AfterDawn: News

One million Wii units at launch in North America

According to Ron Bertram, vice president and general manager of Nintendo Canada, there will be 1 million Wii consoles available at its November 19 launch date, compared to 400,000 Sony Playstation 3 consoles.

"We’re looking at a million (units) for North America at launch. When Sony came out (with their PS3 announcement), they said 300,000," told Bertram. (Actually Sony said 400,000).



Speaking in an interview with Mackenzie Financial, he added, "If we get what we're supposed to get, this will be our most plentiful launch in the 15 years I've been at Nintendo. All signs are actually extremely positive".

It's one thing to have a million consoles, but selling that amount is a different ball game. Sony, on one hand, has the advantage of a predecessor (Playstation 2) which has sold over 100 million units worldwide; and it's that past success which has given Sony a loyal army of fans. Nintendo on the other hand, might have difficulties convincing the general gamers to get a Wii at launch.

Source:
Digital Battle

Written by: Ben Reid @ 24 Sep 2006 23:17

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• 15 comments

• nitrous3

  not too many

  25.9.2006 03:05 #1

• akkuma

  hopefully nintendo will launch the wii with thier best titles! zelda, metroid, etc. in the past we had to wait months after the release of the system to play zelda.

  25.9.2006 03:50 #2

• halfhere

  i am actually kinda looking forward to this.

  25.9.2006 06:58 #3

• Retro_rc

  until when shall we wait to be able to play legal backups
  i also heard u can play gamecube games on it
  that'll make sure the gamecube COUGH COUGH legal-backup secene will get a boost
  

  25.9.2006 07:05 #4

• esrever

  That really doesn't seem like alot at all. You figure if each store that has preorders in stock is at around a thousand units, thats around a thousand stores in North America, not just the US...there will definately be more demand than supply IMO.

  25.9.2006 09:03 #5

• Pop_Smith

  :) W00T! Go Nintendo! Nintendo is old school and I believe that they will fill their promises. I personally am getting a Wii, it will take time to get used to the new controlling but with hot titles such as Zelda (which doesn't use the cell shading (or whatever its called) technique like Wind Waker did) I believe it will be easy to pick up and master in a small amount of time.

  25.9.2006 09:10 #6

• psyantist

  Some people might think that is a Wii too many but I think it is just right!

  25.9.2006 10:55 #7

• Ankoku

  Im really looking forward to getting a Wii, either at release or possible waiting until February. The problem with releasing a million at launch is that you kind of overflow the market. The reason Microsoft and Sony release such small quantities is because they want demand to be high for a year or more. The good thing about Nintendo's strategy is that they get their item on the market, before people can make judgements about their motion sensor idea. Could be a brilliant move, may be a bad move, only time will tell

  25.9.2006 11:33 #8

• oofRome

  My friend who works at gamestop said he got about 30 calls from Nintendo fans in the first hour the store opened on september 14. (when launch date and price were revealed).
  If there are too many available at launch, it certainly won't be where I live.

  25.9.2006 13:46 #9

• bomber991

  <i>he problem with releasing a million at launch is that you kind of overflow the market. The reason Microsoft and Sony release such small quantities is because they want demand to be high for a year or more.</i>
  
  Well, I don't know about that. I did want an xbox360 when it came out, and I wanted one up unti the end of January. By then, I had run out of extra money to spend on one, and don't really care for it anymore.

  25.9.2006 23:43 #10

• borhan9

  The only way i see the Wii even competing with the ps3. Although their price is reasonable in comparison. The Wii console needs to be really powerful in the graphics department and have a great variety of games available for the game console.

  26.9.2006 03:44 #11

• ZippyDSM

  borhan9
  Come on the WII is in line to throwen this time unless SOny drops the PS3 price...with they do and don't at the same time...so far SOny is padding up the fall in japan....it dosen't look bleak mind you....but Sony right now is making MS look good...

  26.9.2006 04:36 #12

• oofRome

  Quote:The only way i see the Wii even competing with the ps3. Although their price is reasonable in comparison. The Wii console needs to be really powerful in the graphics department and have a great variety of games available for the game console.Quote:The only way i see the DS even competing with the PSP. Although their price is reasonable in comparison. The DS console needs to be really powerful in the graphics department and have a great variety of games available for the game console.deja vu

  26.9.2006 10:16 #13

• ZippyDSM

  oofRome
  preach it!
  Quality pawns graphics (altho its not a sure thing for consoles ><)
  

  
  
  FIGHT THE M.A.F.I.A.A.
  "Hollywood the 4kids of comic moives."
  Looking to swap analog sticks on a PS2 pad,need some help or info
  http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/398201#2403533

  26.9.2006 14:41 #14

• oofRome

  Quote:(altho its not a sure thing for consoles ><)I'm sure the NES, SNES/GENESIS, PS1, and PS2 can attest that quality really does trumph graphics.

  26.9.2006 20:10 #15