The Wii Takes NYC

The news came in late from Japan, with details on the North American launch. This morning, Nintendo's New York press conference expanded our understanding of what's going to be happening on November 19th. 1up has coverage of the event, as well as Japan's virtual console pricing, the opening lineup details for Japan, and news that the ex-FFXII director is excited about the Wii. Hopefully this will mean innovative support of the platform by Square/Enix. Over at Gamespot, they have their own conference coverage, as well as a rundown on the system's media functionality and first-hand comments from the engineers that built it. Finally, for a bit of analysis, Next Generation explores what the return of the pack-in (the inclusion of Wii Sports with the console) means for the industry at large.

Roping non-gamers in

[Hitto]

So with the weather channel, news channel, internet browser and picture viewer/editor, Nintendo's goal is to rope totally-non-geeky people to buy something that does what a PC does better, but that's easy to use and affordable. Then, if mom of grampa wants to try out a game, it's just a click away.

Can't say how it will turn out as my crystal ball is at the dry cleaner's, but I think this could work. I mean, I don't live in a very tech-literate country (france), but I know more than a few people who'd want to give the "digital lifestyle" a try. And yeah, I know peter moore coined that term first.

As a casual gamer, I can't say I care about those addons. Hey, it's free, and it could be good, but it also means some people were out coding this instead of a mario game. But it's an interesting strategy nonetheless.

Pack ins

[slim]

The pack-in analysis is kinda interesting.

If they enjoy Wii and Wii Sports for a few weeks, and then allow it to gather dust, like so many other toys, the company's gambit will have failed, and it will need to fight it out as an also-ran third place player.

Well, it's a risk I guess. But I imagine that anyone vaguely social who bought the basic Wii package on its own, would be out buying one or more extra controllers very shortly thereafter. It looks like a game that cries out to be played multiplayer. ... and once you're in a buying pattern...

What?!?

[thatguywhoiam]

A weather channel? Displaying digital photos? Opera browser?

This stuff is great. Seriously. I like that they are doing this.

However. I never, EVER want to hear from the Nintendo fanboys about how their favourite console eschews all the 'useless bells and whistles' to focus with laserlike intensity on pure gameplay.

Obviously not. They are as eager to pack on the feature-creep as Sony and MS.

(and to reiterate - i like these features, and I have defended Sony and MS for them. Just stating the common N-fan counterargument is that it was all extra fluff that distracted from the point of the thing.)

Re:Months Of Wii Hype Go Up In Flames

[docdude316]

What backlash? Could you give us some examples of this backlash you are talking about. As far as I, and a lot of other people are concerned, this is a good price. You get the Wii onec controller and a game for half the price of the base PS3. Ad on another controller+numchuck and 4 more games and you're still only equalling the price of the base PS3. The only way I could see this backfiring is if Micrsoft announces a 360 price drop, but I son't see that happen. They may put out a holiday bundle but I don't see a price drop coming any time soon.

Re:before people complain

[Anonymous Coward]

> Total $600, the same price as the PS3 with nothing extra.

What a moron.

The PS3 with nothing extra costs 499.

Seeming Ease of Use

[LittleFishSan]

I forsee myself as being the exact demographic that Nintendo wants. People that don't have the time to play lots and lots of games, but still need something to distract them every now and then. People like me (Or at least me, I can't speak for others) don't necessarly want to spend a load of money on something that HAS to be cutting edge to find a nice distraction from studying, work, etc. But rather something that provides a nice distraction, is fun to play and isn't overly complex (Unless I want it to be, like an RPG or something). I bought a DS and I love it. Yesterday during a study break I played Electroplankton (More or less a musical toy than a game), and for about 15 minutes I put on my headphones and I was in a nice fun little zone of happy. It was fun, and after the 15 minutes were up I went back to studying. I could have played it longer if I wanted, but I chose not to, and in a little dose like that I was perfectly happy. Will the Wii take a similar approach? I realize that the success of the DS doesn't mean the Wii will be successful, but if Nintendo can provide people like me with a nice little distraction that refreshes me, then I think I know where I'll be spending my money. (And if I don't buy a Wii, there are lots of old PS2 games I never played, and they are going into the bargin bin once the new consoles roll around). Either way, I will find myself a distraction. If Nintendo does things right (And I test a Wii), they'll have me too.

Re:still supprised at the $250 price tag.

[hal2814]

"you're stuck with Wii sports, when the game you really want is Zelda. Still, it seems like a smart move for them."

Smart move indeed. It looks like Nintedno is going to indoctrinate you into using their controllers whether you like it or not. Sure you may want Zelda but Nintendo wants to show off the controller. Wii sports gives you the opportunity to use the controller in a variety of different ways on familiar subjects. You may not be an avid player of any of the sports games Wii offers but you've at least seen them enough to know how they should be played. By the time Wii Sports gets played to death by someone, they will be quite proficient at the use of the Wii controller in general.

Re:What?!?

[ElleyKitten]

However. I never, EVER want to hear from the Nintendo fanboys about how their favourite console eschews all the 'useless bells and whistles' to focus with laserlike intensity on pure gameplay. Obviously not. They are as eager to pack on the feature-creep as Sony and MS.

Well, this Nintendo fangirl is grumbling. Happy now?

Ok, I'm not terribly upset about it, but these things seem kinda useless to me. I (and probably many people who are buying Wiis instead the higher-end consoles) have a cheap TV so I doubt I'll be able to see the internet in any functional form on it. Plus, lack of keyboard can't be fun. Weather Channel? Don't most people get that with cable anyways? Photo display? Whatever, I have a computer. I hope some people enjoy these features, but I think Nintendo should have spent their time doing somethign else.

Re:The suprising news though is....

[actor_au]

The Christmas market isn't as important in Japan as it is in more Christian Western nations? That would be my guess. I think new years is a big deal in Japan so a slightly later release date still gives time for Japanese Consumers to get a Wii for their children.

Wii System Interface

[Bones3D_mac]

For anyone that hasn't yet done it, check out the Nintendo Wii [wii.com] page and watch the demo videos of the system interface. Amazing stuff and surprisingly intuitive. Combined with a decent web browser, this could not only be a killer game console, but could well be that perfect balance between entertainment center and household information hub.

Re:Why the 19th?

[elrous0]

Don't worry. Considering how few PS3's will actually ship, you won't be seeing one on a store shelf until well into next year. You'll have to go to ebay to see one.

-Eric

Re:Pack ins

[cowscows]

The general mindset of owning a game console is that you'll end up buying more games for it in the future. Nobody who's buying a Wii for games is going to somehow forget that there are more games than the one that shipped in the Wii box. If they enjoy Wii and Wii Sports for a few weeks, doesn't that create a greater chance that they'll go buy some extra games than if they had never bought a Wii to begin with?

I don't understand what the problem is. If someone goes to buy one and doesn't purchase another game because of the pack-in, what has been lost? A single game sale? I don't think anyone is going to show up at the store looking to buy a console and 5 games and then decide to skip the games because the system comes with one disc.

And at least for Nintendo, even if you buy the Wii and never even look at another game for it, they won't have lost money on that inital console sale.

Wii-Mote is not the end of the world

[sherriw]

Do people realize that you WILL be able to use a NORMAL controller for the games too? So even if the wiimote stinks, the system will still be a good buy. If the wiimote gets old, or tiring, or even if it doesn't work right... it's not going to be the only control option!

Re:What should it be compared to?

[MindStalker]

Well on a slightly different note, it seems that the games that use the nunchuck seem to be the types of games you would play singleplayer. The multiplayer/party games seem to be wiimote only. So you could get away with just buying one extra wiimote, and wait on the extra nunchuck till you need it.

Maybe thats just me.

Re:I want to clarify a couple of things

[Frag-A-Muffin]

It's only including one controller, though, right? And it kind of sucks that the controllers are $40 each, not including the nunchuck attachment.

Yes it only includes 1 controller and 1 nunchuk attachment. They'll be sold for $40 and $20 respectively. Which does seem a little steep, but it's certainly NOT your regular same old controller. A lot of tech is in that wii-mote. Remember, a lot of the innovation for this generation console from Nintendo is in that controller. So to get it down to $40 is in fact, quite remarkable. (If you ask me) Alas, I am but one man with my own opinions.

Oh, and I forgot to mention in my original post.

This also marks the first console in like a decade, where you can buy the console alone, and be able to go home and play it right away without any other purchase! :) That in itself is very non-gamer friendly!

Re:I may be cynical

[Fred Or Alive]

Well, the noises they've made is that it'll be out at about the same time as Japan and the US (I think it was something like they wanted a release worldwide within about 14 weeks, which gives Febuary as about the latest date). But I won't believe it until they're actually on sale at my local Woolworth's. The fact Nintendo are holding a press event tomorrow is a good sign I'd guess, unless it's just to laugh at us.

As for price, a $1:£1 conversion would make the Wii (at £250) more expensive than the Xbox 360 Crap Pack (£200), and only £30 cheaper than the proper Xbox 360 (£280). I think the range goes from about £150 (a rough $-£ conversion with added VAT) to £200 (I doubt they want it more expensive than the 360), I'd be inclined to go around £170ish.

Re:Roping non-gamers in

[LWATCDR]

Actually I wouldn't worry about it. Nintendo did yet another brilliant thing, they went to Opera for the web browser. Many people consider Opera the best browser available on mobile devices like cell phones. Guess what :) They use tiny low resolution screens.
Man that gives me an interesting idea :)
Any way I hope they open up the channels for developers like Microsoft did with the XBox. I would love to try to homebrew a few apps for the Wii.

Re:The suprising news though is....

[Anonymous Coward]

I assume it's because getting it out before Thanksgiving in the US is VERY important since the day after Thanksgiving is such a big Christmas-season shopping day. In Japan they don't have that holiday, so that weekend isn't as important. If they can't release in both markets by late November, they needed to neglect Japan a bit to get it out for the US.

Re:before people complain

[Mitaphane]

Ok, I'll bite...

To use your comparison

Wii (w/game, controller, built in WiFi, and memory card access) - $250
3 Extra Wiimotes - $120
1 Extra Nunchuk - $20
2 Retro Controllers - $40
Zelda - $50
2000 points for the VC - $20

Or...a $500 PS3 and controller with no games, no WiFi, no memory card access, and no HDMI port(which defeats the point of having BluRay on there in the first place)

Re:What should it be compared to?

[Chris Burke]

the game cube launched for $200, 5 years ago (to yesterday)

Without a game.

No, I don't really think Wii Sports is worth $50, but the point is that this is not the same launch package as previous $200 Big-N consoles.