Nintendo has just announced that on this Saturday, Nov. 4, the Wii will make its official public debut, and be available to play at the Nintendo World Store in Rockefeller Plaza, NYC. There will be 12 gaming stations set up, with giveaways, contests and competitions scheduled throughout the day. Click the image to the right to see Nintendo’s announcement email in full.
More info at the store’s website: http://www.nintendoworldstore.com/
Steve jumping in here: Target’s already got their spaces set up for the Wii displays. As placeholders for the consoles themselves, they’re already selling must-have accessories such as condoms for the Wii controllers.
Spread the word!
Where did you find this info? I don’t see it anywhere on the site you linked to.
And the Nintendo World store is actually in Rockefeller Plaza, not Times Square.
I was at Target this past weekend and saw the displays. Can\’t wait to see the in-store demo console.
Kevin — Good catch. You have to forgive us. We’re Brooklyn chumps who rarely get above 14th St, so our knowledge of mid and uptown Manhattan is spotty at best…
Anyway, I’m not sure where Dan got the info, but I’m sure he’ll chime in in a sec.
Hey Kevin, I got it in an email from Nintendo. Not sure how to reproduce it here — Andrew?
AF Duncan, I’m also a Brooklyn chump (Williamsburg) so I know the feeling :)
Check this out, very official looking: http://blackmage137.livejournal.com/32083.html
I will definitely be there around noon on Saturday.
Yeah, I dunno. I’m sure there’s a way to put it into PShop or whatever and make a jpg, but anyway, rest assured, according to the Nintendo themselves, there will be Wiis on display starting at 9a on 11/4 at the Nintendo store in Rockefeller Plaza.
If you forward me the email I can make it a jpg for you and send it back to you.
BTW, I submitted your story to Digg, http://www.digg.com/gaming_news/Nintendo_Wii_Playable_on_Saturday
Thanks for the submit! Man, that is going to be some kind of mob scene on Saturday. If you go, definitely report back and let us know how it went.
Not to take a dig at Sony, but what’s up with PS3? I haven’t heard anything on in-store displays or anything like that. And it’s launching the same time as Wii.
It’s still not looking good for the PS3, is it. I mean, why would you buy that thing? There’s really no compelling reason unless Sony blows people away with the launch games.
Anyway, the early part of this console war is starting soon and it’ll be interesting to see how it shakes out over the next year or so.
Kevin – would you be interested in taking some photos and letting KFR post them?
@AF Duncan
You would buy one (at least at launch) to put on eBay for the fanboys to gobble up, duh. PS3+eBay=triple your money
I was at Nintendo World Store in NYC just over the weekend. They already have a couple wii’s on display. Not playable yet.
They have a few wii’s on display here in south florida stores, but not hooked up to video.
I hope Red Steel is good. That game has so much potential, but early word was that it was mediocre. We’ll see. Excite Truck and Zelda should be amazing.
According to my Target’s planogram information for the upcoming launch, the Wii endcap shown above will be replaced by a PS3 interactive unit and no Wii interactive unit or endcap is currently planned for stores.
I manage a Target store in Chicago. Word from headquarters is our stores will start displaying the console demo unit today (Nov 2nd).
I hope the rep gets to my store asap haha.
I’ll call off work… to.. play.. wii.. at.. work..
Interestingly enough, on my walk to work today I saw a temporary store front set up on the corner of Houston and Wooster where it looks like you can play PS3s on HDTVs.
Anyone heard about anything like this…?
Oh whoops, what I saw happened yesterday:
http://sublicon.gizmodo.com/gadgets/ps3/exclusive-play-ps3-two-weeks-early-208702.php
Nevermind.
Apparently South Park had a Wii themed episode last night. Good publicity week for Nintendo.
I guess now Xbox 360 is coming out with a competing product, the
Arcade pack for $279