Wii Mini -> is this rumour true?

[the8thark]

http://au.ign.com/articles/2012/11/2...ng-in-december
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rumor/32595

Supposedly Nintendo is to release a Wii mini (slim Wii with no gamecube support) soon.

[MacRumorUser]

The current wii has no gamecube support either

and yes it's true. Wii mini is happening, but why Nintendo want to muddy the waters whilst trying to push new console into the marketplace is entirely questionable.


OK so its 7th December $100 and Canada only.

No internet connection.

That was quick. Scarcely two hours after Best Buy spoiled the party, Nintendo is launching the Wii Mini. The crimson console is billed as a Canada-exclusive for now -- we're reaching out to confirm if and when it might go elsewhere -- and is clearly meant to catch those families that find the Wii U (or even a regular Wii) too pricey. To get there, though, they'll have to make some big sacrifices. The Wii Mini cuts out both GameCube compatibility (seen in some regular Wii variants) and, more importantly, internet access; unfortunately, this won't be your budget Netflix box. Still, when gamers in the Great White North can pick one up on December 7th for $100, it might be the ideal fit for that TV in the basement or the occasional party.

What is annoying is that it looks better than the Wii U and has a MATTE finish unlike the too glossy for its own good Wii U.

[Miharu]

Utterly useless. There are thousands of unsold Wiis for sale in every place, pretty close to 99€ but usually comes with a game or two...

No GC support is ok since it was dropped two years ago, but no internet? Come on...

[Wardenski]

I guess they have little faith in their ability to market and sell the WiiU in Canada so they release a crippled version of an old console.

[blackhand1001]

Nintendo just needs to stop with the nonsense and start releasing games on other platforms or focus their console platform more and stop using outdated hardware. Honestly they should just release an android handheld gaming system similar to the ps vita but running android.

[dukebound85]

I thought the wii could play gamecube games? I know the one I have can. Do newer models lack support (like how the PS3 used to play ps2 but no more)

[Dagless]

Originally Posted by blackhand1001

Nintendo just needs to stop with the nonsense and start releasing games on other platforms or focus their console platform more and stop using outdated hardware. Honestly they should just release an android handheld gaming system similar to the ps vita but running android.

Lol.

Nintendo are doing great. Their systems are always on the top of the sales charts. Why would they copy the Vita, a system that isn't doing very well at all?

Originally Posted by dukebound85

I thought the wii could play gamecube games? I know the one I have can. Do newer models lack support (like how the PS3 used to play ps2 but no more)

Most do. The PS2 compatibility on PS3's was dropped not long after launch (a year or two at the most), GC was dropped from a redesigned Wii. I picked up a new Wii 5 months ago that still has GC support, so they're still around.

Originally Posted by Miharu

Utterly useless. There are thousands of unsold Wiis for sale in every place, pretty close to 99€ but usually comes with a game or two...

No GC support is ok since it was dropped two years ago, but no internet? Come on...

I'd like to know why they dropped internet from it too. It removes any possibility of sales from the eShop.
Sony did a similar move with the PSP E-1000, and their PSN store has loads of content.

[btbrossard]

Originally Posted by Dagless

I'd like to know why they dropped internet from it too. It removes any possibility of sales from the eShop.
Sony did a similar move with the PSP E-1000, and their PSN store has loads of content.

This seems strange to me as well. I play virtual console games as much as I play wii games.

[gkarris]

I saw at the used game/DVD store today a used Wii "Family Edition". The GameCube ports are gone so it no longer plays GameCube Games.

The "Family Edition" has the word "Wii" along the bottom right of the unit as it rests horizontally, rather then along the bottom if the Wii is standing vertically(on the original version).

My take:

The Wii U will have a price drop from $299 to $249 in the Summer or Fall and the Wii Mini will be released at $100.

[spork183]

Originally Posted by the8thark

http://au.ign.com/articles/2012/11/2...ng-in-december
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rumor/32595

Supposedly Nintendo is to release a Wii mini (slim Wii with no gamecube support) soon.

Let's be honest. No one wants a mini wii. Bad enough when you have to say you have a wii, but do you want to announce your wii is a mini?

[Dagless]

Originally Posted by spork183

Let's be honest. No one wants a mini wii. Bad enough when you have to say you have a wii, but do you want to announce your wii is a mini?

I prefer the Wee Wii.

[MacRumorUser]

Originally Posted by Dagless

I'd like to know why they dropped internet from it too. It removes any possibility of sales from the eShop.
Sony did a similar move with the PSP E-1000, and their PSN store has loads of content.

Originally Posted by btbrossard

This seems strange to me as well. I play virtual console games as much as I play wii games.

This is the strangest of ALL things.

You cant argue cost, because by not including it they have basically crippled themselves out of a lot of extra $$$ spent in the store.

Even if they sold just 1 game on the store it would more than cover the cost of putting wifi into it, especially when all their other hardware supports internet access and store.

Very weird indeed. It was probably Reggie's idea blame him..

[Dagless]

Originally Posted by MacRumorUser

Very weird indeed. It was probably Reggie's idea blame him..

Or Canada.

[blesscheese]

Originally Posted by Dagless

Or Canada.

Ok, I can't top that response...but I have to agree, this makes no sense.

You would think that, with the 3DS not selling as well as they would wish, and with the lukewarm response to the Wii U, they would focus all their efforts and energies on making those things a success.

Instead, now you get a third "new" console...that will just confuse things more. If you want a cheap Wii, you can already get one, so why something "new"?

I was thinking earlier, well, maybe it is a bright idea if they can get more people to buy a cheap console and make money of the internet game sales, but then I read there is no internet connectivity! Again, I can't figure this out...

[Dagless]

Originally Posted by blesscheese

You would think that, with the 3DS not selling as well as they would wish,

Not any more. It's doing great now, business as usual. The price cut for the regular and the XL version was all it needed.

(I still think all the Vita needs is a price cut. It has amazing games but everything about it is pricey)

[gkarris]

As a collector, I tried ordering one from Amazon Canada. Said it wasn't for export...

[gkarris]

Anyone buy one of these?

How is it?

[APlotdevice]

Originally Posted by Dagless

Most do. The PS2 compatibility on PS3's was dropped not long after launch (a year or two at the most)...

It was initially dropped from the new entry level model in late 2007; Just a year after launch (sooner in Europe). For awhile the higher end model continued to support PS3 games, but that was of course eventually discontinued.

The story actually gets a little more complicated in that US/Japan launch models had full hardware BC... and thus played the most PS3 games... while the European launch model, which would later be fitted with a slightly larger HDD and become the high end model worldwide, uses a mixture of hardware and software to achieve BC... as a result it has significantly more compatibility issues.

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Originally Posted by MacRumorUser

and yes it's true. Wii mini is happening, but why Nintendo want to muddy the waters whilst trying to push new console into the marketplace is entirely questionable.

It's not unprecedented for Nintendo to released a gimped version of their last-gen console alongside the current one. They did this with the NES, SNES, and GBA.