I guess Europeans must really love inferior versions of existing products. Yesterday Sony of Europe announced their plans to release a new PSP model which lacks online functionality and now less than 24 hours later Nintendo has lifted the curtains on a gutted (or “streamlined” as they like to call it) new Wii console.
The slightly redesigned system will lose both Gamecube compatibility and control ports, the latter of which is a devastating blow considering the vast amount of Wii titles which support the Gamecube controller.
Nintendo also claim that the console was designed to be laid horizontally rather than stood vertically (as the box art indicates) which is probably a polite way of them saying “we’d rather not manufacture console stands any more”.
Given Nintendo’s recent financial woes it’s unsurprising that the company would be trying to cut corners where ever possible but moves like this is just bound to anger and confuse consumers.
The Nintendo Wii “Family Edition” will launch in Europe this October and come bundled with Wii Sports, Wii Party and a single Wii Remote and Nunchuk, because all families know that having only one controller is totally ideal!
Nintendo of America say they have no plans on releasing this catastrophe in ‘the land of the free’ but they also said the 3DS will have a strong worldwide launch and we all say how well that turned out…
