How Long Has the Wii Been Around? — Release Timeline

Wii launch dates:

• North America: November 19, 2006
• Japan: December 2, 2006
• Australia: December 7, 2006
• Europe: December 8, 2006

As of 2024: 17+ years since launch.

Lifecycle

• Discontinued: October 2013 (Japan), 2017 (WW)
• Wii Shop Channel closed: January 30, 2019
• Online services (Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection) ended: May 20, 2014
• Successor: Wii U (2012), Switch (2017)

Legacy

• 101.63M units sold — 4th best-selling console ever
• Motion controls mainstreamed
• Virtual Console pioneered digital retro distribution
• Still homebrew-active (Homebrew Channel, WiiLink24 revival)

The Wii changed how the world plays. Its influence persists in every motion-controlled game since.