Wii to Launch Nov. 19th for $250

PygmySurfer writes "According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Nintendo is going to announce today that the Wii will go on sale on November 19th in North and South America, at a cost of $250. It will come bundled with Wii Sports and channels for such things as viewing photos, as well as news and weather. Finally, Wii will also make it possible to browse the web on your television. Nintendo will also announce that 25-30 games will be published this year, as well as about 30 classic games available on the virtual console, costing about $5-10."

Re:possibilities

[honkycat]

and we all know that the web browser saved the DreamCast...

Re:Anybody really interested?

[AlexanderDitto]

You must be new here.

Seriously, have you been on Slashdot for the past year? If not, I'll get you up to date:

Nintendo fanboys have concluded that the Wii will cure cancer. This is a definite possibility, as it's awesome levels can be measured with a Geiger Counter.
Sony has decided to shoot itself in various appendages so many times, it now not only lacks feet, but legs, arms, and a distinguishable face. PS3s will still sell out. Sony fanboys cry a little on the inside, wads of $600 dollars slipping through holes in their pockets.
Microsoft twiddles its thumbs, whistles, and eats a kitten.

Letdown.

[Spazntwich]

I'll admit, I bought into the hype.

I let all of the pre-coverage get me to expect either a release date earlier than 1 month before Christmas, or a price closer to $200.

$250 and late November is kind of a letdown.

The most irritating fact? $5-$10 virtual console games. What with the price of ram back in the day, it sounds like they'll be making around a dollar for dollar profit margin that they were in the 90s. If you convert it to % profit margins and consider the fact that bandwidth costs are minimal, they're making a profit margin in the hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of percents.

This single set of facts has turned me from eager to get a Wii into more of a wait and see approach.

Oh well.

Re:WTF?

[TheWanderingHermit]

But it's still double the cost of the computers China, in the previous story posted, is going to sell computers for.

Re:Awwww :(

[Pacifist Brawler]

Roughtly 2.5 Wiis/person. I don't know that everyone is that hardcore.

Re:Wahoh!

[Wind_Walker]

The post-PS3 launch does seem a bit odd, since they had previously stated that they would be at market before the PS3. It could be that Nintendo saw the problems Sony is having with meeting production quotas and having to slash their deliveries, and are banking on something like....

Tom Tucker: "Our top story tonight, more video game news just two days after riots destroyed many gaming storefronts from the unexpectedly horrible launch of the Playstation 3. Diane has more, Diane?"

Diane Simmons: "Thanks Tom. Wii. Sure it sounds like a penis, but what else is it? It's the new Nintendo console and it's causing quite a stir. We go live to Asian reporter Trisha Takinawa for a report"

Trisha Takinawa: "Thank you Diane. Nintendo released the strangely-named console today to rave reviews. As you can see here, waving around this long slender shaft causes action to occur on-screen. It's quite a reversal from the usual manner of things. Retailers report they have plenty of Wii to go around, and that it's something people just can't wait to get their hands on. Personally I bought two and will be using them tonight in the privacy of my bedroom. Tom?"

Glenn Quagmire: "Giggedy giggedy giggedy."

A little Family Guy for ya.

[Wind_Walker]

The post-PS3 launch does seem a bit odd, since they had previously stated that they would be at market before the PS3. It could be that Nintendo saw the problems Sony is having with meeting production quotas and having to slash their deliveries, and are banking on something like....

Tom Tucker: "Our top story tonight, more video game news just two days after riots destroyed many gaming storefronts from the unexpectedly horrible launch of the Playstation 3. Diane has more, Diane?"

Diane Simmons: "Thanks Tom. Wii. Sure it sounds like a penis, but what else is it? It's the new Nintendo console and it's causing quite a stir. We now go live to Asian reporter Trisha Takinawa for a report, Trisha?"

Trisha Takinawa: "Thank you Diane. Nintendo released the strangely-named console today to rave reviews. As you can see here, waving around this long slender shaft causes action to occur on-screen. It's quite a reversal from the usual manner of things. Retailers report they have plenty of Wii to go around, and that it's something people just can't wait to get their hands on. Personally I bought two and will be using them tonight in the privacy of my bedroom. Tom?"

Glenn Quagmire: "Giggedy giggedy giggedy."

There was a Miyamoto interview that addressed this

[Anonymous Coward]

When Miyamoto told the reporter at the NYT that the new Nintendo console would cost $250USD, the reporter asked why it was $50 higher than previous Nintendo consoles. Miyamoto said it was due to differences in the exchange rate. So the reporter said "Fluctuations?"

Miyamoto replied "Fluck you Amelicans too!"

Rumor has it that this incident is why the Wii is being shipped later than expected too. I guess he's still a little bitter.

Re:Wii impresses with WiFi??? Are you kidding?

[Negatyfus]

Yeah, but now you can call it WiiFi!

It will come in three sizes...

[mjkjedi]

Wii, not so Wii, and friggin' huge!

BBC say 2nd December in Jp, no date known EU,US

[speculatrix]

BBC article [bbc.co.uk] says no data set for UK/EU/US, but 2nd December for Japan.

Re:The first one is always free.

[toolie]

Get some friends. They'd likely enjoy using the 2nd controller while you use the first.

Re:Are you insane?

[LKM]

Yeah, seriously. The guy claims to have a girlfriend. There are more important things to do in the bedroom than play video games.

If you had continued to use your deductive abilities, you'd have figured out that since I'll buy her her own Wii, she's not living at my place, which means she won't sleep in my bedroom every night, which means I'll have plenty of time to play with my own Wii.

Uhm.. You get what I mean.

Re:Parent is completely inaccurate!

[Anonymous Coward]

Maybe the clerk thought you were a little chunky, and should flee before you got any chocolate.