They came out and said it. The press release is in my Inbox, and here is the relevant bit…
Nintendo also confirmed that the price of the Wii system, which incorporates unique freehand control, will not exceed $250 in America, or 25,000 yen in Japan. The company plans to ship 6 million systems to retailers around the world between its launch in the fourth quarter of 2006 and the end of its fiscal year on March 31, 2007.
They’re on the record now. I know I’m a bit of a fanboy, but they really seem to be putting together some momentum heading up to the launch. Here’s hoping they keep it.