Remote and $20 for the nunchuk) to $80 ($40 for the Wii Remote and $20 each for the nunchuk and Wii MotionPlus). Assuming you still use the Wii Remote that came bundled with the Wii, you'll spend $260 to have four remotes all sporting a nunchuk and Wii MotionPlus.

Isn't that a little steep?

Nintendo doesn't think so. The company's vice president of Public Affairs, Denise Kaigler, said that the accessory is optional, so consumers can decide whether they want to invest another $20 to get the best control possible in Wii games.

"Nintendo offers consumers many exciting options that are designed to enhance their gameplay experience," Kaigler said. "Consumers decide which of those options to use based on the gameplay experience they want to enjoy at any given time. Gamers who prefer playing with a control stick can add the Nunchuk controller option if they want. Wii MotionPlus is an optional accessory for developers and players who want to further refine their game experience."

Most Wii gamers will probably want greater control over their games, yet some purchased the Wii because it was less expensive than its counterparts. But as you can see from the chart below, the Wii isn't necessarily the cheapest console on the market. In fact, if a user wants up to four controllers sporting a Wii MotionPlus, they'll end up paying a whopping $510 before they buy a single Wii game. The Xbox 360 is cheaper as soon as controllers get added to a gaming setup, and the PlayStation 3 with four controllers is just $55 more expensive than the Wii.

The real price of owning a Wii.

(Credit: Don Reisinger/CNET)

When I pressed Nintendo about the affordability of its console and the impact it could have on its target market, Kaigler wouldn't budge.

"Nintendo is committed to creating new experiences for everyone to enjoy," she responded. "Wii MotionPlus is for anyone who wants to bring true 1:1 motion to their video game experience. It's up to developers to decide how they want to integrate this new technology into their games."

And that could be yet another problem facing Wii gamers. If a developer requires a Wii MotionPlus in portions of a game, much like they currently do with the nunchuk, that "option" Nintendo is so quick to cite, might be lost. And even if it isn't required, but suggested, won't you want to play the game the way it's supposed to be played?

The Wii MotionPlus looks like a compelling accessory that many Wii gamers will want. But since it's not supported in older titles and it turns the Wii into an expensive investment, is it really worth the upgrade cost?

Nintendo thinks so. Do you?

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[stoobush]

Shouldn't you include wireless adapter cost for the XB360? Wii and PS3 come with wireless support standard, but it adds a full $100 to the cost of the XB.

Also, who owns four controllers to anything?

[NickH]

I think you comment about the WiFi adapter is half-correct. If you consider that the XBox does include an RJ45 network jack as standard, then at least some people (me included) don't really care about a lack of WiFi, and are pretty happy not to be paying for it.

If you need it, though, you should certainly include it in the price calculation. I think $100 for the adapter is pretty over-priced too.

[AndrewRich]

Mom, Dad, three boys. They own four controllers and four nunchuks. Four-way Mario Kart is fun!

[spiffy1001]

I didn't buy the Wii because it was the cheapest, I bought it because it had Wii Sports, Mario Kart and Wii Fit. I bought it because it was the best. Also, I only have two WiiMotes, rarely do I need more.

[_makio_]

Saying that it is the best is a huge statement... The way I figure it, it is simply different. i am a PC gamer, but I am looking at getting a Wii because of the different control scheme. I have been looking at game reviews online and there only seems to be five or six games that I actually want, so I am still deciding whether it is a wise investment...

On the other side is the ps3, lots of good games, reasonable controller, but way too over priced for me to even consider. The 360 though, is affordable, has an okay controller and it has a heap of good games. This is probably the only other console i would consider buying. Overall, I think they are all good, but are aiming for different markets...

[darkxeno]

I don't know about the rest of the world, but i didn't buy it due to cost. I bought it to play the games on the system. If i wanted to play Halo, I would buy an Xbox. I think we are getting into a slow news day with nothing else to post.

[Inconnux]

I will be buying the new adapter for both of my controllers, as far as I am concerned the Wii is the ONLY innovative system with its controller... the other systems controllers are still as frustrating as controllers in the 80's.

[jomolungma]

Well, if you aren't going to include the cost of the WiFi adapter for the Xbox 360, why use the more expensive version with an HDD? It's not "necessary" to play games on the device. If you use the $199 price for the Arcade, the cost difference becomes even more substantial.

However, I think the argument is based on false premises. I don't think the Wii sells, anymore, on price. It might have been a selling point when the device first came to market, but hype is fueling sales now far more than price, and hype can overcome the price difference for the motion controller. Also, it has been shown that consumers are more open to swallowing after market costs than up front costs. This helps explain why the PS3 hasn't sold as well as the Xbox 360, even though if you add in the cost of a WiFi adapter the 360 Pro is more expensive than a comparable PS3.

Finally, games move consoles as well, and there aren't Wii games on the other consoles. By that I mean soccer moms looking for entertainment for their young kids and the "family" will go for the Wii over the other consoles because of the games available, in connection with other factors.

[chaz0717]

Yeah, I just bought a xb360 with a wireless controller and 5 free arcade games for 199. More Microsoft haterism? Or just bad research?

They should drop the price of the console by $50 down to $200. The technology is older now and I'm starting to see the Wii in stock in stores -- they need to do something to keep them sold out, and a price drop might help. :)

[ibeetle]

I am thinking E3. And not quite $50 but probably $20 or so ($229? $219?), and/or a better game pack-in. Especially if Microsoft and/or Sony drops the price of their systems.

[itworker--2008]

This is how I saw the least expensive console become the most expensive.
Add 1 remote
Add 1 nunchuk
Add rechagable batteries and charger (You can't live without these can you?)
Add 2 Wii Wheels
Add Wiisports Nerf accessories (Bat, racket...etc)
Add 2 light sabers (for StarWars)

[aka_tripleB]

You weren't using rechargable batteries before then? I started using them back in the winter of 2002 durning my freshman year in college. They were a godsend; especially seems how I didn't have to pay for the electricity to charge them. I know I was paying for college, but I wasn't paying for new batteries all the time on top of that, which is my point.

[roachbrain]

Oh are you Xbox fan boys seriously mad Don made the standard price $300. I would understand why since not one of you xbox masochists would go one month without a hard drive for your 360. Last time I checked it's still at $99. Geez if you want to argue about the $300 then fine 360 for $200 comes with everything you need arcade games for a nex gen unit no hard drive and your choice between RROD or E74 error guaranteed.

I'll buy that for a dollar....x_x

[Kwasiowusu]

:@ roachbrain "Oh are you Xbox fan boys seriously mad "

Real question is, are you Nintendo fanGIRLS nuts, so you keep paying $250 for Wii (Gamcube 1.5), when the Gamecube itself costs just $99?

"I would understand why since not one of you xbox masochists would go one month without a hard drive for your 360"

That will come as news to most Arcade users, who happiily buse their Aracde 360's to play games every fay, with no hard drive. You don't even need a hard drive to stream movies from Netflix either, if you have the new Arcades with 256MB flash memory

[TaxmanCDN]

Don't forget the cost of the Wii balance board.

[_makio_]

or the zapper, or the steering wheel, or the countless other controller addons for individual games... lol, it's kinda getting ridiculous now how many peripherals there are for the wii...

[aka_tripleB]

The math is off by $20 for most people considering most people will buy Wii Sports Resort. But even though this will add to the cost to the system, at least it will add to its functionality; unlike some systems that quickly removed functionality but left the price alone. I know we all know who I'm talking about, so I won't mention any names.

[every_name_taken]

I think its a really big stretch to assume everyone who owns a Wii is going to run out and buy 4 "Wii Motion Plus" attachments. Let's wait and see how well the device is even supported before we start pulling out the pitchforks and torches, eh Don?

I agree with the commenter who said it must be a slow news day.

[megustansalchichas]

one killer game and the price of the motion plus attachments won't matter, it'll just be considered part of the most freakinest awesome game out there.

[AndrewRich]

I'd be much more likely to pick up a couple of MP adapters if they added functionality to older games. Since they don't, I'll likely wait until (if ever) I buy a game that requires it.

[rucknrun]

I think the PS3 is a better value. Mainly cause I use it, the games for the Wii stink, I played it for about a week when I got it, not at all since.

[rucknrun]

I forgot too, don't you have to pay for the rechargers and batteries for Wii and XBOX controllers? You don't with the PS3.

[_makio_]

I live in Australia, and I'm looking at getting a Wii. i wonder how this scales to our dollar...

[holyhope]

The Wii is very good for its audience. It offers exercise with high tech. I can forsee these small additions to the Wii extended to tiny finger units for tele-operation of any device at distance. In fact I can see a virtual keyboard where there is no keyboard to type with, or operations in remote Alaskan villages with the surgeon at the Mayo Clinic.

[faceless128]

What games require 4 Nunchuks for 4 player support?

What games require 4 Motion Plus addons?

What game with Motion Plus support doesn't come with it bundled?

And since we're counting 4 controllers for Wii, shouldn't we be adding $200 a year for 4 Xbox Live accounts and $100 for a Wifi adapter?