Topic: Canadian Launch Details

[WindyMan]

It's pretty much the same as the American press release, but with funky Canada dollars.

NINTENDO’S INCOMPARABLE Wii CONSOLE LAUNCHES NOV. 19; MSRP $279.95    

30 New Games, 30 Retro Titles, User-Friendly ‘Channels’ Make it the Affordable System for Gamers, Newcomers and Families    

VANCOUVER, B.C., Sept. 14, 2006 – Nintendo will reshape the home entertainment and video game landscape with the launch of its heralded Wiiâ„¢ home video game console. The Americas will lead the worldwide launch on Nov. 19. Wii will be sold as an affordable, mass-consumer product at an MSRP of just $279.95. The price includes one wireless Wii Remote controller, one Nunchukâ„¢ controller and the groundbreaking collection of five different Wii Sports games on one disc, which anyone can play using simple movements, experienced or not.    

Every Wii console includes another distinctive feature: a series of on-screen “channels" that make up the Wii Channel Menu, which makes the console approachable and customizable for everyone, from the most avid gamer to people who have never played before. The Wii Channel Menu is the starting point for all of the console’s functions. The “channels" offer a gateway to a rich variety of entertainment options. When connected to a TV, the Wii Channel Menu offers a simple interface, letting users pick games to play, get news or weather, view and send photos or even create playable caricatures of themselves to use in actual games. Additional functions allow users to redeem Wii Points and download classic games to Wii’s Virtual Consoleâ„¢. The variety of options available through the Wii Channel Menu motivates both gamers and non-gamers to turn on Wii’s power every day.    

Wii is creating worldwide excitement with its unique control system, an inventive, first-of-its-kind controller whose position can be detected in a 3-D space. The new controller allows users to pinpoint targets in games or move through the Wii Channel Menu with precision and ease. This intuitive control system will be understood  immediately by everyone, regardless of their previous experience with video games. With this one small controller, Wii makes games both easier and more intense than anything previously experienced. For example, in the Wii Sports tennis game, players swing the Wii Remote like a racket to hit the ball, as in real life. They can add topspin or slice the ball just by angling their hands and wrist like they would in a real match.    

“Wii reinvents games for the devoted player," says Ron Bertram, Nintendo of Canada’s Vice President-General Manager. “But more importantly, Wii breaks the wall separating players from non-players by delivering the best game experiences for the most affordable price. We believe the next leap is games for the masses – young and old, gamer or non, alone, with a friend or with the whole family." The Canadian launch for Wii on November 19 precedes the launch in Japan slated for December 2.    

Between launch day and Dec. 31, Wii owners will enjoy a robust lineup of 30 software titles, with selections for everyone from video game veterans to newcomers. Some top Nintendo launch titles include Wii Sports, a compilation of tennis, baseball, golf, bowling and boxing; The Legend of Zelda®: Twilight Princess; and EXCITE TRUCKâ„¢. While publishers are free to set their own prices for games, first-party Nintendo titles will have an MSRP of $59.95. Wii’s self-loading media bay also can play the entire library of more than 530 Nintendo GameCubeâ„¢ titles from day one.    

Third-party developers around the world have lined up to provide unprecedented support for Wii.  â€œThe Wii control scheme opens up unexplored areas for our talented teams to innovate when creating games," says Laurent DeToc, President of Ubisoft North America. “It’s invigorating for us. We believe that it will help create a new level of interest in video games and engage more players around the world."    

“I believe the Wii will attract new and casual gamers to the world of interactive entertainment," says Larry Probst, Chairman and CEO, Electronic Arts. “It’s a fun, easy and economical system that will become a bridge to gaming for mainstream audiences. At EA, we are putting more support behind the Wii than any Nintendo hardware launch since the Super NES."    

“The Wii is changing audience interaction, opening up whole new experiences that have never been possible in video games," says Robert Kotick, Chairman and CEO, Activision, Inc. “With the instinctual control of the Wii Remote, Nintendo is advancing the gaming experience to the broadest audience of gamers. Activision is excited about the launch of the Wii and the opportunity it offers. So much so, we plan to have five titles available at launch – our strongest lineup ever for a new console. We have more  development resources devoted to the Wii than to any previous Nintendo platform. The Wii is likely to have a profound impact on the size, growth and overall opportunities for the video game market."    

Additional information about the list of Virtual Console games and the pricing structure will be revealed in the coming weeks.

[Artimus]

I want to know the VC structure and the accessory costs now.

[IceCold]

I thought those already came out? Like $24 CDN will give you 2000 Wii Points (so a 1.1 conversion rate)..

[Caliban]

I still want official word from the NoC itself.
I'm going to try and see if I can get VGM to get a straight answer from NoC, but as they themselves have said it many times before NoC is being a b!tch in regards to info, etc.
NoC gets some pardon for the $279.95 and the $59.99 1st-party titles, but I'm still dissapointed that we don't get treated the same way as the people south of the border, I'm talking about the fact that I want some hands-on the Wii in some public event i.e. concerts/conventions/etc.

[IceCold]

To be fair, the only times the Wii has been playable have been at E3, Leipzig GC and this September blowout.. they still have time for an event like that. And NoC hasn't been doing too bad a job in terms of other things - they had Electroplankton and the USB dongle in stores instead of only online, after all..

[Caliban]

Yeah that's true...I'm just being a little harsh because I'm really expectant of the Wii.

[vudu]

Is there actually a NoC?  I thought NoA served all of the American market.  

[Guitar Smasher]

Cool.  Thanks to the exchange rate, the Wii is going to be the cheapest Nintendo console I've ever bought.  I remember N64 was something like $350-400 when it came out, and GameCube was $300, I think.

[Caliban]

Quote
Originally posted by: vudu
Is there actually a NoC?  I thought NoA served all of the American market.

www.nintendo.ca
NoC is responsible for the uncommon commercials the US never gets, the cheaper than usual pricetag for the Wii, etc...just fyi.  

[IceCold]

Remember that "Too Much Fun" ad campaign? Or the Game Boy Micro rat maze commercial? Yeah, those are NoC ones..