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Nintendo rules out price cuts for Wii, DS

Dela @ Apr 10, 2009 13:42 | 1 comment

Nintendo President Satoru Iwata admitted that the Wii console is struggling a bit in Japan, but said the company has no plans to drop the price in response. "The Wii is in the most unhealthy condition since it hit the Japanese market," he said. "The current condition in the Japanese market is not the one we want. A price cut in a difficult economy cannot really excite the market and drive up sales."

He went on to say that he didn't believe a price cut would be a viable option for Nintendo as things stand. "A price cut in a difficult economy cannot really excite the market and drive up sales. As of now I really don't think that a price cut is a good option for us," he told a news conference.

In the 5 weeks to March 29th, sales for the Wii console have dropped off in Japan by 63% compared to the same period last year, representing 99,335 units according to Enterbrain Inc. By comparison, the demand for the PlayStation 3 is up sharply, with a 80% rise in sales compared to the same period last year, moving 146,948 units.

"The speed with which people get tired of any new entertainment is faster in Japan than in overseas markets," Iwata said. The company has sold more than eight million Wii consoles in Japan since it was launched in late 2006.

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