Is The Wii Really An Impulse Buy?

James Temperton

Nearly half a year in and the Wii is still selling strong in the face of strong opposition from the PS3. What Nintendo have shown since the Wii has come into the market is they know how to promote. The adverts for the system and the timing of software releases, although sporadic, have been pretty good and all games have entered the software charts quite high and in some cases managed to remain there. In the USA and Japan too, software sales have continued to show that the Wii isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.

Sony Computer Entertainment of America spokesperson Dave Karraker recently commented: "Wii could be considered an impulse buy more than anything else," but is he right? Well, in all honesty it doesn’t matter if he is or he isn’t. The comment would seem to be directed at the Wii’s low price point, which makes it an easier purchase than the PS3 or XBOX 360, but just because something is well priced, it doesn’t make purchasing it impulsive. Nintendo will be delighted by comments like this, even if they don’t admit it.

First up, software continues to sell showing that people are more than willing to invest additional cash into their Wii experience. Always one to try and back up a point, I went and checked out my local GAME and GameStation stores to see how the Wii was doing. Prominence and a genuine interest in the system are what earmark Nintendo’s product as something more than an impulse buy. The pick up rate of additional controllers, software titles and accessories for the Wii at purchase is pretty impressive too. Loitering around and watching people browse the Wii section the purchases were being made by a wide range of people. What’s equally as impressive is that people really buy into the Wii brand, something Sony are failing to do with the PS3. People like the Wii a lot and they are willing to spend their hard earned money on it. I genuinely think Sony are scared of the tiny-weenie little machine, because unlike all of Nintendo’s previous home consoles, there is nothing they can really do to stop it.

In moving to a different market, Nintendo are attracting more games and more gamers. Just recently EA have thrown a shed-load of titles at the system. SSX Blur, Medal of Honor: Vanguard, The Godfather and Tiger Woods. A good range of sports and action titles that are all ‘Wii exclusive’. The world’s biggest (and most profitable) developer and publisher has hooked onto the Wii big time and is reaping the financial rewards. Much like Ubi Soft, EA have recognised the value of the Wii in the market place and are responding accordingly. And the profit margins and success speak volumes, far outweighing petty comments by Sony.

What I think we’ll start to see over the coming months and into 2008 is greater support of unique titles by developers on the Wii. Think along the lines of the DS. Sure, some of them will be awful, lazy and so badly made you can hardly play them, but in amongst the tat there will be some real gems on the Wii from some truly creative developers. The Wii is a chance for people to make a lot of money and the key developers will recognise that the best way to do this is to create a game with a great catch and one that makes great use of the Wii remote. Either that or get hold of a good film licence and chuck out a crap game. I’m an optimist though, so I’ll go for the former.

The Wii simply isn’t an impulse purchase and it continues to prove doubters wrong with strong sales and even stronger software support. Spore Developer Chris Hecker called the Wii a piece of shit at the GDC recently, only to retract his statement soon afterwards:

Much as Sony are missing the point of the Wii in calling it an impulse buy, Hecker is missing the point of the Wii by underlining its graphical weaknesses compared to the XBOX 360 and PS3. It is clear that a lot of people don’t like the direction Nintendo is going in. To them I have one thing to say: don’t be jealous. The Wii is a very clever idea and fits very well into the new-look gaming industry where the ‘non-gamer’ is the key. Whilst you might not jump for joy at the thought of another shoddy port from Ubi Soft or another rushed out title from INSERT PUBLISHER NAME HERE, but in amongst it all the Wii is offering something truly different and innovative. I could gush on about the Nintendo difference, but I won’t.

So whilst the PS3 comes onto the European market and sells well (only to fade away a week later) and people keep on insisting that the Wii doesn’t have the legs to last, think on this. A lot of people said the Wii controller wouldn’t work, but it does. A lot of people almost committed suicide because the name ‘Wii’ was so bad, but we all use it now and nobody cares. A lot of people thought the DS wouldn’t work, it has. Nintendo continue to prove people wrong with their new approach to the gaming industry and I full expect the Wii to outsell the competition strongly and to continue to do so. My reasoning? Well, it’s just a bit of an impulse purchase, isn’t it?
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RivalDestiny 

no i don't think it's a impulse buy, i for one, have been enjoying my wii since i got it. I haven't even touched my PS2 yet since i got the wii. This topic was actually brought up at ps3chat, it was a very interesting conversation. But overall i think that it's not a impulse, whoever says that is a fool.

~Rival

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chwisch87

for me it was a 360 or a wii ... i wanted to try something new and don't regret my decision for the wii at all. I will eventually get a 360 however ... halo 3 baby.

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David328ci

Wii is totally an impulse buy. I bought one because I wasn't the one paying for it. While standing in line, I couldn't help but question if this purchase was even worth my time. The people in line for the Wii that I encountered seemed to be in some kind of brainwashed state constantly stating how great the Wii is. They weren't you typical fanboys either. They were mostly middle aged people.

I have to admit Wii is fun, but Xbox 360 is the still the kind of video game consoles. As for PS3, I would love to have one except for the fact that it doesn't have any games I want to play.

PS3 is officially the "3rd system", 3rd place, system that I will buy last or not buy at all.

AZ_Wii_Tard

How does your experience justify the Wii being an impulse buy? The Wii is a new way to play a video game in ways people have never seen. How is that being brainwashed. What's wrong with the middle aged people getting back in to gaming and being able to play old games?

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David328ci

New way to play console games...YES. A new way of playing videos....NO. If you've played light gun games or even stepped into an arcade in the past 10 years you've already been treated to accelerometer and ir technology. While the Wii hooked people with it's controls, the Wii now needs more games that people want to play to keep people playing.

Sovieto

your articles are getting more and more fanboyish
is this meant to be fanboy fuel?

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markmanuel18

I have to say for me the Wii is kinda an impulse buy(I got one for $350 sold it back for $420 without playing it) cos I don't play games but I think the wii is gonna be good for me as a casual gamer...I plan on buying one for keeps when i see it for $250.

WiiBad

The Wii is one of the best purchases I've made in a long time. Playing golf just blows my mind. Do I like spending hard earned money? No. It is always a sort of impulse for me to spend money on nonessentials. I very much wanted the Wii! Spending the cash was the impulse.

huzzellio

I'd been a Sony gamer since the early days of the Playstation and seriously wanted the PS3. I still wanted the other "next-gen" consoles but it was all about PS3, so Sony announced the price of their super console and that was that............no chance! The Wii's price was the draw and I thought "oh well, PS3 is out of the question so why not?" It wasn't so much impulse for me, rather a logical choice.

The trouble is a lot of Sony or Microsoft fanboys think of the Wii as no real contender simply because it's cheaper and has inferior graphics, oh, and the Wiimote is a gimmick. The truth is anybody who actually plays the Wii for more than 5 minutes soon realise that the wiimote breaths new life into old tired genres, personally I was getting bored with the same old stuff on Sony's console and this was the breath of fresh gaming air that I'd been looking for, well done Nintendo!

It's just a shame that an awful lot of PS3 and 360 gamers aren't even willing to give it a chance, they may well be surprised.

Haywire

For me the Wii was an impulse buy! I like the wii I really do but I feel like I got caught up in all the hype and bought one too soon. Honestly most of the games for the wii have been pretty horrible so far or have slapped on wii controls that just don't feel very impressive. Also I didn't and don't expect next gen graphics but there has not been a single game I've played yet that has impressed me graphically. The system is just lacking to many essentials as well such as online multiplayer from the start heck I would have been happy with a simple old school pc tcp/ip user hosted games until they worked out there online structure.

I just think the system is going to continue feeling like an impulse buy until developers create better games that are not last gen ps2 ports, with lazily slapped on wii controls, and have online gaming.

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markmanuel18

from what I understand the wii graphics are mostly always going to be seen as mediocre especially when compared to 360 and Ps3.....so if you looking for graphics the wii is not really the right route for you to go.....as far as slapped on controls for the wii I kinda agree with you but that will change with time as game developers build games for the wii from scratch and there is no reason to get too worked up about wii's online gameplay yet we have to wait till it launches in jun/july to decide......

Adamquest64

I'll never go to Playstation or Xbox. They don't have a virtual console.

Haywire

I don't expect graphics on the wii to equal the 360 or ps3 but i do expect a certain level of quality. I've read many times that the gpu in the wii is about as powerful as the the original x-box. If that is true explain why the system is not even pushing the graphic limits of the last generation of games like god of war, farcry, half life 2, doom 3, chronicles of riddick, and so on. I'm sorry there are many fps games in the last gen the blew away the wii's Red steel and Far Cry graphics away. Most of the games on the wii so far are just gamecube ports with slapped on wii remote controls.

I've been gaming long enough to know every system has a rocky start and I see a lot of great gaming potential with the wii but I honestly feel if developers do not start to create games with better controls and graphics the wii is going to suffer.

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markmanuel18

I agree with you hopefully it will get better

rtr1900

For me it was an impulsive buy. As I haven´t heard of the machine until about 10 days before launchday (9th of december in Spain). I bought a gameMagazine, which had a DEMO-DVD of the Wii. Seeing what it could do, I thought it would be nice. I knew about the X360 or the PS3.
ButI thought it would be fun having such a machine which my family could enjoy also. And you could play old games and surf the net. What more do yu want.
No since the day I bought it (I was the first and only customer that morning standing in row), I haven´nt regret it. Not even thinking buying a PS3, even if some Banks offer them for half price, if you become their client.
So if you could say I bought it impulsive.... well I am happy I did! It is a GREAT buy...... BE IMPULSIVE and BUY a Wii :-)

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Frey

The Wii is kind of an bad buy for now because there is no internet gaming, and since the friend codes issue, the online will stick to stupid 1 on 1 with friends or random ffas and other things. Ps3 and xbox have the online smarts right now and if nintendo decides to rape the system with Friend Codes for their games. The wii will lose its momentum.

darren_89

i impulsively bought a wii on the spot after a few friends with me at the time said they were awesome.... and well... i have to agree with them.

strommsarnac

It was for me. I got mine Dec 26th at 11:20am. That's when the UPS guy arrived at the Ebgames in my area. Even though I'm 36, I was given $100 worth of Ebgames gift cards.

Actually I'd have to say it was an impulse for my wife. Xmas night, I was talking about buying a few PC games with my cards and she said "why don't you buy one of those Wii's?" I was stunned that she said that, especially since we had an agreement that after spending a ton for xmas, neither of us would buy anything pricey for at least a month.

Anyways, I showed up at ebgames at 9am sharp (didn't know they'd been open since 7am) and asked if they had any Wii's. I was told no, but they expected a couple on the truck. One guy was already waiting. I looked around for a bit, didn't find a PC game I wanted and decided to wait for the truck. It took longer than they thought to get there. Since I was second in line, and only two were delivered, I got one.

I also got Excite Truck, Far Cry and an extra wiimote/nunchuck.

So that was an impulse buy for me. If they weren't getting any in a few hours, I wouldn't likely have bought it.

However, I've bought 5 games since then and love playing the dang thing. I've played it more than my PC.

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Wiiaretheworld

The Wii is good for now, but it will be out-dated by Christmas 2008. The graphics and processing power is just not good enough for todays next gen games. I plan to upgrade to a PS3... By then the price will have dropped and there will be plenty of games in the market for the PS3. Hopefully all the bugs will be gone, and game developers will be able to utilize the full potential of the PS3. Plus, I will like an HD video player, so hopefully the format war will have ended. If not, Sony should make a "Total HD" drive for its PS3.