Was your Wii an impulse buy?

[evilgEEk]

Because Sony says it is.

Dave Karraker, a spokesman for Sony Computer Entertainment of America, said the Wii did not belong in the same category as the more powerful PlayStation 3. “Wii could be considered an impulse buy more than anything else,” he declared.

All in all, an interesting article from the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/31/technology/31game.html?_r=1&oref=slogin).

So, fellow Wii owners, were your purchases an "impulse"? ;)

[balamw]

Yes and no. But like a lot of the older folk, buying DSes, I'm not the regular gamer demographic. (39 married two kids). So I have little interest in a PS3 or Xbox.

I knew I was probably going to get one this year, but when I saw two in stock at Target on a regualr visit I figured why not now.

All in all less impulsive than my 5G iPod which I had to have the instant I held it, but more so than other $250 purchases.

It's certainly been lots of fun!

B

[evilgEEk]

Yes and no. But like a lot of the older folk, buying DSes, I'm not the regular gamer demographic. (39 married two kids). So I have little interest in a PS3 or Xbox.

I knew I was probably going to get one this year, but when I saw two in stock at Target on a regualr visit I figured why not now.

All in all less impulsive than my 5G iPod which I had to have the instant I held it, but more so than other $250 purchases.

It's certainly been lots of fun!

B

I had a similar experience. I wanted one, but was only casually looking because I didn't think I would get one. Went to Toys R Us to get a christmas gift for my son and a line was forming so I jumped in. :)

[Ja Di ksw]

Yeah, mine was an impulse buy. The impulse came over me when I first saw the controller on a broadcast of E3, and it ended several months later when I walked out of BestBuy with one. Now it's less of an impulse and more just happy with my purchase. Very happy.

[kretzy]

I was umming and ahhing about it for a long time and then as soon as I played it at a friend's place I went out and bought one a few hours later. Sort of impulsive, but I'm pleased to say it wasn't a regrettable impulse (like so many are).

[balamw]

The impulse came over me when I first saw the controller on a broadcast of E3, and it ended several months later when I walked out of BestBuy with one.
I actually bought a controller on sheer impulse soon after DarwiinRemote came out, played with it on my Mac and that's when I had decided I would get one this year. I figured if it sucked I'd just sell it to the hordes who wanted one and couldn't find one anywhere. :p

B

[risc]

My Wii purchase was on impulse; I had a pre-order but I cancelled it when I noticed the Wii didn't support recharagble controllers or wired networking out of the box. The day after the console was released in Australia I saw a guy walking out of a store with 1 so I walked in and asked if they had any. They did so I bought it...

[MacRumorUser]

Yep my wii was a bit of an impulse buy, but then so is my PS3 :)

[ricgnzlzcr]

I wanted one really badly but I thought I'd show some restraint and pick up a copy of Zelda for my gamecube. As soon as another friend said he was buying one and bringing it down to my place I thought why the hell not. It's been the best decision in terms of getting my house together. We have a townhouse in college with 4 people and we play all the games like whoa. Yea, I said it.....like whoa.

[JackAxe]

Yep, the Wii doesn't belong in the same category as a PS3, because it's actually fun to play. :)

This comment is coming from the same company that slapped on tilt after seeing Nintendo's Wiimote and is now attempting to patent their own rip-off. This is the same company that called the DS a gimic. Muahahahhhahaaa.

I Wiiordered mine and got it on the 19th. Wanted one since I first read about it on IGN the other year.

I have friends that went out and bought Wiis after playing mine, of course they had to wait, some up until earlier this week to get one.

Anyway, kind of hard to make an impulse buy for Wii these past few months, unless you were lucky.

<]=)

[Poogis]

Mine was a 'impulse' pre-order. What I mean by that is that my wife pre-ordered me one thinking I would like it (new and gadgety), got it delivered to me on the UK release day with Zelda having forgotten all about it - and I haven't played it since completing Zelda TP over Christmas.

I think Nintendo need to work damn hard to get the games out for this fast as it seems it's already starting to slip into gaming oblivion to join Gamecube and Dreamcast.

I was sold on the idea of the Virtual Console - but the prices for 1990s games have frightened me off.

[Dagless]

Mine wasn't, but I was in town with a friend when they bought one on impulse. Had to really. First sign I've seen up saying "Wii's in stock!!!!", probably a few more exclamation points too.

So is the Sony guy saying that impulse buying is bad or what? I mean look how that hurt the GBA, DS and even iPod (I've bought 2 on impulse).

Another silly quote from Sony?

Poogis- have you seen how much the Retro games are here? NES games are the only ones that cost too much. You're actually saving money on SNES (&#163;7-10) and N64 (&#163;10-15). Some NES games are still &#163;30 though (Zelda notably), making the &#163;3.50 for the Wii version quite comfortable IMO :)

[darkwing]

Because Sony says it is.



All in all, an interesting article from the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/31/technology/31game.html?_r=1&oref=slogin).

So, fellow Wii owners, were your purchases an "impulse"? ;)

It might be an impulse buy in that if you are lucky enough to be in a store with one on the shelf you might buy it while you have a chance, even though you didn't go to the store to buy one. :)

[cyclone84]

I knew I was buying the Wii as soon as they debuted the wii-mote. I had also been looking forward to TP for more than a year.

So far, I've convinced three more people to get the Wii. Seriously, I think Wii Sports is the key. Everybody loves that game.

[jdechko]

So far, I've convinced three more people to get the Wii. Seriously, I think Wii Sports is the key. Everybody loves that game.

Yeah, I know what you mean. There are probably 3 or 4 people that I've directly influenced (played Wii sports with) that now want to get a Wii. Packaging Wii Sports was probably the best move by Nintendo so far with the Wii. Because if it weren't free, I don't think the majority of people would have bought it... definitely not worth $50 to most people.

And on topic, no, I'd been searching for weeks (wiiks, haha) for a Wii, so when I finally found one, there was no question as to whether or not I'd get it.

To me, an impulse buy is a candy bar, a CD/DVD and possibly a game if it's on sale. A $250 console is not an impulse buy for me or for the majority of people, I'd suspect.

Though, I'll give Sony a little benefit of the doubt and say that many of the people that have Wii's didn't really know that they wanted them until playing them at a friends house, and that the lack of "planning to buy one" might be interpreted (or spun) to be an "impulse". But not an impulse as we think of it.

[kjr39]

I would have probably purchased one this year and ended up getting lucky and bought one before Xmas. I really liked the Zelda demo that I saw. So far I've been nothing but impressed. I guess it was a bit of an impulse buy. FWIW, I've walked right past the PS3 on several occasions and have no interest in owning one.

As far as games go, I plan on buying games that I think will be interesting to play with the Wiimote. Two of which come to mind are SSX Blur and Prince of Persia.

Games that are more traditional (sports, FPS, etc), I'll be buying for the 360. Call of Duty 3, Madden, etc.

[Stella]

Definitely not! It took me ages to find. The first time I saw them available for sale - I bought one.

Ever since I saw the controllers, I knew it would be more fun than other consoles. I liked the innovation. I'm not much of a graphics whore so the lack of HD 3rd Gen graphics doesn't bother me. Though saying that I did buy the HD cables too - and the difference with the games I have - makes a lot of difference. I don't mind good graphics ofc , but I dislike crap graphics - even though its the game play that counts.

This is the first console I've owned ( apart from PSP ) - of course, played on others - but the Wii controllers is what make the difference. Its a lot of fun.. Had the Wii not had the gesturing controllers I would not have bothered.

[Foxglove9]

For myself I think I was caught up in all the hype, that's why I bought it so soon. Usually I wait a year when a new system comes out but this was the first time I ever bought a system right away.

I feel I should have waited because right now I'm just not into it and just sits there collecting dust. But I know at some point this year there will be more games for it. At least my old Gamecube games still play so I don't regret the overall purchase.

[7on]

I think that technically I was planning on buying one in 2004 :p (When I first pre-ordered Zelda)

[Coded-Dude]

Yes....my original plan was to get a PS3, and a Wii later.
I got a Launch Wii and a PS3 later. (and sold the Wii)

I'll buy it again(maybe a black one) when Mario Galaxies comes out.

[evilgEEk]

To me, an impulse buy is a candy bar, a CD/DVD and possibly a game if it's on sale. A $250 console is not an impulse buy for me or for the majority of people, I'd suspect.

I agree completely. When I think "impulse" I think the little row of random products at the check-out lane. You look over and see a lint remover and think: "I need a lint remover.". Was I planning on buying a lint remover? No, so the purchase was impulsive.

A $250 console shouldn't be an impulse, or if it is then you have too much money to burn and need to send some my way. ;)

It seems most people here had already planned on getting a Wii, I don't think I would call that impulse, rather you had an opportunity to purchase one and took advantage of it.

[gloss]

I think Sony's remark is both ironic and incredibly snobbish. If anything, a $600 gaming system is far more of an impulse buy than a $250 one. I make stupid purchases on impulse, not shrewd ones.

[aidanpendragon]

Same as many others: sold by E3. Then very early preorder (thank God), so far from impulse. First console I ever paid more than $99 for, and I've had a few.

Sony's comments just show their thinking: of course a console should cost around what a TV, home theater system, or other Sony living room extravaganza product does, and require the same amount of research, savings, and hard consideration. A "mere" $250 isn't as "serious," more an "impulse."

I keep thinking back to 3D0 and all those other flops...let's charge a lot for a console because it's "serious" and high-tech. Granted, they didn't have the PS1 & 2 following coming in, but still. The leading edge will always be moving, but fun is always fun.

[Motley]

Sony sounds kinda bitter. Even if it is an impulse buy, that still means they're selling systems and building up a base to attract developers.

I'd buy one now if I ran into one at the store (works been good to me $$$ wise latley) but all I ever find are PS3s :D

[2nyRiggz]

Yup mines was an impulse buy...just walking buy the nintendo store and saw the crowd but paid no attention to it...until I went on 125th and saw the wii just sitting there...I was like.. what the hell.



Bless

[cheekyspanky]

I hadn't really planned to buy one, was wandering through town whiling away my lunch hour in boring Maidenhead went in GAME to have a look at the Xbox 360 games, while one of the staff were on the phone saying they had no Wii in stock and had no idea when they may get some..

I walked out, saw Virgin Megastore a few shops down with a poster up 'Wii's in Stock' so i went in, thought..'what the hell, it looks like it should be fun' £250 odd later and a with the addition of Wii Play and Zelda I had one.

I need to control my electronics impulse buying..still trying to resist an orange shuffle!

[Antares]

No, I was planning on buying a Wii since it was called Revolution. You know, technically, I was planning on buying it since I bought my Super Nintendo. After that, I said I would always buy every Nintendo system that came out, no matter what (which now specifically means every console...since I no longer buy handhelds). I didn't wait hours in line on launch day (only ending up not being able to get one) and hours the next Sunday (to finally get it) on impulse.

[evilgEEk]

Sony sounds kinda bitter.

That's the feeling I got too.

It struck me as though Sony had just lost and argument with someone and instead of accepting defeat they just say; "Yeah, well, you're STUPID!".

Sounded very immature to me, but that's the game isn't it? Every time a company is beaten down they just resort to accusations and name calling. :rolleyes: It's like we're back in the third grade.

[Beligerent]

my Wii was a total impulse buy and I regret it. I bought it last week and played it maybe an hour... not impressed. I find Wii sports to be way too easy. Im not really the gamer type. Its basically collecting dust.

[2nyRiggz]

That's the feeling I got too.

It struck me as though Sony had just lost and argument with someone and instead of accepting defeat they just say; "Yeah, well, you're STUPID!".


Where's the defeat? sure they didn't do the big numbers they expected and didn't do as well as the wii but this is far from over and defeat...it just the begining really.

Sour grapes I must say from the Sony camp but defeat....not quite.



Bless

[rockthecasbah]

Mine was planned, went on line at 6am launch day and was two away from not getting one! As for Sony's comments, completely idiotic. Then again, you'd have to expect stupid comments from a company that knowingly makes an extremely overpriced product both to produce and sell :p .


Sony, you aren't fooling anybody. With all of the blunders you've made do you think dogging the Wii and Nintendo fans will make people suddenly buy your wasted piece of plastic?

[evilgEEk]

Where's the defeat?

I didn't mean Sony was defeated, I didn't convey my thought as well as I should have. It was a poor example.

Though having said that, I do believe Nintendo beat Sony in regards to launch numbers. Sony knows this, and they're a little bitter about it, saying rather that the Wii is just an impulse buy for stupid people. Okay, the last part was mine, but you could definitely draw that insinuation from them! :p

[Nicolasdec]

YES, but its worth the money.

[ddrueckhammer]

I wanted one after enjoying my DS Lite tremendously last year and seeing the lines of people waiting to try it and the cool demos from last years E3. I bought it the second weekend it was out. Although the launch titles have been a mixed bag (I love Zelda, Excite Truck, Wario Ware, Madden 07, and Wii Sports but am underwhelmed by Red Steel, CoD3, NFS Carbon, and Rayman RR), I am very excited by seeing the big support the Wii is getting from EA, Ubisoft, Square, and even Konomi (they are releasing a Wii DDR...comeon Wii Castlevania!) or the next year. As I have said before in other threads, I would like to see Capcom add more support and port Okami to the Wii though...

[sam10685]

i knew i was getting a Wii/Revolution as soon as Mr. Iwata said "...and now you say you want a Revolution..."