Nintendo of Australia Discusses Wii Launch

By Eric Wright / Monday, 25 September 2006

In an interview with CNET, Nintendo of Australia spokesman Vispi Bhopti discussed launch shipments, region-encoding, and retail demonstrations of Nintendo's upcoming Wii console. "We will be guaranteeing pre-ordered stock at retail - so that's definitely the way to go to secure it because we can't guarantee total supply because we don't know how many consumers are going to go wild over this," Bhopti said. "We are bringing in a significant number of Wiis into Australia - it won't be a small drop. But at the same time, our expectations are so big for this product that we would, to err on the safe side, recommend that people pre-order." The Wiire reported last week that Wii will launch in Australia on December 7 for AU$399. While final prices for Wii games, accessories, and virtual console titles have yet to be determined, the amounts paid by consumers would be "relative to overseas pricing," Bhopti said. First-party Wii titles sell for $50 in the United States, or approximately AU$67. Launch titles for Wii in Australia have not been determined, but Bhopti reassured gamers that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will debut with the console. Aussie gamers hoping to fill out their software library with American launch titles, however, will be unable to do so. "You won't be able to play overseas games on an Australian unit," Bhopti said, confirming that Wii will be region-locked. Nintendo is planning a tour of the country to generate interest in Wii in the weeks leading up to its launch, Bhopti said. It will be similar to the recent DS Connection Tour promoting Nintendo's newest handheld system, during which consumers at major shopping centers were able to get their hands on the system and play. However, in-store kiosks will not be part of the Wii tour, due to the Wii Remote being wireless and therefore an easy target for theft. "We can bolt things down as much as we want, but when we do that it ruins the experience of the wireless controller. You really don't want to pick up that wireless controller unless it really is wireless," Bhopti said. Instead, gamers looking to play Wii will do so in the presence of a Nintendo employee. "We want to be able to explain the experiences to people when we're there," he stated. "So it's important that when we do have in-store units, they will be manned demonstrations." Bhopti's interview with CNET can be read here. Stay tuned to The Wiire for more on the Wii launch in Oz and all over the world.