Nintendo exec talks tough

Wii News | "Wii will be Euro market leader by Christmas 2007."

The gloves, it would seem, are well and truly off. There's been plenty of fighting talk from both Sony and Nintendo as the PlayStation 3 and Wii prepare to launch, and now a leading figure in the Nintendo camp has made one of the boldest and confident statements to date - that the Wii will be leading the European market by Christmas 2007.

The figure in question is Dawn Paine, Nintendo of Europe marketing director, who told GamesIndustry.biz that the company fully expects to sell every new console released during the coming Holiday season. "I'm absolutely sure it will [sell out this Christmas]," said Paine, adding, "Pre-orders are looking very, very healthy."

Paine seemed largely unfazed by the Xbox 360, and reckons that the unique nature of Wii will secure its success. "We don't want to sound arrogant or complacent about this, but from our point of view, we're just such a different entity and experience from anything else in the marketplace that we don't really see anything else as competition," she said. "Because our product has got such broad mainstream appeal, we're sure that we're going to sell through all of our Christmas stock. We know that retail are so enthused about Wii that we're pretty much going to be taking over retail at Christmas. We're just really confident that Wii's going to be the huge hit."

It was at this point that Paine was asked about whether the Wii would be beating the PS3 in Europe by Christmas next year. "I believe so, yes," she replied. "We're confident that Wii is going to take the UK market by storm, so when I get my crystal ball out, yes, that's what we would see happening next year."

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36 Comments

Crestfallen

5 years ago

i hate it when companies talk market share because it reminds me what their really concentrating on (hint: press SHIFT + 4 on keyboard to find out

)

Jellyfish

5 years ago

Strangely enough companies are suppose to make money.

I wonder if the Wii will make this bold prediction come true.

Spanca

5 years ago

crestfallen12 wrote

i hate it when companies talk market share because it reminds me what their really concentrating on (hint: press SHIFT + 4 on keyboard to find out

)

Actually, concentrating on market share is the quickest way to lose sight of profits.

Echo

5 years ago

I think it is a fairly big statement, but i think it will come true. The Wii has such a large appeal it will probably outsell the other consoles.

Frozencry

5 years ago

Loving the "not to sound arrogant or anything but we're basically better than the competition and we will win" part.
I don't know, after playing the Wii I'm still skeptical. But eh, we'll see.

Nev

5 years ago

Echo wrote

The Wii has such a large appeal it will probably outsell the other consoles.

Exactly. The console that hasn't been released yet has HUGE appeal. Haven't you SEEN the sales charts?

Se7en

5 years ago

crestfallen12 wrote

i hate it when companies talk market share because it reminds me what their really concentrating on (hint: press SHIFT + 4 on keyboard to find out

)

Creative and inspirational or otherwise, business is reliant on finance. Sad but true. Haven't understood the SHIFT + 4 on keyboard reference - care to explain? Oh... $ $$$ $$$! Nevermind, I've been drinking. Good one.

Frozencry wrote

Loving the "not to sound arrogant or anything but we're basically better than the competition and we will win" part.
I don't know, after playing the Wii I'm still skeptical. But eh, we'll see.

Its seems it's taken a woman to have enough perspective to express confidence without arrogance - but she's walking the fine line between the two. A clear misquote on your part Frozen. I'm with Sony for the Se7enth Generation for the record.

The Brett

5 years ago

Since when did Ken Kutaragi start working for Nintendo Europe?

InfernalEternal

5 years ago

I don't know, I somehow doubt this, Europe is still very "Pro-Sony". Most of mainland Europe were ripped off and paid an outrageous amount for the PS2, what makes you think they wont do the same for the PS3? Heck, there are around 40 Million PS2's around Europe compared to around 5 Million GCNs.

Ellegarden

5 years ago

InfernalEternal wrote

I think to Nintendo its matter of relevage, Nintendo assume people dont wont better graphics and innovation is the key to the market. Nintendo assume too much.

David

5 years ago

I wish she hadn't said that, I like Nintendo's usual 'we hope we'll do well' rather then 'yeah, we rule!', although she was sorta pushed, and wasn't really that arrogant about it. At least she didn't trash talk the others like Sony keeps doing.

I do doubt this a bit though. I'd say the PS2 market will still be a force in Europe next year, espescially in the UK where Nintendo has always struggled, even in the NES and SNES days. The DS is cleaning up in Europe, but until Niintendogs is released, I can't see the Wii dominating yet. Although it's reasonable to think Wii will still have outseld the PS3 by the end of 2007, based on price alone.

chriharr

5 years ago

It Will Happen, Nintendo used their brain, now the big bucks will roll in Wii will win over PS3 anyday, has the PS3 got so much hype "No", and where are the PS3 ADs, Nintendo are already advertising, shouldn't sony start early, to me it already looks like Nintendo has reserved a top place for the market, I can easily see Wii catch up to 360 sales by Christmas 2007

ugh the boot

5 years ago

I'm not even getting one anymore, neither are all my friends. I'm just gonna stick with Ps3 (when it comes out) and Xbox 360. I've cut down game playing big time and I just see this as a waste of money. Also Nintendo have been crap the last couple of years (imo) so i'm not gonna give them anymore money.

themak

5 years ago

It will happen because no-one in Europe cares about market price parity.

Sure we'll pay an extra £60 for the, um shipping?

Crestfallen

5 years ago

since everyone's putting their two cents in i might say that the xbox and playstation brand have become too strong to topple. mainstream gamers are still going to see ninty as childish with the name 'wii' and games like nintendogs really not helping

Klawrence

5 years ago

chriharr wrote

PS3 has no add? I wish!

The Plague

5 years ago

ugh the boot wrote

So, after significantly cutting down on your gaming time, you can justify spending $1800 on two consoles that have mostly the same game line-ups, but $400 for a new way of playing games is a "waste of money"?

Anyway, of course the Wii will be ahead of the PS3 by this time next year in Europe. Not only is it less than half the price, it has the advantage of an extra Christmas period.

Spanca

5 years ago

The Plague wrote

Well Ugh has a 360 already, so it's not $1800. Secondly, the games are different between the two and your interpretation of "mostly the same" is purely subjective. Perhaps he prefers to have a large selection of games that he likes, with proven control methods, rather than games that don't appeal at all with an unproven control method?

The Plague wrote

Anyway, of course the Wii will be ahead of the PS3 by this time next year in Europe. Not only is it less than half the price, it has the advantage of an extra Christmas period.

Of course it will? If the the Wii sells at the same rate as the Cube did, then I wouldn't be so sure.

cycosippius

5 years ago

I dont see this as arrogance, I see it as fact. For next year at least, but I think Nintendo is going to have to work real hard to maintain that goal, something I think in the long run is an almost impossible task.

Ive just bought a HD 40" LCD and look forward to a HD gaming fix, but in all honesty I loved the Cube and its performance when tapped into and look forward to the Wii like I did the SNES. I think people will obviously increasingly adopt HD lcds and want to see the benefits the 360 and PS3 have to offer.

But hey in the interim I think it will be great as a GAMER to watch the industry evolve and to see all three consoles battle it out for supremecy, and watch the success Wii is sure to have in its inital 18 months and all the reactive creative of MS and SONY hey we will be the ones to benefit.

Unless pricing strategies ALA Gran Turismo 5 are adopted .

Zarnoss

5 years ago

Wii man wrote

[PS3 has no ad? I wish!

I didn't see an ad, I saw some garbage that looked like it related to nothing until the playstation 3 logo at the end.
Someone tell the Sony advertising board to get off the crackpipe.
At least the PSP ads were real interesting with their mutating icon beast things fighting.
That was just utter sh!t/tripe/bile inducing stuff.

The Plague

5 years ago

Well, it's not just the extra time the Wii has, it will also have plentiful supply, whereas the PS3 will be lucky if supply can meet demand in the first twelve months.

And when I say that 360 and PS3 games are "mostly the same", I'm not being subjective, I mean that there are fewer exclusives than there have been in past generations.

Personally, if I had a PS3 or a 360, and was considerably decreasing the amount of time I was spending playing games, I would prefer to spend that extra $800-1000 on 8-10 games, rather than a second system.

But that's just my opinion, I'm not trying to tell anyone else how to spend their money. It just seems strange to me.

Frozencry

5 years ago

Xcs:sIVE wrote

Wii man wrote

[PS3 has no ad? I wish!

Really? I thought it was actually quite creative and very clever. IMO the ad will generate alot more hype than you'd think. The subtle use of 3 in it obviously hints at the ps3, then at the end with a simple "playstation 3" and "11.17.2006". The fact that they're not showing games makes people curious as to what the games will be like. Playstation is a trusted brand, so people will be very intrigued and curious by the end of that ad. That's my thoughts upon it anyway.

Klawrence

5 years ago

Frozencry wrote

Xcs:sIVE wrote

Wii man wrote

[PS3 has no ad? I wish!

Man if you thaught that was good because of its open ended nature, you would love the Japanese Wii adds.

very first Japanese Wii add Here. It read's "what could this be"

the rest Here.(they add on to each other, interesting to see how they work)

Ellegarden

5 years ago

The Plague wrote

ugh the boot wrote

Pretty much.

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