Nintendo sets date for new Wii launch Nintendo said the global launch of its redesigned Wii game console would begin in the US on November 18, with an entry-level model and a premium version in a push to fight off increasing competition from smartphones and tablet devices. The Japanese company said the Wii U would launch in Europe on November 30 and in Japan on December 8. The two versions will cost $300 and $350 in the US, Y26,000 ($335) and Y31,000 ($400) in Japan, with European pricing to be confirmed. I think Nintendo is pricing right . . . I presume we see 1m units a month produced. Wii U will sell out through April (at least)," tweeted Michael Pachter, Wedbush Securities video game analyst, during a New York press conference to announce the US details. The price tag for the entry model makes it slightly more expensive than Sony's PlayStation 3, which sells in Japan for Y24,980 and pricier than the Y19,800 Microsoft Xbox - a premium Nintendo says is justified by the Wii's next-generation features. The Wii U represents the most comprehensive overhaul since the best-selling Wii home console line was introduced in 2006. Nintendo needs a successful launch to revive its waning fortunes. The group lost money for the first time in its five-decade history as a public company last year, owing to poor sales of the 3DS, its newest portable console, and the revenue sapping effects of a strong yen. In June, Nintendo unveiled a new strategy that puts more emphasis on online gaming. Nintendo and other hardware makers are losing market share as their customers turn to cheap, downloadable games for smartphones. Analysts say Nintendo's focus on first-time and casual gamers makes it more vulnerable to this trend than Sony or Microsoft, its main console-making rivals. These customers flocked to the original Wii, which featured simple games played using motion-sensing controllers. The Wii U's most notable innovation is a tablet-like companion controller called the GamePad that can be played on a TV or its own 6.2in touchscreen. The basic, white version of the Wii U will feature 8 gigabytes of storage, while the pricier black model will come with 32Gb. The threat to game hardware groups from smartphones is a broad one and was underscored by this week's launch of Apple's iPhone 5, which features a larger, higher-resolution screen and faster processor that should make it even more conducive to gaming.