Hundreds line outside Dublin stores for Wii

One retailer’s pricing sets Ireland out to be one of the dearest places in the world to buy Nintendo's new Wii games console. 

Hundreds of gamers lined up outside GameStop on Henry Street and 'Game' on Dawson Street last night to be among the first to buy a Wii at midnight store openings.

Speaking on Today FM’ s Ray Foley Show this afternoon, Michael Finucane, GameStop’s commercial director, said that while the first release of Wiis were mostly reserved for people who pre-ordered their consoles, GamesStop should have a shipment which will include non-booked consoles sometime next week.

He said this will be followed by another shipment before Christmas.

The recommended euro price is €249, and £179 in the Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. However, besides the general euro price there is no set price for the Republic and retailers vary.

Smyth's Toys are selling the Wii for €269.99, putting the console at €20 over the set ‘euro’ price. We have contacted Nintendo’s press office for confirmation on the RRP for the Republic.

Unlike its competitors, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, the Wii has a smaller advancement gap from its predecessor. The main selling point of the console is its remote control shaped controller with motion sensors that allowed players to control games with movement, such as swings, swipes, and punches.