Nintendo boss defends plans to set price point of digital and retail boxed products at same level for Wii U
Publishers are “completely divided” on the price point for digitally distributed games, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has said.
Speaking in a Q&A after the console giant’s latest financial results, Iwata defended Nintendo’s plans to set retail boxed products and digital prices at the same level on Wii U, stating downloaded games should not necessarily be cheaper.
He said that publishers around the world had different opinions on the issue, with some believing games should cost less to download, whilst others believing it should be set at the same price as the boxed market.
He claimed that many customers gained value in being able to store a number of titles on the system for easy access.
“I find the value in being able to store a number of software titles in a hardware system and being able to bring them with me wherever I go and, therefore, I may choose this option” said Iwata.
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“We do not hold such a premise that digitally distributed software has less value. In fact, as we have discussed this with a number of software publishers around the world, we have found that their opinions are completely divided on the topic of the price points of the digital distribution of packaged software.”
Nintendo recently revealed that it would release many of its first-party titles at retail and through digital download on the same date.
Full price games on Steam and Origin are no cheaper than boxed retail products. In some instances they are more expensive. This has been the case for some time. This is not news.
Steam offers discounts on nearly every title just a few months after the initial release, with declining pricing and/or promo pricing as time goes on. I can't compare that against Origin's pricing tactics, as thankfully, I've never had the misfortune to use it on my Mac.
Regardless, virtual content should always cost less than a physical, tangible product which can (used to) be sold, touched, collected, traded, etc. The difference in cost due to lack of materials, distribution, and shelving should be reflected in the lower digital version pricing.
Nintendo. Why?
You are losing money. Times are bleak for you. Why? Why take this stance? The entire industry is screaming for the death of copied games and you give players no incentive whatsoever to buy digital by making it the same price. How is that smart? green? forward-thinking? sensible?
Sony hit hard times due to falling blindly in love with products people weren't buying. You too have made a $0.5bn LOSS.
Be sensible, because your customers are.
