Wii Gains Support

Nintendo wowed the E3 crowd with Wii, a device that truly needs to be played to be understood. Game publishers are coming around with major support for the new system, which will carry the lowest price for games and hardware of the three next gen consoles. Ubisoft is working on seven Wii games, including "Red Steel" and "Rayman: Raving Rabbids." Gearbox Software has also said it will support Wii, and that company makes Ubisoft's "Brothers In Arms" franchise. Midway is working on six games for Wii, including "Blitz: The League," "Mortal Kombat: Armageddon," and "Rampage." Electronic Arts previously committed to Wii with big franchises like "Madden NFL 07," "The Godfather," "Need for Speed Carbon," "SSX," "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07" and a new Harry Potter game.

Nintendo is working on a program to introduce consumers in the U.S. to its device with a hands-on approach. Over the years, Nintendo has been innovative when it comes to street crews that allowed consumers to test Nintendo DS out before purchase. The game giant had a huge retail presence for the device that allowed gamers to try out the unique features of the dual screen gaming device. The same type of hands-on demo will be key to selling Wii to the masses. The gamers are already salivating over the system.

Fortunately for Nintendo, Wii is something that translates very well to TV. Nintendo DS was something that had to be played, while Wii is something that's easy to understand by simply watching someone interact with a game and the motion sensor controllers. That should make the TV message easier to relay to the masses. I expect there to be a major retail presence for the device, as well, where people can test the controllers out first-hand.

Traditionally, the launch of any game console from Nintendo or any other company has never come off without a glitch. It's likely that Wii will be in short supply this fall, as Sony's PlayStation 3 is also expected to be hard to find. Nintendo has two great things going for it--the low price point and the great wave of positive press. Of the three gaming systems out there, a lot of people are looking forward to Wii. That wasn't the case with GameCube, which never managed to have an identity. Wii has its identity already, now it's just a matter of the games going beyond the gimick of the controller and delivering patented Nintendo gameplay.