Just two weeks after the North American launch of Nintendo’s latest console, Japan finally gets its share on the popularity of the Wii today (December 2nd).
Thousands of Japanese gamers queued outside various retailers as Nintendo’s Wii console went on sale (with a price tag of 25,000 Yen).
About 400,000 consoles were available, but some customers were said to have left empty-handed as demand outstripped supply.
Nintendo will ship a further 600,000 units in Japan before the end of the year, thereby satisfying everyone needs for the Wii.
Many gamers were said to have pre-ordered their console to be sure of getting one, but those that had not were forced to queue in the hope of getting one.
At electronics store Bic Camera in Tokyo, more than 3,000 people stood in line, shop spokeswoman Naoko Ito said. But the staff began turning customers away as stocks ran out…
Student Kentaro Watanabe, who queued all night, had come dressed as the Wiimote. “I made this (costume) by myself yesterday,” he said. “This is a homage to Nintendo.”
Unlike the Xbox 360 or the PlayStation 3, which offer high definition gaming, Nintendo have opted for an attractive price tag and an innovative controller to draw interests from the consumers.
With the Wiimote, motion sensors allow the player to control the on-screen characters and perform actions by moving the hand-held controller rather than just by pressing combinations of buttons. This offers a unique playing experience instead of focusing on beautifully-render graphics.
The final launch for the Japanese game manufacturer will be in a week’s time when Europe welcomes the Wii. Nintendo said it hoped to have sold about four million consoles by the end of 2006.
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Dec 02, 2006, 11:43 pm