The new Wii is the fifth home video game console from Nintendo. This gaming device is the direct successor to the Nintendo GameCube and targets a broader demographic than that of the Xbox 360 by Microsoft and PlayStation3 by Sony. The game console comes with the distinguishing feature of a wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which can be used as a handheld pointing device and is able to detect acceleration in three dimensions. Another feature is the WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet in a standby mode.



Nintendo first announced the entry of the Wii console at the 2004 E3 press conference the system and later unveiled it in the 2005 E3. The console was known by the code name of "Revolution" until April 27, 2006. But later, it was changed to the Wii. It was the first home console Nintendo had marketed outside of Japan. Nintendo announced the launching of the console on September 14, 2006. The company announced that the majority of the 2006 shipments would be allotted to the Americas, while the 33 titles would be available in the 2006 launch window. Nintendo also announced the release of the console in South Korea by the beginning of 2008.

Since its launch, Nintendo Wii recorded a high rise in the monthly sale of the console beating its competitors across the globe. According to the NPD Group, the Nintendo Wii sold more units in North America than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 combined in the first half of 2007, which was a record in gaming console history. Nintendo also enjoys a large market share in the Japanese market, where it currently leads in total sales, having outsold both consoles by factors of 2:1 to 6:1 nearly every week from its launch until November 2007. The sale of the Nintendo Wii in Australia also created history by overtaking its competitors.