http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=13146

Feature Article 7/5/2006 12:17:43 PM

Unconfirmed: Wii to Launch Month or More Before PS3

Could Nintendo's new console actually go on sale as early as September? Industry insiders are now saying that the Wii has already begun mass production and is likely to launch in either late September or sometime in October, giving it a month or more on the market without competition from the PS3.


We all know that Nintendo's upcoming console will have a real price advantage-Nintendo itself confirmed that the Wii will not sell for more than $250-when compared to the competition from Sony and Microsoft, but now some in the industry believe that the Wii will hit the market well in advance of Sony's PlayStation 3 as well.


According to Chris Morris' Game Over column on CNNMoney.com, "industry insiders" who wished to remain anonymous have indicated that they now expect Nintendo to launch the Wii in October or even as early as this September. Most in the industry so far had expected the Wii to ship sometime in November in advance of Thanksgiving, which traditionally kicks off the holiday shopping season. The PlayStation 3 is currently slated to launch on November 17.


A note from American Technology analyst P.J. McNealy suggests that Nintendo is already manufacturing final retail units of the Wii, whereas Sony has not yet begun to produce its PS3. While Microsoft did not start manufacturing its Xbox 360 last year until just 69 days before its November 22 launch date (no doubt contributing to the excessive shortages), Nintendo could easily launch the Wii this October if the company has started manufacturing. Late September is viewed more as a dark horse candidate, but it's certainly not out of the question. Nevertheless, McNealy says that "October is a reasonable timeframe."


Both Sony and Nintendo have announced a target of 6 million consoles sold worldwide by March 2007, but Nintendo certainly would seem to be better prepared to meet that goal if they can launch a month or more earlier. The earlier launch would also help Nintendo meet consumer demand this holiday season. The comparatively low price combined with all the hype generated by Nintendo's great E3 showing will likely make the Wii a very attractive option this fall.


It's also worth noting, as Morris does, that Nintendo has a history of launching in the September/October timeframe. Although the GameCube didn't go on sale until November, the original NES was released in the U.S. on October 18, 1985 and the Nintendo 64 made its debut on September 29, 1996.


For now, however, this all remains speculation. Nintendo has yet to announce an official price or date for the Wii. Stay tuned.