The Official Word on Wii

[nmaster64]

Well, all the press events have come and gone. So now here's a place to get all the Wii info. You can start by looking back at the Japanese, American, and European press events.

America - November 19 @ $249.99
Japan - December 2 @ Ұ25,000. (Ұ29,800 w/ Wii Sports)
Australia - December 7 @ AU$399
Europe - December 8 @ £179 / €249

(All conversions are rounded)
Ұ25,000 = $215 = £110 = €165 = AU$280
$250 = £130 = €200 = Ұ30,000 = AU$330
£180 = €265 = $335 = Ұ40,000 = AU$450
€250 = £170 = $315 = Ұ38,000 = AU$420
AU$400 = $300 = £160 = €230 = Ұ35,000

Here's some more Wii news:

• First-party Wii games are region-free. (Update: NOT!)
• All games play in 16:9 Widescreen, aka "not quite HD".
• Each region has between 15-25 launch titles. Around 30 confirmed, 50 announced, games that are expected by the end of the year. This does not include the 30 some games in the Virtual Console, or the 600+ games from the GameCube.
• Metroid Prime 3 has delayed to 2007. Twilight Princess for GameCube was delayed until mid-December.
• The Opera browser will be free through June 2007 (confirmed for Japan only).
• "Wii Points", Nintendo's online Wii store currency, are about: 1 point = 1 cent = 1 yen = 1 euro.
• Nintendo has promised to sell 4 million systems worldwide by the end of the calendar year and 6 million systems by the end of March '07
• Wii Sports, included, is now: Tennis, Golf, Baseball, Bowling, and Boxing
• No DVD Playback

Below is all sorts of stuff fresh out of the Nintendo press kit. Enjoy!

Launch Date and MSRP: Nov. 19, 2006, in the Americas at an MSRP of $249.99.

Color: White.

Size: About 8.5 inches long, 6 inches wide and less than two inches thick (157mm x 215.4mm x 44mm).

Controls: Intuitive control for anyone using the physical motion of the Wii Remote controller, which resembles a television remote control. Up to four Wii Remote controllers can be connected at once using wireless Bluetooth technology. The wireless signal can be detected within 10 meters of the console. Both the Wii Remote and Nunchuk™ controllers include a three-axis motion sensor. The Wii Remote controller also includes a speaker, rumble feature and expansion port, and can be used as a pointer within 5 meters of the screen. The Wii Remote controller has a power switch, plus pad, A, B, Minus, Home, 1 and 2 buttons. The Nunchuk controller includes an analog control stick and C and Z buttons.

The Look: The Wii console features a compact design that will make it a natural addition to any television setup. It can be displayed either vertically or horizontally.

Media: A single self-loading media bay will play single- or double-layered 12-centimeter optical discs for the Wii console, as well as 8-centimeter Nintendo GameCube™ discs.

Channels: The Wii Channel Menu is the main gateway for a variety of easy-to-use, interactive multimedia, entertainment and communication functions.

Communication: The Wii console can communicate with the Internet even when the power is turned off. The WiiConnect24™ service delivers a new surprise or game update, even if the system is idle. Users can connect wirelessly using IEEE802.11, or with a USB 2.0 LAN adaptor. The Wii console also can communicate wirelessly with Nintendo DS™.

Virtual Console: The Wii console will have downloadable access to 20 years of fan-favorite titles originally released for Nintendo® 64, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System® (SNES) and even the Nintendo Entertainment System® (NES). The Virtual Console™ also will feature a “best of” selection from Sega Genesis titles and games from the TURBO GRAFX16 console (a system jointly developed by NEC and Hudson). It also will be home to new games conceived by indie developers whose creativity is larger than their budgets.

The Specs: The Wii console has 512 megabytes of internal flash memory, two USB 2.0 ports and built-in Wi-Fi capability. A bay for an SD memory card will let players expand the internal flash memory. Design was optimized with state-of-the-art processing technologies that minimize power consumption, keep the console compact and enable the “sleepless” WiiConnect24 mode.

CPU: PowerPC CPU (code-named “Broadway”)
Made with a 90 nm SOI CMOS process, jointly developed with and manufactured by IBM.

Graphics Processing Unit: Being developed with ATI.

Other Features: Four ports for classic Nintendo GameCube controllers. Two slots for Nintendo GameCube Memory Cards. An AV Multi-output port for component, composite or S-video.

Wii Channel Menu
The Wii™ console will revolutionize how people play games. But more importantly, it will entice new players into the world of video games by offering a variety of entertainment, information and communication Channels that add value to the console and make it a device that the entire family can enjoy. The Wii Channel Menu will be the first screen shown on the television, as it easily integrates itself as part of people’s everyday lives.

Disc Channel: This channel allows users to play either Wii game discs or the entire library of Nintendo GameCube™ discs.


Mii™ Channel: Fun caricatured portraits created in this channel can be used as characters across a variety of Wii software. Portraits can be stored in a user’s Wii Remote and taken to a friend’s house to play on another Wii console. Each member of the family can have his or her Wii Remote personalized with a caricature.


Photo Channel: This channel allows users to take digital pictures stored on an SD memory card and display them on their television screens. Users also can manipulate the photos in a variety of fun and creative ways, such as zooming or creating mosaics, puzzles or slide shows. They can draw, add stamps, and copy and paste. They also can change the “mood” of photos by brightening them, converting them to monochrome, inverting the color or changing them to stark black and white. Users can even add an MP3 tune to their slide shows. It provides a fun and easy outlet for people to edit their digital pictures. Users also can send their pictures to other Wii consoles by attaching a photo to the Wii Message Board.


Forecast Channel: Users who have connected their Wii console to the Internet can access free local weather forecasts just a few seconds after turning on the Wii console. The WiiConnect24™ service automatically updates local weather information. Users can view forecasts for cities around the world on a 3-D globe.

News Channel: Users can access breaking news with the touch of a button. When connected to the Internet, the WiiConnect24 service automatically updates this free channel and organizes it in a variety of topical categories. Users can see where news is happening by viewing the location of news stories on a 3-D globe.

Wii Shop Channel: This is where users go to buy Wii Points or redeem them to download classic video games to the Virtual Console™. Users also can use points to download the Opera browser used in the Internet Channel.

Internet Channel: This channel dramatically changes the relationship between a user’s home, the television and the Internet. Users download the Opera browser with Wii Points. Then they can surf the Internet right from the comfort of their couch. They can do quick research while watching a television program (“What was that actor’s name again?”). Or book travel plans and shop during commercials. The service is compatible with Macromedia Flash.

Wii Message Board: Forget hand-scrawled notes tacked to the refrigerator door. Users can leave messages for other family members on a calendar-based message board. They also can use WiiConnect24 to send messages to people outside the home as well. Even better, people can trade photos and text messages with cell phone users. The service also allows for incoming messages targeted at software, such as a new map or weapon for a game. Games can constantly be updated, thereby extending their playability.

Quotes from Third-Party Publishers about Wii

Originally Posted by Larry Probst, Chairman and CEO, Electronic Arts

“I believe the Wii will attract new and casual gamers to the world of interactive entertainment. It’s a fun, easy and economical system that will become a bridge to gaming for mainstream audiences. At EA, we are putting more support behind the Wii than any Nintendo hardware launch since the Super NES.”

Originally Posted by Robert Kotick, Chairman and CEO, Activision, Inc.

“The Wii is changing audience interaction, opening up whole new experiences that have never been possible in video games. With the instinctual control of the Wii Remote, Nintendo is advancing the gaming experience to the broadest audience of gamers. Activision is excited about the launch of the Wii and the opportunity it offers. So much so, we plan to have five titles available at launch – our strongest lineup ever for a new console. We have more development resources devoted to the Wii than to any previous Nintendo platform. The Wii is likely to have a profound impact on the size, growth and overall opportunities for the video game market.”

Originally Posted by Laurent DeToc, President of Ubisoft North America

“The Wii control scheme opens up unexplored areas for our talented teams to innovate when creating games. It’s invigorating for us. We believe that it will help create a new level of interest in video games and engage more players around the world.”

Originally Posted by David Pierce, President and CEO, Atari, Inc.

“Nintendo’s strategy is expanding the market. We are thrilled.”

Originally Posted by Shinichi Suzuki, President, Atlus U.S.A., Inc.

“Nintendo’s vision perfectly aligns with our strategy to broaden our portfolio by allowing us to create new genres that have strong global appeal.”

Originally Posted by Graham Hopper, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Buena Vista Games

“Video games are becoming more of a mainstream phenomenon than ever before with virtually all members of the family playing different games in the living room. Nintendo’s strategy of ease of play and mass marketing pricing is perfectly aligned with Disney.”

Originally Posted by Geoff Mulligan, COO, Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.

“In order for our industry to continue to grow, we’ve got to think about gaming and games differently. That’s exactly what Nintendo is doing.”

Originally Posted by Naoya Tsurumi, CEO, Sega of America

“For established publishers, the Virtual Console model is a tremendous opportunity to extend our classic brands. Nobody ever thinks of a good book as retired – why shouldn’t great games live forever, too?”

Originally Posted by Brian Farrell, President and CEO, THQ, Inc.

“With escalating costs for both developing games and for consumers buying new game systems, we applaud Nintendo’s drive to spread gaming to the masses – and we fully support that approach.”

[Wraith]

I AM DRULING
I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo pumped!!!!!!
I am gonna get a Wii and everything you can get with it!!!
But this makes no sence...why is america getting the Wii before Japan?

[nmaster64]

Easy: America's a bigger market. Happened with the DS, and it will probably happen from now on for all systems...

[rezalution]

I thought ds has sold much more in japan and even europe!
(btw, hello, im new!)

[bignds]

Hey, welcome.
Yeah, it has, probably combined though. US is most likely the highest concentrated market.