It's possible that the battery situation will be changed. They've got 5 months or so to do it. (Best release estimate is Nov. 1)
Nintendo Fails
- Thread starter spudlyff8fan
- Start date
This topic is about... batteries.
OH WTF. Batteries have been a major foil of toys since day one. Because you have to shell out 5 bucks for a pack of 20 AAs at WalMart to run your controler for a year doesn't make it a Nintendo boo boo.
Here is the truth about making money- Matsushita is a Japanese company in partnership with Nintendo. Matsushita in America is known as Panasonic. Panasonic is one of the world's major battery producers. Here is a brief history into the company's many battery dealings.
They like their batteries.
To make a long explination short- the more batteries the Wiimote eats the more potiental battery sales the Panasonic can make.
But why not make all the wii controllers have Li batteries like the Panasonic ones featured in the GBA SP and DS? Because it keeps the initial cost of the system down. If the Wii sticks had a $45 battery in each of its controllers that would greatly reflect the the price point and make you less and less likey to want to purchase mutliple controllers at launch. It seems a lot more feasable if you are going to spend the money one time but to think about spending it x4? That 20 pack of AAs is looking a whole lot more friendly.
OH WTF. Batteries have been a major foil of toys since day one. Because you have to shell out 5 bucks for a pack of 20 AAs at WalMart to run your controler for a year doesn't make it a Nintendo boo boo.
Here is the truth about making money- Matsushita is a Japanese company in partnership with Nintendo. Matsushita in America is known as Panasonic. Panasonic is one of the world's major battery producers. Here is a brief history into the company's many battery dealings.
They like their batteries.
To make a long explination short- the more batteries the Wiimote eats the more potiental battery sales the Panasonic can make.
But why not make all the wii controllers have Li batteries like the Panasonic ones featured in the GBA SP and DS? Because it keeps the initial cost of the system down. If the Wii sticks had a $45 battery in each of its controllers that would greatly reflect the the price point and make you less and less likey to want to purchase mutliple controllers at launch. It seems a lot more feasable if you are going to spend the money one time but to think about spending it x4? That 20 pack of AAs is looking a whole lot more friendly.
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Ooooooh, good point. I don't think any of us had considered how expensive those bloody battery packs can be.
They're not expensive enough to simply leave out. You can buy one on its own for the DS for 15 bucks. It probably costs 3 bucks for Nintendo to make. Seriously. All Nintendo is simply gouging.
How long does a DS run before you have to charge it?
Li-Ion batteries are designed for products that use a lot of power quickly.
Granted, the Wii-mote will use more power than a standard TV remote, but it has no screen (let alone 2). A couple of AAs will probably last at least a month, if you invest in good ones. And if you spend the little extra and get rechargables, you'll be laughing, maybe having to buy a new set once or twice in the life of your system.
Li-Ion batteries are designed for products that use a lot of power quickly.
Granted, the Wii-mote will use more power than a standard TV remote, but it has no screen (let alone 2). A couple of AAs will probably last at least a month, if you invest in good ones. And if you spend the little extra and get rechargables, you'll be laughing, maybe having to buy a new set once or twice in the life of your system.
The DS goes about 6-10 hours before you need charging, depending on game, online, and more. But it doesn't matter. The GBA got about that off AA batteries and Nintendo still put the pack into the GBSP. But other controllers that do MUCH less work, and run off AA batteries get about 10 hours, tops. And as said, the Wii transfers 100x more data, has a speaker, and has to power the Nunchaku, or whatever other attachment is in. And rechargable batteries suck.basilmunroe said:
Well I must say. It is great to see BC and Spuds arguing again. It is about as American as internet pornogra...apple pie. Glad to see you all are back at it. Keep it up.
spudlyff8fan said:
I have to stop you there. I have some batteries in my Wavebird that go on for ever. i have replaced my WB batteries may once ever two months. NO BS. The Sony walkman matteries I spoke about. Are like the best I ever bought. I don't buy any other kind. Those batteries were made for the Sony walkman (discman remember the Alien). They last a looooooonnnnnngg time. And Ive played Cube games for hours at an end. Left the contoller on came back an played.
And Agreed Recharable ones suck :b
You must buy one helluva battery for it to last that long. I sometimes play with em and they drain relatively quickly.
I found a 12 pack of Sony STAMINA Platinum AAs for $12.99, which is like $1.08 per battery. The specific Walkman batteries referred to above don't seem to be available in Canada, but one presumes these are relatively similar. They say they're good for a long time, and you'll "never run out of juice when you want it most". Obvious hyperbole, but if they're making a claim like that and getting away with it, their batteries are probably pretty good.
spudlyff8fan said:
Well FYE I know sells them and you get 4 four about $2.99, $3.20 after PA tax. But I'm not sure how big of a order they come in. Honestly FYE is the only place I know that sells them, And other Recordtown ownd stores. If you can find them good I love them. But thats me i do recomend them but only if you can find them. At least give them a try.
I've never seen them, but I'll check em out.
But even so, the Wii controller uses too much battery power to use AA batteries.
But even so, the Wii controller uses too much battery power to use AA batteries.
That may be true but who cares really. The funny thing to me is that we all try to find a way to complain about something from every system. Sony's price, Xbox games, and now the Wii remote. I'm guilty of a few things but come on why don't we...........how should I say it...........STOP BITC%IN. What i think is that the reason Nintendo is using batteries is because the Wii-mote in their eyes is NOT A CONTROLLER. If there was a charger for the remote thenhow would you charge it? Nintendo has said the Wii-mote is not to be hooked to the system right? And is you use the Nunchuk or the light gun how can you play and charge at the same time. You mean I have to stop my hot Metriod game so I can charge the remote. When I can just pop two batteries in it and keep going.
Think of this. If you have three other friends over to play...say...Excite Truck, and you can only play for three or four hours, then you're going to have to pay 8 to 12 for batteries alone.
Not that it really matters, because the cost of the controllers and the accessories is going to make the Wii more expensive than the 360. Think of it. At LEAST forty bucks for the controller x3 for $120. Probably twenty bucks for the battery pack x4 for $80. Then add another twenty bucks for the classic controllers x4 for another $80. That's $280 for the full package for controllers. This doesn't include other random accesories like maybe a light gun, or some other random one-game-gimmicks we're BOUND to see from Nintendo. Then $250 for the console. Total cost, $530. Now let's look at the Xbox 360. You can pay $400 for the premium package, then $50 for each wireless controller, $550. Suddenly the price gab seems significantly smaller.
And your point is valid on popping in the batteries to prevent waiting...but it's considerably cheaper to simply charge them overnight.
Not that it really matters, because the cost of the controllers and the accessories is going to make the Wii more expensive than the 360. Think of it. At LEAST forty bucks for the controller x3 for $120. Probably twenty bucks for the battery pack x4 for $80. Then add another twenty bucks for the classic controllers x4 for another $80. That's $280 for the full package for controllers. This doesn't include other random accesories like maybe a light gun, or some other random one-game-gimmicks we're BOUND to see from Nintendo. Then $250 for the console. Total cost, $530. Now let's look at the Xbox 360. You can pay $400 for the premium package, then $50 for each wireless controller, $550. Suddenly the price gab seems significantly smaller.
And your point is valid on popping in the batteries to prevent waiting...but it's considerably cheaper to simply charge them overnight.
What if one or two of those friends also have Wiis? They could just bring their own equipment. That's how it's always worked out with my friends. Even then, if I have a friend who doesn't have a certain console, and I show them the potential of multiplayer with certain games, they would buy their own controllers to join in on the fun. That's how it worked when we all started playing Halo for the Xbox. Everyone chipped in and bought their own controllers, eight in all. Also, the likelihood that you'll need four classic controllers is probably slimmer. And if Nintendo sticks to tradition, the console will be released for $199, just like every Nintendo console released so far.
I think most people iniitially would end up buying the console plus an extra controller, and a game, maybe some battery stuff. That might come out to about $300. Hopefully Nintendo releases the console for $150. I think it can be done if they really wanted to be aggressive about it. Seems like development costs are lower, they're not trying to make the Wii an encompassing media hub, and so on, which should make the console pretty cheap. If it in fact does cost $250--console, 1 controller, standard console parts--then I can say I will be taken aback.
I think most people iniitially would end up buying the console plus an extra controller, and a game, maybe some battery stuff. That might come out to about $300. Hopefully Nintendo releases the console for $150. I think it can be done if they really wanted to be aggressive about it. Seems like development costs are lower, they're not trying to make the Wii an encompassing media hub, and so on, which should make the console pretty cheap. If it in fact does cost $250--console, 1 controller, standard console parts--then I can say I will be taken aback.
I have an awesome idea!
Let's have a discussion about the most fsking pointless thing ever and argue back and forth about it endlessly!
But first, we'll need a medium over which this is acceptable. Can't do it in public, we'll get arrested. Radio is too expensive. No newspaper will run it.
Wait! I know! We can take all of these computers we have, and connect them all together using existing data transfer infrastructure! It'll be a practically free global network! Anyone can participate and add all of the inane meaningless tripe they could ever dream of! We just need a good name for it...
And that, boys and girls, is how the Internet was created.
Let's have a discussion about the most fsking pointless thing ever and argue back and forth about it endlessly!
But first, we'll need a medium over which this is acceptable. Can't do it in public, we'll get arrested. Radio is too expensive. No newspaper will run it.
Wait! I know! We can take all of these computers we have, and connect them all together using existing data transfer infrastructure! It'll be a practically free global network! Anyone can participate and add all of the inane meaningless tripe they could ever dream of! We just need a good name for it...
And that, boys and girls, is how the Internet was created.
More likely than not, though, you'll be playing with your brothers and sisters, and if you're like me, you'll need four. And four classic controllers are going to be a necessity if you download any of the better multiplayer games off the Virtual Console, like...say...Mario Kart 64, or maybe the original Smash Bros, then you're gonna need em.
But I sincerely doubt the Wii will cost $150. Thing is, they'd probably be able to sell just as many Wiis at $200, as at $150, and Nintendo really is in a position where they have a pretty big range of prices where they'd still be able to sell em like crazy. But really, the Wii isn't much more powerful than the Xbox, and they only cost about 80-100 to make. If they sell it for anything more than 200, they're flat-out gouging.
But I sincerely doubt the Wii will cost $150. Thing is, they'd probably be able to sell just as many Wiis at $200, as at $150, and Nintendo really is in a position where they have a pretty big range of prices where they'd still be able to sell em like crazy. But really, the Wii isn't much more powerful than the Xbox, and they only cost about 80-100 to make. If they sell it for anything more than 200, they're flat-out gouging.