Nintendo: Wii U Basic Bundle Designed To Attract Core Gamers

Yes, that. What you said. Core gamers will, by and large, want the Deluxe model because it has benefits beyond simply having a pack-in game.

Well I think most "core" gamers would need more than 8GB of storage on the console...

I don't think 8gb will satifsy them either. Maybe some, but I guess those who'd plan on using the machine extensively are bound to go for the deluxe one. Plus, fingerprint magnet aside, the black one looks damn sexy!

The Deluxe comes with a game that most will use in the same manner as wii sports. The Deluxe has more memory that a core person would need, and it comes with things like a gamepad stand that can be used for FPS games.

I feel as if Nintendo purposely underwhelmed with the white version to push people toward the black version. I honestly would not have bought NintendoLand separately, but will give it whirl now. The real question is a few years from now, how many white Wii U's will be sold and how many copies of NintendoLand will be sold. . .

I really don't think the size of the storage is going to be an issue due to being able to use a large USB hard drive.
My only concern with the basic package is, can you use the gamepad properly in all games without the use of a sensor bar?

If that is true, how do they explain the ZombiU bundle?

Actually it's the other way around. )
I think this is only his personal opinion.

I'm getting the basic model. If I need more GB I will just buy a usb terabyte hard drive. I hear they're cheap now a days anyway so no biggie. Maybe buy nintendoland later on.

I can't help but feel that it's backwards. That being said, I suppose I WOULD go with a basic if that was the only way, and the storage can be expanded. As for the accessories, I honestly would most likely not use them. Still.......

even 32GB is nowhere near enough storage for most people. Whichever pack you buy you will innevitably need to buy an external HDD anyway.
The premium pack is also not worth the extra £50.

here's why:

£50 gets you an extra 24GB, Nintendoland, some plastic stands and a sensor bar.
I can get a 32GB SD card for £13.50 on amazon.
nintendoland is a collection of minigames simmilar to wiiplaymotionplus.
every single person on earth now has a sensor bar.
plastic stand and charge cradle completely pointless and will be ignored just like 3DS charge cradle, as its much easier to plug it in directly.

I'm getting the cheap version and zombiu and mass effect3

Yeah, I can actually see where they're coming from. I was looking at the two deals the other day and thinking to myself, do I really want to pay $80 more for Nintendoland, a bunch of in-essential peripherals and slightly more storeage.

Storeage is cheap, and at the end of the day if you're doing a lot of gaming on the machine and downloading games and what not, you're going to want more than 32 GB's anyway.

So the basic version seems a good deal to me, because I can then buy a game I actually want (Darksiders 2 or Assassins Creed 3 or something else....) for the same price as the deluxe bundle.

Why would Nintendo think that the basic model would appeal to the core gamer, Oh Nintendo you wouldn't believe how worried you make me.

@lavatwilight
zombiu bundle is £349.99!
thats an extra £100 for a game and pro controller. might as well buy them individually. you dont get nintendoland either in the bundle.

I agree doctor. I also forgot about assassins creed 3. I need help....
mass effect 3 or assassins creed 3?
I never played either game before... which is better?

@3dbrains

Assassins Creed 3. Even though it hasn't released yet...

I don't get it one bit.Why would I buy a console and have no games to play on it?

They cut way to much out in the basic bundle. I don't see how anyone could want that one unless they have a poor economy at the moment or want the white color.

The Premium pack is just such a better deal, for both casual and core players.

I can see the opposite, with core gamers being attracted to the one with Nintendo Land and more memory space, and not really wanting nintendo land. Kids will go for the cheaper one, espically because parents will not understand why to spend $50 more. They won't get Nin. Land either, which is the age group it is aimed at mainly. (I dont mean its a kids game, rather a casual game). Then I can see Nintendo Land going online for about $25 because all the hardcore peopoe dont want it and kids do.
I think Nintendo would have made it better with NSMBU As a package in game for deluxe, for $375 IMO.

I have an external drive, so the flash memory really doesn't concern me, nor do I think it'll concern many 'core' gamers who'll pick it up, I think the external HDD is a welcome move console wise.

However, I think the fact that it's Black, comes with a game and a sensor bar is why core gamers will in fact buy the Premium edition anyway.

I really struggle to see why anyone would buy the white one, unless they really don't have money to put down for an extra game...

Yeah, right. If they wanted to bring in the core gamers with the lower cost model they would have made that one black or made both models in both colors. Now we're going to have console wars for WiiU.
"Premium has WAAAAYYY bigger flash memory!"
"Basic was more consumer friendly!!!"
Now I'm waiting for the in-between model with 16GB of flash memory, $20 for the eShop, and a stand and cradle for the Gamepad for $329.99.

@3dbrains You must not be too much of a fan of downloads I guess; it also comes with the whole Deluxe Digital Promotion thing, which will allow you to gain points off of each digital download you get(which can go toward more) and there's a discount too isn't there? We still don't know too much about the area in general though.

I think extra storage, a full priced game(whether or not it's worth the tag is arguable, but most likely will be priced there anyway), some extra accessories, and the digital promotion(from what we know) is a pretty great deal for just $50 more.

@Alienfish Don't you mean $324.99? Haha...

I think they messed up what they were saying. The Deluxe Set has everything the "core" gamer would want. More memory, a b--a-- color, and even a game to see what they're getting into. I'm only getting the basic so I can get a game my friends will be talking about (Assassin's Creed).

I'm giving some serious thought towards getting the Basic Pack. The white version of the console is less of a fingerprint magnet, plus it gives me some control over the features I want to add later on, including the freedom (and funds) to get New Super Mario Bros. U instead of Nintendo Land as my first Wii U game. Plus, I've had a white Wii since August 2007, and replacing it with the exact opposite shade of grey would be too much of a change for me to handle; not to mention it contrasts my black Blu-Ray player (AKA PlayStation 3).

I can easily see something wrong with that, the basic comes in white, hardcore gamers usually like only black, so yay, I see alot of fault in Nintendo's logic

Nintendo's brilliant con job (thats your title right there) They know the hardcore gamer doesn't want N Land and isn't going to pay $50 for it separately. They also know the hardcore gamer wants black and more storage space. Nintendo laughs all the way to the bank.
They also know the casuals will buy the white one for $299 and then pay $50 for N Land for their kids. Again, Nintendo laughs as the cash register goes ka-Ching.
I'm sure what that guy said is the standard company line, all part if the con.

8GB isn't enough for core gamers.

I think it makes sense (except for lack of color choice for right now, but seriously, do you really think that isn't going to change in 2013?). Nintendo is assuming that your typical "core" gamer is going to have some sort of external storage device laying around to use, so the 8GB of memory is moot.
I still think the whole "core" and "casual" thing is stupid and nothing more than buzzwords to make the gaming public feel better. But what do I know?

I would think hardcore gamer's would want the deluxe model rather than the 8GB, I think they would rather have it in black as well

I think they should have sold the wii u only in black and then release it in white a few years later like wii released in white and then black a while afterward. And maybe people would distinguish it from the wii better. Anyway, this whole discussion is racist

@WaveBoy
I'm with you as one of the hardcore gamers who wants it in white (and will be getting the basic bundle because of that). Even though it looks really nice, a black Nintendo console always seems a bit wrong to me. It's important to have it as an option, but I prefer Nintendo consoles in a light color. Plus all my electronics are black, so it's nice to have my console as something different.

I'm glad the Basic Set comes with a sensor bar in the US region.

I was reading the comments. Are most of you from Europe, Australia, China, and Japan?

It works out cheaper to got for the premium bundle.
Because you get a game,accessories,and that Nintendo Network thing for and extra £50,

Interesting theory, one that the more I think about it makes sense. "Core" gamers probably won't want all the plastic stuff and NintendoLand, whereas a "casual" gamer who is maybe only getting NintendoLand and Wii Fit U gets everything they will ever need in the box in one go

Yes, it's designed to attract core gamers, which is why it has less internal storage and only comes in white.

Wait....

I'm not sure about what is the core gamer and which bundle will attract them but having a cheaper model without a game is good business. Each model will attract various people for various reasons!

Core gamers are going to want the extra storage, although not necessarily Nintendo Land. Plus, I think Black will appeal more than white, especially since core gamers will probably already have one of the original white Wiis. Maybe if the Basic set had been $250, I would have had a decision to make, but as it is, the Basic set feels like a ripoff. I can't imagine who it's going to appeal to other than people that just want to get a couple specific games that don't want Nintendo Land or care about the extras they're missing, which probably aren't going to be the people buying it at launch anyway: those people will probably be the ones buying the system a couple years down the line after the price drops enough to justify the purchase.

Gamers need to remember this: (and Nintendo needs to make it crystal clear) external hard drives are compatible, and it seems like some form of SD cards might be as well... So when you boil it down, it doesn't really matter what model you get. External memory is getting less and less expensive. I actually applaud them for letting the people choose how much storage space they want/need rather than adding more cost to the system itself. Sure, one has 8GB and the other has 32GB, but the difference really has a lot to do with the add-in stands and whatnots, Nintendo Land, as well as the deal Deluxe model owners get on eShop purchases

@vonseux how do you know the game is crap? lol do you have a time machine or are you some industry insider? I think I can answer those questions for you. You don't, no you do not and no you are not

I was at E3 and I can tell you that while NintendoLand will not be "amazing" it was genuinely fun. I think it will fill the same spot that Wii Sports did. It works to showcase the various new gameplay options the gamepad can perform. Hopefully this will actually get third party developers to treat it as more than an Xbox controller with a touch screen on it.

And everybody seems to be forgetting that Nintendo Premium network that comes with the deluxe. Being a "core" gamer, I'd rather have that reward program and a discount on digital downloads.

@doctor_doak Yeah, I was a little perplexed by the title too, until I read the reasoning and the fact that I can buy a bigger storage USB Drive (which I probably would've anyway) and buy a "core" game for $60. So I guess the basic bundle is better after all.

Nintendo should have made white unit with 32GB as well. There are many core gamers who would prefer white rather than black, but it lacks storage and that's important I gues. Not that it's a big deal, but still

@Haywired "Even though it looks really nice, a black Nintendo console always seems a bit wrong to me."
I don't know, the Nintendo 64 and GameCube were both pretty dark, colorwise. I think Nintendo is smart to offer the two colors right away, if only to counter the perception of being a casual-only focused system. Even though the whole "black = hardcore" "white = casual" argument is inane. When did the color white become this unappealing thing? And when did black become synonymous with cool? Are we all in 8th grade or something?

I'll be getting the Deluxe Model, but I'm with those who would almost prefer the White system/pad. But NLand (which looks awesome, btw) and the rewards program and stand, etc., for 50 bones extra is all too good to pass up.

Agreed with @Stuffgamer1!

If the basic one it suppose to appeal to core audiences then it would be black and come with the online discount.

Ultimately a core catered bundles would've been black, 32GB, the online premium discount, a pro controller and possibly get a third party game in there like ACIII or COD.

This sounds like they just want to move the basic bundle more since I'm sure next to no one is trying to get that one.

I got the Deluxe because of the extra content it gives me. Sure, if it was only a game added, maybe I would reconsider and purchase the white instead. But when you have the discount and reward program as well as some nice stands, it makes it obvious for me what to go with. I've also had a Wii in white since launch as well. I can take a little shade change.

I think the 'Basic is for the core' argument will make much more sense in about a year or so, when not only all of the advertised 3rd party games will be released (plus more obviously), but also a few more 1st party IPs from Nintendo are available as well. Gamers will regularly own two or three consoles, and will sometimes even purchase a console just to play a few AAA exclusive titles. For them, the cheaper price will offset the extras they don't care about, or become more cost effective down the road (software prices drop much more readily than hardware prices, cheaper third party accessories, cheaper external storage solutions).

At launch day, I think it's safe to say that the Deluxe model is just the better value, and judging at the presales, it's what most people will prefer. Again, one year down the road, this argument will be much more compelling.

Is the storage really that big a deal? You can get a 32 gig flash drive for what? $10? $5? I'll probably base my decision on color, though. A hard decision.

@steamhare no, since you can just plug in any HDD or an SD card up to 32(64?)GB the storage isn't a big deal.

Not a big deal for core gamers. The stand and extras will obviously have cheaper 3rd party versions and core gamers will go beyond 8 and 32 GB either way. Just a matter of color choice or whether you want NintendoLand as part of your collection out of the gate.

@Waveboy I want it in white too so that the Wii controllers that I'll use on it will match but I won't be getting a Wii U for a while so I'm hoping that by the time I get round to it, the deluxe bundle will be available in white.

This shows just how out of touch Nintendo is with the core gamers imo.

If they really believe the basic bundle is the one that's going to attract the core gamers they don't have a clue.

The Premium is black, has more memory, comes with a bundled game, gives you over a years free access to the Nintendo service thingy (can't remember it's name or exact details off the top of my head), and is a much better deal all-round.

Way to lose the plot, Nintendo.

I'm a core gamer and i want more storage space on board. By the way, do you know something about the internal storage technology (ssd, flash..?). Ofcourse an ssd storage would be more and more faster and reliable than a flash one.

White? 8 GB? Core? No.

I see what they mean, there will be people not interested in Nintendo Land or even the GamePad, but will want the the console just to play the core games on. So having one that's cheaper, could be more appealing for those hesitant about jumping on board. I do think 8GB won't be much though... honestly I had it pinned for the other way around, I thought the black 32GB with all the extras was the core gamer bundle, where the white was for the people wanting the new Wii Fit etc.. because it's less overwhelming and already familiar. Hm, weird.

Bad move. If this was your mindset, you could... eh, I got nothin'. Core gamers would even pay the price for extra memory in this case, so it is not a smart move.

That storage thing makes sense, as those 32 GB will not be enough, specially if you get the discount for eShop games, which will eat up that memory much faster. And of course that discount will not come in the cheaper version, as there is no free lunch.

It also makes sense about the game, since "core" gamers will automatically disregard NintendoLand without even playing it, so they can use the "extra" 50 bucks towards a game they care about. So getting maybe the system and two games instead of the console and only one game they care about.

Now, if the black Wii U will be sold out while the white Wii U will be sitting on the shelf, then I will take the white one. I am not playing with my system's looks anyway.

I only got the Basic Set since Deluxe Sets were sold out from Gamestop and White is my favorite color. It would be nice if the basic set included Nintendo Land.

I'll most likely get the Basic set, not only because the Deluxe sets are already sold out, lol, but because I like white, don't have a super amount of money to spend, want other games than Nintendo Land (although it could be a cool game to own), and already have a 500gb external hard drive that I can use if necessary although I don't plan on downloading much VC or any of that stuff.

I dont want Nintendoland.
I dont want/need plastic stands.
I dont want a sensor bar.
I dont want a black console.
I laugh at 32GB just as much as I laugh at 8GB...both are tiny, I have a spare 500GB HDD. This works better
I will be buying zombiU and assassins creed on disc.
I will be downloading everything I want to play without changing disc.

I find it weird how there's this stigma against having a 'white' console.. Like you're not a 'core' gamer unless you have the black console I don't get it..

It is a bit weird they don't give you the choice, i'm sure they will later on. I would probably choose the black one if I had a choice...but it's not something that really bothers me. Now if it was 'pink', then we have a problem

hang on a sec... does this thing play movies?
ie divx xvid avi mp4 mkv ...etc?

and music?
ie mp3 and aac?

if not I may not actually bother.

I think that is a good idea except for one thing: "Core" gamers will never buy anything called basic if there is a Deluxe version. lol
I agree they should have had both colors available for both models. Personally I like the white console better so even though I'd like the Deluxe I'll settle for the Basic. (Plus they're the only ones left)

Because white, less memory, and no premium online service screams core gamer?

It was so they could lure people into the store with a $300 price tag, then upsell the Deluxe edition when they saw all the extras.

lol well fail move nintendo since it back fired with me i want the black one why would i want another white model like the original wii and like someone posted out if it was more more hardcore gamers why have a 8gb on it and less stuff? -.-

My guess is they figured us "core" gamers would know enough about media storage and that sorta stuff we would see it as a better deal to get the base model+external memory+game of choice than the deluxe edition which is probably geared more toward the "casual" gamer that likely doesn't and just wants a hassle free purchase. The thing the over looked was how many "casual" gamers will download enough to make the 10% back worth while?

I actually like the White one better since it stands out among the crowd of black hardware, but I like the black controller better. I'm actually glad both have a sensor bar since mine broke and I've been stuck with a wireless one.

This is completely backwards. At that price, they should have Nintendoland with the base model, and then maybe some other game with the full version. The worst thing about the "Deluxe" set is the inclusion of Nintendoland, but otherwise it's obviously a better value for money. Does Nintendo have any clue anymore?

I think both sets should be offered in both colors. Other than that, the sets are perfect and the price is right.

@Gonzo1
That is exactly what I was thinking. Storage space wise for the 'core' or the 'deluxe' one is irrelevent when the system has that capablility. I am sure that people in this day and age own several or at least one external hard drive. And again, in this day and age you can buy a 1TB portable external hard drive for less than a $100 bucks. Really a 'core' model seems to fit me, I can buy nintendo land and zombiU without having to pay additional for the 'more storage space' for the system.

Pff hahahaha. I don't think anyone's gonna get the Basic, unless they stuff something better into that bundle.

Maybe the people who can't afford $50 bucks more, but that's it.

I won't be able to afford either model for some time time to come, but when I can, I would want the deluxe model mainly for the extra 24 GBs...

@Gonzo1

If you already have a wii you don't need to worry about the sensor bar and if you don't have a wii cheap enough to pick up a sensor bar and wii remote and nunchuk. If you play more on your own than with friends Nintendo Land is going to be boring and pretty much a waste of money spent getting it in the deluxe.

@Kirk

Access to the thingy isn't much it's 10% back on any game bought, the basic will be able to access the same as the deluxe only thing the white won't get is any points back for money spent. Having said that, you'd have to buy 10 games 1000 points each to actually be able to buy a free game. Personally don't think it's worth it anyway. I don't play that much online, have quite a few games bought online on the wii, but never play them either.

@StephenYap3

Why buy nintendo land when you can now buy mario bros, zombi u, or any other game more worth purchasing than a game that's going to end up being tossed at the back of everything else and never played in a month or so
.

Personally, I'm getting a Basic model along with NSMBU and Ninja Gaiden 3. I think the white looks a little better. Besides, from what I've been reading, it looks like there aren't gonna be any Deluxe black models left on launch day.