Possible Early Release for the Nintendo Wii

ForensicPenguin writes "CNN has an update on a possible early release for the Nintendo Wii console. From the article: 'While Nintendo has not made any formal announcements about the launch date for the Wii, most of the industry has expected the machine to hit retail at approximately the same time as Sony's PlayStation 3 (which is set for November 17). Now, industry observers — and insiders — say they expect the system to be available in October, with late September a dark-horse candidate.'"

Comments

Yay!

[spykemail]

There is a God, and He doesn't like Sony.

Re:Yay!

[Guppy06]

Of course not. Everybody knows His name is Shigeru Miyamoto.

Basically...

[Churla]

Sony to Nintendo : People love us, they don't care how much we charge, they don't care how expensive the games are, they don't care that were really just revamping and polishing the same old game concepts. We win...

Nintendo to Sony : We'll beat you on price, we'll beat you on innovation, we'll beat you to market. P.S. Die in a fire.

Microsoft to Consumers : Look at all the fun you can have buying an Xbox 360 AND a Wii for the cost of a PS3...

Nintendo to Microsoft : You.. in teh fire too.

Rumor already denied

[Anonymous Coward]

Rumor has already been denied.

Re:Rumor already denied

[LoverOfJoy]

From the article you cited:

OK, so the statement doesn't really toss out the idea of the console releasing in September, but it does add some weight to a more credible idea of the console launching in October. As was and will be until September, we'll just have to wait for Nintendo's statement.

Nintendo didn't deny the rumor so much as say that we'll just have to wait until September to find out. Still, a September release seems HIGHLY unlikely.

Speculation

[LoverOfJoy]

It's important to remember this is still speculation. As far as I can tell it's based only on a comment by P.J. McNealy of American Technology Research that Nintendo has already started manufacturing the final units and Microsoft started manufacturing 69 days before launch.

But Microsoft didn't really get enough units manufactured for launch and Nintendo may have learned from their mistake. So it's very possible that the launch will be later than this guess.

Tech secrets

[Rob T Firefly]

Nintendo engineers have revealed that the accelerated release will happen thanks to "a flashy glowing star thing we found in the employee fridge. After that it was simply a matter of holding B and running to the right."

Let the fanboy war begin!

[GundamFan]

The editors must love watching the various console fanboys and trolls fight over what will happen 6 to 12 months from now. I am going to wait untill a game I actualy want to play (MSG4: Substance comes to mind and no I don't care what platform it ends up on) is released before I commit to any of these systems. P.S. Someone pease reply to this message with something about how the 360 is out and "the best console ever".

Re:Let the fanboy war begin!

[caffeinatedOnline]

The 360 is out and is the best system ev0r! /peerpressure

Re:Let the fanboy war begin!

[ZorbaTHut]

I almost always agree with this. I have the Three-Game Rule. Once there are three games I really want for a system, I buy it.

It's looking like the Wii is going to have three games on launch day that I really want, though - so, if I get the option, I think it might be the first console I've ever pre-ordered. I've got to admit, I'm excited about that one.

But

[neonprimetime]

I heard it on /. so it must be true.

September they plan to announce the Release

[Dr. Eggman]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory &refer=conews&tkr=7974:JP&sid=au6z1KDVwCZc

Re:Speculation

[Anonymous Coward]

But Microsoft didn't really get enough units manufactured for launch and Nintendo may have learned from their mistake.

Is it possible that Nintendo is not manufacturing Microsoft Xbox 360s and their units/day capacity might also differ?

Confessions

[SimDarth]

I have a confession. I am a Sony fanboy. I am also the target audience for the PS3... older, an "early adopter", professional and informed. I know that the PS3 is the most advanced of the three systems. I also understand that the Xbox360 CAN compete with it, though. Unfortunately, I also have a skill called "fiscal responsibility". That means I won't lay $60-70 bucks to play Oblivion on Xbox360 or PS3 when I can play it for $40 on PC. That also means that my new console for the year will probably be a Wii. After all, I was raised on Atari and Nintendo so I can consider it "getting back to my youth." Either that or the cheapest mid-life crisis ever at $250 or less.

Re:Confessions

[aiken_d]

If you practice fiscal responsibility, you are *not* the PS3 target audience.

-b

Re:Confessions

[John Fulmer]

Unfortunately, I also have a skill called "fiscal responsibility"

I *NEVER* put my skill points into Mercantile. You're much better off putting more points into Block or Athletics... maybe even Acrobatics.....

Oh. Wait. You're not playing Obvlion, are you?

Re:Speculation

[Anonymous Coward]

Nintendo is a company that (always) trys to prevent long term "selling out" by producing a large enough supply to meet demand; in fact the DS Lite was the only piece of Nintendo hardware that has ever been in a true (long term) shortage position in Japan. With this in mind there are several reasons why Nintendo is starting to manufacture so early:

• They could be planning an early launch in Japan; launching 6 weeks earlier in Japan could reduce demand on system/game sales enough to prevent shortages in North America

• They could be planning a worldwide launch; if you are launching November 1st (to pick a date) in every region you'll probably have sold 1.5 to 3 million units by November 7th depending on the demand of the system. Knowing Nintendo I would anticipate 500k units to be ready for a launch in Japan, North America, and the rest of the world at launch with an aditional 500k being delivered over the next 4-6 weeks in each region; thus if demand is there Nintendo could (in theory) sell 3-4 Million units in 2 months but this would require most of those units being produced before launch.

• Or they could be planning an early launch; if this were the case I would anticipate that Nintendo would announce it 2-3 months before it happened (to allow everyone to prepare)

Personally, I'd bet on a worldwide launch where Nintendo hopes to break records for most consoles sold in a month (or two); that way early in January Nintendo can announce that they outsold Microsoft 20:1 and Sony 10:1 (worldwide) over the holiday period [numbers just to make a point, not real guestimates].

They can exist in third place all right

[ianscot]

They can't exist in third place for much longer...

Nintendo is profitable. They make money on their current consoles and games. By contrast, Microsoft's lost $7 billion in the last four years trying to gain market share with the Xbox and stuff like MSN.

It may be that Nintendo needs more market share -- I've heard arguments either way. You could make just as good an argument for MS's XBox division being in crisis as for Nintendo, though.

Re:Gamestop Game Release Dates

[C0rinthian]

But but... GameStop and EB release dates are ALWAYS rock solid!

Lowered Expectations of why Wii wins

[WillAffleckUW]

The thing is, console gamers have been preconditioned for late released few-games-at-intro consoles like the PS and xBox series.

All Nintendo has to do is wait until September and then start an all out assault by releasing their consoles in certain markets, with full introduction in October, to complete total console domination.

The main reason to hold off on full release is to ensure there are lots of games for many different types of gamers available, and to stagger the announcements so it feels like everyone is going Wii and noone cares about PS3 and xBox360 any more.

Strategy beats tactics every time. Well, except when you've got the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch ...