The Wii Mini, a much smaller version of the once-popular console with lots of the functionality stripped out, will receive a release outside of Canada next month.
The hardware will launch in the UK on March 22 in the same matte black with a red border style seen last year in Canada. A red Wii Remote Plus and red Nunchuk are also supplied.
Notably, the console cannot connect to the internet, and therefore does not support online play for any games that have online features. The console also is not compatible with Nintendo GameCube discs or accessories.
A price hasn't yet been provided, and Nintendo hasn't said whether the console will also receive a launch in the U.S. Gamasutra has contacted the publisher for confirmation.
The Wii Mini originally launched in Canada at the end of 2012, with Nintendo saying that this cut-down model will be "great value for first-time Wii owners who just want to jump in."
Either there were a bunch of uninformed Canadians who bought this silly system or a bunch of smart Canadians who didn't and Nintendo had to re-package the unsold units for worldwide distribution hoping a larger audience would yield a larger uninformed consumer base.
Late adopters are unlikely to care about internet functionality or backwards compatibility, and they are probably adopting the system late because spending over $100 for a console is not in their budget.
They are also not likely to be readers of Gamasutra, so it's doubtful that this console is being marketed towards members of this site.
However, for customers with slow or no internet that never owned a gamecube, this cheaper alternative to the full Wii would find a legitimate, informed market.
Personally, I never owned a Game Cube but my wife and I did end up using our Wii almost exclusively for Netflix in the final months before it died. [Our Wii, not Netflix.]
I don't understand the strategy of pulling Internet connectivity, which couldn't have cost much in hardware. You'd want your customers to have access to the online market.
If you've tried Nintendo's online service or buying anything from it, it's frustrating beyond measure. Better off without it. No big loss. Sometimes less is more. A HD version would sell like hot-cakes though.
I don't think it would. For obvious reasons, there isn't a single Wii title out there that supports HD - and no one is about to start working on new Wii titles or even patching existing ones.
The reasoning is simple. Most Wii owners don't take their consoles online. The final nail on the Wii coffin will be it's online services coming to an end in the next 1-2 years. Is it a stupid tactic? Yes. But they make money.
I don't understand the concept of selling a cut down model Wii, when they've just push out the new Wii U. Why buy an out performed, down graded model system (beside the price) and possibly will be discontinue soon when we can get our hand on the Wii U? I mean, what is there "left to sell" for wii?
to capture the market of budget gamers and to keep those people thinking about nintendo. Every console sold will give Nintendo money and those owner can enjoy the used wii games. If those owners are children, they're eventually work their way up to the current consoles and handhelds.
To a normal gamer, this would be a waste, but normal gamers aren't the focus. I think it's an attempt to reach out to anyone who's still interested
They are also not likely to be readers of Gamasutra, so it's doubtful that this console is being marketed towards members of this site.
However, for customers with slow or no internet that never owned a gamecube, this cheaper alternative to the full Wii would find a legitimate, informed market.
Personally, I never owned a Game Cube but my wife and I did end up using our Wii almost exclusively for Netflix in the final months before it died. [Our Wii, not Netflix.]
To a normal gamer, this would be a waste, but normal gamers aren't the focus. I think it's an attempt to reach out to anyone who's still interested