RUMOUR: Wii to Launch in July at $199

Chardee MacDennis

"Rumor has it that Nintendo isn't going to wait until November to launch the Wii. Instead it is probably going to launch in July or possibly even pull an Apple and launch at E3? Now that would be a real blue ocean strategy!"

http://www.the-mole.org/2006/04/27/wii-to-launch-in-july-at-199/

Interesting stuff. if its true they've done a great job of keeping it a secret...

skywalker

Very misleading title, thats pure speculation.

Chardee MacDennis

i thought the question marks indicated that, but i spelt it out now, happy?

dimerocks

i just came here because i hough what the **** is the Wii, when did the name change??

skywalker

Call_me_al wrote:

i thought the question marks indicated that, but i spelt it out now, happy?

I didnt see question marks when I clicked onto the thread originally. I dont mean to be snotty about it but no point getting peoples hopes up over something which, on reading the article, probably isnt going to happen.

flogen

I doubt they'd launch at E3, but who knows; it's never been done before in a games console that something launches without warning, but maybe Nintendo have seen preorder figures and are confident of interest... it would probably damage their first day sales though.

Cabelo

Sega made a secret announcement at E3 that a console was already for sale from that morning.

First month, zero sales. No hype means no impact.

honru

flogen wrote:

I doubt they'd launch at E3, but who knows; it's never been done before in a games console that something launches without warning, but maybe Nintendo have seen preorder figures and are confident of interest... it would probably damage their first day sales though.

Further to what Cabelo said, Sega bumped up the release of the Saturn from September to May in the US and Europe and announced the move at E3. So it has happened.

It's safe to say that it ended up not being the best of plans, so I doubt another manufacturer will risk such a tactic.

Retr0gamer

The Saturn had the pack-in Virtua Fighter and basically graphics demo Panzer Dragoon until September since the third parties weren't prepared for the surprise announcement. The 100 dollar more expensive price point didn't help along with a dire version of Daytona and arcade perfect versions of Tekken and Ridge Racer on the PS1.

Stalfos

Doubt they would release it in July, that would be mad but naming a console nintendo wii is pretty mad too.
But an earlier launch date wouldn't be a bad idea. If they try and compete with the PS3, they'll be squashed so the earlier the launch before it, the better chance the have imo.

monkeyfudge

Well remember that strange book that was doing the rounds a while back that seemed to suggest that there were a lot of 'Wii's' already manufactured.

projectmayhem

tbh my nintendo fanboy friends have been expecting the rev... wii in mid-late summer anyway, based on the chatter after last years e3.

flogen

Cabelo wrote:

Sega made a secret announcement at E3 that a console was already for sale from that morning.

First month, zero sales. No hype means no impact.

My mistake; apologies!

Well I'd imagine a June/July launch as being plausible... if the PS3 is indeed launching in November, Nintendo will likely launch before rather than after (and they'll want the Christmas market so even if it is after, it'll be weeks and not months). If they get in there a few months before sony, establish themselves somewhat and get a good catalogue rolling out they'll be able to offer a good price point for parents either buying in November (when they can't get a PS3 for love nor money) or buying for Christmas (when they'd rather spend less for something that looks fun than more for something that will still be appealing to early adoptors and hardcore gamers IMO). PS3 won't hit massmarket until christmas 07, the Wii and to a lesser extent the 360 could clean up this year.

sprinkles

Please let this be true......this is the console I'm most looking forward to and it'll be the only one I buy at launch