Wii

Lore & Background

Development began shortly after the GameCube's release, with Nintendo deciding early not to compete on hardware power. President Satoru Iwata directed the company to design the console to appeal to a broader range of players, including non-traditional audiences. Shigeru Miyamoto and Genyo Takeda led development; the project was codenamed Revolution. Nintendo collaborated with Gyration Inc. to prototype motion-sensing input devices, and the Nintendo DS's success influenced the design. An initial prototype was completed within six months.

The console was formally presented at E3 2005 under the codename Revolution, with Iwata emphasizing its small size. The final name 'Wii' was announced in April 2006, drawing widespread mockery. The Wii Remote featured motion-tracking controls, gesture recognition, and pointing functionality. The console was Nintendo's first with native Internet connectivity, supporting online gaming and the Wii Shop Channel, and offered wireless connectivity with the Nintendo DS. Early models were backward-compatible with GameCube games and accessories; later cheaper versions (RVL-101 and Wii Mini) removed some features.

The Wii launched in the United States on November 19, 2006, followed by Japan, Australasia, and Europe in December. It was extremely popular at launch and in short supply in some markets. Wii Sports, a pack-in game, became the console's killer app, while new entries in the Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, and Metroid series boosted its popularity. Within a year, the Wii became the best-selling console of the seventh generation.

Reader's Guide

The Wii repositioned Nintendo as a key player in the video game console marketplace, achieving the company's goal of attracting a broader audience to video game consoles. Its emphasis on motion-controlled, casual-based experiences led Microsoft and Sony to develop the Kinect and PlayStation Move, respectively. However, this focus alienated some core gamers. The Wii's successor, the Wii U, released in 2012, attempted to recapture that demographic but became a commercial failure and Nintendo's worst-selling home console.

Total lifetime sales of the Wii reached over 101 million units. As of April 2026, it is the seventh-best-selling console of all time and Nintendo's second best-selling home console after the Nintendo Switch surpassed it in 2021. The Wii was discontinued in October 2013, though the Wii Mini continued production for a few years, and some third-party online services persisted until 2019. Because of Nintendo's reduced focus on computational power, the Wii and its games were less expensive to produce than those of its competitors, contributing to its widespread adoption and cultural impact.

Did You Know?

• The Wii was Nintendo's first console with native Internet connectivity.
• Early models of the Wii were backward-compatible with GameCube games and accessories.
• The console's codename during development was Revolution.