• A reminder that Forum Moderator applications are currently still open! If you're interested in joining an active team of moderators for one of the biggest Pokémon forums on the internet, click here for info.
  • Due to the recent changes with Twitter's API, it is no longer possible for Bulbagarden forum users to login via their Twitter account. If you signed up to Bulbagarden via Twitter and do not have another way to login, please contact us here with your Twitter username so that we can get you sorted.

Nintendo's Wii Surprise Hit Among Video Game Expo Attendees

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

GrnMarvl14

Lying
Joined
Jan 4, 2003
Messages
13,846
Reaction score
4
Original article.

LOS ANGELES — Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s new Wii video game console, considered the underdog in the console wars because it lacks the high-definition graphics and multimedia features of its rivals, is stealing the show at this week's Electronic Entertainment Expo trade show.

The wait to try out the Wii at E3 pushed past four hours on Thursday afternoon, while the wait for hands-on time with Sony Corp.'s (SNE) PlayStation 3 was barely 30 minutes.

Both consoles will hit the market later this year, though the Wii is expected to cost much less than rival consoles.

The Wii (pronounced "we") uses a motion-sensor enabled controller that looks like a TV remote and allows users to direct action on the screen by wielding it like a sword or swinging it like a baseball bat, tennis racket or golf club.

"It's basically a whole different thing from anything I've seen before," said Josef Faulkner, who had been waiting in line for three hours to get his hands on Wii. He still had an hour to go. "This is definitely the biggest thing here."

Faulkner and other attendees agreed that the unique controller is what is drawing people to the Wii.

Unlike other next-generation consoles, Wii doesn't sport high-definition graphics or make any promises of being a multimedia entertainment hub, but it promises a unique, fun experience new to video games.

While the company insists that Wii is not a direct competitor to powerful new game consoles like the upcoming Playstation 3 and Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) Xbox 360, there is no doubt that it has stolen much of other consoles' thunder.

"You have to play [Wii] in order to understand what it is," said Don James, Nintendo's executive vice president of operations.

James said the company knew that lots of people would be drawn to Wii, but he was surprised by the sheer numbers.

He said that after 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time (22:00 GMT) they had to stop allowing people into the line because there was no way they would be able to see the console before the convention center closed three hours later.

"I didn't think the line was going to go around the whole convention center," said James.

The enduring image of the show might end up being the enormous line, which snakes completely around Nintendo's floor space. A security guard estimated that 1,500 to 2,000 people have been in the line at any given time.

Matt Rogers and Steve Bollinger said they waited almost three hours to get their hands on Wii, even though they lined up as soon as the convention center doors opened. After exiting the booth, they said the wait was definitely worth it.

"Nintendo really nailed it," said Rogers.

"They really worked hard to put fun games in this booth," said Bollinger. "Now I know the next thing I'm getting."
Click to expand...

Wow. Wait to go Nintendo.
 
Awesome. I always like what Nintendo promises, and it feels me with a warm fuzzy feeling to hear that they're delivering and then some.

So, since Nintendo's focus is fun, and according to pretty much everyone the Wii is a lot of fun - does this mean that Wii will soon become a synonym for "WHEE!"?
 
I'm very ansious to see this Surprise Hit. But after E3 I know that I'll say "Oh, I can't believe that I haven't thought in that."
 
Um... surprise hit my arse.

The main attendess of E3 are Gaming Companies and the Gaming Press - NOT casual gaming fanboys.

There's not a single gaming journo across the world, whether they be writing for Nintendo Power, Generic Xbox Mag, Generic Ps2 Mag or whatever, that WOULDN'T want to try out what the Wii has to offer.

Whilst it's great to hear of the Wii being a hit at E3, it's a pretty meaningless hit as far as general perception is going to be - and that's what truely matters for Nintendo in their quest for new gamers. Whether there will be queues of thousands of people outside gaming stores on the day of launch will be the real matter.
 
They deserve alot of attention especially after how the GC fell flat, with all those people who would rather play like FPSs and sports games.
 
Pie said:
Awesome - does this mean that Wii will soon become a synonym for "WHEE!"?
Click to expand...
Already is in my book.




I certainly agree with the article. Wii had definatly stole the show
and had it's innovation to thank for it.

It HAS created a malestorm of sorts across the internet with replys
and comments in blogs complaining 'Where's coverage of E3? not EWii!'
And then there are the crowds that are already spreading new rumours
about what the Wii will do come fall.

It's been an exciting time for the Wii at E3.

None-the-less, press has been ga ga over Wii and
will likewise catch on to the millions who read their reports later.

When the average consumer looks at the press... will they want to read about the boring one or the fun one? I think that's fairly obvious and the press seem to be really enjoying Wii.
 
I think that the E3 are there to see game systems, not frill. The X-Box 360 and the PS3 are more frills than game systems. You have to remember that these devices were developed by a software company and a multimedia company respectively. Nintendo is pure gaming and that's what they do. Not to mention the Wii's gameplay is new and different. You actually get to get into the game instead of just pushing buttons on the controller. It provides a challenge and hours of fun.

I don't know how'll do in stores but the Wii's performance at E3 will likely not go unnoticed when it hits stores.
 
GreatLiver said:
They deserve alot of attention especially after how the GC fell flat
Click to expand...

...in America. Thing is, in Japan, the GameCube was a major system in its generation. Sony was undeniably at the top, but Nintendo wasn't that far behind.

So even if the Wii doesn't do fantastically phenomenal in the U.S., it'll probably be a huge hit in Japan. And since Japan is where the vast majority of the system's games will come from, the system is sure to be far from the dud that the X-Box and the X-Box 360 is over there.
 
Gamecube didn't fall flat in America either. GCN's total sales were pretty much neck and neck with the Xbox.
 
I did notice, however, how little shelf space love the GCN got. While video game stores tended to give each system an equal amount of shelf space (with the PS2 getting just a little more shelf space due to the sheer number of games), places like Wal-Mart barely carried any GCN games at all. My local Wal-Mart would always have one display for PS2 games, one for X-Box, one for X-Box 360, one for GBA, and then one that would be half GameCube games and half Nintendo DS games.

Not surprisingly, the X-Box gets almost ZERO shelf space in Japanese video game stores. If there is even a shelf for X-Box games, it's usually in the back somewhere out of the way.
 
Yeah, the general consensus, as far as I've been able to tell, is that the Wii and the X-Box 360 got the most attention while the PS3 went by virtually unnoticed.
 
Pie said:
So, since Nintendo's focus is fun, and according to pretty much everyone the Wii is a lot of fun - does this mean that Wii will soon become a synonym for "WHEE!"?
Click to expand...
I've already been pronouncing it "Whee!" for a while. And laughing at it. But I'm guessing most of the jokes have died down by now.

http://www.ucomics.com/foxtrot/2006/05/09/
 
I loved the coverage of the Wii on G4's televised cast of e3:

"Look at all the X-box shiznitz byaatches! Oh, and over here, Nintendo has something or other *mumble* PS3 for Reyaaal!
 
Zeta said:
I loved the coverage of the Wii on G4's televised cast of e3:

"Look at all the X-box shiznitz byaatches! Oh, and over here, Nintendo has something or other *mumble* PS3 for Reyaaal!
Click to expand...
...People like that shouldn't be allowed within five hundred miles of a controller.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom