Nintendo has announced that they will cut the price of their Deluxe model Wii U to $299 (a price drop of $50 from its current MSRP) starting on September 20th. This means Deluxe model Wii U (which features 32 GB of storage and the packed in Nintendo Land game) will be the same price as the remaining stock of white 8 GB Basic consoles.
NOA president Reggie Fils-Aime commented on the reasoning behind the price drop, saying in part:
“Obviously we want to drive Wii U momentum. We’ve been very clear that software is what drives hardware. And we feel very good about the line-up of software for Wii U. Taking the added step to improve the value just reinforces our commitment to make sure that Wii U has a strong holiday this year and is set up to be a strong platform into the future.”
Reggie also noted that the 8GB Basic model Wii U has been phased out of production, and there is “not much of that particular configuration” left in the marketplace. Whatever is out there will be sold at its current $299 MSRP, and Nintendo expects it to be completely gone before September 20th.
For comparison, the current PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 configurations range between $200-$300. The PlayStation 4 (which launches November 15th) will cost $400. The Xbox One (which will launch sometime this November) will sell for $500.
Nintendo has also confirmed the existence of the Wii U The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD bundle that was outed last week. The bundle (pictured above) includes a black Deluxe 32 GB Wii U console, a Zelda-branded GamePad controller, a download code for the digital version of Hyrule Historia (a book that contains a history and artwork of The Legend of Zelda series), and a code for a downloadable version of the HD remake.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD Wii U bundle launches on September 20th for $299, making it a pretty good deal for anyone looking to pick up a Wii U this year. It is just too bad that the game is not the physical boxed retail version.
[Update 1] Nintendo’s official press release for the Wind Waker bundle also notes that the digital eShop version will launch on September 20th (ahead of the retail version’s October 4th launch) for $49.99. GameStop is also offering an exclusive Ganondorf figurine (pictured below) bundled with the retail game for $54.99. [Update 2] The limited edition The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD Wii U bundle is being sold exclusively through GameStop.