So, I had a great shopping trip this weekend managing to pick up Wii U Party with Wii Remote and Motion Plus AND Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for £30 each this weekend.
However, as great as this was, it's also an alarming precedent for Nintendo software. Super Mario 3D World for example was also reduced to £30 even before Christmas. Sonic Lost World... well, Sonic games always get reduced pretty soon after release, but for the big name Nintendo IPs this is just unheard of. For reference, Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 held their full retail price at retailers until Nintendo choose to release budget versions a few years after launch.
There has always been a trust in Nintendo software that it will not be reduced in price within weeks, that has always given a confidence to buying Nintendo titles day 1. Even Nintendo themselves have stated the importance of not making the consumer think prices will drop quickly.
Is this a temporary blip for Wii U? Or is this the beginning of Nintendo games regardless of pedigree, being just as suceptible to rapid price drops and medicre mainstream 3rd party software offerings?
Although Wii U is clearly underperforming in the UK, Wii U Party and in particular Tropical Freeze's retail orders will have been made in line with expectations for a slow selling console with a low userbase. So to still feel a need to slash the retail price within weeks of release is actually quite alarming for me, as much as it's great that I was able to get Tropical Freeze more quickly than originally intended.
Should I stick to my plan to buy Mario Kart day 1? Or will it be reduced within 2 weeks of release?
RIP Dad 25/11/51 - 13/12/13. You will be missed but never forgotten.
