Nintendo Wii hitting store shelves in Q4

Los Angeles (CA) - Nintendo today announced at its keynote at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) that it will be launching its next-generation gaming consoled "Wii" in the fourth quarter of this year.

Pricing has not been announced, but the company mentioned that it will be offering "more fun for less" money than the competition, which sells its consoles for $299/$399 (Microsoft Xbox 360) and $499/$599 (Sony Playstation 3).

Nintendo also showed off its one-handed controller, which is connected to a remote that does not only allow users to for example move characters around but also integrate a speaker system to create a greater sensation of surround sound. The company was able to demonstrate various games - including Ubisoft’s the first person shooter Red Steel - in which the remote determined the movement of the player the controller to point a gun at enemies. A total of Wii 27 games will be available for demonstration at the Nintendo E3 booth, the firm said.

The look and functionality of the final next-generation game titles still has to be seen, but Nintendo appears to be following a different strategy than its competitors : While the Xbox 360 and the PS3 are all about pixel resolution and high-definition capability, Nintendo highlights a new game experience, enabled by the controller system. "Today you will see, tomorrow you will feel," a representative said. And at least judging from the presentations on stage, Wii gamers will have to get up from the couch and move more body parts to play games.

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