Nintendo cuts price of Wii U game console by $50

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

WASHINGTON • Nintendo is cutting the price of its Wii U video-game system as it braces for the fall release of new, competing consoles from Sony and Microsoft.

Nintendo announced Wednesday that it will reduce the price of the Wii U deluxe set from $349.99 to $299.99, effective Sept. 20.

The Wii U has struggled to find an audience. Nintendo sold 3.61 million of the consoles between the Wii U's launch last November and the end of June. The company aims to sell 9 million Wii U units over the fiscal year through March 2014.

Sony's new console, the PlayStation 4, is due Nov. 15 with a $399 price tag. Microsoft has not announced an exact launch date for its Xbox One, which will cost $499.