Nintendo Wii Release Dates Around The World

Nintendo kept its consumers in the dark about the imminent release of the Nintendo Wii quite impressively, building demand for the console without dangling the release date of the console. The frenzy extended so far that rumors flew about a mysterious Nintendo DS game that would reveal the release date of the Nintendo Wii upon completion. While that proved to be untrue, it only exemplifies the hype Nintendo managed to build for the Wii.

The mystery has been solved though as November 19th has been pegged by Nintendo as the U.S. release date for the Wii. That puts the product layout only two days after the release of the Playstation 3, the console’s chief competition for holiday console shopping.

Perhaps the reason for a launch so close in time to that of a close competitor is the likely sales crunch to be experienced by consumers looking for a Playstation 3. As the Xbox 360 before it, the Playstation 3 comes into launch with reports of low supply and high demand. Given that dynamic, it’s quite possible the Wii could pick up additional purchases from otherwise discouraged Playstation 3 shoppers. Nintendo’s Wiimote, its entirely unique input device for the Wii, may also lure additional shoppers that have become interested by Nintendo’s departure from traditional console control schemes.

With that demand, Nintendo’s move to space out worldwide release dates for the Wii makes sense. Amazon pre-orders, one barometer for demand, caused a great deal of chaos when they were made available in September. That experience only underscores the need for Nintendo to carefully plan the Wii’s launch.

On December 2, Japan will see the release of the Wii and Oceana (Australia and New Zealand) follows shortly after with a December 7 release date. Though Spain will see its release delayed until December 9 in respect of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the rest of Europe will be able to get hands on the Wii on December 8.

With reports that four million consoles will be available between launch and year’s end, North America will see the vast majority of that number, perhaps assuaging fears of supply problems. North American numbers for the Wii have ranged between one million and two million consoles available and that uncertainty could be one of the few sources of concern as far as supply issues go.

While a third place finish has plagued Nintendo in the Gamecube era in the United States and Europe, the company’s success has been far better in Asia. Coupled with the rampant success of the Nintendo DS, expectations are high in the area for a Nintendo Wii success of a similar magnitude. Dampening those hopes is the possibility that southeast Asia will have to wait until April 2007 for its ability to land a Wii.

That April 2007 release would coincide with the Playstation 3’s release in Europe and Oceana, another interesting chapter in what is sure to be an interesting console war. Six million worldwide Nintendo Wii consoles available after launch may or may not be enough to satisfy worldwide demand and only time will be able to tell just how much Asian demand drives Wii purchases.

Of course, peripherals will also have specific release dates and while only white Wiimotes will be available at launch, colored versions will have separate release dates yet to be confirmed by Nintendo.

Now with all of that release data finally confirmed by Nintendo, the worldwide public can only wait in hopes that the Nintendo Wii sees a smooth release that satisfies at least most of the considerable demand built worldwide by Nintendo.

© 2006CoolGamesZone.com