Topic: Wii Already in Production?

[Ceric]

Actually wasn't there a similar rumor near the beginning of the year citing that Nintendo might be starting Wii production in April.  In all actuallity I wouldn't be to surprised if the production has already started.  I t gives them some time and I'm sure part of the final dev kits is an actual Wii.  It would also explain why Nintendos biggest response to people moaning about the name is "Deal with it."  That pretty much says it's a done deal right there.  My Prediction is this, assuming production has started:

What we'll see at E3 will be first run Wii's.
By the end of the month/begining of next month Final Dev kits we'll be out with actual final Wii's.
About a month after that Since Nintendo insists that we must feel the Wii to know the Wii.  Press Wii's will go out with a strict agreement that if you sell these Nintendo will no longer do business with you.
Just a note Nintendo will have dedicated resources to prevent the sale and the punishment of the seller of these units.
A month of Press coverage/unit shipping.



So that puts at a September launch.

I feel that this would be the best way to go about it give maybe a Month or Two on the launch and the press Wii's.  (So instead maybe September/August or August/October or even August/November but no later than August on the Press Wii's)  Another note at the point before launch Nintendo will know by serial number who Wii belongs to who.

Also since Wii ends in a vowel is it Wiis or Wii's.  Because with GCN it's GCN's because it's a acronym.  The fun of made up words.

Edit:  I found the link my comments when the memory shipments were told to be September.  I think it helps with my timetable.


What I said when the Memory shipment was rumored

[jasonditz]

They're using 1T-SRAM, but I doubt that's going to mean they're using literally just X number of the old Cube chips. Doing so would seem to negate the power consumption benefits

[Ceric]

Correct me if I'm wrong I'm not an electric engineer I just hang out with a lot.  But I thought if there using the same amount of ram then the ram will always pull X for every MB.  So of course with more MB of ram you draw X more energy.  Doesn't matter if it's done in 1 chip or 5.  You'll still draw X energy but you take up more space with more chips.  But  I could be wrong.

[jasonditz]

That seems unlikely, but I'm honestly not sure.

Still, the space question is serious enough... the Wii is very small, will there physically be room on the board for umpteen memory chips?

[AnyoneEB]

Ceric: I am not an EE either, but I think smaller (narrower wires) components tend to draw less power, and more recent components tend to be smaller. (Less transistors would also draw less power, but I have a feeling that all 1T-RAM has one transistor per bit. )

On the release date, I would still be a bit surprised about a US release date before November. Remember that Nintendo can have all the consoles they want stockpiled, but they can't release until the release games are done and pressed. Also, didn't Nintendo say they wanted to do a world-wide release?

[Ceric]

1T-SRAM Wikipedia Entry

Because knowledge is power and knowing is half the battle.  GI...

Size would be an issue with the Wii.  I wonder if there going to use both sides of the board.

[nemo_83]

Nintendo Reps are a lying bunch of farts.  My cousin was told by one that DS would not be going online about a month before they unveiled their wifi plans.  Don't believe anything they say.  

This rumor contradicts rumors that few third parties have final hardware, as in maybe just SquarEnix.

[jasonditz]

Iwata said a worldwide launch was not a neccesity. I'd hope to see a Sept. or Oct. launch, just so that we're not fighting with Xmas crowds to get one.

Imagine if they launched the day after Thanksgiving?  

[BigJim]

Wasn't it already told by Iwata that they're shooting for Thanksgiving?  I wouldn't hold my breath for anything much sooner than that.

[UncleBob]

Thanksgiving for NA or for Japan?

And if it's Thanksgiving for Japan, does that mean the US will launch before or after Japan?

[BigJim]

He stated "by Thanksgiving" for North America.

If the memory is not being shipped until September as someone else mentioned, then that removes any chance of anything sooner than October, but November is MUCH more likely. For any region.

It looks like a semi-worldwide launch... not necessarily the same day/week, but pretty close. Unless the N.A. market get it first like the DS.

[IceCold]

Quote
He stated "by Thanksgiving" for North America.

I'm predicting Canadian Thanksgiving (Oct 9)

[Dirk Temporo]

November 21st in the US. Mark my words.

[GoldenPhoenix]

Dirk don't you think that is a tad bit risky? PS3 is supposed to come out at almost the exact same time, I can't imagine Nintendo doing that.

[Ceric]

Second.  Same day Console launches is like shooting yourself in the foot with someone elses gun.

[Terranigma Freak]

According to AOL, Metroid Prime 3 is pratically done. So who knows.

[BigJim]

I think they'll both launch in November also.

They'll both nearly sell out and have limited supplies through the holiday, so I don't think an overlap matters in the off-chance it did happen to be the exact same day.

[Kairon]

A same day launch will matter a lot if you want to play the media and PR game.

~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

[EasyCure]

i dont think its that farfetched that the production is on the way and they are stock piling them in a warehouse. they don't want a 360 type fiasco, and if Wii can cause the buzz that DS has, they definately don't want shortages in japan (like the DSL).

according to a buddy of mine from toys r us, they should be getting their first shipment of DSL's in a week or so. agian, thats just the initial shipment. Nintendo wants to make sure there is enough units at their retailers, even though the system doesnt come out until next month.

[Caliban]

Quote
Originally posted by: IceCold

Quote
He stated "by Thanksgiving" for North America.

I'm predicting Canadian Thanksgiving (Oct 9)

Me too, well I'm not really predicting, I just want it as early as possible.

[UncleBob]

Quote
Originally posted by: EasyCure
according to a buddy of mine from toys r us, they should be getting their first shipment of DSL's in a week or so. agian, thats just the initial shipment. Nintendo wants to make sure there is enough units at their retailers, even though the system doesnt come out until next month.

That doesn't particularly sound right.

Most retailers don't want to sit on product on inventory any longer than they have to.  Now, let's say there's 6 DSLites in a case and a store's "First Shipment" is 5 cases, that's about $4,000.. That doesn't seem like much, but to sit on $4,000 excess inventory for about a month?  I know DMs (Market Managers) in Wal*Mart that would slit Department Manager's throats for such a thing.

[EasyCure]

you have a point, a good one at that. im just stating what a friend of mine who happens to work at the retailer told me. he's never lied to me before and he even plans on getting fired from his job because he wants to take one of the DSL's for a personal test run.
used to do the same thing at the GS he worked at.  

[BigJim]

They don't have to start 6 months in advance to avoid a 360 situation. The costs would be large and they'd lose money hand over fist before it even launched. Manufacturing, moving material, utilities, insurance, taxes... They'd be better off having a shortage.

[couchmonkey]

I say launch a couple of weeks before Sony if possible.  That seemed to give Microsoft an edge with Xbox vs. GameCube.

[Requiem]

Did Sony official delay their PS3 or are they still shooting for June?

If it's the latter, then I believe Nintendo could be stock-piling in case they had to launch real soon.