SlashGear

Attention all gamers: according to EA’s executive vice president and COO of worldwide studios, David Gardner, we could very well see Nintendo’s Wii console clocking in at far, far less than the reported $200-$250 price tag; say, $170? According to Gardner:

“I’ve heard in Japan that the price is about $170, but I don’t know if the price has been set in Europe yet.”

So if Japanese gamers can expect the console for under $200, it’s possible that Stateside buyers could see a price that’s largely the same, or slightly lower. (Fun fact: the Gamecube debuted at $199.99 for US buyers, while the Japanese version retailed for 25,000 yen, or roughly $215 USD).

If this report turns out to be true, this could put a serious cramp in both Sony and Microsoft’s plans for gaming. With the Xbox retailing for $299 (for the lowest package), and the PS3 set to debut for $499, a $170 alternative console is going to look very attractive to gamers and parents on a tight budget. Combining this with Wii’s highly-anticipated set of abilities and Nintendo could very well be looking at a real winner. We’ll have to wait until later this year for final pricing, but Nintendo would do well to price their machine as cheaply as possible.

[via Gamesindustry.biz]