The US is getting the Nintendo Wii on Sunday, November 19, almost two weeks before Japan gets a 400,000 shipment on December 2.

It’s odd because it’s something that’s normally the other way around with Japanese technology companies, but things are changing. Even the US gets 400,000 PS3’s on November 17, which is 300,000 more than Japan on launch day, although Japanese customers got the PS3 first.

While it’s now known that Nintendo plans to release 400,000 Wii’s in Japan on launch day, four times the number of PS3’s that Sony came to market with, exact numbers for the US launch are simply not available, with Nintendo refusing to give details at this stage.

That said, we know that a recent IGN report had Nitendo publicly stating that Nintendo want to have sold at least 4 million Wii’s worldwide by the end of the year, with Australia getting the Wii on December 7 and Europeans on December 8.

And we know from that report that Nintendo have publicly stated they will ship the largest number of consoles to ‘the Americas’, so the number is likely to be big, likely bigger than Japan. And just with the PS3 and Xbox 360, there’ll be plenty more Wii’s available all throughout 2007 as the true progress of each console will be closely scrutinised.

With a US price of $249.95, and $399 in Australia, the console is the cheapest of them all out there, giving Nintendo a real chance at gathering the biggest slice of the market on price and innovation alone.

But it’s a more competitive market than ever, and with the advanced ‘home media center’ functions of the PS3 and Xbox 360, the Wii has hard work ahead of it despite its amazing new controller system.

That said, actually playing with a Wii is an experience to remember. Having only played one for a few hours, and left with a very favourable impression, it’s hard to see how the novelty will ever wear off. Perhaps it will, and time will only tell that, but if Nintendo and its partners continue adding to a strong range of launch titles, the Wii truly is a contender for a big market share and true success, unlike the Nintendo GameCube but most certainly with the Nintendo DS handheld console line.

Nintendo will also ship 1.5 million Nintendo DS units in December 2006 alone, doubling the number of DS’s in the market at this crucial time. Along with their new pink DS Lite, to go with the existing white and recently released black model, the news of consoles for the Japanese launch and massive increase in DS numbers saw Nintendo’s share price zoom to an all time high today.

Things are looking very good for Nintendo with the Wii, thanks to the promise of upcoming DVD movie compatibility, an online service of its very own with all kinds of activities to entertain, engage and amuse you and the simply amazing remote control system, for many, the Wii is simply a must-have.

I’ll be getting one. Wiill youu?

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Entry was posted on Thursday, November 16th, 2006 at 3:06 am under Media players, Technology.

Read more entries by Alex Zaharov-Reutt.
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