Nintendo unveils its Wii
Player with wireless remote to sell for half of Sony offering
Brian D. Crecente, Rocky Mountain News
Published September 15, 2006 at midnight
NEW YORK CITY - Nintendo's next console will launch two days after Sony's Playstation 3 for at least half the price, the company announced Thursday.
"Welcome to a significant day, not only for Nintendo and the Wii but the future of the video-gaming industry," Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime told a room full of reporters Thursday morning in New York City.
"The next step in gaming is to bring gaming back to the masses."
The Wii (wee), will sell for $250 and go on sale in the U.S. on Nov. 19, he said. The console will come with one wireless Wii Remote controller, one Nunchuk controller and the Wii Sports game pack, an assortment of five different sports games on one disc. Additional controllers will cost $40, while additional Nunchuk controllers will cost $20.
The Wii includes a built-in WiFi adapter that will allow it to remain connected to the Internet at all times.
The console's main screen is divided into a series of on-screen channels that allow you to access games, get current news and weather, view and send photos, surf the Internet, create caricatures of yourself or others to use in games and purchase classic video games.
Nintendo officials said classic video games will be sold for $5 to $10 each and be downloaded directly into the console's memory.
The console is the smallest of the three new consoles to hit the market over the year. The white console is about 8 1/2 inches long, 6 inches wide and less than 2 inches thick.
The console uses a wireless controller that can detect movement, pointing at the screen, and includes a speaker and the ability to rumble. A second smaller controller, called the Nunchuk, can be plugged into it. That controller features an analog control stick and two buttons.
Many of the games shown at Thursday's event were played by aiming, tilting or swinging the controller, something meant to highlight the Wii's emphasis on innovation over high-definition graphics or impressive processing power.
"The release date is clearly a stab at Sony," said Ricardo Torres, editor at GameSpot.com. He thinks Nintendo feels it can count on a positive reception in Japan, where its portable game players far outsell Sony's rival PSP.
In an interview with the Rocky Mountain News after the event, Fils-Aime said Nintendo understands that by launching within two days of the Playstation 3, many gamers will likely be comparing the systems, but he said the timing was geared toward getting as many consoles as possible produced and in stores in time for the Thanksgiving holiday buying rush.
He added that he welcomes the comparison.
"Our system is based on innovation," he said. "Our competition's is based on a pretty picture and more processing power."
Consumers "can go take out a second mortgage and buy our competition's console, or they can buy ours."
The Playstation 3 will launch Nov. 17 in the U.S. for $500 or $600, depending on the pack a customer purchases.
The console includes a high-definition Blu-ray movie player, built-in WiFi and one wireless controller.
Wii at a glance
• What it is: Nintendo's latest gaming console, which the company says will revolutionize how people will play games
• Launch date: Nov. 19
• Price: $249.99
• Games: About 30 by the end of the year, with about half available on launch day
• Why Wii: The "ii" spelling symbolizes both the controllers and the image of people gathering to play.
• Main competitors: Playstation 3, priced at $500 to $600; and Xbox 360, priced at $300 to $400
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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