As unfortunate as it sounds to hardcore gamers, the next-gen war may not ultimately be decided by software or hardware, but marketing. Nintendo has prepared for such an instance, announcing that it will spend nearly $200 million promoting the console over the next year, the most expensive campaign ever initiated by the company.
Part of that multimillion dollar budget will be on display tonight, as the first Wii ad hits North American televisions. The 30-second spot, set to air during ABC's celebrity hoedown Dancing With the Stars, is the first of four ads in a series dubbed "Wii would like to play."
The ads depict a pair of Japanese men who show off the capabilities of the console to households across the US. The spots were directed by Stephen Gaghan, the Oscar-award-winning scribe of Traffic and director of Syriana.
All four ads will be aired sequentially during MTV's Sucker Free on November 15. The Wii launches in North America on November 19.