The wholesale price of Nintendo's Wii console is to go up in the UK.

It's set to rise by something in the region of £16.50 (that's $22.87 in American money) - approximately £19 ($26.34) if VAT is included. That, says MCV, could pretty much eliminate profits if retailers stick to the current sell-on price of £179.99 (around $250). This is bad news for independent shops, according to GameSpot.

An intriguing point the article mentions is that Nintendo - unlike rivals Sony and Microsoft - has made profit on each unit, whereas its rivals sold millions of consoles before breaking even.

Although it's unclear if major retail chains such as HMV, Game, Gamestation, Amazon, or Play.com will increase their selling point from the current £179.99 price point, the new price will put increased pressure on smaller, independent stores.

Galacticdramon via uk.gamespot.com »