Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/12/04/wii_debuts_in_japan/
Nintendo's Wii console may already be en route to some European pre-order customers ahead of this coming Friday's launch day, even as - surprise, surprise - the new games machine sold out in Japan following its launch there this weekend.
One Reg Hardware reader told us today he'd received an email from Woolworths confirming the dispatch of a pre-ordered Wii, though at the same time warning that he should allow seven days for delivery - timed, presumably, to ensure delivery on or after 8 December, the day Wii officially launches in the UK.
Has anyone else over here received a similar message from this or other suppliers?
We've heard from sources close to Nintendo that the consoles might be arriving in the UK on 1 December, but with no indication until today that they might be heading out almost immediately to buyers.
Japan, meanwhile, was host to the usual queues as pre-order customers and on-the-day hopefuls lined up for the chance to collect one of the 400,000 Wiis Nintendo had previously said it intended to ship (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/11/15/ps3_uk_launch_forecast/) into its native land for the launch.
Reports suggest some stores split their allocations, with some going to pre-order customers and others going to new buyers on a ticketed basis. Lining up very early - the previous night, in other words - appears to have been the most successful tactic employed to secure a Wii on day one. Other stores sold on a first come, first served basis.
Nintendo has indicated it will ship a further 600,000 Wiis into Japan by the end of the year, bringing the total to 1m units - a quarter of the 4m it expects to ship worldwide (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/11/03/nintendo_wii_world_shipment_target/) before the start of 2007. ®
Nintendo Wii launch breaks UK record (12 December 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/12/12/wii_uk_sales_record/
Retailers warn Nintendo Wii pre-orders may arrive late (7 December 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/12/07/nintendo_cuts_uk_wii_allocation_claim/
North Americans buy 600,000 Wiis in first week (28 November 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/11/28/nintendo_eight-day_wii_sales/
Analyst dissects Nintendo Wii... on camera (21 November 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/11/21/analyst_dissects_nintendo_wii/
Nintendo Wii given sledgehammer treatment (21 November 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/11/21/men_smash_nintendo_wii/
Nintendo to ship DS Lite MP3 player on Wii day (20 November 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/11/20/nintendo_unveils_ds_mp3_player/
Developer confirms DVD-edition Wii coming H2 2007 (15 November 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/11/15/nintendo_wii_gets_dvd_in_07/
Nintendo: 4m Wiis to ship by year's end (3 November 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/11/03/nintendo_wii_world_shipment_target/
Nintendo: Wii to come to Europe on 8 December (15 September 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/09/15/nintendo_wii_europe/