Black Wii gets packaged

(Credit: Nintendo)

In case you missed Nintendo's announcement last month, a new Wii is launching in Japan on August 1. It's the same as the old Wii, but it's finished in black instead of white.

While Nintendo already released images of the black Wii, this is the first shot we've seen of the packaging, which looks, well, a whole lot like the packaging for the original Wii--but darker and more mature.

When will the black Wii come to the U.S.? There's no word yet, though you'd think Nintendo would have it out here in time for the holiday season. Personally, I prefer all my game consoles in black to match my home theater components, but I doubt I'd pick up a second system just for the new color.

Is anybody holding out for a black Wii, or any other color for that matter?

(Via Engadget)

[jlynn33]

How about everybody spend your money more wisely in these economically depressed times and buy a nexgen gaming system + high definition movie disc player in a nice "piano black" finish? Hmmmm............don't tell me.

[InkyRed]

Good thing i did that! I'll end up wasting my money on this though...i know it.

[tcr071]

Hm. Tough economic times so you suggest buying a $400 game system instead of a $250 game system or a $200 game system. Then you qualify this by saying "you get high definition movies" for which you need to pay three or four times the price of a regular DVD. My math might be a bit off but it seems that $250 is $150 less than $400 and $200 is $200 less than $400. I wonder what I could do with an extra $150 or $200 I saved on the game system? Possibly by four or five games? Save it? Go on a weekend driving vacation? Burn it?<br /><br />Suggesting someone buy the most overpriced and expensive console on the market and in the same line suggesting that BECAUSE of the tough economic times and the money saving opportunities doesn't make much sense to me...

[traxx09]

What's with the "piano black" finish? Why is that the new term now? Did everybody forget the word ebony?

[JLBer]

@tcr071: <br /> <br />You're forgetting about the need to own an HDTV in order to really take advantage of a PS3, which is yet *another* $600 minimum, and that's just for 720p. Considering that the Wii's output is a max of 480p, you don' tneed an HDTV to get its 480-line-maximum output. <br /> <br />So, in these tough economic times, jlynn33 is talking about spending upwards of $1,000 minimum for those who don't already have an HDTV, not including the cost of Blu-rays which are more expensive than DVDs, as opposed to a $250 console that looks fine on ALL TVs that are currently out there. <br /> <br />In other words, jlynn33 is talking out of a bodily oriface that's not meant for talking and should be ignored as a clueless fanboi.

[ikramerica--2008]

piano black is the glossy black enamel or laquer finish of the piano body. It's a deep, reflective black surface. ebony is the color of the black keys, which were traditionally not painted but simply sanded and polished, made from ebony wood, and got glossy from use by humans (body grease).

[jsnowbordr47]

My cousin did this, but then it got this weird yellow light and wouldn't turn on. So he had to pay $150 to get a refurbished one. But Sony told him that he had to send the console back with the original hard drive, and he lost all of his saved games and his arcade games that he got from his friend.<br /><br />All in all in these economically depressing times, my cousin ended up spending $750 for a console that he only uses to play games that he could be playing for much less on an Xbox 360 (COD4/5, Fallout 3). That was a wise decision.lol

[adamrcannon]

The Wii is $200 and a Game Fly membership is $15-$35 a month depending on how many games you want. I am not a big gamer but for a family this is a great way to save money. Even a camp out in your back yard is $200 in supplies the first time and isn't something you can do a daily basis for fun.<br /><br />The Wii has introduced a way to be a gamer and be active as well. Nobody wants to sit on a couch and stare at the wall all day and if that is all you can afford I understand but if you like many others have decided to allow only a very small amount of money for entertainment during these times, this is a great investment in family fun.

[TechDec16]

I wish the Wii had originally launched in black; I definitely would have bought it. I prefer to have all of my electronics in black when available. Even though they tend to be fingerprint magnets, I think they just look more classy/elegant.

[SebDavies]

Im just happy with my white one, and if it broke and I got a new one id get ethier depending if theres a price difference.

[GamerCore]

Not too shabby... Kinda looks pretty nice in black. I've been holding out on a Wii for awhile now until they're library extended beyond kiddie games and now I think I'll wait for this baby to hit. =)

[Ryan_R]

Looks nice - does it include the new WiiMote attachment and new sports game? <br /> <br />I already have the white one (hardly use it), but I hide it behind my black PS3.

[alfree93]

Why did they wait until now to release a black one when most people have the original white?

[DOGLLAMA]

to sell more systems to people who HAVE to have a black wii

[viper396]

Every console manufacturer eventually puts out their console in alternate colors to attract more sales. Microsoft has definately done this with their Red, Black, or Green, special edition 360's. Both Sony and Nintendo have done it with their prior consoles. No doubt Sony will put out the PS3 in another color. <br /> <br />Check out some of the gaming forums. Some hardcore/obsessed/fanboy gamers actually collect game consoles in multiple colors.

[chralex]

@viper396 <br />The PS3 already did - they released the gunmetal version, bundled with Metal Gear Solid.

[kewell82]

@ chralex <br />Gunmetal version? I would like to see that. Could you post a link please?

[willewings3]

@DOGLLAMA: haha "people who HAVE to have a black wii" sorry but the 13 year old in me came out when i saw that... i think your mom had to have a black wii when she cheated on your dad BURN!

[play7]

Big Deal its going on sale 8/1/2009 here in Japan..............At the same price as the white Wii. NAd No we are not spoiled like the usa usersw they don`t included and games only the system.......

[gadgetguy2000]

Ok..so the Black Wii is nice... but how about some new innovation with Wii; at the very least native DVD playback support...and not have to get some hack off the internet. Guess Wii + BluRay is totally out of the question.

[JLBer]

The Wii can only produce video in 480i/p. Blu-ray would be utterly useless unless they revamped their video architecture.

[junyr]

You know they purposely left out DVD movie support to keep cost down right? They weren't shooting for the 'high end gamer' with the wii. They wanted to keep the cost down to get everyone else the PS and xbox left out of their market. <br /> <br />Leaving off DVD movie capability saved them licensing fees on each box produced, in turn keeping the purchase price down.

[Icehearted]

I've seen very little I'd want for that console anyway, but the color is not of much importance. I'm playing video games, so for me the only real eye candy should be on screen. If I'm looking at the console, I'm probably doi9ng it wrong. Then again, I do like it when my stuff matches, but I think that having more colors available from the start is a better idea.<br /><br />Regardless, a black Wii looks infinitely cooler on a shelf than that drab tan Xbox 360.... which I own. Faceplates do nothing to help that thing's physical ugliness.

[sting7k]

OMG why isn't this in the US yet? I don't know why anyone wants a white anything for their home A/V systems. TVs are all black at Best Buy. Stereo receivers are black. DVD players are black. Who wants a white game console?

[joeytalia]

People all around the world are starving and you people are pyched about a stupid piece of black plastic.<br /><br />Give me a break and do something more important with your life.

[trgdr777]

How is that even relevant? Does excitement over video games and other entertainment/technology related news automatically cause everyone to forget more serious issues? I don't think so. Please lighten up. Why would you even have an account here if you didn't feel similarly about some other stupid piece of plastic?

[mderby05]

I take it you are on break from your doctors without borders shift to post that comment, Joey. Great job. Way to build a legacy.

[steve5200]

Dude, why are you wasting your time on a lame website like this, much less taking time out of your busy superhero schedule to post a comment?

[Jonnartt]

Joeytalia = TROLL

[epenn03]

The Wii was supposed to launch in five different colors so that consumers could have choices. But due to the high demand and slow production they ended up nixing the other colors and just producing white models. They were black, white, silver, red, and green. Here's a link to a picture that nintendo originally advertised. http://www.dancewithshadows.com/tech/images/nintendo-wii-picture.jpg

[JordyKun]

Instead of releasing a plain black wii, they should release a promotional version with the anticipated release of a game. Such as the Metroid Other M game, or Super Mario Galaxy2, and the list goes on. I feel that that would do better, and if you don't have a wii yet, you'll get an awesome game with it. Not just regular wii sports, but as well as one of the aforementioned games as well.

[shiningdevil]

Looks awesome.

[Goremaster]

I've been waiting for Black ! Finally. They better release in Canada. Now I can finally play some of the Wii games I helped make. All my electronics are black and silver so it woulda looked terrible in my living room to have white. Yippie !

[Goremaster]

I've been waiting for Black ! Finally. They better release in Canada. Now I can finally play some of the Wii games I helped make. All my electronics are black and silver so it woulda looked terrible in my living room to have white. Yippie !

[grey-devil]

Sounds racist.<br /><br /><br /><br />And i'm kidding. The new color for the Wii is badass, sadly i could hardly justify buying it as i barely use the one i have already.

[Mchl496]

They should have have many colors from the start

[make_or_break]

Personally I think the Wii in black looks better, but my white Wii is doing just fine...serving as the bookend that's holding my 360 and PS3 game titles in their storage spot. It's been so long since the Wii has been used; I'm surprised that the red LED that shines in standby mode hasn't burned out by now. Though I suppose that I really SHOULD BE wondering just how much electricity this thing's been wasting all these months.<br /><br />If the bloody thing were just few pounds heavier...I COULD use a new anchor for the fishing boat...

[nYtrus112]

Personally, I took my wii to Gamestop and traded it in along with all the cool little toys I had for it and games, and walked out with 2 Nintendo DSi's. Much more worth my money. Beyond Mario Galaxy and Mario Kart I just haven't fallen in love with anything about the wii. And unless they step their "game up" to my taste by the holidays, they can keep their wii....black, pink, yellow or green

[JLBer]

So, rather than selling your Wii to people who want one and using the funds to buy more PS3/360 games, you'd rather let it languish just to give you an excuse to post riduculous, anti-Wii statements on CNet. Wow. What an interesting life you must have.

[dinodirect]

Personally I thinks black looks better, but it is so general, why not red or blue?