Why Nintendo Wii U games are currently listed at $100 a pop

Although Nintendo hasn’t announced anything just yet, rumors are pointing to a Wii U release by November. Online retailers such as Amazon.com are already taking preorders for the Wii U launch lineup, with each game sitting at a whopping $99.99.

Are they all made of gold? Does each game case include a lock of Shigeru Miyamoto’s hair? The reality is a bit more obvious (but far less awesome). From Amazon: “Official pricing and release date have not been announced by the publisher. These are estimates only and subject to change. Preorders will be covered by the preorder price guarantee and only be charged the lowest price available during the date the order was placed and the final release date.”

Amazon doesn’t know how much the games will retail for, but it wisely won’t increase a preorder once it’s been made. So you can reserve your copy today, and when the official pricing is announced, that $100 game will drop down to the actual price before anyone’s credit card is charged. It’s the same reason they list December 31, 2013 as the release date.

As for what that actual price or release date may be, a spokesperson for Nintendo gave GamesBeat the following statement:

Nintendo has not revealed details about hardware and software pricing, launch date, or launch lineup for Wii U. We will be sharing that information at a later date.

Riveting stuff! Regular Wii titles generally retail for $49.99, but PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 titles average $59.99. If Ubisoft’s third-party lineup for the Wii U is any indication, the Wii U may go back and forth between the two price ranges depending on the publisher’s perceived value of the game (Zombie U is $59, but Rayman Legends is listed at $49).