Death to Wii speculation - UPDATED 3
Today, in Japan, in the US and in Europe, Nintendo is making the details of its Wii console known.
I’ve been waiting impatiently for this moment for many, many weeks. I have a Wii reserved at a local retailer since last June and been dying to know when it’s going to pop into my home, and at what price. I’ve been reading video game blogs, trying to sort fact from wet dreams, crumbling under the pressure of certain rumours, all in the name of excitement for the arrival of the Big N’s new, innovative machine.
The press event in Japan has already been held. This is what we have learned:
- The Nintendo Wii will be launched in Japan on December 2, 2006. What??!?
- The price of the console will be 25,000 yen (about $238 CDN). Quoted price allegedly includes tax.
- The Wii will ship with Wii remote (w ith strap) Nunchuck attachment, Wii AC adaptor, Wii A/V cable, Wii “console stand,” sensor bar, sensor bar stand and two AA batteries. Damn, looks like I’ll be chucking out more bucks for a second remote.
- Nintendo promises 30 Virtual Console games by the end of the year, at a rate of ten per month. Nice!
- Rates for playing Virtual Console games will go for 500 yen for NES games (about $4.75 CDN), 800 yen for SNES games (about $7.60 CDN), and 1000 yen for N64 games (about $9.50 CDN). Cheap!
That’s where we stand for now. I have to admit to being shocked at the lateness of the launch date. Seems to me Nintendo is stretching the anticipation a little too much. A quick outing could have really helped them stick it to Sony, and I fear this could come back to haunt them. The price range is pretty much in the average everyone was expecting, though definitely not in the “under $200″ range most were clamouring for.
Nintendo of America will be holding its own press event today at 9am EST. I’ll be back to fill in the details of how it’s gonna go down in our neck of the sphere.
UPDATE 1 - 2:19am: The proof is in the picture; The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will be sold at 6,400 yen (about $65 CDN). That’s a price I can live with for a AAA title.
Apparently the word is 16 titles from ten publishers at launch. These numbers doubtlessly only represent the Japanese releases.
Okay, I’m going to bed now. More with the American launch.
Via Joystiq.
UPDATE 2 - 9:45am: Here is the Wii packaging, as per the Japan press event:
UPDATE 3 - 10:18am: Nintendo has announced that November 19 will be the US release date. It will be spread across 25,000 points of distribution, 4 million units shipped worldwide with the US getting the biggest chunk of it all. Price? $249 USD. A little over expectations? First Nintendo console to not be sold $200 USD at launch.
Expand the article to read more about the US details. The console will be packaged with all the same peripherals and cables as the Japanese shipment.
Wii Sports will also be included: Wii Boxing, Wii Bowling, Golf, Baseball, and Wii Tennis. That’s such a nice touch. Those games look amazingly fun.
Launch titles? Glad you asked…
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Excite Truck will be churned out of Nintendo’s womb. Third party offerings resemble Trauma Center: Second Opition, Madden ‘07, Need For Speed:Carbon, Elebits, Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz, Metal Slug Anthology, Rayman: Raving Rabbids, and Red Steel.
Nintendo projects to have 30 titles available by the end of 2006. Holy shit!
Virtual Game consoles available on launch day: The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario World, Super Mario 64, and Donkey Kong. What, no Super Mario Bros.? Odd! Pricing? Quite similar to the Japanese side: $5 for NES games, $8 for SNES, and $10 for N64 (all prices in US buckaroos). Just like it was announced in Japan, 30 Virtual Console games are planned to be added by the end of 2006. Here’s the cool thing: the title you download becomes available forever once you pay for it. That is incredible news.
You’ll be able to make your own little avatar on the Wii to apply it in certain games and online applications. The avatar’s info will be stored in the Wiimote, so no matter where you take your remote, your little dude will always be with you.
Via GoNintendo.
Goddamnit.
I already have to buy a TV (or a TV tuner) to be able to play it, but seeing as there’s no European launch date yet, my bet is that if I want to buy it before June 2009 I have to use Lik-Sang.
That means S&H costs, probably even some toll tariffs.
Then, seeing as I live in EU I probably can’t sign up for Virtual Console purchases before the console is actually available in EU.
But… I still love the big N. I’ll probably be getting SMW, SMB3 (when it comes), and a plethora of other games that were my happy exile from the sun when I was a kid.
The thought of all those oldschool games being available for $10 or less makes me go nutty.
But hey, Jan, don’t take it so hard. Maybe the US will get it before you folks do, but at least you have free health care.
whatever, i’ll stick to my re-textured cell shaded 1024×1290 OOT. all i need is a new 15$ usb pad.
Well, *we* don’t have free dental like I’ve heard you guys have. At least we have the hot ladies (too bad none of them wish to give me the time of day, bloody elitists)
You have free dental when you work for the government.