Even with sales already in excess of 600,000 units, demand continues to exceed supply, as it's clear this is one of the ‘gotta-have' products for the holiday season. We've shipped retailers several times the amount of hardware the other company was able to deliver for its launch around the same time - and we still sold out. Given the inclusive nature of Wii game play, we're seeing this new form of video gaming is already a huge hit with gamers and newcomers alike. It continues to be a phenomenal launch.
Problems related to overheating and inability to start the machine were reported since the PS3 launched in mid-November. Reports have circulated recently in the US retail market saying that when used with older high-definition (HD) TVs that support only a 1080i resolution, the PS3 displays 720p resolution games at only 480p. Sources at Sony said this problem could be caused by a firmware problem and that the company will resolve the problem as soon as possible.
In Taiwan, some users were complaining that the new game console is not compatible with some PS2 game titles and that the machine would shut down when it overheated, said the sources. After consulting with Taiwan's Consumer Protection Commission and distributors, the Taipei branch of Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong (SCEH) agreed to replace consoles found to have serious defects.
Popular items on eBay included Sony's PlayStation 3 -- 14,675 have been sold on eBay for an average price of $1,186.39 from November 17 to November 24 -- and the Nintendo Wii. Since that product debuted on November 19, 26,708 have been sold for an average price of $412.53.
Most of my friends who picked up the PS3's controller ended up frustrated. The typical game for the system requires players to have memorized where all the buttons are, and it's much harder to just pick up a controller and have a good time. Some of the verdicts they offered are unprintable. (...)
While the people in my group preferred looking at the PS3's games, they preferred playing the Wii. (...) I have never seen a bunch of non-gamers get into this stuff like this, and I have never heard anybody laugh so much while playing any video game. A few of them now say they plan to buy the system for themselves. (...)
Nintendo got one feature right with the system on Day One: It's just darn fun.
Washington Post
People who have been camping out for days finally get their PS3s today. Sadly, both their time and money has been wasted. (...) I wouldn't recommend buying one, not even for the regular price, which is plenty expensive without the import markup. (...)
Sony's launch line-up just isn't that interesting. Almost all the PS3's outstanding games — F.E.A.R., Madden NFL '07, Need for Speed: Carbon, Call of Duty 3 — are available on the Xbox 360, and most (all except F.E.A.R.) are out for the Wii, too. There just isn't the leverage there to make buying a PS3 de rigeur. (...)
Give it time. The price will (probably) come down. Sony's online strategy will (probably) mature. More decent games will come out — the Playstation3 is notoriously difficult to develop for, and game-makers are still figuring out how to get the most out of it. Next holiday season, it just might be worth it. For now it's pretty much moot anyway.
TIME magazine
Howard Stringer, you have a problem. Your company’s new video game system just isn’t that great. (...) Sony blithely insisted that the PS3 would leapfrog all competition to deliver an unsurpassed level of fun.
Put bluntly, Sony has failed to deliver on that promise.
Measured in megaflops, gigabytes and other technical benchmarks, the PlayStation 3 is certainly the world’s most powerful game console. It falls far short, however, of providing the world’s most engaging overall entertainment experience. (...)
“What’s weird is that the PS3 was originally supposed to come out in the spring, and here it came out in the fall, and it still doesn’t feel finished,” Christopher Grant, managing editor of Joystiq, one of the world’s biggest video-game blogs, said on the telephone Saturday night. “It’s really not the all-star showing they should have had at launch. Sony is playing catch-up in a lot of ways now, not just in terms of sales but in terms of the basic functionality and usability of the system.” (...)
If you can’t find one, don’t fret. Sony still has a lot of work to do. As Mr. Grant of Joystiq put it: “Maybe in six months it’ll be finished. Maybe by next fall I’ll be able to do all the cool stuff. I’m still kind of waiting.”
New York Times
Cut through the hype, and the desire for the newest, flashiest gadget and the product is not as compelling as it might seem. The PS3, for all its power, feels incomplete at launch. (...)
Controlling games is pretty close to what PlayStation veterans are used to. The major shift this time is Sony has included a motion sensor in its controller (which has been redubbed the Sixaxis). In "NBA 07," for instance, twisting the controller will let you juke around an opposing player.
The problem is that the motion doesn't feel natural here, as it does with the Nintendo Wii. (...) You get the impression they were caught off guard when the feature was announced -- and rushed to find some way to include it.
Gone also is the rumble effect from the controller -- an omission that has upset many Sony loyalists. Personally, I miss the shaking. The feeling of a slight rumble in your hands as you fired a virtual weapon added to the fun. (...)
If you're somehow able to find a PlayStation 3 on a store shelf this year, is it worth buying one? Sadly, the answer is not yet. The system is too expensive for what most people will get out of it -- and the initial slate of games don't offer enough innovation or thrills to justify the purchase.
CNN Money
After plowing through several hours of gaming and many boxes of pizza, the resounding favorite of our playtest was ...drumroll please...the Wii. (...)
“I’m definitely more excited about picking up a Wii,” said Eisner, a serious gamer. He liked the fact that he could not only play the Wii with his daughter but that, as our play test proved, the Wii quickly turned game time into party time.
With the PS3 and the Wii each hooked up in neighboring rooms, we found the PS3 sitting all alone at several points during the evening (hooked up to a giant high definition TV no less) while all the gamers gathered around the Wii and played together. (...)
The Wii just can’t compete with the visual splendor that pours forth from the PS3. In fact, games played on the Wii look like they're being played on nothing more than a slightly souped-up GameCube.
Most of our guest players didn’t seem to mind so much. Still though, for us game reviewers it was something of a disappointment. The PS3 and the Xbox 360 set the standard high, and once you get used to living in that kind of luxurious visual world, it’s hard to go back.
MSNBC
While scuffles are breaking out over the PS3, our testing of both machines found that the Wii was more entertaining - at less than half the price. With its innovative Nunchuk controller, you'll be waving around your arms to battle enemies or swing a baseball bat. (...)
Though the graphics are stunning, the PS3 isn't that much different from the PS2. And compatibility issues mean it won't play as many old PlayStation games as were originally promised. The $500 version, meanwhile, isn't worth it. You have to pay $600 to get the complete package - a huge expense for a video game player, even if it does play DVDs as well. (...)
The Wii offers up a truly unique take on playing video games by getting people off their couches to play, introducing a new skill set (coordination is a must) and inducing much smack talk (like when you whiff every time you swing in Wii Baseball). Plus, Nintendo intends to ship 4 million units worldwide, so chances are you'll be able to get your hands on one soon - and for half the price.
New York Post
Kaz Hirai, the chief executive of Sony Computer Entertainment America, said that the company wanted "to elicit an emotional response from you, good, bad or indifferent." He said that creating such an emotional bond was the first step in making a sale, but that Sony also wanted to convey that the system is a good deal.
"It's not too expensive," Mr. Hirai said. "We're offering fantastic value to consumers." Future marketing efforts will emphasize Sony's position that the PlayStation 3 is built with high-end components that will still work in 5 or even 10 years. "Look at how long you'll be able to enjoy your investment," Mr. Hirai said.
Jim Louderback, editor in chief of PC Magazine, who recently reviewed both the PlayStation 3 and the Wii, said that idea did not sound realistic. "Considering there's a new generation of video game consoles every five years, that doesn't make a lot of sense to me," Mr. Louderback said.
International Herald Tribune / New York Times
Clad in a stylish tuxedo-chic shell and accessorized with cutting-edge electronic gadgetry, the PS3 is all dressed up...with no place to go. Many gamers, especially those who don't own an HDTV, are paying $600 (or more, if they give into the eBay vultures) for features that they (for now) can't fully appreciate. It's going to take a while before game programmers figure out how to harness the PS3's power and deliver some truly next-gen gaming experiences. Its online network is also a work in progress that has a long way to go before challenging the Xbox Live service. While it's human nature to want something that someone else wants, it's a smart move to resist temptation and sit on the sidelines until there are more compelling and practical reasons to commit to the PS3. B (...)
Not quite a next-generation console, the Wii must rely on its unique game interface — and a steady stream of titles that make full use of the Wii-mote and the companion Nunchuck. Is the Wii-mote a novelty that will soon wear thin? Beyond the healthy legions of Nintendo loyalists, the Wii's low price, strong lineup of nonviolent titles, and gentle learning curve might actually attract the kind of players (women, parents) normally put off by testosterone-fueled games that reward mastery of a dozen or more buttons. B+
Entertainment Weekly
The Wii was the most fun and the easiest to use. It can deliver on Nintendo's promise to bring more non-gamers into the fold. (...) It's not that I wasn't impressed by the PS3 games, but after breaking into a sweat from a few hours with the Wii, sitting on my couch to shoot aliens in "Resistance: Fall of Man" felt pedestrian. (...)
Declaring one of these systems an overall winner is impossible, mostly because of the oddball Wii. It's just so different from its rivals, it's almost unfair to compare it to the PS3 or the Xbox 360.
But the Wii's unique controller and approachable $250 price could make it the surprise hit of the three.
ABC News
Nintendo's Wii home video-gaming console (...) will put to rest any fears that it won't be able to compete with Sony's super-powered PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's already established Xbox 360. (...)
Despite its technical shortcomings, the Wii is a whole lot of fun to play. And the suggested retail price of about $250 makes it an attractive competitor to the $399 Xbox 360 and, especially, the PS3, the "full" model of which costs a whopping $599.
With that kind of price point, hardcore gamers might even consider picking up a Wii alongside a PS3 or Xbox 360. The Wii will simply play games — and come up with new ways of playing them — in a way that none of its competitors will be able to match.
In fact, after playing with a Wii for a while, PlayStation and Xbox can start to look like an exercise in nihilistic thumb gymnastics.
FOX News
The new console has been wildly successful, selling out at stores and winning high marks from critics and game buffs. But as players spend more time with the Wii, some are noticing that hours waving the game's controller around can add up to fairly intense exertion -- resulting in aches and pains common in more familiar forms of exercise. They're reporting aching backs, sore shoulders -- even something some have dubbed "Wii elbow."
"It's harder than playing basketball," says Kaitlin Franke, a 12-year-old from Louisville, Ky. She has been camped out in front of her family's TV, fine-tuning her bowling motion and practicing boxing footwork in two of the Wii's games. Almost immediately, she says, her right arm started to feel numb.(...)
Another hazard: collisions. All those flailing arms can sometimes inadvertently smack into lamps, furniture and even competing players. IGN.com, a popular site that reviews videogames, said one player testing the Wii lost her grip and sent the controller flying into a wall. Blaine Stuart of Rochester, N.Y., mistakenly whacked his fiancée, Shelly Haefele, while playing tennis and also accidentally hit his dog while bowling.
Nintendo itself warns players about this risk just before some of the games begin. A message flashes up on the screen saying: "Make sure there are no people or objects around you that you might bump into while playing." Some Wii games also have pop-up reminders every 15 minutes advising gamers to take a break.
Wall Street Journal
There are things that I think we are just now scratching the surface of, in terms of what the system can do. One piece is the microphone and how the microphone enhances the gameplay.
The next installment of Ubisoft's Splinter Cell. Downloadable content for Grand Theft Auto IV. All locked up by Microsoft corporate vice president Peter Moore, his indefatigable team, and Uncle Bill's bottomless wallet.
Moore's job, however, was made easier by the fact that for the greater part of this year, PlayStation chief Ken Kutaragi hadn't finalized the business terms for independent publishers on the PS3. And without that, he was reluctant to greenlight any expenditures on Western third-party exclusives. In previous generations, Kutaragi's slowness hadn't been much of a problem because the first two PlayStations launched in Japan 8-12 months ahead of North America, leaving plenty of time to nail things down with Western publishers. But with the PS3 launching in North America just a week after Japan--and a year after a fiercely competitive Microsoft--Kutaragi's tardiness became a major issue. (...)
While Kutaragi dragged his feet, Microsoft's top brass called these third-parties almost daily, asking each of them, "What would it take for you to publish these games on 360?" Finally, the executives could wait no longer, and both Take-Two/Rockstar and Ubisoft cut deals to make their games available on Xbox 360 as well as PS3.
Nintendo Wii got off to a flyer yesterday with major retailers reporting sell-outs. Although Nintendo has not released official figures, day one sell-through should be at well over a million.
There is no special secret to getting these. It basically just takes time and research to estimate the numbers as closely as possible.
What I have done is gotten charts of monthly sales for the past few years, and figured out certain trends. Then I have gotten past sales data and estimated the pace at which the consoles will sell. After I have the estimate and the counter running, I just watch out for anny official announcements, and adjust anything accordingly.
The site has been up since early July, and I haven't had to adjust the sales for the Xbox 360 since then. So far my estimation method has been pretty much right on. Now for the new consoles it is a little harder since there is no previous sales data to go off of. What I do for these is research how many they are expecting to have on launch and by the end of the year. For the launch counter I get it to around the number expected, and then I slow it down to pace it so that it will reach a good estimate for the end of the year, and as usual I will adjust anything if any official word comes in.
No, the numbers aren't perfect, but so far it seems to have been a very good estimate.
The Wii and PS3 numbers are a little bit more rough than the 360, but what I have looked at for those is trends in launches. I have then taken these trends and compiled the data with how many supposedly shipped and made it to stores. Assuming these shipment numbers are right, then the fact that everything sold out around launch means the Wii and PS3 numbers should be a pretty good estimate, but when any official word is released I will be able to adjust and more accurately estimate the numbers from then on.
I wouldn't recommend buying one, not even for the regular price, which is plenty expensive without the import markup. (...) Look at what you get. The Playstation 3 is expensive: $500 or $600 bucks, depending on which version you buy, plus $60 for each game. (An Xbox 360 only costs $400 max, and Nintendo's Wii — yep, that name, still funny — is only $250.)
For that kind of scratch you want the deluxe treatment, and the PS3 simply doesn't deliver it. It's got some good-looking games, but unless you have a top-notch TV, the difference isn't mind-blowing. (And even if you do have a fancy TV, Sony makes you supply your own HDMI cable. Stingy.)
And Sony's launch line-up just isn't that interesting. Almost all the PS3's outstanding games — F.E.A.R., Madden NFL '07, Need for Speed: Carbon, Call of Duty 3 — are available on the Xbox 360, and most (all except F.E.A.R.) are out for the Wii, too. There just isn't the leverage there to make buying a PS3 de rigeur.
Is it worth buying one? Sadly, the answer is not yet. The system is too expensive for what most people will get out of it -- and the initial slate of games don't offer enough innovation or thrills to justify the purchase.
Wait until prices drop $100 or even $200 -- and until there are a few more good games available - before you consider making the plunge.
With the PlayStation 3, you are getting the performance of a supercomputer at the price of an entry-level PC. (...) The reason why the PlayStation 3 is so costly to produce is because it has incredible processing power. If someone had shown me the PlayStation 3 motherboard from afar without telling me what it was, I would have assumed it was for a network switch or an enterprise server. (...)
To give an example of how cutting-edge the design is, in the entire history of the iSuppli Teardown Analysis team, we have seen only three semiconductors with 1,200 or more pins. The PlayStation 3 has three such semiconductors all by itself. There is nothing cheap about the PlayStation 3 design. This is not an adapted PC design. Even beyond the major chips in the PlayStation 3, the other components seem to also be expensive and somewhat exotic.
The release reveals the forecast channel will debut on Dec. 20, while the news channel (with content from the Associated Press) will debut Jan. 27 of next year. The release also suggested that the Wii's Opera browser would not be available for download immediately, saying "more information about the availability of the browser will be released in the coming weeks."
The white cards, bearing the label “SanDisk For Wii”, will be available in three capacities – 512 megabytes (MB), 1 gigabyte (GB) and 2GB* -- at gaming and major consumer electronics stores. Suggested retail prices range from $34.99 to $89.99.
“We believe that the Nintendo Wii, with its physically interactive format and compelling games, will be a big hit this holiday season, and these co-branded flash cards will make it easy for gamers to purchase memory that allows for the portability of game saves between Wii consoles,” said Christina Day, SanDisk senior product marketing manager.
Originally, I wanted a machine that would cost $100. My idea was to spend nothing on the console technology so all the money could be spent on improving the interface and software. If we hadn't used NAND flash memory [to store data such as games and photos] and other pricey parts, we might have succeeded.
Die-hard videogamers waiting to shell out $600 for the ultimate in next-generation consoles.
The Japanese video game maker said it will ship almost 400,000 units of its Wii console, compared to 100,000 for Sony's PlayStation 3.
However Nintendo has not said how many consoles it will make available in the US where the Wii debuts on 19 November.
Sony has said that it plans to ship 400,000 units to North America for the PS3’s launch day, with between 1-1.2 million shipping by the end of calendar 2006. Recently, however, mega-publisher Electronic Arts estimated 2006 PS3 North American shipments to be a substantially lower 500K-800K.
Sebastian estimated that Sony would sell around 750K PS3s domestically by year-end. (...) Sebastian added that he expects the Wii to sell 1.2 million units in the U.S. by year-end.
The tie-in ratio of software to PlayStation 3 sales is 0.98 - less than one game per console.
The figure suggests that a portion of the 88.400 units sold were bought with the intention of selling [them] on as part of the 'grey market', the unofficial channel for second hand machines.
PlayStation2: 7,1
Xbox: 5,8
Gamecube: 5,7
Early clumsiness fast became aggressive, aerobic, precise gesticulation. You develop a forehand, a backhand, even an overhead smash, just like on the real courts, and you work up a sweat doing it. Each time the virtual racquet hits the ball, it delivers an unbelievably satisfying "thok."
Looking on, my wife couldn't remember the last time she saw something as silly as two dudes jumping around, waving their arms and strutting like Agassi at a Grand Slam. But since the controls were so simple, she wasn't allowed to refuse when we told her it was her turn. (...)
By the end of the weekend, the little machine had hooked ten people of very different temperaments and interests. Only one among us, Chris, was a bonafide gaming guy, and his years of button mashing didn't give him an unnatural advantage over anyone else. Excited as I was about my own attraction to the Wii, I was stunned by its universal appeal.
IT'S COLD, RAINY AND VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING. BUT THAT HASN'T STOPPED MORE THAN A THOUSAND GAMERS FROM COMING OUT TO BUY THIS: THE PLAYSTATION 3. THIS SCENE IS BEING REPEATED AT ELECTRONIC STORES THROUGHOUT THE CITY. BUT WILL THIS BE ENOUGH TO PICK SONY OUT OF ITS SLUMP?
AN EDGY AD CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN DRUMMING UP EXCITEMENT FOR WEEKS ... AFTER MONTHS OF DELAYS FOR THE PS 3 DUE TO TECHNICAL PROBLEMS AND PRICING CONCERNS. IT'S NOT CHEAP. SIX-HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THE 60 GIGABYTE GAME CONSOLE. AROUND 90 BUCKS FOR EACH GAME. BUYERS CAN EASILY SPEND MORE THAN 1000 DOLLARS. SONY SAYS IT'S MORE THAN A GAME CONSOLE: IT'S AN ENTERTAINMENT CENTER. (...)
THE COMPETITION HAS A HEADSTART. MICROSOFT'S XBOX 360 HAS BEEN ON THE SHELVES FOR MORE THAN A YEAR AND COSTS SUBSTANTIALLY LESS. YET, IT STILL GETS REGULARLY OUTSOLD BY PLAYSTATION.
THE SURPRISE WINNER MAY BE NINTENDO'S WII - A REVOLUTIONARY GAME CONTROLLER THAT ALLOWS PLAYERS TO PHYSICALLY ACT OUT THEIR FANTASIES - WHETHER ITS TENNIS AT WIMBLEDON OR SWASHBUCKLING ACROSS AN IMAGINARY KINGDOM. AT LITTLE MORE THAN 200 DOLLARS IT'S A MUCH CHEAPER ALTERNATIVE - DUE FOR RELEASE IN JUST A FEW WEEKS.
Tatsuya Mizuno, analyst for Fitch Ratings in Tokyo, believes it will be hard for Sony to maintain the 70 percent market share domination it has built with previous PlayStation consoles, and Sony will likely lose some of that market to rivals, especially Nintendo. Sony has sold more than 200 million PlayStation series machines over the years.Source: CNN
The advertising campaign is the biggest ever for Kyoto-based Nintendo, which begins selling Wii in the U.S. on Nov. 19., two days after Sony releases the PlayStation. Television ads beginning tomorrow will focus on Wii's ease of use and library of family- friendly games.
A different kind of video game system demands a different kind of marketing effort. That's why Nintendo is moving to unprecedented lengths to let people see, feel and experience the unparalleled new Wii™ system, created to be easily used by anyone. Nintendo's multimillion-dollar marketing campaign spotlights that Wii is the only new video game system every member of a household can enjoy.
Gaming for the masses is seen in every element of the marketing campaign, from an online social-networking community and sampling events in average people's homes to urban "gaming" hours, retail midnight madness events, a multi-city music tour and extended hands-on opportunities in malls nationwide. Across the country, men and women, young and old, experienced and not, are getting their hands on Wii and helping usher in a new generation of video gamers.
Already Nintendo's viral efforts have paid off. In a 24-hour period in early November, Wii served as the centerpiece of a multipart South Park episode, appeared on the front page of The Wall Street Journal, made People magazine's Style Watch gift guide issue, was featured in an NPR report about hot holiday gifts and had a BusinessWeek feature note: "industry execs and analysts are already calling a winner: Nintendo's Wii." And all of this before the system has even launched.
"Our plan to market Wii broadly with hands-on experiences continues to pay off," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "Wii introduces new ways to play to expand both the appeal of games and the audience of gamers, and our marketing campaign is central to that."
Hands-on Sampling
* Wii Ambassador Program: The yearlong initiative identified ambassadors in markets throughout the country. These ambassadors are of three categories: multigenerational families, hard-core gamers and modern moms. During the initial phase, Nintendo hosted events for each ambassador and 30 of his or her closest friends and relatives. The events offered an opportunity for everyday people from all walks of life to play Wii for the first time and share their experiences with others.
* Wii Mall Experience: Starting Nov. 15, Nintendo will set up six interactive Wii kiosks for a two-month period in 25 Westfield shopping centers across the country. Trained representatives will show visitors new ways to play. For a complete list of the participating malls, visit wii.nintendo.com.
* Nintendo Fusion Tour: The annual showcase for music and video games visits cities across the country through Nov. 11. In addition to live music from headliner Hawthorne Heights and four other up-and-coming bands, concert attendees get to enjoy some hands-on time with Wii.
* Blender: Nintendo Fusion Tour headliner Hawthorne Heights shows off their slick Wii moves and talk about some of the upcoming games for Wii in the December issue.
* Urban Gaming Hours: Through Nov. 17, Nintendo is hosting a gaming take on "happy hour" at gatherings for urban influencers in fashion, music and media, such as Vice magazine and Def Jam Records. The on-site events let participants experience Wii with their colleagues.
* RISE: The December issue of this sports and lifestyle magazine for teens will feature thoughts from top teen athletes about their experiences sampling the Wii console.
Feeding the Buzz
* How Wii Play: Wii's MySpace page at www.MySpace.com/howwiiplay has attracted nearly 1 million page views from more than 200,000 unique visitors, largely by word-of-mouth. Members have created their own Wii videos and posted thousands of messages in the robust forums.
* Midnight Madness: Countdown events at Toys "R" Us in New York's Times Square and at GameStop at Universal CityWalk in Los Angeles will turn the last few hours before the launch of Wii into an entertainment frenzy. Nintendo fans of all stripes will line up to be the first to purchase the console at the stroke of midnight as they are entertained by acrobats, music, pyrotechnics, Wii interactives on Segway scooters and a general party atmosphere.
Brand Partnerships
* 7-Eleven: 7-Eleven is giving away 711 Wii consoles. Codes are printed on the sides of special Nintendo-branded Slurpee cups. Through Jan. 31, people go online to enter their codes to see if they have won. 7-Eleven also will introduce a new limited-time-only Nintendo-themed Slurpee flavor: StrawberrWii Banana. Print ads will run in Blender, Electronic Gaming Monthly and DC Comics. Print ads will also run in USA Today and The Onion. In addition, online banner ads will appear on Google, GameZone, IGN, Rotten Tomatoes and GameSpot.
* Pringles Snack Stacks: Pringles.com is giving away 100 Wii consoles. The program is supported by 7 million Wii-themed Pringles Snack Stacks packages and an additional 2 million Wii-themed Pringles canisters on display at Wal-Mart stores for the first three weeks of December. The sweepstakes runs now through April 16.
* Comedy Central: The comedy cable network will give away a Wii every hour Thursday through Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. Wii will be featured in a series of vignettes spoofing reality TV shows. At the end of the weekend, the grand prize will be a Wii console and a Scion tricked out to look like a Wii.
As Seen on TV
* Wii Would Like to Play: Wii's central ad campaign follows two friendly Japanese men who bring Wii to people's homes to demonstrate how easy and fun it is for everyone to play. Stephen Gaghan, who wrote the screenplay for and directed Syriana and won a best screenplay Oscar for writing Traffic, directed the four spots. The director of photography is John Seale, who won an Oscar for best cinematography on The English Patient and was nominated for Oscars for Rain Man, Cold Mountain and Witness. The spots begin airing the week of Nov. 13.
* Nick @ Nite: Wii will be featured on the Nov. 24 Nick@Nite episode of Road Crew. The spots feature a family from Long Island that finally finds something they can all enjoy together - playing Wii.
* Nickelodeon: A Wii ad begins Nov. 20. The 60-second spot shows a dad mistaking the Wii Remote for his television remote control. Dad becomes immersed in the fun, and soon the whole family joins in.
* TeleFutura: Nintendo will be at November auditions in New York for the highly successful international singing competition show Objetivo Fama (Objective: Fame) to allow contestants to sample the Wii console and calm their pre-audition jitters.
* Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and Discovery Kids Network: A feature scheduled to air in December showcases kids, parents and teachers sampling Wii at a school event and sharing their experiences.
