Nintendo seems to be taking its time deciding the launch price of the Wii U because it has learnt from its mistakes with the launch price of the 3DS. In a recent interview with Yomiuri Shimbun daily(via adriasang), Iwata said, "We won't make the same mistake that we did with the 3DS, which was considered relatively high by consumers."
The Wii launched back in 2006 for $249.99, but I would be surprised if Nintendo decided to launch the Wii U at a similar price point. Iwata strongly believes that Nintendo is offering a much more appealing product compared to the Wii or any other system before it, the inclusion of a tablet-style controller and social features are being seen as major selling points.
Iwata insisted that Nintendo is in a healthy state and the recent losses can be attributed to the 3DS price-cut and the rising Yen. "Those problems have been taken care of and the company is on its course to turn profitable this fiscal year," he assured.
