The dark side of desperate consumers exploded during the PS3 launch, but apparently, the Wii was just so fluffy and light-hearted, no villains had any intention of acting out. We don't have the reports of armed robberies and muggings that we had with the PS3, but the Wii is experiencing a few technical difficulties. It can't all be good news, of course.
You did have your allotment of hardcore gamers camping outside the likes of Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target, etc., and apparently, it was a relatively friendly affair. We expect there was a good deal of pushing and shoving here and there, but at least nobody broke out the switchblades and AK-47s. And there were twice as many Wiis available as PS3s on launch day, so twice as many gamers went home happy yesterday. However, they've already begun to report a few issues…
One of the most prevalent problems revolves around the machine's firmware. Nintendo had initially announced plans to release the console at the same time as a start-up disc that would include important firmware updates. And the good news is that most Wii consoles were actually shipped with that disc, which rules out the necessity for an extra purchase. The bad news? Yup, those few who didn't get that update disc get a system that doesn't work 100% correctly.
A few other complaints have popped up here and there, but nothing too major. A few gamers have reported difficulty getting the Wii online via a wireless router, others have said their Wii-mote doesn't detect certain movements, and of course, the fatal error of the Wii drive not recognizing or reading games. But all in all, the number and frequency of these complaints is still quite low, and in comparison to the horrid issues the 360 experienced last year, Nintendo should be happy with the results…so far.