14 DAY TRIAL // Nintendo's soon-to-be-released Wii console is already getting high praises from reviewers and others who have gotten an early sneak peek. The innovative controller is the spearhead of Nintendo innovation and allows for rather naturalized ways of controlling your video game. This way you swing it like a racket to hit a tennis ball, you twist it like a steering wheel to drive an SUV, or point it like a pistol to shoot a duck. Speaking to USA Today, Nintendo of America's new president and chief operating officer Reginald Fils-Aime revealed more inside information and plans regarding the console's future.
When asked about Nintendo's strategy to extend Wii to online play, Fils-Aime revealed: "It's the same premise. We will offer online-enabled games that the consumers will not have to pay a subscription fee for. They'll be able to enjoy that right out of the box. The Wii console is going to be Wi-Fi enabled, so essentially, you'll be able to plug it in and go. It won't have hidden fees or costs."
He also declared the DS as the clear winner in the war of the handhelds, with substantiated hopes that the Wii will follow suit in the home console market. "We are so far in advance of our handheld competitors that they're not even on the map. That's all based on a market expansion strategy. And that's what we're looking to do with home consoles."
While it's true the DS outsells all competitors by a factor of five to one in Japan, the winning formula may not be the equally potent when it comes to Wii. Nintendo aims to attract new consumers to the gaming world by expanding the target audience, and thus increasing its market share. With Sony and Microsoft fighting it out at the high-end price range, this is more than a possibility.