Nintendo Wii Release Date, Pricing & Launch Official Info >

	2006/09/14 8:18:10: Posted by DM
	Just got this Press Release in folks, it details the Wii launch in the US. The price of $249.99 nets you a Wii console, all the accessories, and WIi Sports as a pack-in game. Glad to hear the pack-in is back! Click read more for the full info. PRESS RELEASE 14th September 2006 - Nintendo will reshape the home entertainment and video game landscape with the launch of its heralded Wii™ home video game console. Wii will go on sale in the Americas on November 19th and Japan on December 2nd - European launch date, price and software line up will be announced at a press conference in London tomorrow (Friday 15th). Wii will be sold as an affordable, mass-consumer product at an MSRP in the US of just $249.99. The price includes one wireless Wii Remote controller, one Nunchuk™ controller and the groundbreaking collection of five different Wii Sports games on one disc, which anyone can play using simple physical movements, experienced or not. Every Wii console will include another distinctive feature: a series of on-screen “channels” that make up the Wii Channel Menu, which makes the console approachable and customizable for everyone, from the most avid gamer to people who have never played before. The Wii Channel Menu is the starting point for all of the console’s functions. The “channels” offer a gateway to a rich variety of entertainment options. When connected to a TV, the Wii Channel Menu offers a simple interface letting users pick games to play, get news or weather, upload and send photos or even create playable caricatures of themselves to use in actual games. The variety of options available through the Wii Channel Menu motivates both gamers and non-gamers to turn on Wii’s power every day. Wii is creating worldwide excitement with its unique control system, an inventive, first-of-its-kind controller whose position can be detected in a 3-D space. The new controller allows users pinpoint target in games or move through the Wii Channel Menu with precision and ease. This intuitive control system will be understood immediately by everyone, regardless of their previous experience with video games. With this one small controller, Wii makes games both easier and more intense than anything previously experienced. For example, in the Wii Sports tennis game players swing the Wii Remote like a racket to hit the ball, as in real life. They can add topspin or slice the ball just by angling their hands and wrist like they would in a real match. “Wii reinvents games for the devoted player,” says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “But more importantly, Wii breaks the wall separating players from non-players by delivering the best game experiences for the most affordable price. We believe the next leap is games for the masses – young and old, gamer or non, alone, with a friend or with the whole family.” Fils-Aime made his remarks in New York, shortly after Nintendo executives in Japan announced Wii will launch there on Dec 2nd priced at 25,000 yen. Both announcements come ahead of a European press conference during which Nintendo will unveil specific detail around the console’s launch in Europe. Between launch day and Dec. 31, Wii owners across America will enjoy a robust lineup of 30 software titles, with selections for everyone from video game veterans to newcomers. Some top Nintendo launch titles include Wii Sports, a compilation of tennis, baseball, golf and bowling; The Legend of Zelda®: Twilight Princess; and EXCITE TRUCK™. While publishers are free to set their own prices for games, first-party Nintendo titles will have an MSRP of $49.99. Wii’s self-loading media bay also can play the entire library of more than 530 Nintendo GameCube™ titles from day one. Third-party developers around the world have lined up to provide unprecedented support for Wii, “I believe the Wii will attract new and casual gamers to the world of interactive entertainment,” says Larry Probst, Chairman and CEO, Electronic Arts. “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.” Additional information about the list of Virtual Console games and the pricing structure will be revealed in the coming weeks.
	Labeled With  wii nintendo Comments [27]  | Rate this article: -- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10  | Avg. rating of 3.8

wow 250 for 5 year old tech.... 50 bucks more and u can get a core 360

Nothing to shocking there. I can not wait.

The price is higher than i expected, but, hey people gobble up iPods nanos for that price.

Don't forget it comes with WII sports. So it's really a $200 system with a $50 game.

Gimme a break. WiiSports is not a $50 game; no one would ever buy it at retail. And, it only comes with one Wiimote (an no classic controller), so much for Wii bringing people together.

Wii + additional Wiimote = 280USD! ... getting close to xbox 360 territory Nintendo.

Sooo, are people still into the Wii60 combo?

yea $250 isn't horrible, but I expected $200.

@ Walkin,

Yea it comes with a game. But that game isn't worth $50. How about people that don't want sports games? That $50 game won't get played. To top it off, if you didn't want it, you couldn't trade it in to a store because everybody will have it and won't buy it. I was hoping that the system was going to be $200 and Wii sports and the orchastra game comming out at $20 for a cheap option for people that want a game at the begining.

But at the end of the day, I will be there on Nov 19 with bells on.

I don't see how anyone will rush to buy this. Wiimote? If all games were customized for a controller and the wiimote then it would be ok but i really doubt everyone wants to play games like that. Looks kind of gimmicky imo. People woul dbe better off getting the xbox360 core and skipping but I do see parents buying it for their kids. I really don't see why anyone above 18 wanting this....

arite ladies lets see the complain here... :p

But i think nintendo gave us a right price... just because u got used to it with cheap price with like 360 and ps3, then get that cause those comapnies are used to losing money too !!!!!

]but with nintendo everything they do is for the fans and for the ppl think they are right which will happen just like DS !!!

How is anyone complaining? This will be about £150 quid which is very cheap, I'm pleased.

The Wii-mote is the gimmick! It's the only reason why I'm considering buying a Wii. I just wanna try some games out with the controller to see how good/bad the controls are... I realy don't see any other way to fully experience the games and controls without buying the system. It's gonna suck if I buy a Wii and the controls turn out to be sh!t on every game though... I sure as hell don't see myself spending 600 on a PS3 though...

More info ..

Comes with composite, proprietary AV cable (ie not component)

Comes with WiiSports

Wii = 250 USD

Wiimote = 40 USD

Nunchuck = 20 USD

Classic Control = ???

2000 Wii points = 20 USD

NES games = 500 Wii pts

SNES games = 800 Wii pts

N64 games = 1000 Wii pts

nixon, yeah Nintendo "cares about the people"... That's why they keep giving us the same Mario/Zelda/Metroid game, and no REAL online service...

I don’t know about you guys, but the only thing I like to do standing up is peeing.

Once the novelty wears off, you are left with a Gamecube and a cool new accessory.

TO TOP IT OFF, IT'S MORE THAN WHAT YOU WOULD PAY FOR THE GAMECUBE!!!!

That's what I call a DEAL!

As I said on the other thread this is way more expensive than what I expected. And $60 for the wiimote plus nunchck combination is just ridiculous Wasn't this a system to be played with every family member? Those extra three controllers will be $180. Nintendo will be raking in big bucks from this. I wonder how much the Wii costs them...seeing as how they are selling the gamecube for $100 and making a profit I guess it isn't that far from that price point.

you know, if nintendo were smart they would've packed in Zelda. and 60 bucks for a remote/nun-chuck combo is insane. i guess i'll be hunting for a PS3 to put on eBay instead.

so the Wiimote + nunchuck are sold seperate? That kind of sucks... $60 us later for 2 player games that use both :(.

Most of the mini-game 4 player type games will just use the wii-mote correct? The nunchuck is more for action/adventure games like zelda, mario universe, and red steel... Let's hope. Like Spike said, who wants to bay $180 for 4 player.

Well I have 4 wireless controllers for the 360 and that is $150 for multiplayer.

Very good point mason... + battery packs and a quick charger, i guess it's pretty much the same damn thing :)

meh doesnt really bother me. i knew it was going to be 250 . not that much of a difference from 200. and you get a game with it so im happy.

The graphics of the game the Wii comes packed with are VERY disappointing! The graphics are almost as bad as the Wii Sports tennis game.

The reason for this is simply because the Wii is only slightly more powerful than the Gamecube, which only costs $99.

It's true that little elementary school kids might like a baseball game like that, on their 20 inch mono sound TV's in their bedrooms, but the Wii will not be very popular with hardcore gamers.

In fact, at $249, the Wii does not actually hit the "mass-market" price of $199. $249 "with a game valued at $50" is still not the same as $199. $199 lets YOU pick the game.

In Japan, the Wii will launch for $215, but won't include a game. Now that Microsoft has decided to release the Xbox 360 Core system in Japan, and a price of $249, and include TWO free games, which means that from the "pack-in point of view" it costs $149.

I think it will be interesting to see what happens this Winter in terms of sales.

Gears of War for the Xbox 360 is being released one week before the Playstation 3. The Wii is being released just a couple days after the Playstation 3. This STRONGLY suggests that the Playstation 3 is the system that is going to end up in the worst position, worldwide!

I feel a bit let down I guess. I do think the 60 for a 2nd controller is whack! No doubt about that. the pack in game is a lame tech demo turned into some mini games. I was not expecting super graphics but

I was expecting below 200. They can keep that damn game anyway.

I guess the fact they shoved Teilight princess out just to force the hardcore nintendo gamers to go Wii is ok right? Kinda of a stab move if you ask me.

I will still be rocking on release day though in hopes that it is indeed everything I dream.

this doesn't bother me whats an extra $50 really(from $200) but the price of the controller thats harsh i have a badb habbit of breaking controlers so this is going to be costly for me.

I'd rather spend 150 extra for a 360 and get true next gen gameplay. The only true appeal of the Wii to me is the older games. I can still play those on my older systems. Other than that, it appears that I am going to be the owner of a PS360 instead of the Wii60.

mike, you seriously need to just stop spamming every single thread on every single gaming site with your 360 PR.

seriously, how did you get that job at MS, and do they pay good (i'm currently looking for a new job, and PR whore for gaming company has *got* to have some nice benefits).

yes, we know the 360 is a good system, but so are the other two. let people get what they find personally appealing and leave them alone. if we only had one gaming system to choose from, well, that'd be just sad, actually.

I see half of you guys complaining it costs so much. It really doesn't. Plus you also get to play online with all your friends for free unlike xbox live. Nintendo isn't out there to scam you for all your money. Nintendo been around for over 100 years old. They know what their consumers want and are all about satisfying them.

Its hard to say whether or not the Wii will be "God's gift to gaming", but as most of you have said, i will probably pick this up since I have grown up with Nintendo; plus MS Xbox360 already had me at hello so no arguing there. The PS3 is another story though, $600 USD... really...

If the price at the release is only $250, I'll buy one, its just that its so much cheaper than the other two competitors.