Wii launch
Encyclopedia
The Wii
launch was the release of Nintendo
's seventh generation
video game console
. This successor to the Nintendo GameCube
was released in most territories in November and December 2006. It was the third (after the Xbox 360
and PlayStation 3
) seventh generation console to be released in Japan and North America, but was second in Europe, being released before the PlayStation 3.
The Spanish
launch of the Wii console was moved to December 9, 2006, because December 8, 2006 is the celebration of the Immaculate Conception
and thus all shops were closed. For the same reason, the Italian
and Swiss
releases were also moved to the day before, December 7, 2006.
Nintendo of Canada vice president and general manager Ron Bertram stated that the company expected to have one million consoles available in North America at launch, as reported by IGN
on September 25, 2006. The next day, Nintendo branded the information as a "misstatement about the number of Wii consoles that will be available in the Americas during the launch rollout," and reiterated earlier statements of expected shipments of 4 million consoles worldwide by the end of 2006 with the largest allotment available in the Americas. The company affirmed that they "are working to ensure a plentiful supply and a consistent flow."
On December 26, 2006, Nintendo announced that they would release its console in South Korea
by the end of 2007. However, on October 28, 2007, plans for South Korea were changed as Satoru Iwata announced that the Wii would instead be launched in South Korea on April 26, 2008, along with first details to release the Wii in China
also in 2008, due to high demand for the Wii console.
* Wii Sports
comes packaged with the console in all regions except Japan and South Korea.
† USD equivalent with local VAT
, GST
or sales tax
removed for ease of comparison with territories that do not include taxes in consumer prices
‡ Retail price as estimated by, rather than suggested by, Nintendo
§ Prices might be significantly lower on the informal market
and South America
, with another 12 games being released in the 2006 launch window. This makes 33 games total. Wii Sports is included with the console bundle in all regions excluding Japan
and South Korea
. Despite the price point of US$60 quoted for many seventh generation games in the USA, Wii titles cost at most US$50 at major US retail stores
.
For a full list of all titles available for the console since launch, see List of Wii games.
Key:
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
was pushed as a launch title, but was eventually delayed to a release date of August 27, 2007 in North America. Satoru Iwata
also initially wished for Super Smash Bros. Brawl
to be released at launch.
[1] Wii Sports came bundled with the Wii in all territories except Japan and South Korea.
The Wii launched in Japan on December 2, 2006. Japan initially received 400,000 Wii consoles, with around an estimate of 370,000 sold in two days, with Wii Sports and Wii Play being the top two selling games. While many PlayStation 3 consoles were resold on online auctions for a much higher price, the average Wii price on Yahoo!
Auctions were only 30,000 ¥ (USD: $260). This is perhaps because more people wanted to use the consoles, rather than resell them, as the Wii software tie ratio was 1.69.
On December 12, 2006, sales data analysis firm Chart-Track and Nintendo confirmed with several press outlets in the United Kingdom that the Wii had become the fastest selling video game console in the region's recorded history, selling 105,000 consoles in its opening weekend, trumping the previous record holder, Xbox 360
, which posted sales numbers of 70,000 units. Nintendo announced on the following day that the Wii had sold 325,000 units across Europe in its first two days of sale, making it the fastest selling console across the entire European continent.
In the United Kingdom, gamers lined up at the midnight launch of the console at GAME
and HMV. Queues from both retail stores stretched into back alleyways and side streets. GAME even provided them with slices of pizza and Wii branded umbrellas. HMV, meanwhile, handed out goodie bags containing Wii-branded T-shirts and The Legend of Zelda posters. Celebrities such as Pat Cash
and Ian Wright
appeared to promote the Wii.
On December 14, 2006, it was announced that the Wii console had become the fastest selling console in Australian history with 32,901 units sold in just four days, beating the Xbox 360's opening weekend record of 30,241 units.
In Singapore, local distributor Maxsoft said that 2,000 consoles were sold in the first two days of retail, much greater than for the launches of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3
, and that many preorders remained unfulfilled due to a low stock inventory.
While the Wii launch was considerably smoother than that of the Xbox 360
and PlayStation 3
, it was not without its problems. Due to the scarcity of the Wii Remote
and Nunchuk, widespread price gouging
began to form. Initial consumer reaction to the Wii appears to have been positive, with commentators judging the launch to have been successful.
According to the Financial Times
, as of September 2007 the Wii became the market leader in worldwide console sales.
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
launch was the release of Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's seventh generation
History of video game consoles (seventh generation)
In the history of video games, the seventh generation of consoles is the current generation , and includes consoles released since late by Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony...
video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
. This successor to the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
was released in most territories in November and December 2006. It was the third (after the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
) seventh generation console to be released in Japan and North America, but was second in Europe, being released before the PlayStation 3.
Announcement
At a June 7, 2006 policy briefing, Nintendo revealed plans to release 6 million console units and 17 million software units during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2007. This included the 4 million or more console units they expected to ship by the end of the 2006 calendar year. On September 14, 2006, it was announced that the majority of the 2006 shipments would be allotted to the Americas.The Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
launch of the Wii console was moved to December 9, 2006, because December 8, 2006 is the celebration of the Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...
and thus all shops were closed. For the same reason, the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
releases were also moved to the day before, December 7, 2006.
Nintendo of Canada vice president and general manager Ron Bertram stated that the company expected to have one million consoles available in North America at launch, as reported by IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
on September 25, 2006. The next day, Nintendo branded the information as a "misstatement about the number of Wii consoles that will be available in the Americas during the launch rollout," and reiterated earlier statements of expected shipments of 4 million consoles worldwide by the end of 2006 with the largest allotment available in the Americas. The company affirmed that they "are working to ensure a plentiful supply and a consistent flow."
On December 26, 2006, Nintendo announced that they would release its console in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
by the end of 2007. However, on October 28, 2007, plans for South Korea were changed as Satoru Iwata announced that the Wii would instead be launched in South Korea on April 26, 2008, along with first details to release the Wii in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
also in 2008, due to high demand for the Wii console.
Release dates and pricing
| Region | Expected pricing at release | Release date |
Accessories | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release price | Approx. USD United States dollar The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies.... equivalent |
Wii Remote Wii Remote The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and... |
Nunchuk | Classic Controller | ||
| US$ United States dollar The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies.... 249.99 |
$249.99 | November 19, 2006 | $39.99 | $19.99 | $19.99 | |
| CAD$ Canadian dollar The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies... 279.83 |
$265.31 | C$44.99 | C$24.99 | C$24.99 | ||
| MXN Mexican peso The peso is the currency of Mexico. Modern peso and dollar currencies have a common origin in the 15th–19th century Spanish dollar, most continuing to use its sign, "$". The Mexican peso is the 12th most traded currency in the world, the third most traded in the Americas, and by far the most... $4,499 |
$410 ($355†) | MXN$699 | MXN$349 | MXN$349 | ||
| PAB Panamanian balboa The balboa is, along with the United States dollar, one of the official currencies of Panama. It is named in honor of the Spanish explorer/conquistador Vasco Núñez de Balboa. The balboa is subdivided into 100 centésimos.-The History of the Panamanian Balboa:The balboa replaced the Colombian peso... B/.299 |
$299 | PAB B/.49.99 | PAB B/.29.99 | PAB B/.29.99 | ||
| Qtz Quetzal Quetzals are strikingly colored birds in the trogon family . They are found in forests and woodlands, especially in humid highlands, with the five species from the genus Pharomachrus being exclusively Neotropical, while the single Euptilotis species is almost entirely restricted to western Mexico... Q3,499 |
$450 ($375†) | |||||
| COP Colombian peso The peso is the currency of Colombia. Its ISO 4217 code is COP and it is also informally abbreviated as COL$. However, the official peso symbol is $. As 20 July 2011, the exchange rate of the Colombian peso is 1750 Colombian pesos to 1 U.S. dollar.-History:The peso has been the currency of Colombia... $1,099,000 |
$480 ($410†) | |||||
| PEN Peruvian nuevo sol The nuevo sol plural: nuevos soles; currency sign: S/.) is the currency of Peru. It is subdivided into 100 cents, called céntimos in Spanish. The ISO 4217 currency code is PEN. It is most commonly referred to just as sol... S/.1,499 |
$465 ($390†) | |||||
| CLP Chilean peso The peso is the currency of Chile. The current peso has circulated since 1975, with a previous version circulating between 1817 and 1960. The symbol used locally for it is $. The ISO 4217 code for the present peso is CLP. It is subdivided into 100 centavos, although no centavo denominated coins... $219,900 |
$440 ($360†) | CLP$34,900 | CLP$14,900 | CLP$14,900 | ||
| R$ Brazilian real The real is the present-day currency of Brazil. Its sign is R$ and its ISO code is BRL. It is subdivided into 100 centavos .... 2,399§ |
$1,440 ($274†) | R$299.00 | R$199.00 | |||
| JP¥ Japanese yen The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling... 25,000 |
$215* ($205†) | December 2, 2006 | ¥3,800 | ¥1,800 | ¥1,800 | |
| A$ Australian dollar The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu... 399.95 |
$315 ($285†) | December 7, 2006 | A$69.95 | A$29.95 | A$29.95 | |
| NZD New Zealand dollar The New Zealand dollar is the currency of New Zealand. It also circulates in the Cook Islands , Niue, Tokelau, and the Pitcairn Islands. It is divided into 100 cents.... 499.90 |
$340 ($305†) | NZ$99.95 | NZ$49.95 | NZ$49.95 | ||
| € Euro The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,... 259 |
$340 ($285†) | €39.99 | €19.99 | €19.99 | ||
| SFr 399‡ | $330 ($310†) | SFr. 69.90 | SFr. 34.90 | SFr. 34.90 | ||
| HRK Croatian kuna The kuna is the currency of Croatia since 1994 . It is subdivided into 100 lipa. The kuna is issued by the Croatian National Bank and the coins are minted by the Croatian Monetary Institute.... 2099.99 |
December 8, 2006 | HRK 399.98 | HRK 199.99 | HRK 199.99 | ||
 EuropeEurope Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... |
€ Euro The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,... 249‡ |
$330 ($275†) | €39.99 | €19.99 | €19.99 | |
| GB£ Pound sterling The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence... 179‡ |
$350 ($300†) | £29.99 | £14.99 | £14.99 | ||
| HUF Hungarian forint The forint is the currency of Hungary. It is divided into 100 fillér, although fillér coins are no longer in circulation. The introduction of the forint on 1 August 1946 was a crucial step of the post-WWII stabilization of the Hungarian economy, and the currency remained relatively stable until... 70,000 |
$360 ($300†) | |||||
| € Euro The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,... 259 |
$340 ($285†) | €44 | €25 | €25 | ||
| DKK Danish krone The krone is the official currency of the Kingdom of Denmark consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. It is subdivided into 100 øre... 2,199 |
$390 ($310†) | 449 kr. Danish krone The krone is the official currency of the Kingdom of Denmark consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. It is subdivided into 100 øre... |
249 kr. | 249 kr. | ||
| PLNS/.1,099 | no info | |||||
| RUB Russian ruble The ruble or rouble is the currency of the Russian Federation and the two partially recognized republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Formerly, the ruble was also the currency of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union prior to their breakups. Belarus and Transnistria also use currencies with... 9,900‡ |
$380 ($335†) | 1999 RUB | 1499 RUB | 999 RUB | ||
| LVL 200‡ | $400 ($330†) | 50 LVL | 20 LVL | 20 LVL | ||
| NOK Norwegian krone The krone is the currency of Norway and its dependent territories. The plural form is kroner . It is subdivided into 100 øre. The ISO 4217 code is NOK, although the common local abbreviation is kr. The name translates into English as "crown"... 2,499 |
$385 ($310†) | 399 kr | 249 kr | 249 kr | ||
| SEK Swedish krona The krona has been the currency of Sweden since 1873. Both the ISO code "SEK" and currency sign "kr" are in common use; the former precedes or follows the value, the latter usually follows it, but especially in the past, it sometimes preceded the value... 1,990‡ |
479 kr | 299 kr | 299 kr | |||
| ISK 29,990 | $440 ($335†) | 5990 kr | 2990 kr | 2990 kr | ||
| € Euro The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,... 269.90 |
$355 ($290†) | €49.90 | €29.90 | €29.90 | ||
| YTL 799.90 | $550 ($466†) | |||||
| € Euro The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,... 249‡ |
$330 ($285†) | December 9, 2006 | €41,95 | €19,95 | €19,95 | |
| SGD Singapore dollar The Singapore dollar or Dollar is the official currency of Singapore. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies... 499.00 |
$330 | April 25, 2007 | SGD Singapore dollar The Singapore dollar or Dollar is the official currency of Singapore. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies... 69.00 |
SGD Singapore dollar The Singapore dollar or Dollar is the official currency of Singapore. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies... 39.00 |
SGD Singapore dollar The Singapore dollar or Dollar is the official currency of Singapore. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies... 39.00 |
|
| ZAR South African rand The rand is the currency of South Africa. It takes its name from the Witwatersrand , the ridge upon which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa's gold deposits were found. The rand has the symbol "R" and is subdivided into 100 cents, symbol "c"... 2899 |
$410 ($360†) | September 28, 2007 | ZAR South African rand The rand is the currency of South Africa. It takes its name from the Witwatersrand , the ridge upon which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa's gold deposits were found. The rand has the symbol "R" and is subdivided into 100 cents, symbol "c"... 475.00 |
ZAR South African rand The rand is the currency of South Africa. It takes its name from the Witwatersrand , the ridge upon which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa's gold deposits were found. The rand has the symbol "R" and is subdivided into 100 cents, symbol "c"... 239.00 |
ZAR South African rand The rand is the currency of South Africa. It takes its name from the Witwatersrand , the ridge upon which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa's gold deposits were found. The rand has the symbol "R" and is subdivided into 100 cents, symbol "c"... 239.00 |
|
| ARS Argentine peso The peso is the currency of Argentina, identified by the symbol $ preceding the amount in the same way as many countries using dollar currencies. It is subdivided into 100 centavos. Its ISO 4217 code is ARS... 2399 |
$760 | March, 2008 | ARS Ars Ars , or Arsim is a derogatory Hebrew slang term for the Israeli stereotype of a low-class young man. The stereotype may also refer to attributes such as flashy jewelry and clothing... 320 |
ARS Ars Ars , or Arsim is a derogatory Hebrew slang term for the Israeli stereotype of a low-class young man. The stereotype may also refer to attributes such as flashy jewelry and clothing... 200 |
ARS Ars Ars , or Arsim is a derogatory Hebrew slang term for the Israeli stereotype of a low-class young man. The stereotype may also refer to attributes such as flashy jewelry and clothing... 190 |
|
| MYR Malaysian ringgit The Malaysian ringgit is the currency of Malaysia. It is divided into 100 sen... 1399 |
$410 ($360†) | MYR Malaysian ringgit The Malaysian ringgit is the currency of Malaysia. It is divided into 100 sen... 139.00 |
MYR Malaysian ringgit The Malaysian ringgit is the currency of Malaysia. It is divided into 100 sen... 69.00 |
MYR Malaysian ringgit The Malaysian ringgit is the currency of Malaysia. It is divided into 100 sen... 69.00 |
||
 South KoreaSouth Korea The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south... |
KR₩ South Korean won The won is the currency of South Korea. A single won is divided into 100 jeon, the monetary subunit. The jeon is no longer used for everyday transactions, and appears only in foreign exchange rates... 220,000 |
$220* | April 26, 2008 | ₩ South Korean won The won is the currency of South Korea. A single won is divided into 100 jeon, the monetary subunit. The jeon is no longer used for everyday transactions, and appears only in foreign exchange rates... 28,000 |
₩ South Korean won The won is the currency of South Korea. A single won is divided into 100 jeon, the monetary subunit. The jeon is no longer used for everyday transactions, and appears only in foreign exchange rates... 15,000 |
₩ South Korean won The won is the currency of South Korea. A single won is divided into 100 jeon, the monetary subunit. The jeon is no longer used for everyday transactions, and appears only in foreign exchange rates... 15,000 |
 TaiwanTaiwan Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following... |
NT$ New Taiwan dollar The New Taiwan dollar , or simply Taiwan dollar, is the official currency of the Taiwan Area of the Republic of China since 1949, when it replaced the Old Taiwan dollar... 8,500 |
$280 | July 12, 2008 | NT$ New Taiwan dollar The New Taiwan dollar , or simply Taiwan dollar, is the official currency of the Taiwan Area of the Republic of China since 1949, when it replaced the Old Taiwan dollar... 1,050 |
NT$ New Taiwan dollar The New Taiwan dollar , or simply Taiwan dollar, is the official currency of the Taiwan Area of the Republic of China since 1949, when it replaced the Old Taiwan dollar... 525 |
NT$ New Taiwan dollar The New Taiwan dollar , or simply Taiwan dollar, is the official currency of the Taiwan Area of the Republic of China since 1949, when it replaced the Old Taiwan dollar... TBA |
 Hong KongHong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
HKD$ Hong Kong dollar The Hong Kong dollar is the currency of the jurisdiction. It is the eighth most traded currency in the world. In English, it is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively HK$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies... 1,799 |
$232 | December 12, 2009 | HKD 299 | KKD 139 | - |
| CNY Renminbi The Renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China . Renminbi is legal tender in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong or Macau. It is issued by the People's Bank of China, the monetary authority of the PRC... TBA |
CNY Renminbi The Renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China . Renminbi is legal tender in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong or Macau. It is issued by the People's Bank of China, the monetary authority of the PRC... TBA |
TBA | CNY Renminbi The Renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China . Renminbi is legal tender in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong or Macau. It is issued by the People's Bank of China, the monetary authority of the PRC... TBA |
CNY Renminbi The Renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China . Renminbi is legal tender in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong or Macau. It is issued by the People's Bank of China, the monetary authority of the PRC... TBA |
CNY Renminbi The Renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China . Renminbi is legal tender in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong or Macau. It is issued by the People's Bank of China, the monetary authority of the PRC... TBA |
|
| AED United Arab Emirates dirham The dirham is the currency of the United Arab Emirates. The ISO 4217 code for the United Arab Emirates dirham is AED. Unofficial abbreviations include DH or Dhs. The dirham is subdivided into 100 .... 1,299 |
$354 | unknown | AED United Arab Emirates dirham The dirham is the currency of the United Arab Emirates. The ISO 4217 code for the United Arab Emirates dirham is AED. Unofficial abbreviations include DH or Dhs. The dirham is subdivided into 100 .... 199 |
AED United Arab Emirates dirham The dirham is the currency of the United Arab Emirates. The ISO 4217 code for the United Arab Emirates dirham is AED. Unofficial abbreviations include DH or Dhs. The dirham is subdivided into 100 .... 99 |
AED United Arab Emirates dirham The dirham is the currency of the United Arab Emirates. The ISO 4217 code for the United Arab Emirates dirham is AED. Unofficial abbreviations include DH or Dhs. The dirham is subdivided into 100 .... 99 |
|
| Fijian dollar Fijian dollar The dollar has been the currency of Fiji since 1969 and was also the currency between 1867 and 1873. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively FJ$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies... TBA |
December 29, 2008 | FII TBA | FII TBA | FII TBA | ||
Wii Sports
is a sports game developed and published by Nintendo as a launch title for the Wii video game console , and part of the Touch! Generations. The game was first released in North America along with the Wii on November 19, 2006, and was released in Japan, Australia, and Europe the following month...
comes packaged with the console in all regions except Japan and South Korea.
† USD equivalent with local VAT
Value added tax
A value added tax or value-added tax is a form of consumption tax. From the perspective of the buyer, it is a tax on the purchase price. From that of the seller, it is a tax only on the "value added" to a product, material or service, from an accounting point of view, by this stage of its...
, GST
Goods and Services Tax
A goods and services tax or value added tax is a tax on exchanges.By country:*Goods and Services Tax *Goods and Services Tax *Goods and Services Tax *Goods and Services Tax...
or sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
removed for ease of comparison with territories that do not include taxes in consumer prices
‡ Retail price as estimated by, rather than suggested by, Nintendo
§ Prices might be significantly lower on the informal market
Titles
On November 14, 2006, it was confirmed that 21 titles would be available on launch day in North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, with another 12 games being released in the 2006 launch window. This makes 33 games total. Wii Sports is included with the console bundle in all regions excluding Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. Despite the price point of US$60 quoted for many seventh generation games in the USA, Wii titles cost at most US$50 at major US retail stores
Retailing
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
.
For a full list of all titles available for the console since launch, see List of Wii games.
Key:
- NA/SA North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
/South AmericaSouth AmericaSouth America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east... - EU EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
- JP JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
- AUS AustralasiaAustralasiaAustralasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
| Launch title | Region(s) released | Launch title | Region(s) released | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avatar: The Last Airbender Avatar: The Last Airbender (video game) Avatar: The Last Airbender is a video game based on the animated television series of the same name for Game Boy Advance, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii, and Xbox... |
NA/SA | Barnyard Barnyard (video game) Barnyard is a party game based on the animated film of the same name. It has been released for the Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, PC, and the Wii.-Gameplay:... |
NA/SA | |
| Call of Duty 3 Call of Duty 3 Call of Duty 3 is a World War II first-person shooter and the third installment in the Call of Duty video game series first released on November 7, 2006. It has been released for all three seventh generation video game systems: the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii... |
NA/SA EU AUS | Cars Cars (video game) Cars is a video game based on and considered a sequel to the film of the same name. It is available Mac, Windows, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox, Xbox 360, Nintendo GameCube, Wii, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS.... |
NA/SA EU AUS | |
| Crayon Shin-chan: Saikyou Kazoku Kasukabe King Wii Crayon Shin-chan: Saikyou Kazoku Kasukabe King Wii Crayon Shin-chan: Saikyou Kazoku Kasukabe King Wii is a videogame developed and published for the Wii based upon the manga and anime series Crayon Shin-chan... |
JP | Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 | NA/SA | |
| Elebits Elebits , known in PAL territories as Eledees, is an action/first person shooter game developed by Konami Digital Entertainment and published by Konami for the Wii... |
JP | Ennichi no Tatsujin Ennichi no Tatsujin Ennichi no Tatsujin is a video game for Nintendo's Wii console. It was a launch title in Japan.The game is composed of several minigames, all of which revolve around Japanese festivals. This is Namco's first Wii game... |
JP | |
| Excite Truck Excite Truck is a video game published by Nintendo and developed by Monster Games for the Wii video game system. It features malleable environments and tilt-based controls. The game was one of the Wii launch titles in North America. It is a spiritual successor to the Excitebike series... |
NA/SA | The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (video game) The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy is a fighting game based on the television series of the same name. It was developed by High Voltage Software and published by Midway. The PlayStation 2 version's DVD compatibility feature came with behind the scenes footage and the season one episode "Little... |
NA/SA | |
| Gottlieb Pinball Classics | EU | GT Pro Series GT Pro Series GT Pro Series is a franchise developed by MTO and published by Ubisoft as a launch title for Nintendo Wii. It includes over 80 licensed Japanese cars, next-gen physics and many gameplay modes, including Championship, Quick Race, Time Attack, Versus , Drift, and Replay. Graphically, the game uses a... |
NA/SA EU AUS | |
| Happy Feet Happy Feet (video game) Happy Feet is an action-adventure video game based on the movie of the same name. Released in 2006 by A2M for the Wii, PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance and PC, Elijah Wood, Brittany Murphy, Nicole Kidman, Dee Bradley Baker, Carlos Alazraqui, Jeff Garcia, Johnny A... |
NA/SA EU | Kororinpa: Marble Mania | JP | |
| The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series... |
NA/SA JP EU AUS | Machi Kuru Domino | JP | |
| Madden NFL 07 Madden NFL 07 Madden NFL 07 is the 2007 edition of the popular Madden NFL series. It is the first in the video game series to be released for the PlayStation 3 and Wii consoles. Former Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander is on the cover.-Features:... |
NA/SA EU | Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is an action role-playing game developed for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox and Xbox 360 by Raven Software and published by Activision. The game was simultaneously ported to the PlayStation Portable and Wii by Vicarious Visions, and to Microsoft Windows by Beenox... |
NA/SA | |
| Monster 4x4 World Circuit Monster 4x4 World Circuit Monster 4x4 World Circuit is a racing game published by Ubisoft, centering around Monster trucks. It was released in early 2006 on Xbox, and later on Wii as a launch title for the system. It is similar to San Francisco Rush, with huge jumps and vast speed. The game is a sequel to Monster 4x4:... |
NA/SA EU | Necro-Nesia | JP | |
| Need for Speed: Carbon Need for Speed: Carbon Need for Speed: Carbon, also known as NFS Carbon or NFSC, is an Electronic Arts video game belonging to the Need for Speed series. Released in 2006, it is the tenth installment, preceded by Need for Speed: Most Wanted, succeeded by Need for Speed: ProStreet in release order and succeeded by Need... |
NA/SA EU AUS | Open Season Open Season (video game) Open Season is a video game based on the film of the same name. It was released for Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Microsoft Windows, Game Boy Advance, Xbox 360, Xbox, Nintendo DS and Nintendo GameCube... |
NA/SA EU AUS | |
| Rampage: Total Destruction Rampage: Total Destruction Rampage: Total Destruction is the latest sequel to the Rampage arcade game produced by Midway Games. The game was released on April 24, 2006 in North America for the GameCube and PlayStation 2 . It has also been released on the Wii .-Gameplay:Rampage: Total Destruction is rendered in 3D but has 2D... |
NA/SA EU AUS | Rayman Raving Rabbids Rayman Raving Rabbids Rayman Raving Rabbids, known in French as , is a spinoff in the Rayman series released by the French company Ubisoft as a Wii launch title. The game consists of over 70 minigames... |
NA/SA EU AUS | |
| Red Steel Red Steel Red Steel is a first person shooter video game published by Ubisoft for Nintendo's Wii console. It was developed by the Ubisoft Paris studio and was unveiled in the May 2006 issue of Game Informer. It was released on November 19, 2006 in North America, the date of the first Wii launch... |
NA/SA JP EU AUS | SD Gundam G Breaker | JP | |
| SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab is a video game for the Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, and Wii developed by Blitz Games and published by THQ. It stars SpongeBob SquarePants, his best friend Patrick Star and their enemy Sheldon J. Plankton as... |
'NA/SA EU | Super Fruit Fall Super Fruit Fall Super Fruit Fall is a video game designed by Cheshire-based game developer Nissimo and published by Cheshire-based System 3. Wii, PlayStation 2, and PSP versions of the game were developed by Leamington Spa-based game developer SLAM Productions... |
EU | |
| Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz is an entry in the Super Monkey Ball series, following Super Monkey Ball Adventure. It is a Wii exclusive and was released as a launch title for the system on November 14, 2006 in North America.-Story:... |
NA/SA JP EU AUS | Super Swing Golf | JP | |
| Tamagotchi: Party On! Tamagotchi: Party On! Tamagotchi: Party On!, known in Japan as Tamagotchi's Sparkling President, is a video game in the Tamagotchi series for the Wii. The game was released in the United States on May 29, 2007 by Namco Bandai. In Japan, the game was released as a launch title... /Tamagotchi's Sparkling President |
JP | Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam is a video game in the Tony Hawk series. The game was a launch title for Nintendo's Wii, and is also available for the Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, and PlayStation 2.... |
NA/SA EU AUS | |
| Trauma Center: Second Opinion Trauma Center: Second Opinion Trauma Center: Second Opinion known as in Japan, is the second game in the Trauma Center series. Second Opinion is the first to be available on the Wii, was a launch title for the system in North America and Japan, and made full use of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk attachment... |
NA/SA JP | WarioWare: Smooth Moves WarioWare: Smooth Moves WarioWare: Smooth Moves, known in Japan as , is a party video game developed by Nintendo SPD and Intelligent Systems. The game was published by Nintendo for its Wii video game system in Japan in December 2006, and in Europe, North America, and Australia in January 2007... |
JP | |
| Wii Play Wii Play Wii Play, released as in Japan, is a party video game for the Wii console. It is a counterpart to the games Wii Sports, Wii Music and Wii Fit. It features minigames that use characters from the Mii Channel. Several of the games featured are from E3 2006 demos such as the Duck Hunt-styled shooting... |
JP EU AUS | Wii Sports Wii Sports is a sports game developed and published by Nintendo as a launch title for the Wii video game console , and part of the Touch! Generations. The game was first released in North America along with the Wii on November 19, 2006, and was released in Japan, Australia, and Europe the following month... [1] |
NA/SA JP EU AUS | |
| Wing Island Wing Island is a flight simulator video game for the Wii. The game was developed by CAProduction and published in Japan and North America by Hudson Soft. It was published in Europe and Australia by Nintendo.-Gameplay:It is played using the gesture system in the Wii Remote... |
JP | |||
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is a first-person action-adventure game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. It is the tenth game in the Metroid series, and the final entry in the Metroid Prime trilogy—excluding two spin-off titles. It was released in...
was pushed as a launch title, but was eventually delayed to a release date of August 27, 2007 in North America. Satoru Iwata
Satoru Iwata
is the fourth president of Nintendo, succeeding the long-standing previous president of the company, Hiroshi Yamauchi in 2002. He was responsible in great part for defining Nintendo's strategy both before and during the release of its Nintendo GameCube video game console in 2001, a vision which...
also initially wished for Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
to be released at launch.
[1] Wii Sports came bundled with the Wii in all territories except Japan and South Korea.
Sales
On November 28, 2006, Nintendo reported that it had sold over 600,000 consoles in the first eight days of launch in the Americas. Including the sales of accessories and games, Nintendo's Wii-related revenue had hit $190 million in its first week.The Wii launched in Japan on December 2, 2006. Japan initially received 400,000 Wii consoles, with around an estimate of 370,000 sold in two days, with Wii Sports and Wii Play being the top two selling games. While many PlayStation 3 consoles were resold on online auctions for a much higher price, the average Wii price on Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
Auctions were only 30,000 ¥ (USD: $260). This is perhaps because more people wanted to use the consoles, rather than resell them, as the Wii software tie ratio was 1.69.
On December 12, 2006, sales data analysis firm Chart-Track and Nintendo confirmed with several press outlets in the United Kingdom that the Wii had become the fastest selling video game console in the region's recorded history, selling 105,000 consoles in its opening weekend, trumping the previous record holder, Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, which posted sales numbers of 70,000 units. Nintendo announced on the following day that the Wii had sold 325,000 units across Europe in its first two days of sale, making it the fastest selling console across the entire European continent.
In the United Kingdom, gamers lined up at the midnight launch of the console at GAME
GAME (retailer)
The Game Group plc is a British video games retail company. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE SmallCap Index....
and HMV. Queues from both retail stores stretched into back alleyways and side streets. GAME even provided them with slices of pizza and Wii branded umbrellas. HMV, meanwhile, handed out goodie bags containing Wii-branded T-shirts and The Legend of Zelda posters. Celebrities such as Pat Cash
Pat Cash
Patrick Hart "Pat" Cash is a retired Australian professional tennis player who won the men's singles title at Wimbledon in 1987.-Early career:...
and Ian Wright
Ian Wright
Ian Edward Wright, MBE is a retired English footballer turned television and radio personality.Wright enjoyed success with London clubs Crystal Palace and Arsenal, spending six years with the former and seven years with the latter. With Arsenal he has lifted the Premier League title and both major...
appeared to promote the Wii.
On December 14, 2006, it was announced that the Wii console had become the fastest selling console in Australian history with 32,901 units sold in just four days, beating the Xbox 360's opening weekend record of 30,241 units.
In Singapore, local distributor Maxsoft said that 2,000 consoles were sold in the first two days of retail, much greater than for the launches of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, and that many preorders remained unfulfilled due to a low stock inventory.
While the Wii launch was considerably smoother than that of the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, it was not without its problems. Due to the scarcity of the Wii Remote
Wii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
and Nunchuk, widespread price gouging
Price gouging
Price gouging is a pejorative term referring to a situation in which a seller prices goods or commodities much higher than is considered reasonable or fair. In precise, legal usage, it is the name of a crime that applies in some of the United States during civil emergencies...
began to form. Initial consumer reaction to the Wii appears to have been positive, with commentators judging the launch to have been successful.
According to the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
, as of September 2007 the Wii became the market leader in worldwide console sales.