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EB/Gamestop Offering $700 Wii Bundle
GameSpot is reporting that GameStop will be offering a mind-boggling $700 Wii bundle online, as of tomorrow. Considering the retail price of the Wii is $250, there had better be some solid gold Wiimotes in there to go with your little white box. From the article: "Given the GameStop Wii bundle's steep price, one would wonder what assortment of add-ons and games are worth around an extra $449. Apparently, the customer-service reps at GameStop are also wondering. 'We don't know what the bundle contains,' a rep told GameSpot. 'We also don't know when they go on sale. We won't know until Thursday.'"
Which comes with a PS3.
If brevity is the soul of wit, then how does one explain Twitter?
... finally a story that deserves the "itsatrap" tag
I'm giving 10 to 1 odds for the next 5 minutes, that it won't get it ;-)
Oh god, that woman is John Romero!
It adds up pretty quickly. They probably throw some useless accessories in there too, like "Wii Game carry cases" or something similar.
A Wii with an extra 3 WiiMotes and Nunchucks would cost you $430. Add in the Classic Controller, the Lightgun attachment, and a few games, and you're at $700 in no time flat.
Like most of the next-gen systems, the Wii will nickel and dime you to death on accessories and connectivity. (The latter being things like classic games in the case of the Wii.) The difference is that the Wii has a lower base price, so the nickel and diming doesn't get quite as costly as the 360 or PS3.
Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
I'm not sure how you can compare a retail bundle and a preorder eBay auction for just a console. Sure they're going for about the same price... but what exactly does that say? The console itself should still be $250 from said retailer - which STILL leaves the mentioned $450 for "other stuff" that is yet to be named - when compared to eBay.
Perhaps it's "mind-boggling" because no one has the slightest clue what is actually included in the random $450 extra items.
Is your mind controlled by a wizard? Are you a zombie who not only craves brains, but also Nintendo's Wii? Have you taken an experimental formula that turns you into a half man/half ape and you require something to distract you from your loss of humanity? Or do you just hate making your own decisions? Have Gamestop decide what games and accessories you need with your Nintendo Wii. If you're very good, they'll let you purchase other games of their choosing in the future.
Maybe when the article was written, this wasn't up, but following the first link in the article led to this list:
The Nintendo Wii bundle includes the following items (It does say subject to change, though):
Nintendo Wii Console (includes 1 remote controller, 1 nunchuck, cables, sensor bar, console stand, and Wii Sports game)
Wii Memory SD 1GB
Additional Wii Remote Controller
6 Games:
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Trauma Center: Second Opinion
Red Steel
Marvel Ultimate Alliance
Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz
Madden NFL 2007
12 Month Product Replacement Plan
Game Informer Gift Subscription
$694.88 plus tax and handling
Anyone think that $700 is an awful lot of money to spend? Particularly on something that's almost certainly going to decline in value precipitously? Whatever they're putting in this bundle, I'll wager that in six months, you'd be able to buy all of it for $350 or less.
I'm not sure how rich I'd have to be, to not be able to wait until the "oooh shiney" premium is gone, but apparently it's a lot richer than I am.
I just hope the people that are buying this feel like they're getting their money's worth. And that they have their real expenses (you know, like food, shelter, education, debt) covered first.
"Ladies and gentlemen, my killbot features Lotus Notes and a machine gun. It is the finest available."
By the numbers, out of the entire package the only good parts are:
Nintendo Wii Console (includes 1 remote controller, 1 nunchuck, cables, sensor bar, console stand, and Wii Sports game)
- which I already have an EBX preorder for at $250 (paid $50 upfront)
Wii Memory SD 1GB - this is good
Additional Wii Remote Controller - this is good
6 Games:
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - good
Trauma Center: Second Opinion - ok, would get it if it was a package
Red Steel - good, but was going to wait
Marvel Ultimate Alliance - boring
Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz - boring
Madden NFL 2007 - boring
12 Month Product Replacement Plan - total ripoff
Game Informer Gift Subscription - total ripoff
I think I'll just pick up the memory, the extra controller, Zelda and Rayman Raving Rabbits, and get the rest much much later, thanks!
$694.88 plus tax and handling
-- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
Wii Console, $250
Six games at fifty bucks a piece, $300
1gb SD card, ~$20
Wiimote (sans nunchck), ~$40
So, that magazine subscription and 1 year product replacement plan would come out to around $90. WHAT A DEAL!
It comes bundled with a pony.
Circumcision is child abuse.
This is obviously a bid to compete with Sony. It's designed to bring in those consumers who already prefer the Wii over the PS3, but who are worried they might get an inferior product because they are not spending as many hundreds of dollars.
You live and learn. At least, you live.
Wii+ Wii Sports = $250
Zelda:TP = $50
Extra Wiimote = $40
SuperMonkeyBall Bannana Blitz = $50
2 DS Lites = $260 (Hand one to my Girlfriend)
Mario Kart DS = $30
New SuperMario Bros = $20 (Used, Gamefly)
----
$700.
Incidentially That's about the price of 1 PS3, high def cables and a game. (no second controller.)
Nintendo offers 12-month product warranties for all their systems; so if you buy the base Wii package for $250, you still have protection for one year. Man, you gotta love Gamestop and their ability to prey on the fears of the uninformed public.
"It's a reverse vampire...they....they crave the sun!"
Yeah... it's not that people are having a hard time thinking of things that could add up to $700 (I assume), it's more the fact that EB isn't telling what you're paying $700 for that makes it interesting.