RUMOR: New Nintendo Wii SKU Coming for Christmas By: Andrew Joy When it comes to expanding the market, the key to winning the current console war, there are a few reasons why Nintendo is doing better than its competitors. First off, for better or for worse (and obviously for the better, right now), Nintendo is a brand name that has become synonymous with family-friendly entertainment. Second, the Wii has traditionally been far more economical than the other two systems (a gap that is closing with each price drop), offering not only a new console, but also a game, and for only $250.
And, third, Nintendo has taken a more simplistic approach to store shelves, so far offering only one SKU in comparison to the three and four and countless others being constantly switched out by Microsoft and Sony. However, if Codename Revolution is to be believed, it would seem that times are about to change. Apparently a new SKU is now being offered to retailers just in time for the Christmas season, and its price is comparable to the current units.
Of course, with an expected price drop on the Wii before Christmas (in order to counter those on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360), one has to wonder what else might be included to help balance out the price. Given the cryptic tag of New SKU, it doesn t seem likely that this is simply a new color, or else they might just have named it as such (such as BLK SKU for a black unit, for example). A number of places are also suggesting this may be a DVD playback-capable unit, but that too seems unlikely, as we ve yet to hear anything about it out of Japan, where multiple feature electronics have a bigger market.
There s also been a question as to whether or not we ll see a new or improved bundle, and this does seem likely. However, given the potential standalone success for some of their titles, I would hold my breath for a Super Mario Galaxy or Super Smash Bros. Brawl bundle; if anything, expect to see something like Wii Play (and perhaps an extra controller) tossed in with, or even replacing, the current Wii Sports pack-in.
So, if we ve ruled out a new color, DVD playback and possibly a bundle, you have to be asking yourself what we think it is. Well, the answer to that is simple enough: the Wii Remote Jacket. Earlier this month, as you may recall, we informed you of a new accessory Nintendo was offering for free to existing Wii owners.
The jacket, as it was called, is nothing more than a slip-on rubber bumper to help protect the Wii-mote from damage when it inadvertently hits something and vice versa. However, while you can still order up to four on Nintendo s website, Nintendo also stated that future Nintendo products would soon be equipped with the jacket, too. Considering that the price is so similar to current Wii units, it is reasonable to consider that Nintendo is simply shipping new Wii units with the Wii Remote Jacket included and with a new number to help identify them.
Of course, at this point, nothing can be said for certain, and we won t know the truth of the matter until these new SKU actually hit stores later this year. However, in the meantime, we will continue to keep an eye on this story and if we learn anything more, you ll see it right here. So be sure to check back at VGGEN often!
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