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Wii U "Skylanders SWAP Force" Basic Bundles confirmed for North America

L~A

Member
Looks like that GameStop flyer was spot-on : Nintendo just announced that a Skylanders SWAP Force Basic Pack would be released just in time for Black Friday in North America. Price is apparently 299.99$, and it will be released on Nov. 15th.

Contents are :

- White Wii U Basic system
- Nintendo Land (disc version, apparently)
- Skylanders SWAP Force starter pack with :
a) game
b) Portal of Power
c) three Skylanders figures, including Ninja Stealth Elf (one of the Core Skylanders), Blast-Zone and an exclusive color shift Washbuckler
- a collector poster, trading cards and sticker sheets

And if you buy the bundle at GameStop, you can get :

- 25$ gift card
- backpack
- some Wii U games for 25$ (like Scribblenauts Unmasked and Rayman Legends, I believe).


Here's a pic of the box :

ZDmdrWy.jpg

(Bundle me with an Ouya and lock if old)

I have to admit, it's a pretty nice bundle, with a great value. Could be big for the Wii U this Christmas.
 

Robin64

Member
Looks like that GameStop flyer was spot-on : Nintendo just announced that a Skylanders SWAP Force Basic Pack would be released just in time for Black Friday in North America. Price is apparently 299.99$, and will be released on Nov. 15th.

Wow. Swap Force, 3 figures (is the one in the display hole unique?) and NintendoLand. Merry Christmas to a whole lotta kids.
 

Robin64

Member
So this is the only way to get that Washbuckler color? Because I know there are some crazy people out there..
 
I'm a bit lost with all those bundles. Will America have the other bundles that Europe gets?

Wii U Basic 8GB + Just Dance 2014 (disc) + Nintendo Land (disc) + Wiimote Plus / Sensor bar
Wii U Basic 8GB + Wii Party U (disc) + Nintendo Land (disc) + Wiimote Plus / Sensor bar
 

Zalman

Member
It's a great move, but I don't see why families would buy it. Most of them have a machine that can play Skylanders anyway.
 
Agree. Nintendo is doing a good job with the bundles, but for the audience they are trying to reach I still think 300$ is too high for most of them.

It's definitely a psychological barrier. Consumers don't see value before they see price and it's generally agreed that $200 is mass-market for consumer electronics. The closer they can get to that, even if they can't hit it, the more enticing it is.
 

L~A

Member
I'm a bit lost with all those bundles. Will America have the other bundles that Europe gets?

Wii U Basic 8GB + Just Dance 2014 (disc) + Nintendo Land (disc) + Wiimote Plus / Sensor bar
Wii U Basic 8GB + Wii Party U (disc) + Nintendo Land (disc) + Wiimote Plus / Sensor bar

Nope, they're EU only. But yeah, I understand what you mean. Between the Wii U and 3DS, there's not a week without a new bundle/colour being announced. Nintendo sure is going all out this holiday (which is normal, they can't afford to fail this time around).

How much is the Skylanders starter pack separately?

I dunno about the US, but in Europe, it costs 69.99€.
 
Pretty good bundle, I can see this selling a lot during the holidays. Kids still go pretty nuts over anything Skylanders and the bundle is a pretty sizable discount on buying the Wii U + the pack separately (I think the game originally sells for around $70?). Not to mention they include Nintendoland which should be a good game for the kids and their families to play to sell them/others on the Wii U local multiplayer difference™.
 

Exile20

Member
So many bundles, wow. Nintendo is really pushing the system now. This shit should have been done since day one. Such a shame.

Is the Xbone having bundles too?
 
D

Deleted member 125677

Unconfirmed Member
Smart bundle. I also agree that they should have tried to squeeze it in a little bit closer to $250, but then again: Skylanders starter packs aint cheap

For $25 more than this bundle ($325), you could have Skylanders start pack, and the NSMBU+Luigi bundle if I'm not messing up here

ah, I thought NSMBU+L was $250, nevermind

Very surprising that this gets Nintendo Land too in addition to all the other stuff when the NSMBU and Wind Waker bundles don't. I wonder why? Expose the Skylanders audience to general Nintendo properties.

I'm guessing it has to do with this being a bundle aimed mostly at kids/families ?
 
Very surprising that this gets Nintendo Land too in addition to all the other stuff when the NSMBU and Wind Waker bundles don't. I wonder why? Expose the Skylanders audience to general Nintendo properties.

Edit:
Ah! Didn't notice the Basic system. Nintendo Land makes sense. Also a good way to use the Basic Wii U stock as the Skylanders audience probably don't care about 8gb.
 
Smart bundle. I also agree that they should have tried to squeeze it in a little bit closer to $250, but then again: Skylanders starter packs aint cheap

For $25 more than this, you could have Skylanders start pack, and the NSMBU+Luigi bundle if I'm not messing up here



I'm guessing it has to do with this being a bundle aimed mostly at kids/families ?

your maths is off by 50 big ones
 
D

Deleted member 125677

Unconfirmed Member
your maths is off by 50 big ones

I was thinking $25 more than this bundle though ($325), but I'll admit I wan't very clear on that :p edited for clarity now

Isn't NSMBU+L $250 in US, or am I confused by euro prices?
 
I was thinking $25 more than this bundle though ($325), but I'll admit I wan't very clear on that :p edited for clarity now

Isn't NSMBU+L $250 in US, or am I confused by euro prices?

I think the NSMBU+L is $299 without Nintendoland but it is a Premium Wii U vs. a Basic in this bundle, so I'd say these two bundles are about equivalent if we're talking strictly price.
 

Aostia

El Capitan Todd
It's definitely a psychological barrier. Consumers don't see value before they see price and it's generally agreed that $200 is mass-market for consumer electronics. The closer they can get to that, even if they can't hit it, the more enticing it is.
skylander pack alone is 75 bucks. that's definetly a good bundle in terms of value, imho
of course, wiiu perception is an issue. but would be even at 99 as for the GC, probably
 

L~A

Member
I'm really curious to see how Nintendo plans to advertise these bundles and generally, the console itself, this holiday.

Well, we alreay know GameStop will have some deals (the 25$ gift card + backpack + deal for buying a Wii U bundle). I also expect it to be heavily promoted through Skylanders ads (there's oviously an Acti/Nintendo deal going on here).

So if you take Skylanders Swap Force + Nintendo Land, that's about 104$ saved compared to the original Basic Bundle. It's pretty good value.


I can't wait for the post-Black Friday NPD numbers. It's going to be very interesting.

***

By the way, can a mod fix the title and get rid of the "s" (a bit misleading, since there's only 1 bundle).
 
Now they need to advertise the shit out of these bundles.
They can have as many bundles as they like - won't make any difference if nobody knows they exist.
 
D

Deleted member 125677

Unconfirmed Member
Ok. Then it seems like an even better deal than I thought. I also think that the Skylanders audience is the least likely to care about it not being a premium model
 

schuelma

Wastes hours checking old Famitsu software data, but that's why we love him.
Now they need to advertise the shit out of these bundles.
They can have as many bundles as they like - won't make any difference if nobody knows they exist.

Yup. They didn't advertise for basically 10 months. They should have some cash to blow.
 
I think the price is good, that Skylanders junk is expensive. The other bundles I was critical on the pricing but I guess they want to stick to a flat $300 and simplify the decision for customers based on games.
Skylanders hasn't done anything for Wii U before.
Skylanders and Just Dance were strong on the Wii and they are positioning the WiiU to capitalise on that while Microsoft and Sony chase core gamers with disposable cash.
 

Robin64

Member
Looks like Washbuckler really is an exclusive color to this pack. Here are the current ones out there:

wash-buckler-sm.jpg
wash-buckler-dark-sm.jpg


The pack also has these two guys in it:

stealth-elf-swap-force-sm.jpg
blast-zone-sm.jpg
 
Well, we alreay know GameStop will have some deals (the 25$ gift card + backpack + deal for buying a Wii U bundle). I also expect it to be heavily promoted through Skylanders ads (there's oviously an Acti/Nintendo deal going on here).

So if you take Skylanders Swap Force + Nintendo Land, that's about 104$ saved compared to the original Basic Bundle. It's pretty good value.


I can't wait for the post-Black Friday NPD numbers. It's going to be very interesting.

***

By the way, can a mod fix the title and get rid of the "s" (a bit misleading, since there's only 1 bundle).

Well I'm hoping they do a general "Hey people, this is a Wii U and these are some games" sort of ad.
 

Cbajd5

Member
Is the figure really exclusive, as in not available for purchase in any other bundle/random statue package exclusive?

I want to find out how many people will buy the bundle mainly for the figure in that case.
 

EloquentM

aka Mannny
Nintendo advertises all the time. Cartoon Network, Disney channel, and nick. When kids see this skylanders bundle they're going to foam at the mouth.
 
Skylanders and Just Dance were strong on the Wii and they are positioning the WiiU to capitalise on that while Microsoft and Sony chase core gamers with disposable cash.

were? Just Dance is still super-strong on Wii, the latest instalment was released this October 2013 and UK splits show something like 88% Wii version - 6% Xbox 360 - 4% Wii U - 2% PS3. So clearly it's not Just Dance that will migrate people from Wii to Wii U, even though the Wii U + Just Dance 2014 bundle for Europe should help a bit along with the Wii's discontinuation.
 
It's hard to judge them on their current performance. Yeah no doubt Ubisoft and Nintendo would be happier with a stronger split but the bundle indicates that they both want to increase it.

I guess I am unconsciously referring to Wii in the past tense because of the discontinuation story from Japan. I guess the real test is if Nintendo stops licensing Wii games. How many Wii customers will jump ship because they have to?
So clearly it's not Just Dance that will migrate people from Wii to Wii U, even though the Wii U + Just Dance 2014 bundle for Europe should help a bit along with the Wii's discontinuation.
That's what I was eluding to. Either way this is a Skylanders thread, but I think it is applicable. Activision is thinking the same as Ubisoft I believe.
 

L~A

Member
Im glad somebody finally told Nintendo to put images of the game on
the gamepad vs the WiiU logo.

wiiu-dance-bundles.jpg

Nice one, I didn't noticed that before. I believe it's the first time they're doing that.

I guess I am unconsciously referring to Wii in the past tense because of the discontinuation story from Japan. I guess the real test is if Nintendo stops licensing Wii games. How many Wii customers will jump ship because they have to?

I think publishers will stop making Wii games before Nintendo stops licencing Wii games. They really have no reason to do that, by the way.
 
It's hard to judge them on their current performance. Yeah no doubt Ubisoft and Nintendo would be happier with a stronger split but the bundle indicates that they both want to increase it.

I guess I am unconsciously referring to Wii in the past tense because of the discontinuation story from Japan. I guess the real test is if Nintendo stops licensing Wii games. How many Wii customers will jump ship because they have to?

Nintendo wont stop licencing wii games til developers stop making them, we've got another good few years yet
 
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