New-look Wii coming before Christmas

NewsPublish Date 17/08/2011 - 10:55am GMT+1

Nintendo announces streamlined Wii bundle in time for the holiday season.

Nintendo is to launch a redesigned Wii console in time for the holiday season. The console will be released as part of a new value bundle that will ship with Wii Party and Wii Sports in the UK.

According to Nintendo, the console takes a more streamlined approach to design than the traditional model, and its slightly altered configuration is designed to sit horizontally rather than vertically.

Nintendo has only confirmed a white edition of the streamlined console so far, but did reveal that players will also receive a Wii Remote Plus controller and Nunchuck.

Nintendo has also revealed that a number of other value Wii bundles will be announced this autumn, offering great value for the families this Christmas.

Slightly sad news, but something that is unlikely to affect most new buyers, is that the redesigned Wii won't support GameCube games or accessories.

VideoGamer.com Analysis

Expect Mario Kart Wii and WiiFit bundles before Christmas. A The Legend of Zelda: The Skyward Sword bundle would also tempt any hardcore gamers yet to take the plunge.

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User Comments

Wido

Taking into account of the games that are releasing from September to November. I can't really see this new redesign Wii flocking off the shelves.

Posted 12:49 on 23 August 2011

Woffls @ TomPearson

People who still care about Gamecube games already have a Wii... or a Gamecube. And if they don't, neither is particularly difficult to find.

Posted 11:36 on 23 August 2011

TomPearson

Quote:

the redesigned Wii won't support GameCube games or accessories.

WUT!?

Posted 11:21 on 23 August 2011

Clockpunk

This reeks a Shareholders reactionary scheme to the dipped pricepoint a few months back, to me...

Posted 09:13 on 18 August 2011

87Sarah

But people who buy the new extended Wii more than likely aren't going to go out and buy the Wii U as soon as it comes out because they would have spent the money on the wii not long before that. :s Very confusing why they would even bother.
Why not wait for the wii to slowly decrease in popularity so everyone feels the need for a brand new console and hit them with the Wii U?

Posted 14:38 on 17 August 2011

Woffls

The first question is whether people will actually acknowledge that there's a revised Wii being released. It's just a new SKU, so nobody is going to treat it as a relaunch, and most people just won't notice.

Second is how much of the expanded audience actually knows about Wii U? I'm guessing not many at the moment, and we're at probably looking at 6 months minimum between Wii's second SKU and Wii U.

Posted 12:55 on 17 August 2011

coletrain

It's just a tactic to extend the longevity of the Wii's income for nintendo until the Wii U is released. It's a strange tactic though given that it could confuse the Wii U's target audience

Posted 12:20 on 17 August 2011

Wido

This is compeletly pointless from Nintendo in I am honest. Would this not drive more confusion to the very target audience they are aiming at?

Announce the Wii U will be releasing next year, but hang on... We are releasing a new re-design of the Wii!

Posted 11:56 on 17 August 2011

Woffls

Quote:

extension strategy: a marketing strategy aimed at extending the life of a product either by making small changes in it, finding new uses for it, or finding new markets

Click for Image

Basically that ^ The money involved in forming an extension strategy for a 5 year old gaming console is going to be nothing compared to what's required to improve a brand new one by even the smallest of margins.

I might be forgetting something, but this is the first time Nintendo have released a console SKU with different functionality to the first one. And no, the Panasonic Q doesn't count :p

Posted 11:38 on 17 August 2011

MJTH

This concept has really confused me recently (within the last 24hours infact)...
Why are the console manufacturers still making newer model of consoles that will be out of date within the year. I mean the Wii U is has been anounced and will be out next year and a new wii model is coming out. And lets not forget the PSP vita will be out next year, but just anounced a new model of PSP...
I can understand this is a last ditch attempt to shift a few more but would it be money better spent making the new console better? Nearly everyone who wanted the old console will have it by now surely?

Posted 11:22 on 17 August 2011

Woffls

The picture I've seen makes it look identical! It's probably tiny, though. Shame they're discontinuing the Gamecube support, but people with a penchant for Cube games will likely have a Wii already.

Posted 11:14 on 17 August 2011