Wii "launch party" 11/17, details 9/14?

  • By TimSpot, GameSpot
  • Posted Aug 24, 2006 5:51 pm PT

Source: An e-mail "Wii Launch Party" invitation posted on the Gaming-Age forums. What we heard: Secrets are tough to keep in the gaming industry. Leaks, moles, and cocktail hours generally spill the beans on the juiciest details before they're intended to go public. It's a wonder, then, that the...

Source: An e-mail "Wii Launch Party" invitation posted on the Gaming-Age forums.

What we heard: Secrets are tough to keep in the gaming industry. Leaks, moles, and cocktail hours generally spill the beans on the juiciest details before they're intended to go public. It's a wonder, then, that the season's biggest secret, the release date of the Nintendo Wii, remains unearthed.

The latest bit of quasi-information on the system's launch comes via the message boards over at Gaming-Age. Melissa from Web show GameLife posted an e-mail (pictured--click to enlarge) she received from Nintendo that invited her to a Wii launch party in Los Angeles...on November 17.

The date is no doubt familiar to gamers as the day the PlayStation 3 launches, but is it also the day the Wii launches? By all accounts, it would appear so. So that's it, case closed, right?

Not so fast. As reported by several gaming sites, including game blog Kotaku, Nintendo is also holding an event in New York City on September 14 which will be hosted by Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime. With Nintendo promising to release information on the console's price and release date in September, the smart money says that the NYC event will be the place the final details of the Wii are out of the bag.

But what of the Los Angeles event? Of course it could be the console's release date--after all, it is a launch party. But why would Nintendo make such a blatant error in sending out the information in a simple party invite rather than making an official announcement? The company is too smart to let something like that slip by.

Nintendo has insinuated that it plans to take the console on the road to prove its "Playing is Believing" slogan, so the LA party could be part of that tour and doesn't necessarily need to fall on the actual launch date--it could take place before or after. In fact, the rest of the invitation mentions the following: "These 'secret' parties will be held all across the globe to celebrate the worldwide release of the Wii..."

Something fishy is going on here (including the possibility of a Photoshop monkey hard at work nearby). Looks like we'll all have to wait until September to find out what Nintendo's up to.

The official story: Nintendo was unavailable for comment.

Bogus or not bogus?: Not bogus that Nintendo is planning some mega prelaunch (and launch) events, but likely bogus that November 17 is the launch day.

307 Comments

  • andyrob_24_7

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 5:19 am PT

    I got mine first thing this morning, here’s my experience:
    http://gamepeople.wordpress.com/2006/12/08/life-after-wii/

    To give this some context here are my expectations:
    http://gamepeople.wordpress.com/2006/12/06/before-wii/

  • mikeweiss

    Posted Sep 12, 2006 1:10 pm PT

    TELL US NINTENDO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Mercutio89

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 9:18 am PT

    Theres a concert with Hawthorne Heights here for the Nintendo Power Tour. I cant wait to "experience" the wii.

  • timcoleman16

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 6:45 am PT

    Man, all this suspense is killing me. Can't they just tell us already!!!

  • Gambit1223

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 12:57 pm PT

    if so i need to go to this, wiis gonna be kick ass and i hope that its launch makes more money than the ps3, but i highly doubt it will, i just hope so

  • rouguesquadron

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 10:53 am PT

    It's about time. I can't wait to hear what the final price for the Wii is. All of these rumors stating that the price could be anywhere from $171 to $300 are getting extremely annoying.

  • Kratos_1024

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 6:24 am PT

    September 14 is the day we find out eh. Awsome Awsome

  • geist117

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 12:07 am PT

    I can see it all now come Sep. 14.

    Reggie: I"m proud to say that Wii will lauch on Sept 15. 2006.
    somebody else: But thats tomarrow!
    Reggie: Indeed it is!

    Its going to be Sega Saturn all over again.

  • jabbuckley

    Posted Aug 29, 2006 8:33 am PT

    the "party is sept. not november. its an ambassador party, just wait till sept 14 for the launch date ppl

  • lordmaster3823

    Posted Aug 29, 2006 8:11 am PT

    i cannot belive that nintedo give us a little bit of information again and again. at the begging it's okey but now it kills you from the waiting.

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Aug 29, 2006 5:09 am PT

    this holiday will be interesting......more than last.

  • Wiifanboy_4life

    Posted Aug 28, 2006 3:45 pm PT

    cuz if u let out information to early, the hype goes down, and wont come back up til the wii launches. nintendo knows what they are doing.

  • S_Pac_316

    Posted Aug 28, 2006 12:57 pm PT

    Well,if Sony doesn't make enough systems to go around,people could get the Wii instead.

  • Jinroh27

    Posted Aug 28, 2006 12:20 pm PT

    http://www.wii60.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5137

  • Jinroh27

    Posted Aug 28, 2006 12:19 pm PT

    Leaked press release



    * $175 U.S. price

    * Launch date of Oct. 2

    * 1.5 million units shipped to U.S.; 1.5 million units shipped to Japan; 1 million units shipped to Europe

    * Wii package includes: Black or white Wii console; one Wii remote; one nun chuck device; one classic controller; copy of Wii Sports; built-in WiiConnect24 service; voucher for 1,000 coins for Virtual Console; built-in Web browser; remake of Duck Hunt; 512MB SD card.

    * 21 launch titles

    * New Kid Icarus game for Wii

    * Metroid Dread for the DS

    * Geist Story for the DS made by Retro

  • Kyrias

    Posted Aug 28, 2006 9:21 am PT

    well....launch party WHO CARES....when will Nintendo launch adult games...i for one am really sick of Mario everything. Nintendo my lead the industry with DS and a few subpar titles it markets to kids but they have no talent in making true games for adults. I purchased gamecube the first day it came out....i only bought 7 game for it others i rented....all the good games were released on other formats. Unless they step it up.....i will continue my PC gaming which frankly has more potential....Nintendo will never release a game like Medevil Total war 2 thus i will Stick with pc.

  • Benshki

    Posted Aug 28, 2006 2:28 am PT

    IMO Nintendo are smarter then most and are also smarter in the ways they keep secrets.

    How do we not now this Meliisa from game life simply frabricated the image from photoshop or some other picture editing software? Never take things at face value, especially in the gaming world.

    As for the release date being on same day as sonys P$3 i think any simple minded person can tell you that it will lead to chaos and probably alot of anger. Especially if your in the queue and wanting a Wii or vice Versa. I think we should all wait for Reggie to give us the 'real' information at NYC on September 14th.

  • manny_stlye

    Posted Aug 27, 2006 8:17 pm PT

    I can't wait till' September 14th. It isn't really that far away!!!

  • lordoverallbaby

    Posted Aug 27, 2006 7:33 pm PT

    nintendo, whom i dislike as a company, is finally putting together all the right moves (except for the wii's god awful name) with this launch. if they can release it in october on first week of november then sony is in big trouble. a grudgeingly good job to NOA.

  • Donald_Duck_Fan

    Posted Aug 27, 2006 7:21 pm PT

    Obvious bunk. Nintendo would NEVER do that.

    BJ

  • swordmagnet

    Posted Aug 27, 2006 3:22 pm PT

    I wont believe anything till TGS

  • EPaul

    Posted Aug 27, 2006 3:02 pm PT

    y does nintendo have to be so secretive?

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Aug 27, 2006 2:57 pm PT

    If Nintendo launched the Wii on the PS3's launch date, that would be very ballsy.

  • murphster21

    Posted Aug 27, 2006 11:34 am PT

    please please please let this be the last tease from nintendo

  • knife_prty

    Posted Aug 27, 2006 9:04 am PT

    Chances are Nintendo WILL release the Wii beror the PS3 because they are already well into production and the cost of production is a lot less. Sony hasn't even started production (fact from last week). The ps3 also costs a lot more to produce. It wouldn't hurt Nintendo to release the Wii any time before the PS3.

  • Lunatic_Monk

    Posted Aug 27, 2006 7:56 am PT

    It needs to come out on 10/2 so it can get it for my b-day on 10/5

  • tait007

    Posted Aug 27, 2006 7:35 am PT

    I think this is just a smoke screen by Nintendo. Anyway, it doesn't matter what day it launches, as long as its before Christmas, because its going to be AWSOME.

  • rikardo10

    Posted Aug 27, 2006 3:55 am PT

    that would be so kool, imagine the figths on the streets between the wii buyers and the ps3 buyers that would be so kool, and as it it worldwide releas, even better!. thing are getting hot!!!!. lol.

  • ocdog45

    Posted Aug 26, 2006 11:45 pm PT

    WOW. am I gonna get2 consoles on Nov 17?

  • ArkansasBoy91

    Posted Aug 26, 2006 2:24 pm PT

    it wiill be awesome when it comes out but im hoping for november

  • tavisito

    Posted Aug 26, 2006 1:59 pm PT

    They shoudnt release Wii around the same time as ps3. If they just release it now it would make major bucks. It would make alot of money anyway but it would be garunted to make more money now. If they release it when ps3 comes out that would be so dumb.

  • xXSocom

    Posted Aug 26, 2006 1:17 pm PT

    another kick in the nuts lol

  • cesarotromundo

    Posted Aug 26, 2006 11:57 am PT

    MAN I WANT THat SO bADly

  • IamMrFahrenheit

    Posted Aug 26, 2006 11:39 am PT

    because they love uss too much. if you knew everything a long time ago, you would kinda just forget about it until it came out. they have kept you reading every bit of news on any website that puts something up just to get a mere glimpse at that wonder of a gaming console we call "Wii"

  • dpack37

    Posted Aug 26, 2006 11:38 am PT

    i heard rumors that wii will launch in early November.... before ps3

  • willjoea

    Posted Aug 26, 2006 6:37 am PT

    Wii sounds like a glorified Gamecube with wii-mote capabilities anyway. Yawn...

  • shizwill03

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 10:17 pm PT

    If both Nintendo and the PS3 was released on the same day they would have to segregate the stores. PS3 on one side and Nintendo on the other side. With security personnel in the middle.

    With tazers.

  • fr0zen2003

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 9:54 pm PT

    Oh god...
    Imagine the Sony fanboys vs. Nintendo fanboys brawls that would happen if both system were released on the same day and different line-ups were created at stores nationwide...

  • Tom_Hanks79

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 7:20 pm PT

    Yeah

  • Raistlin_84

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 6:55 pm PT

    nintendo should realese the info. so i know it's time to start saving money

  • xtreme822

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 6:28 pm PT

    ill freakin laugh if the wii release is on november 17

  • Blazer88

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 6:24 pm PT

    Yeah,..finally,..probably the two most important pieces of inforamation to the the consumer and they hold it till practically zero hour,..never was too thrilled about that move.

  • Willy105

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 6:24 pm PT

    Forget the lines, imagine the terrible fights! People could get hurt! People were sent to the hospital becouse they were attacked becouse they had the last Xbox 360! It would be much worse with two different kind of groups in line. Just think if someone says something about the PS3 (or vise-versa)! The fanboys would get angry and start attacking the rest of the people in the line! They better not launch at the same day, or the hospitals will be busy that night.

  • emocheese

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 4:16 pm PT

    If its bogus then what was the piont in posting this?

  • ghostfarm

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 3:55 pm PT

    NO MORE RUMORS PLEASE!!!!!!!
    Dont get mad, I said please.

  • boom10611

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 3:35 pm PT

    If this release date is true then it will be exactly on my birthday!

  • kingblackdahlia

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 3:28 pm PT

    I personally think it would be hilarious if Nintendo launched the same day as Sony.... This would definitely force them to consider their launch line-up.

  • TintedChimes

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 3:22 pm PT

    Seriously, TELL US ALREADY!

  • blackIceJoe

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 3:08 pm PT

    I really do not think November 17 is the launch day because the PS3 comes out that day. So its good it will not be that day because that means it has to be before that.

  • skyvader

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 2:44 pm PT

    The PS3 will be in short supply and high demand. Nintendo could capitalize on the hunger for next gen by releasing the Wii the same day. Granted it may not be the powerhouse the PS3 is hyped to be but if there was a choice between a 360 (which most hardcore gamers already have) the PS3 (not going to be enough to go around) and the Wii (cheapest and most sought after) the Wii will winn over the sadness of those who didn't get their PS3. Can't "Wii" all just....get along.

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