By Carl Laron on September 24, 2009 in
Though it's been hotly rumored for several days, Nintendo has officially confirmed that as of Sunday, the price of its popular Wii game console will be cut to $200. The $50 price reduction re-establishes the Wii, our pick for the best family-friendly gaming, as one of the least expensive video-game consoles available. Only the Microsoft Xbox 360 Arcade sells for as little, and the lack of a hard-drive in that entry-level game console makes it a poor value in most experts' eyes.
Nintendo's move completes the video-game price-cut trifecta. Previously, Sony had reduced the price of its PS3 gaming system by $100, while Microsoft had done likewise with its Xbox 360 Elite and Xbox 360 Pro (though the latter is being phased out). The price cuts have helped re-invigorate gaming hardware sales, which had been in the doldrums for months. In particular, Sony reports that its price drop has boosted PS3 sales by 300 percent, which led Jack Tretton, who heads up Sony's computer entertainment operations in the U.S., to speculate -- perhaps a bit self-servingly -- that some retailers could run out of PS3 consoles later in the year if things continue at their current pace.