Shippin' Out November 13-19: PS3/Wii launch week

Two next-gen consoles debut this week, with a huge slate of games going on sale alongside them.

When Sony launched the PlayStation 2 in October 2000, President Clinton was in office. When the GameCube went on sale in November 2001, the US had just gone to war in Afghanistan. Now, some six and five years later, respectively, both Sony and Nintendo are debuting their newest consoles in the US.

First up is the PlayStation 3, which goes on sale at midnight on Thursday, November 17. With a "target" of only 400,000 units being on hand at retail in North America, the console will likely prove elusive to most. This week, GameStop announced that it had overbooked sales of the console, meaning--as was the case with the Xbox 360 last year--many people who had preordered the PS3 would have to wait.

As far as games go, the company announced that 21 titles would be available "through the holidays," though that number was recently reduced to just 20 after The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was postponed until next year. Now, according to online retailers, some 15 games are slated to go on sale during the week of November 17, including Resistance: Fall of Man. (Two PS3 titles originally slated to ship last week, Tony Hawk's Project 8 and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, are now listed as shipping this week.) The grand total of 16 games must be taken with a grain of salt, though, as, Sony or third-party publishers will still only confirm they have a "holiday" release date and online retailers are often wrong.

Meanwhile, demand for the Wii, which debuts on Sunday, November 19, is also steep, with Wal-Mart's and Amazon's online Wii preorder bundle rapidly selling out. Nintendo promises that the console will be in abundant supply, with some 4 million units available worldwide by year's end, versus Sony's estimate of 2 to 2.4 million PS3s.

Nintendo was cagey when it came to its Wii launch lineup, saying that around 30 titles would be available by year's end. The game giant has only named a trio of first-party games for day one: Excite Truck, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and Wii Sports, which comes packed in with the console. According to retailers, though, some 21 Wii titles will hit stores on Sunday, including Red Steel and Call of Duty 3. (Another 30-odd classic NES, SNES, and N64 titles will also be available via the Wii's virtual console download service.) These titles are in addition to Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2, which most online retailers list as shipping this week.

For Xbox 360 owners unmotivated to buy a Wii or a PS3, the week offers 11 new titles for Microsoft's next-gen console, including Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 and WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2007. A full list of games for the week is listed below. (Please note: Most dates are taken from online retailers and are subject to change.)

NOVEMBER 13, 2006
Avatar: The Last Airbender (Wii)
Blitz: The League (Xbox 360)
Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 (Xbox 360)
EverQuest II: Echoes of Faydwer (PC)
Great Invasions (PC)
March of the Penguins (GBA)
Medieval 2: Total War (PC)
Model Train 3D (PC) Scions of Fate (PC)
Uno / Skip-Bo / Uno Freefall (DS)
Winx Club: The Quest for the Codex (GBA, DS)
World Championship Poker: Featuring Howard Lederer - All In (Xbox 360)
Yoshi's Island DS (DS)

NOVEMBER 14, 2006
Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express (PC)
Asphalt: Urban GT 2 (DS, PSP)
Backyard Basketball 2007 (GBA)
Barbie in The 12 Dancing Princesses (PS2)
Bass Pro Shops: Trophy Bass 2007 (Xbox)
Battleground Europe: World War II Online (Macintosh)
Bionicle Heroes (Xbox 360, GC)
Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 2 (PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360)
Catz (PC)
Charlotte's Web (DS, PC, GBA )
Dark Age of Camelot: 5th Anniversary (PC)
Dogz (PC)
EA Replay (PSP)
Eragon (PS2, PSP, Xbox, Xbox 360, DS, GBA, PC)
Final Fantasy III (DS)
Gitaroo-Man Lives! (PSP)
GT Pro Series (Wii)
Happy Feet (Wii, PC, PS2, GC, DS, GBA)
Hard Rock Casino (PS2, PSP)
Heroes of Might and Magic V: Hammers of Fate (PC)
History Channel: Civil War (Xbox 360)
Horsez (PS2)
Madden NFL 07 (PS3)
Mashed: Drive to Survive (PS2)
My Frogger Toy Trials (DS)
Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles (PS2)
NFL Street 3 (PS2, PSP)
Over the Hedge: Hammy Goes Nuts (PSP, DS, GBA )
Platypus (PSP)
Pocket Racers (PSP)
Rayman Raving Rabbids (PC, PS2| Xbox, GC, DS, GBA, Wii )
Rampage: Total Destruction (Wii)
Shrek Smash and Crash (GBA, PS2)
SingStar (PS2)
SingStar Rocks! (PS2)
Sonic the Hedgehog (Xbox 360)
Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis (GBA)
Spider-Man: Battle for New York (DS, GBA)
Super Robot Taisen: Original Generation 2 (DS)
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz (Wii)
Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 2 (DS)
Totally Spies! 2: Undercover (DS)
Tomb Raider: Legend (GBA, DS, GC)
Xiaolin Showdown (PSP, PS2, Xbox)
WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2007 (Xbox 360, PS2)
Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force (PSP)

NOVEMBER 15, 2006
Brain Boost: Beta Wave (DS)
Brain Boost: Gamma Wave (DS)
Heroes of Annihilated Empires (PC)
Mortal Kombat: Unchained (PSP)
Richard Burns Rally (Xbox)
Thrillville (PSP, Xbox, PS2)

NOVEMBER 16, 2006
Cars (Wii)
Horsez (PC)
Sega Genesis Collection (PSP)
Sonic Rivals (PSP)
Teddy Factory (PC)
Tonka On The Job (GBA)

NOVEMBER 17, 2006--DAY OF PLAYSTATION 3 LAUNCH
Call of Duty 3 (PS3)
Genji: Days of the Blade (PS3)
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (PS3)
Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire (PS3)
NBA 07 (PS3)
NBA 2K7 (PS3)
Need for Speed Carbon (PS3)
NHL 2K7 (PS3)
Resistance: Fall of Man (PS3)
Ridge Racer 7 (PS3)
Sonic the Hedgehog (PS3)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 (PS3)
Tony Hawk's Project 8 (PS3)
Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom (PS3)

NOVEMBER 19, 2006--DAY OF Wii LAUNCH
Big Bumpin' (Xbox 360, Xbox)
Call of Duty 3 (Wii)
Excite Truck (Wii)
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii)
Madden NFL 07 (Wii)
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (Wii)
Monster 4X4: World Circuit (Wii)
need for Speed: Carbon (Wii)
Pocketbike Racer (Xbox, Xbox 360)
Rapala Tournament Fishing (Wii)
Rayman Raving Rabbids (Wii)
Red Steel (Wii)
Sneak King (Xbox 360, Xbox)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent (Wii)
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam (Wii)
Trauma Center: Second Opinion (Wii)
Wii Channels (Wii)
Wii Sports (Wii)
World Series of Poker (Wii)

147 Comments

  • bobreturns

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 1:12 pm PT

    u dont give any reasons for you statement neoand12 because there are no reasons your just a fanboy so shut it

  • neoand12

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 11:15 am PT

    PS3, 360, PS2, Xbox (Doom 3 pwns every game on Wii), PSP are better than the Wii

  • _Sam_

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 2:43 pm PT

    There are some good games....

  • clownofpoetry

    Posted Nov 17, 2006 3:13 pm PT

    xtremeg4m3r
    i dont understand why u people want to get a wii. I played it and it aint so good. Im a hardcore gamer so i like ps3 and 360 screw the wii
    __________________________________________________________

    Let's just say this. Hardcore gamers play every single system at every single hour of the day. I know someone who played Fable 3 times in 23 hours, then traded it back for something else the next day. He slept at the most, 2 hours at a time. So, in order for you to say that you are a "hardcore" gamer, you must be just like him, but you stopped playing in order to come in here and drag on the Wii. I doubt your status as a "hardcore gamer". After all, you are bringing down one of the most innovative systems to come out in the last decade. Nice contradiction of your supposed status. Hardcore gamers don't discriminate, they play.

  • shaungnurse

    Posted Nov 17, 2006 1:44 pm PT

    i think that the xbox 360 is gonna do the dreamcast thing and sink unless it comes with halo 3 real quick cuz gears of war is alright but its not THE BOMB

  • derayokray

    Posted Nov 16, 2006 9:26 pm PT

    I hired the playstation3 is going to be scars on launch day even for pre sales i hoop i get my ps3 on launch

  • rbunnell

    Posted Nov 16, 2006 4:24 pm PT

    Jack-Thompson,
    I don't have a list, but that reminds me..........................GEARS OF WAR

  • Jack-Thompson

    Posted Nov 16, 2006 2:41 pm PT

    What Blu Ray movies will be shipping since Sony's games suck? Anybody got a list?

  • cluelesspunk

    Posted Nov 16, 2006 2:08 pm PT

    Both on GameSpot and 1up, they say that Splinter Cell for the Wii won't be released until the 27th. Can anyone confirm that?

  • Ironfist66

    Posted Nov 16, 2006 1:38 pm PT

    yeah two sweet systems in the same month sweeeeet both with plenty of games

  • pie_guy

    Posted Nov 16, 2006 10:03 am PT

    "
    tyrone987
    I'm with Blasonato and sosguitar, I like each system for what it has to offer, just the Wii is all I can afford/want for the moment.

    Also, why is Wii Channels listed as a game? "

    ya.. dosent wii channel come with the sistem......

  • tyrone987

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 6:08 pm PT

    I'm with Blasonato and sosguitar, I like each system for what it has to offer, just the Wii is all I can afford/want for the moment.

    Also, why is Wii Channels listed as a game?

  • sosguitar

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 4:07 pm PT

    Myles Blasonato, I completely agree with everything you said. I thought I was the only person who thought like that, I'm glad to see there's someone else. Of course, I've never been able to afford all the consoles at launch after the ps2/gamecube/x-box release, which sucks. I keep having to get one then wait for price drops. And as the prices seem to be going up on gaming consoles, that doesn't help my situation. I still haven't been able to afford a 360, and I definitely can't afford a ps3 when it comes out. Looks like the only console I'll be getting this year or anytime soon is a Wii. Hopefully I can afford more than one game for it before the end of the year.

  • greks224

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 3:24 pm PT

    Gamespot sure has a lot of games to review... GET TO IT!

  • Gamin_Guru

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 1:00 pm PT

    PS3 amd Wii LAUNCH FTW

  • faridmon

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 12:41 pm PT

    Final Fantasy and Yoshis Island FTW

  • Doolum

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 12:25 pm PT

    Hurray for PS3

  • brosim1104

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 11:27 am PT

    I heard that wii is going to be hard to find on day one... But it's going to be about 2,000,000 wiis on day one. Right? That means only one thing . . . . . . . . . . . NINTENDO IS BACK TO HER THRONE... YEAH ! ! ! ! ! !

  • cjcr_alexandru

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 11:18 am PT

    Games that I'm interested in: Medieval 2: Total War and Heroes of Might and Magic V: Hammers of Fate.

  • TheGamer4Life

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 8:45 am PT

    This is a great time to be a gamer. What will 360 do to combat this list of games? Suddenly Gears Of War seems rather uhm, shall we say, lonely?

  • Disciple_Gamer

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 8:14 am PT

    This has got to be the BEST MONTH EVER!

  • GTAPsychoFan

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 8:00 am PT

    i'd better get a PS3 with THP8 and Resistance, yeah that should be fun, until another good game releases.

  • Maverick19

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 7:45 am PT

    Humm the Wii will reap the PS3s ass at launch, forget bout XBOX360, this war is about the titans....

    I got a call from EB Games yesterday and asked me if i was interested in attending their 11 pm release party on Saturday. Pre order is the smartest thing ever seriously....

  • devilnevercry9

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 7:44 am PT

    i hear from pcworld that ps3 has everything for network (ethernet and wirless network) but wii only have wireless network.
    that will be incredibly if difference game system can play together at online. ps3 vs x360 vs wii vs ps2 vs xbox Vs pc- gamers. what you think if this will happen?

  • Matt_Talbot

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 7:39 am PT

    wii's will be INCREDIBILY hard to find.,.

    also.. the thing that pisses me off the most... Elder Scrolls is not coming out till next year!!!! GGGRRRR!!!!!!!

  • aashkii

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 7:30 am PT

    Must... Get... Wii...

  • lordinuyasha21

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 7:23 am PT

    Wow with all these great games Im glad i'll have a Wiiiiiiiiiiii!

  • kenesu96

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 7:08 am PT

    I wont have a Wii until 12-2 but it sure looks like the biggest day for games this decade!

  • ykfoo

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 7:04 am PT

    格老子的

  • Jebril

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 6:41 am PT

    Sneak King is a sleeper hit, it's the next 10.0 on gamespot XD

  • faizali86

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 6:40 am PT

    this must be one of the best weeks in gaming

  • Gamepro2421

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 6:33 am PT

    holy wow thats a lotta games

  • kyosukeugc

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 6:24 am PT

    nice nice!!

    "and the real game begins"

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 5:49 am PT

    that's a lot of games....

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 5:12 am PT

    A lot of games releasing, but I'm not interested in any of them. I couldn't care less about the Wii. If Heavenly Sword wasn't pushed back til mid-2007, I would have picked a PS3 up. Oh well, gives Sony a chance to iron all the bugs/glitches out of the system by me waiting.

  • Nintendus

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 5:02 am PT

    Nintendus:
    "PSP sure gots a lot of games. So I wonder why Nintendo Fanboys say there is no PSP games. " Yeah quantity not quality..... 'That's why I like you, lil matey."


    Yep, I know i'm smart.

  • MSG-Deathscythe

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 4:05 am PT

    now playing FFXII and FFV ... will buy FFIII tomorrow ... get in line on thursday night for the midnight release of the ps3 ... get wii with zelda on sunday ... is it just me or do we all have to take a vacation just to keep up with all these upcoming releases? b*tching is over ... start playing ... the fun had finally begun!

  • KingofTrolls

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 3:58 am PT

    WOW My eyes are bleeding from all the carnage of awesomeness of this weeks release list. Not to mention my pocketbook is gonna be hurting the most.

  • booyakashah

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 1:16 am PT

    Call of Duty 3 is indeed coming out on Sunday- I unpacked a box of it today at work and was like 'what the- why is the box whit- HOLY HELL'. *Cue fangirl squeal*

  • Bathyj

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 1:06 am PT

    mylesblasonato

    Great post. Why is it us Aussies dont seem as angry as most these other people?
    You sumed up pretty much everything I'm always trying to tell people. When you own all the consoles, you dont whine, and complain and b*tch about about your consoles. You appreciate them all. You can still have a favourite but you still give love to the other two. It's almost like having kids,...... or puppies or something.

    If you want the games you need the machines. If you want GoW you need XB. Zelda, Nintendo, and so on. The only reason I can think of that someone would bash a console is if they didn't have it and dont like hearing from people who do have it and enjoy it. If you've missed a console, then you've missed out, and its only your loss.

  • GastaS

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 1:02 am PT

    I just realise that the best part of the games is the online content!
    After you finish the single player mode games without online content just die in your desk.
    I did a promise for myself, I will not buy game without online content any more (and must be a good online content).
    Good life for XBOX360

  • gforce85

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 12:32 am PT

    That's a craaaazy week. Hurray for Yoshi's Island DS!

  • eiru

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 12:10 am PT

    PS2 is still going veryyy strong

  • Gmacrusher

    Posted Nov 14, 2006 9:55 pm PT

    be ready for the big bang

  • vestalboy

    Posted Nov 14, 2006 9:36 pm PT

    November 19th, 2006 -- The date that Nintendo officially begins its long and arduous journey back up the steps to its rightful position as the king of digital entertainment. Kiss your ass goodbye Sony. Gamers, even those who can afford your $600 hunk of plastic, have grown tired of your arrogant ways. And Microsoft, stay true to your vision of having the best on-line community in the history of videogames. Plus, Gears of War kicks so much ass it's not even funny.

  • Kanjutsu

    Posted Nov 14, 2006 9:01 pm PT

    This may be off topic but...

    The article state that the PS3 release on Thursday, November 17. Isn't November 17 a Friday now?

  • FATMAN87

    Posted Nov 14, 2006 8:36 pm PT

    lol nice one Unknown, im getting a wii on launch i hope. camping outside best buy will be fun alone........

  • antonioscordo

    Posted Nov 14, 2006 8:35 pm PT

    Is anybody else looking forward to the virtual console? Man-o Man . . .it has my retro juices flowin.... I've heard the remarks about ROMS and emulators before but . . I'd like to set a good example to my son. I'll probably plunk $20 a month on retro games. Already got a 2 gig SD card all set.

    And Metal Slug? Six games that originally went for about $100 each on the Neo-Geo compiled for $39? That looks like a good buy to me.

    Only down side, is my wife won't let me "give" it to my 6 year old till Christmas . . . guess dad'll have to wait to "help" him with the games. I can just hear it now. "Daddy when do I get to play?????"

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