Wii Mini Proves its Existence, Launches in December

[MikeWehner]

Wii Mini Proves its Existence, Launches in December

As far as other features go, the console lacks both GameCube support and built-in wifi. GameCube support was already removed as of the most recent redesign, so that isn't really a surprise, but killing wifi is a real bummer. If you want to play games online, we're going to assume you'll need to plug a dongle into a USB port on the rear of the device.

The $99.99 bundle will score you the Wii Mini console and a red Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuck.

Now, I've already been rather open about my feeling that with so many current Wii bundles on store shelves, some gift givers unfamiliar with the gaming scene might accidentally purchase a regular Wii instead of a Wii U for their loved ones. Now we have an entirely new form factor thrown into the mix, along with a slightly altered name. Can this possibly end well? Let's hear your theories.

Source: Future Shop [http://community.futureshop.ca/t5/Tech-Blog/Just-Announced-Nintendo-Wii-Mini/ba-p/397656]

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[fix-the-spade]

No Cube support eh? I missed that one, shame.

 

[sibrenfetter]

So basically they are going to compete with their own brand new console, while at the same time making the average consumer even more confused which Wii is which. Sometimes I really do not understand Nintendo's policies.

 

[BrainWalker]

I actually was not aware that the previous Wii redesign axed GameCube support. Definitely glad I still have my old launch Wii. I get why they remove backwards compatibility from a business perspective, but as a consumer and avid gamer it really bugs me how eager gaming hardware companies are to stop supporting physical versions of their old software catalog.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

I can get a Wii for £50 ($80) that includes a game...

I can probably get it even cheaper if I shopped around too.

 

[Triaed]

I am not sure whom they are targeting with this product. My guess is the smart TV crowd (e.g. Apple TV, Google TV, etc) so it is more like a box with widgets that happens to play games than a console.

They cannot really compete in the console market. The original Wii (which is way more featured) has a lower price point, and it is obviously not meant to compete with the big boys. Not even the Ouya.

If it is meant to target a small segment (the smart TV audience) they will be confusing the consumers that support their main product line... and cannibalising their own products.

I don't know, if you have never owned a Wii before would you buy this?

 

[Shinsei-J]

Alright, I was skeptical, I said it would be a handheld in jest,
but damn if that ain't style'n.

 

[Oskuro]

I am not sure whom they are targeting with this product.

I pretty much want a Wii to play Just Dance, Wii Sports Resort and maybe a couple other flail-y titles. A compact cheaper Wii I find interesting.


I can also guess the point is to offer a cheap replacement for current Wii users that need a new one after theirs breaks down.

 

[Eri]

I like how they managed to remove features from a system that barely had them to begin with.

 

[Triaed]

I am not sure whom they are targeting with this product.

I pretty much want a Wii to play Just Dance, Wii Sports Resort and maybe a couple other flail-y titles. A compact cheaper Wii I find interesting.


I can also guess the point is to offer a cheap replacement for current Wii users that need a new one after theirs breaks down.

Yeah, I can see this as a replacement console (if your original one breaks) or as a travel unit to bring with you on vacation... but that can't be whom they are targeting! It is a tiny market segment and they are causing consumer confusion.

 

[Eternal_Lament]

I just...I mean...What?

I'm sure the actual cost investment for Nintendo was low on this one, so it's not like they're going to lose a lot if this doesn't fly, but I just don't understand the rational behind this. Is the hope here that by releasing both a WiiU and WiiMini that the less knowledgeable consumer buys both because they think both can't play the others' games? I just see that pissing off consumers more than anything. Maybe they figure if they don't get any Wii redesigns out now that they'll never get the chance to do so later. Even still, this seems very counterproductive to release another distracting console when you just released one that you're hoping will fly off store shelves.

 

[Amethyst Wind]

I just...I mean...What?

I'm sure the actual cost investment for Nintendo was low on this one, so it's not like they're going to lose a lot if this doesn't fly, but I just don't understand the rational behind this. Is the hope here that by releasing both a WiiU and WiiMini that the less knowledgeable consumer buys both because they think both can't play the others' games? I just see that pissing off consumers more than anything. Maybe they figure if they don't get any Wii redesigns out now that they'll never get the chance to do so later. Even still, this seems very counterproductive to release another distracting console when you just released one that you're hoping will fly off store shelves.

Well, as a person who started out as completely in contempt of the Wii, then midly curious as better games came out but still not enough to actually purchase one, this did raise my interest a little bit. I never much considered playing online as a big thing with the Wii, thinking it was more of a social console where you play with the people around, so a budget version like this actually seems to work. If you're in a houseshare with a few other people you're all putting in $25-$30 to purchase the thing together and it sits in the common room where people can play it when they want. That's something I can see happening rather than shelling out for one of the other versions with features that won't be used.

I'm probably still not gonna buy it but it'll get reasonable sales.

 

[loa]

Y u drop backwards compatibility?
Guess I got no chance playing eternal darkness then.
But seriously, why is this a thing?
My ps2 slim can play ps1 games no problem yet current gen consoles drop backwards compatibility all the time nowadays.
Why is that, to copy sonys stupidity?

 

[Eternal_Lament]

I just...I mean...What?

I'm sure the actual cost investment for Nintendo was low on this one, so it's not like they're going to lose a lot if this doesn't fly, but I just don't understand the rational behind this. Is the hope here that by releasing both a WiiU and WiiMini that the less knowledgeable consumer buys both because they think both can't play the others' games? I just see that pissing off consumers more than anything. Maybe they figure if they don't get any Wii redesigns out now that they'll never get the chance to do so later. Even still, this seems very counterproductive to release another distracting console when you just released one that you're hoping will fly off store shelves.

Well, as a person who started out as completely in contempt of the Wii, then midly curious as better games came out but still not enough to actually purchase one, this did raise my interest a little bit. I never much considered playing online as a big thing with the Wii, thinking it was more of a social console where you play with the people around, so a budget version like this actually seems to work. If you're in a houseshare with a few other people you're all putting in $25-$30 to purchase the thing together and it sits in the common room where people can play it when they want. That's something I can see happening rather than shelling out for one of the other versions with features that won't be used.

I'm probably still not gonna buy it but it'll get reasonable sales.

Is that going to be a large enough market though? Again, this is probably not that much of a dependence for Nintendo, so it's not like this is a big money sink, but still, I can't help wonder that the money used for this could've been used on marketing the WiiU, which I imagine is more of a concern for them right now than anything else. Besides, it probably would've also been cheaper to just take an existing Wii model and bundle it with a new game.

 

[Eternal_Lament]

Y u drop backwards compatibility?
Guess I got no chance playing eternal darkness then.
But seriously, why is this a thing?
My ps2 slim can play ps1 games no problem yet current gen consoles drop backwards compatibility all the time nowadays.
Why is that, to copy sonys stupidity?

I think this is so when Nintendo release Gamecube games on the WiiU EShop that there won't be anything relatively new that a consumer could buy for cheaper and not bother with the EShop. That, and I guess they figure that if you're this late into getting a Wii then you probably didn't play the Gamecube, so they probably didn't bother implementing a feature for a crowd they think won't be interested in it.