Can someone fill me in on why there's so much hate? Minimum wage in USA = $7.25 I believe. UK = 6.00 (roughly, in their currency).

Prices in the UK already include the high vat tax, so if anything it's more expensive in the USA for our respective currency. Minimum wage is very close, so I don't see how this makes a big difference in the end of the day for each respective citizen. I work X hours to get 350 in my currency to purchase the console, and you work almost the exact same X hours to receive enough of your currency to purchase the console.

A lot of people in here are saying "tax isn't included" in the US price, which is true, but there are some states that do not have a sales tax.

So in NH for example a Wii U will cost exactly $299.99, and not a penny more

sure but that has nothing to do with "the companies rape us in europe" which many people often claim. most of the difference is tax, the rest is probably higher costs for so many different markets in europe compared to only one big market usa and stuff like that.

i don't believe people mean with it that americans have the same costs because even if you have to pay tax in some states it's much lower. just that it's not the company who is taking much more from us to make more money with european customers.

Yep Austrlaia has alway been at the short end of the stick.

ATM our dollar is worth MORE than the US dollar.

At stages it got as high as 1.10 USD

Basic - $349 and premium - $429 AUD

Our games here still cost $108 RRP, although some retailers drop them to say $89 for the lesser popular titles.

Retailer justifications over the years:

- AUD is only 0.50USD (OK FAIR ENOUGH FAIR ENOUGH)

- Then when dollar is worth more, OH SHIPPING COSTS to AUD, and LESS PEOPLE, so need to be that high lol.

i wonder what the duty differences are between japanese products to usa or to the european union, maybe this is also a difference which makes it more expensive in the eu.

Amazon UK have the black Wii U for £299.99 so I pre-ordered it yesterday :)

can't wait as it looks really cool, I love the tablet controller idea

zavvi has it for 275 or 299 with zombi u.

:o really? are they any good? never ordered from them before!

i often bought there or at thehut stuff (both are one company) and got it send to germany and it worked great, no clue how it is in uk and if you get it at the same time as you would from amazon. that obviously always took longer to germany so, maybe someone else from uk knows.

btw the hut has the same prices.

ah okay, I will look into it, thanks :)