Looks like Nintendo is making a big push into Latin America.

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUSN1434644020080814

Nintendo to boost drive in Latin American market
Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:01pm EDT

PLAYA BONITA, Panama, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Japan's Nintendo plans a more aggressive marketing campaign in Spanish to corner Latin America's growing games market and tap growing appetite for fitness and sports titles.

"The long-term economic potential of Latin America makes this an extremely important market for video games," Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime told an industry conference in the Pacific resort of Playa Bonita on Thursday.

The campaign, which will go after non-core gamers, is expected to begin before the always busy Christmas season, but Nintendo (7974.OS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) did not say when it was due.

With its growing consumer base, Latin America has become an attractive market for companies looking to offset the current U.S. economic slowdown.

Nintendo, which made pop culture icons of characters such as Donkey Kong, Mario and Luigi, launched its Wii console in 2006. It become an instant hit thanks to its easy-to-learn motion-sensing controller, low price and innovative titles.

Wii outsold Sony Corp's (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) Xbox 360, putting Nintendo in the leading position in a three-way game console battle.

"Nintendo has experienced phenomenal growth in the region over the past few years growth that has even surpassed what we have seen in the United States," Fils-Aime said at Nintendo NEX Latin America 2008, which brings together software developers and distributors in the region.

Bill van Zyll, head of Nintendo's operations in Latin America, said the region's video game market could be worth $2 billion this year.

That is just a fraction of the global market, which is worth around $57 billion, according to research firm DFC Intelligence. (Reporting by Andrew Beatty; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)

I actually saw in more than 1 place the Wii costing more than a PS3. I´ve seen in a few stores, so if I wanted a Wii there would be no shortage.

In Brazil, I see more and more "popular" stores advertising the PS2 and people buying them. Of course, it´s modded PS2´s but since Sony is selling them at a profit, they will actually make some money off my country. I also see games being sold for $2.50-5.00 dollars, but they are pirated games so Sony isn´t seeing that money.

I wish they would release the PS3 here so that the price of games would decrease.

I can confirm Nintendo is making a move here in Argentina, I received a flyer included on a Sunday newspaper advertising the Wii and a catalog of 20-30 games. Of course, all of them ridiculously overpriced, 2400 pesos for the Wii ($800) and 300-350 pesos for the games (around $100). You can get a chipped Wii for less than 2100 pesos ($650) though, I've even seen it for 1500 pesos ($450-500)

why are consoles so expensive in that latin America?

For the record, Reggie told Elgefe at NEX that USA equals 85% of Americas sell though and that Mexico and Brazil are the top Nintendo markets in Latin America. Latin America sales are up 56% from last year.

Because it says Latin America, does that mean it does not include sales from Guyana and Suriname?

Cool, I've just noticed the interview with Cammy Dunnaway, interesting stuff.

@Jackson

You forgot Belize, but yeah, all Central and South American sales are welcome here, regardless of whether they're technically Latin American or not.

You are correct that English is the official language of Belize, but Spanish is spoken by a larger percantage of the population. It is a de facto part of Latin America.

Interesting, so the 10% rule for the Wii may be off.

That certainly puts a bullet in the arguments of the NPD whiners. Not that they had much of an argument in the first place.

Quick question for all of you in Mexico or other Spanish speaking nations. Do all of those countries speak the same kind of Spanish? Like America and England both speak English, but we have different words for different things so it isn't the same kind of English. I'm kind of wondering because would game companies have to hire on a Mexican company to sell the game in Mexico with the right Spanish translation, and thus driving prices higher, than they would to ship the game to Spain and the hiring of a company to translate the game to the Spanish that Spain might speak.