If this is true... GREAT! If this isn't... I'm not surprised.
I could see it being around 300$/350$ at launch but we wouldn't know this early, at least not from an "anonymous" source. I could see it happening but I seriously think this is just plain fake.

@VGKing
I think you might misunderstand each others posts. Both of you seem to agree. He was not referring to the wiiu controller. He was noting the price of the standard controller and the msrp and trying to apply it to the wiiu to determine the msrp of its controller. Booth of you seem to agree on the msrp of the wiiu controller but both of you misunderstand the other's stance due to poor word choices.

Also, I knew 300 USD would be their pricing although I wish they would make it just as powerful as the ps3 and 250 USD instead of more powerful than the ps3 and 300USD. I know that Nintendo won't use that extra power and neither will the 3rd parties so why bother?

Yes it does. So a console at $180 might be something like...$300 to $400. Just like we've all been thinking the Wii U would cost for a long time now.

You haven't heard the rumors? It's a 3DS in a box with the name "Wii U" slapped on it... (It's most likely a rumor, not fact.)

Same reason a laptop will usually cost more than a desktop with similar specs. Portables need smaller components, need to be less power consuming and need to produce less heat than regular size components, hence the extra cost with similar specs.

@Basil Zero
Actually, if you subtract 50 from 180 to get 130, the wiiu itself only costs 30 more dollars to make than the 3ds.

If the Wii U can hit the right price point at launch and show enough value for me then i will buy it. Even though i am primarily a ps3/pc gamer. But its gonna be a full year before Sony/MS release their next consoles this is a good opportunity for Nintendo to get some of those gamers to at least try out something new. You never know...some of those buyers might end up as long term customers.

If these rumors are true than a Wii U will be somewhat more powerful than a PS3 and cost less to manufacture :D

Anyone have any links that show the manufacturing cost of a PS3 and 360 in 2012?

Then again, the 3DS has to come with a screen (a autostereoscopic 3D screen in this case) and a battery vs. no extra cost for home consoles.