Violence Not Necessary for Wii Launch

Compared with last week's launch of the PlayStation 3, Sunday's launch of the Nintendo Wii went off much smoother. Long lines again greeted consumers eager to get their hands on the venerable game players new system, however much broader availability ensured most didn't go away empty handed.

Although Nintendo would never confirm the number of consoles available at launch, it was said to be close to a million. Checks at retailers indicate that nearly all had sold out of the $250 console, indicating that the launch was likely one of Nintendo's most successful in years.

There were no reports of violence at Wii launches across the country, a sharp contrast to the PS3 debut. On Friday, several reports were received of robberies in the parking lots of electronics retailers, and in several cases police were called to bring crowds under control.

The violence even included a shooting in Connecticut, involving a patron who stood in line at a local Wal-Mart.

Some who talked to the press called the events of two days previous "ridiculous." Virginia resident Rick Baghdassarian told USA Today, "The PS3 was like a business thing, and the Wii is more for gamers."

It is no doubt that the capabilities and power of the Wii are eclipsed by its rival consoles. However, repeatedly those waiting for the console pointed to its price, innovative features, and better availability as reasons for giving Nintendo's entrant a shot.

Many analysts are viewing the Wii as the unlikely winner, pointing to the quickly falling prices on eBay of the PS3 as a sign that Sony's console may have trouble selling at its high price point. Some pundits say that the buzz surrounding the Wii is crucial, especially this close to the holiday season.

But like Xbox 360, Nintendo is also having to deal with its own launch issues. A few console owners have reported encountering fatal errors when attempting to download a service update for the console's online service, locking them out.

Nintendo said it would replace any consoles affected by the bug free of charge, and would pay for shipping.