Wii price cut nearing

Nintendo is remaining tight-lipped, but it’s appearing almost certain now that the platform holder is to cut the price of its Wii console at the end of the month – most likely at its Tokyo Game Show event.

The latest evidence comes in the form or a Toys R Us advertisement obtained by Kotaku. It indicates that at the end of the month the retailer is to drop the machine from $249.99 to $199.99 in North America.

The package pictured includes Wii Sports, suggesting that Nintendo won’t be following Microsoft and Sony’s lead by introducing multiple SKUs.

Similar claims emerged from US retailer Wal Mart yesterday, whilst industry leaders indicated to MCV earlier this month that a Wii price cut is needed if the machine is to maintain its sales lead over Xbox 360 and PS3.

Despite upping the price of the console in the UK earlier this year, Nintendo has seen increasing pressure put on the machine’s RRP as year-on-year sales continue to slump.

The Wii remains the only current console to still sell for its launch RRP in most territories. Whether the upcoming price cut will simply take Wii back down to its previous price of 179.99 or offer an additional cost on top – perhaps to 149.99 – remains to be seen.