A rumor surfaced recently about what Nintendo is doing with their Basic (8GB) Wii U and their Wii U prices overall.  The rumor has since been debunked by Nintendo, but the situation still deserves a look.

Esssentially, the rumor was that GameStop was going to stop selling the Basic Wii U and only carry the Deluxe model (32GB).  This led to speculation about Nintendo’s plans for the console and whether those plans would include a price cut for the Deluxe model.  Nintendo clarified, saying that it is not actually a product recall at all, merely a redistribution of stock.

However, the discussion about a Wii U price cut is still valid.  It is no secret that the Wii U did not have the most impressive launch, due in part to its price coupled with its selection of launch titles.  No one wanted to fork over $350 in order to play a port of a year-old game (Mass Effect 3, Arkham City).  But will people pay that to play Pikmin 3, Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros., a new Zelda game?  Now that’s much more likely–and even more so if that price comes down a tad.