Nintendo Talks Wii’s US Release Date and Market Strategy

It came straight from the horse’s mouth. Nintendo will be releasing the Wii to US retailers on November 19, two days after Sony‘s PS3 comes out. Although it is one of the next-gen consoles causing excitement, Nintendo says it does not aim to compete with the PS3 or the Xbox 360.

According to them, their target market is much different from that of Sony’s or Microsoft‘s as it is not specifically hard-core gamers that they would want to cater to. Rather, they want to target the middle-income family bracket. That is why they tagged Wii with the initial price of US$250, about half of the rumored prices of the PS3. With this affordable price, they not only aim to target sophisticated gamers, but also newer audiences.

To pull this off, Nintendo has to ensure that there will be a vast list of game titles to choose from, priced reasonably, of course. It would only be logical for Wii to host games that, while high in quality, remain affordable given that their target market is the middle-income families.

The technology of Wii also gives it an edge as it gives room for more diverse play, hence becoming attractive even to those who may not really be inclined with gaming. The console’s motion sensitive controller allows the player to use the controller like an object in the game. For example, if the game involves fishing, you can actually use the Wiimote by making movements specifically for fishing, such as casting the bait and reeling in the catch. The idea itself is fun as it veers away from the traditional control pads of other consoles, and it provides for more virtual-reality action.

Yup, it definitely looks like Wii is all set to head out to the US market! After all the anticipation and waiting, this certainly is one good news.

It came straight from the horse’s mouth. Nintendo will be releasing the Wii to US retailers on November 19, two days after Sony‘s PS3 comes out. Although it is one of the next-gen consoles causing excitement, Nintendo says it does not aim to compete with the PS3 or the Xbox 360.

According to them, their target market is much different from that of Sony’s or Microsoft‘s as it is not specifically hard-core gamers that they would want to cater to. Rather, they want to target the middle-income family bracket. That is why they tagged Wii with the initial price of US$250, about half of the rumored prices of the PS3. With this affordable price, they not only aim to target sophisticated gamers, but also newer audiences.

To pull this off, Nintendo has to ensure that there will be a vast list of game titles to choose from, priced reasonably, of course. It would only be logical for Wii to host games that, while high in quality, remain affordable given that their target market is the middle-income families.

The technology of Wii also gives it an edge as it gives room for more diverse play, hence becoming attractive even to those who may not really be inclined with gaming. The console’s motion sensitive controller allows the player to use the controller like an object in the game. For example, if the game involves fishing, you can actually use the Wiimote by making movements specifically for fishing, such as casting the bait and reeling in the catch. The idea itself is fun as it veers away from the traditional control pads of other consoles, and it provides for more virtual-reality action.

Yup, it definitely looks like Wii is all set to head out to the US market! After all the anticipation and waiting, this certainly is one good news.