Author Topic: Nintendo to debut console in November  (Read 4228 times)

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Offline ajekt

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Nintendo to debut console in November
« on: September 14, 2006, 09:31:45 PM »


By Franklin Paul and Kiyoshi Takenaka Thu Sep 14, 4:13 PM ET

NEW YORK/CHIBA, Japan (Reuters) - Nintendo Co. Ltd. (7974.OS) said on Thursday it will start selling its new video game console, the Wii, in the United States on November 19 for about $250, as it girds for a three-way holiday showdown with Microsoft and Sony.
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The third-ranked console maker faces stiff competition in the $30 billion interactive game industry. Microsoft Corp.'s (Nasdaq:MSFT - news)
Xbox 360 has been available since November and Sony Corp.'s (6758.T) PlayStation 3 is slated for a November 17 North American release at two price levels: $500 and $600.

This is the first time Kyoto, Japan-based Nintendo will debut a console in the United States rather than at home. Wii, about the size of a hardcover book, will hit stores in Japan on December 2 in Japan and cost 25,000 yen ($212).

"We will make a profit on the entire Wii proposition out of the box -- hardware and software," Nintendo America President Reggie Fils-Aime told Reuters in an interview in New York.

Nintendo, once the game industry leader and renowned for the "Donkey Kong," "Mario Brothers" and "Pokemon" game franchises, is hoping to recreate the more recent success of its Game Boy Advance and DS hand-held game machines.

The Wii features an innovative and intuitive one-hand controller, described by some as a magic wand. Nintendo also will offer a "nunchuk," which plugs into the controller and enables two-handed play.

While its rivals strive to deliver sophisticated high-definition graphics on powerful, high-speed machines, Nintendo aims to expand the overall pool of gamers by offering an innovative controller and accessible, easy-to-play games.

Strong demand for the DS and its ground-breaking titles like pet-training game "Nintendogs," in 2005 helped the Japanese game market post growth for the first time in five years.

"By making it quite natural for everyone in a household to use a game console on a daily basis, we are now taking a second step toward the expansion of the game population," Nintendo President Satoru Iwata told a news conference.

Nintendo plans to ship 4 million Wii units by year end, roughly twice Sony's shipment plans for the PS3. Microsoft has said it will have 10 million Xbox 360s to market by year end.

Nintendo said 30 games will be available for the Wii by the end of the year, with about half at launch. Prices for the games will run around $50, $10 less than many Xbox 360 games.

ONE-HAND CONTROLLER

The Wii's one-handed controller looks like a TV remote and uses a motion-detection sensor that allow players to control the game by wielding it like a sword, waving it like a conductor's baton, or swinging it like a baseball bat or a tennis racket.

"This is the first console that really, truly everyone can play," Sam Kennedy, the head of video game Web site 1UP.com, said after the news conference in Japan. "Getting rid of the barrier of the (conventional) controller is a huge deal."

The console comes out of the box bundled with a "Wii Sports" game and a nunchuck.

The Wii announcement was largely expected as Nintendo had said it would launch the console in the final quarter of 2006 at 25,000 yen or less in Japan and $250 or cheaper in the United States. It aims to sell 6 million units by March.

The company said there would be 16 software titles from 10 developers available at the Japan launch including "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess" by Nintendo itself.

Nintendo expects the latest installment of the blockbuster software to sell for 6,800 yen apiece in Japan. Other launch titles include "Red Steel" by UbiSoft Entertainment SA (UBIP.PA) and games from third-party publishers including Activision Inc. (Nasdaq:ATVI - news) and Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq:ERTS - news).

Nintendo also introduced "Wii Channels," a feature that extends the capabilities of the device to allow users to view photos, watch video, surf the Internet and perform other PC-like activities.

"As a consumer you have to be excited by the $250 price. Relative to the PS3 and 360, it's a bargain," said Mike Hickey, analyst at Janco Partners.

Sony plans to offer a version of its PlayStation 3 console with a 20-gigabyte hard disk drive in Japan on November 11 for 62,790 yen, and in the United States on November 17 for $500.

European gamers, however, will have to wait until March to lay their hands on the PS3, as Sony last week delayed that launch due to inadequate supplies of a key component.

The delay means the Japanese electronics maker will miss the critical holiday shopping season in a key market, which could help Nintendo and Microsoft gain ground.

Shares of Nintendo closed up 0.43 percent at 23,100 yen in Osaka, compared with a 1.22 percent gain in the benchmark Nikkei average (^N225 - news). Hype surrounding the Wii has helped Nintendo's stock rise more than 60 percent this year.

(Additional reporting by Lisa Baertlein and Kenneth Li)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060914/tc_nm/japan_nintendo_dc

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We will see.  I sure hope they hit that date.  You know it always seems like they release a console on or around that date.
N-D-S-U ... Goooooo Bison!

Offline pmp6nl

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Re: Nintendo to debut console in November
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2006, 06:38:29 PM »
I wouldnt hold your breath.  Console manufacturers are notorious for missing their release date.  :-\
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Offline zman

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Re: Nintendo to debut console in November
« Reply #2 on: September 16, 2006, 10:51:58 PM »
I am so excited  ;D.  This is gonna be one hella sweet system.

Launch Titles:

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Wii Sports
Red Steel
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam
Madden NFL 2007
Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz
Metal Slug Anthology
Trauma Center: Second Opinion
Elebits
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Blitz: The League
Rayman Raving Rabbids
SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab
Disney/Pixar's Cars
-Nintendo.

Not a bad launch list.

Offline Mystikclaw

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Re: Nintendo to debut console in November
« Reply #3 on: September 18, 2006, 12:09:28 AM »
Not enough North America information for my tastes. Like their online plan and their backwards compatability/downloading system.

Offline zman

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Re: Nintendo to debut console in November
« Reply #4 on: September 18, 2006, 10:32:19 PM »
Not enough North America information for my tastes. Like their online plan and their backwards compatability/downloading system.

I agree.  For some reason they have been focusing alot on the European market for some reason.


Personally I can wait to play good ole NES and SNES games on Wii, I think that is such a great idea.  That instantly put hundreds of games in the hands of gamers; classic nonetheless.

It will be an exciting time!

Offline ajekt

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Re: Nintendo to debut console in November
« Reply #5 on: September 20, 2006, 05:54:58 PM »
As far as release titles they are kinda cheating on Zelda.  It was suppose to be released for GCN by now, but they delayed it  >:(

BTW where is Mario and a Donkey Kong game  ???
N-D-S-U ... Goooooo Bison!

 

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