GameStop primed for big Nintendo game

By Tom Bramwell Published 16 April, 2009

Says shelf space has been reserved.

US retail giant GameStop has said that Nintendo is reserving shelf space for a big game launch at the end of 2009.

"We think there will be a Nintendo key property coming out by the end of the year," CEO Don DeMatteo told CNBC. "They haven't given us any insight, but they have told us to reserve space."

Nintendo has been focusing on handhelds recently, launching the DSi and DSiWare, and announcing The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks at GDC.

However, the company is expected to make more Wii announcements at E3 in June, as its current crop of related products - including Punch-Out!!, Wii MotionPlus and Wii Sports Resort - will either be on the market or close to launch by then.

DeMatteo also said that he thought Sony and Nintendo ought to consider cutting the price of PS3 and Wii respectively. "That price point is clearly an issue in this economy," he said of the PS3's USD 399 tag, adding that a 50-dollar cut wouldn't be enough.

"I think the Wii could slow down to the extent that Nintendo may want to cut the price," he also said, pointing out that component costs have dropped. "They used to break even on the Wii, but now they're making a considerable margin."

The Wii currently sells for around GBP 180 in the UK, although Nintendo recently increased the trade price for the console, citing the depreciation of the pound.

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About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000. Follow him on Twitter.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (15) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Pastici #1 3 years ago

    I thought that Nintendo were making a profit on every Wii sold since launch?
    Edited by Pastici at 16/04/09 @ 15:20

  • Kazzahdrane #2 3 years ago

    I'd put money on this "big Nintendo game" being Zelda Spirit Tracks, or some other game they're already announced.

    I realised a long time ago that the only person concerned with actually making lengthy "proper" games at Nintendo is Miyamoto. Or at least he's the only person with enough clout to be listened to, everyone else gets stuck making waggley casual stuff.

    Not that waggley casual stuff is always rubbish, some of it's very fun. But it's hardly the example of hard work and high production values that the platform holder should be setting to third-parties.

  • peteb #3 3 years ago

    I reckon it's going to be the rumoured Wii Fit Plus that was mentioned a while back by some other retailers. "Making shelf space" would certainly make sense here.

    I think its time we abandoned the notion of "big Nintendo games" (in the retail sense) being anything other than the ultra casual stuff these days.
    Edited by peteb at 16/04/09 @ 09:06

  • mega7ech #4 3 years ago

    There was a time when I would read "shelf spaced primed for big Nintendo game" and get genuinely excited. Now, as others have mentioned, you just know it'll be some waggly casual crap! Im betting that whatever Nintendo unviel at this years E3 will be, to me at least, so predictably disappointing. Sorry if that sounds pessimistic - I hope to be proved wrong.
    Edited by mega7ech at 16/04/09 @ 09:23

  • Goodfella #5 3 years ago

    Mario and Friends Wii Fit Extravaganza.

  • MisterCraig #6 3 years ago

    They wont drop the price until the sales slow down not before. That's a given.

    I'd really like a PS3 over the summer, but it costs a flaming fortune.

    The new game will be Mario, Sonic & Sackboy at the London Olympics.
    Edited by MisterCraig at 16/04/09 @ 10:11

  • Sean.Aaron #7 3 years ago

    "I realised a long time ago that the only person concerned with actually making lengthy "proper" games at Nintendo is Miyamoto. Or at least he's the only person with enough clout to be listened to, everyone else gets stuck making waggley casual stuff. "

    And he's the brains behind Wii Music, so I guess you think that's a "proper game" then? Glad to know I'm not the only one that likes it!

  • wittynic #8 3 years ago

    Only thing that would get me excited or even mildly interested in the Wii would be a 3D Pokemon game, maybe even as an MMORPG.

  • itsfuzzy #9 3 years ago

    Sonic and Mario does the Olympics on a Wii Fit board, while playing Wii music on the DK bongos

  • HuggyAtHome #10 3 years ago

    Whatever sort of game it is - guarantee the word 'Party' in the title.

    Would love a new platforming Mario or Metroid but will probably be a crappy compilation to cash in on the Xmas casual rush.

  • Linkified #11 3 years ago

    well in game the one i work in people keep trading wiis in for 360s and ps3s now

  • Cloud-Strife #12 3 years ago

    I'd love a 2d metroid for DS...

    *wonders what happenned to metroid dread*

  • robson_wii #13 3 years ago

    Big Nintendo game I hope for is Pikmin 3 and that should fit with E3.
    I thought Wii was profitable on day 1 since it's an overclocked cube with more memory. Maybe the R&D costs for motion sensing had to be re-couped?

  • SG #14 3 years ago

    Coin-Op
    16-Apr-09 08:36:40

    Or perhapes it's two Wii's taped together, Nintendo's new console for the next gen coming out early.

    :D

  • Dan234 #15 3 years ago

    If GoNintendo is to be believed, it'll be Wii Fit Plus.

    [link url=http://gonintendo.com/?p=77845
    ]http://gonintendo.com/?p=77845
    [/link]