I think that there are going to be Wii shortages until the end of this console war. Nintendo is going to win the hardware battle and third parties are going to continue producing complete trash for it, thereby resulting in the best selling software being on other systems. Expecting a price drop on the 360 and PS3 front is common sense, both systems are still vastly overpriced.

Both the PS2 and DS are overpriced by about 30 dollars and need price drops as well but that is just my opinion.

Gagamus

@Collapse The Control: Yeah, thats gamestop for you,always wanting to give you a hard time about reservations. I try to avoid them because I don't believe I should have to reserve something I want to buy, but I admit I have to go there once in a while for hard to find stuff. Picked up a fourth Wavebird for 17.99. Not bad considering the Ebay prices since smash bros and and the fact Nintendo had the bright idea to stop production.

LowNemesis

You guys can find a WII easily by just calling Gamestop or (insert your favorite store) daily or once a week. Have patience and Mario will come to you. (end of witty statement)

Snappywave

currently Gamestop stocks is acutally doing better than others so maybe this dropping console prices would raise the stocks but dropping prices for wii or psp is not likely since i don't think it would help gamestop...

OtakuHat

I gave in and got a Wii off of eBay. I was afraid as soon as I did, they'd become readily available again.
So, in my own selfish way, I am glad about the delay.

Since I already have a PS3. the possible price drop doesn't bother me.
But when the iPhone price dropped...i was pissed!!

killer_meatballs

I work at gamestop and I can tell you that we have not had wii's or 360's in abundance since christmas. if anyone is lying about this, it's the system manufacturers because we're sure not in on it.

on an unrelated note, to those of you who won't buy used games because it hurts the industry, try my method. i only buy used games by companies I don't like in the unlikely event that they accidentally release something that doesn't suck. I'm looking at you EA.

SoulPunch

If there is a PS3 price drop NOW after only having mine for a few weeks im going to be so fucking pissed...

ArmyofJuan

@Cell9song:
The orignal 60gig had b/c and since a ps3 with bc is hard to find, if you really want it, it is worth that much more

Neo-Senku

The rule I use is if the price of the games that I might reasonably play is more than the console then I'm good to go. Actually, I just made that up but it maybe I'll start using that.

Xbox + 3 extra controllers = Halo? Not a good buy. But after I bought a few more games then it was a good purchase.

rvcontre

Wii's overrated...only good thing on it is SSBB, and you can nearly simulate that on a Gamecube...

As for PS3, wait for the 120/160GB models on the horizon, because Sony loves to churn out different versions of their systems.

360 needs to be re-engineered, Microshaft went a little too far on their "planned obsolescence".

Handhelds, two thumbs up!

Arrngrim

@Collapse The Control:
Your friend should have just told the guy to go fuck himself elegantly, than gone to some store that actually sells more than 3 copies of the game. Lucky for me all the people that work at my local EB/Gamestop are generally nice people. The only time I preorder is for an Atlus title that will be unavaible soon after launch if I don't jump on it quickly.

boxofthegods

@tslothrop: I'm with you here, man. I'd like a fully BC PS3, because my PS1 and PS2 library has a lot of good games in it that I do still go back to, and I have a sizeable PS2 backlog that I know I'd still be working on for the next year or two, while I wait for a PS3 game I actually want to play. It's not that I want a PS3 at the moment, but if my PS2 died tomorrow, backward compatibility is the difference between me ponying up the cash for a PS3 and just going and buying a new PS2 Slim.

tenken

I was pricing used PS3's at the Gamestop today and they're still astronomically expensive. The 60GB model is actually commanding a price of $429 USED while a new 40 GB is $399 new (Used is $350).

I know the 60 gig model has a feature or two that the newer 40 gig doesn't have but is it really worth that much more? Wouldn't it be better just to grab a new system at the lowest price and install a 3rd party HD yourself?

Cell9song

I think we all expect those, but only half of our expectations are bound to be true and not the good kind.

Absent Blue

@Collapse The Control: Just have your friend do the survey thats on the bottom of the receit and give the clerk a bad score, apparently those surveys are a big part of the employees stats and what not.

ctuck

I wonder how long the Nintendo zealots will continue to be in denial about Nintendo and retailers* milking the Wii's popularity for all it's worth. Hey, there can be BOTH white-hot demand AND a manufactured shortage. Also, by the time the supply would, in theory, 'catch up'...boom! Holiday shopping season! Well, look at THAT!

Things will be no different a year from now. COUNT ON IT.

P.S. I got one on launch day via Gamestop preorder, so no, I'm not embittered by being shut out. So save it.

*--That is, by focusing a Sunday circular on having a minimum of "x" Wii in stock, driving up traffic to the store on that given day, and making more people suddenly want one out of perceived urgency when they didn't really feel the hurried need for it the day before.

jollydwarf

Supply constraints in January don't explain poor hardware sales in Feb. and Mar.

HAGE

@Snuffbox:

Yes, a massive conspiracy. Even the Onassis family ...

I say MS drops the 360 price more than a measly $50 again. I can't speak for Sony. Nintendo won't change a thang.

DARTH_TIGRIS

why drop the price on the wii when it is still selling like it did Nov.19

Jamaces

So it looks like Microsoft wasn't lying when they talked about supply constraints... well unless Gamestop is lying too.

Snuffbox

@ErskinPig: If you weren't avoiding the site, you'd see that I think your comment was dull, and you should stop posting such comments. They're dodgy.

skrame gives himself a star ☆

@Collapse The Control: Sorry, couldn't help myself:

[www.penny-arcade.com]
[www.penny-arcade.com]

TKWarrior

I believe I paid less than it was worth when I bought my PS3 40GB for £299. It's an amazing piece of technology and has a Blu-Ray player. What more could you want for that kinda money? Stand-alone drives still retail at more than that.

I honestly use it more as media centre than anything else; streaming music, video and pictures to my PS3 from the PC. No issues most of the time.

So yea....I got my money's worth, definitely. Only thing that bugs me is the lack of a Dual Shock 3 & MGS4 bundled with it, heh. Recently had to give in and import a DS3 after all. Cost me £44 with shipping that damn thing.

Candlejack

I wish the PSP cost $150 or less, but a price drop for the PS3 would probably do them better than dropping the price on the PSP.

NeoAkira

Stop posting dull articles and fix this phishing BS. I'm avoiding this site until you do because it's dodgy.

ErskinPig

@Collapse The Control:
Wow, what horrible customer service. If true, hope your friend complained about it.
No, pre-ordering doesn't mean you're a true gamer. Pre-ordering just means you give in to GameStop's way of doing business (only ordering enough for pre-orders, then screw off everyone else).
Only reason I ever reserve a game is if it comes with a bonus (like the stylus, plush, and keychain that came with the Ace Attorney games).

---

Can the demand for the Wii really go on for another six months? Simply unfathomable... Hell, it's hard to believe it's lasted as long as it has. Don't get me wrong, I love mine, but I don't think I've seen any system sell this well for this long... It's just crazy.

BPM X: Soul Eraser

@Collapse The Control: The thing is, GS does not carry as many copies of new releases as compared to a few years ago. They base their orders on the amount of pre-orders, saying that's an indicator of how popular the game will be, or some BS. I wish I could remember were I saw the article.

From a business standpoint it makes sense. It saves in costs of rotating stock between locations. That and they make most of their profit in used games anyway.

The fact the employee argued with him because he did not pre-order was to convince him to do so in the future. I don't know if its company policy to push pre-orders or if its douche-bag managers. The guys at Penny Arcade spoke about this a few times on their site.

I've had the very same issue a few times in the past. One store even stated they only sell 'first day' new releases to those who pre-ordered, even after they admitted they had more copies than pre-orders! Always with the 'you should pre-order in the future'.

Never getting angry with them I simply said 'That's OK. There's a BestBuy, CircuitCity, and Target all within a mile from here. I'm sure one of them will have a copy and get my business from now on.'

TKWarrior

@NitrousO: it's true. I haven't seen arcade units and pro units more than 3 times in my store since the end of christmas.

ManjiKengo

@Collapse The Control: I used to work at an EB Games, and I would mock my regular customers, but they'd do the same back to me. We expected it of each other. My regulars came to me because I gave them the straight shit on what was terrible and what was good, promotions be damned. But to mock a customer just out of some elitist game-store clerk mentality is just lame.

DanimalJenkins

I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I don't really care about a price drop anymore. I just want a backwards compatible PS3! And they don't seem to be for sale anymore...

tslothrop

About a $50 price cut would bring a PS3 within spitting distance of the price I am willing to pay for one. Near enough that I might actually take the plunge (assuming that the UK got some equivalent price cut). Particularly with MGS 4 on the horizon.

Wych

@Collapse The Control: Thank God I have Gamestops around me that don't have idiots working there.

BigPete7978

Post holiday shortages that affected the 360? Was what MS saying real or is Gamestop in on somesort of inside joke?

NitrousO

@Collapse The Control: I think it all depends. I've had some Gamestop clerks who are awesome and we've just stood there chatting games for a half hour at times, and then there are the ones who are complete dicks who make fun of me for still buying PS2 titles (like there was any other choice for Odin Sphere!?). I've noticed, though, that there really isn't a medium: complete dick or completely awesome tends to be the trend.

bangbangblah

Yes the recession will magically help the video game industry!

endaround

I was just playing RB6:V2 with a friend and he was telling me about an incident he had at the Gamestop picking up the game.

He said that when he went into the store to pick up RB6, the manager asked him if he reserved it. He replied with a "no" and the guy started calling him out saying that he isn't a "real gamer"!

My friend went off on the guy saying to just give him the damn game and argued for a bit.

Collapse The Control

@scrappy: agreed, and the 360. If the 360 drops so should the Wii. But the Wii keeps selling so......

SAKY

I'm willing to settle for no Wii price drop...but only if I can find one to buy.

th3-1nf1d3l

@Ryanraven: You have to remember the Arcade doesn't sell as well though because of the lack of HD. The only reason I bought one was because my friend gave me a spare HD he had, which I more than happily accepted. I honestly don't believe the Arcade will ever be that competitive. It will eventually go the way of the 360 Core. Essentially it is the same thing except a few perks.

BigPete7978

@Ryanraven: You don't price drop something if you can't keep it on the shelves.

kingclip

Nice news those price drops.

Dumad

Sony, if you're listening, I am waiting for this $50 price drop. I suggest you do drop the price. $100 would be nice, but that is not likely. So please, $50 by summer. Almost a free game. Maybe a MGS4 type bundle? Please?

Now on to Wii. Since it's all "blue ocean" I'd say Nintendo would be hesitant to drop the price, especially since they can hardly keep them in stock now. If sales lag then I could see a Wii drop.

And also, Sony, a drop on PS2 might be enough for me to pick a slim.

Spaceboy

The PS2 should have had a price drop long ago.

scrappy

I wish that Gamestop would open up minimarts on the end of every block so i could take an evening stroll to pick up my copy of Duke Nukem Forever! In 2080....

MysteryMeat

I believe the Wii Will price drop if the 360 arcade becomes competitive. This is of course assuming they every have any wiis on the shelf to compete with....

Ryanraven