European launch aftermath

by Alisha Karabinus { Dec 13th 2006 at 3:15PM }

And we thought the Wii was big in the United States! In the vacuum left by the delayed PS3, European gamers gobbled all the Wii units they could get their mitts on this past weekend, to the tune of 350,000 moving in just two days. In the U.S.? 600,000 in the first week. The Europeans are really clamoring for those Wiis! Just imagine if there had been no shortages -- how many could have sold? Perhaps numbers like these will influence the industry to spend a little more time and effort on the European market.

About 74% of everyone who bought a Wii also bought Twilight Princess, and sales for Wii Play were nearly as enthusiastic. But that's to be expected with the need for a second Wiimote for multiplayer action.

Cheers to Europe on a great launch weekend, and here's hoping consoles are plentiful.

Tags: Europe, launch, Nintendo, sales, Wii

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Stephen @ Dec 13th 2006 4:08PM

:O Wow.

KC @ Dec 13th 2006 4:39PM

If anyone was like me, my local gamestation didnt recieve any wiimotes by themselves so I ended up buying two copies of wii play, so the sales figures for wii play are heavily skewed because of the pack in wiimote.

Mr. Khan @ Dec 13th 2006 5:58PM

That's the genius of it, Nintendo packed in a Wiimote with a pretty weak game

now it has some of the strongest sales ever...

thomas_h @ Dec 13th 2006 5:59PM

console are plentiful my ass. most shops here in norway got like 10 - 20 consoles, even the largest shops in the country..

well, im just hoping to score a wii off the second shipment which is arriving at stores in a few days..

have to say one thing though, tried a wii at a buddy of mine, it was absolutely awesome. i played wii sports bowling for an hour straight.

=D

AngryBadger @ Dec 13th 2006 6:33PM

Anyone know when exactly the next shipment is due in the uk? I hear rumours of Fri/Sat. Where is going to be the best place to try and pick one up to?

Fran @ Dec 13th 2006 10:39PM

In Spain, I was able to pick up one two days before launch and without preorder ;)
Here the rumors say the same, that the Fri/Sat the stores will get the next shipment. This depends of the retailer. Others say that the 20th.

mupwangle @ Dec 14th 2006 4:12AM

>> i played wii sports bowling for an hour straight.

I just can't work that one out. I suck.

I managed to get a pre-order from game that nobody collected. :-)

Everyone I've spoken to (toysrus, comet, game) don't seem to think they'll get any this week. Virgin megastores keep getting stock (leeds the day before yesterday got 30) and there are rumours that some Asda stores may get some.

David Wright @ Dec 14th 2006 5:08AM

I was lucky, I just went to a place where no-one else would think, I went to sainsburys at 10am on launch day and waited around for someone to come help me at the info desk, noone did (great) and I captured the woman restocking the DVD's I asked did she have any, and to my suprise she said yes, last one, we got 5 in this morning!, I said I'LL TAKE IT!!