Punch-Out!! To Hit In August, Only At JB Hi-Fi

Nintendo has confirmed that Punch-Out!! for Wii will be launching in Australia next month. The catch? You can only get it at one retailer.

Speaking to Kotaku late last week, Nintendo Australia managing director Rose Lappin revealed the eagerly-anticipated date and the retailer-exclusive agreement. When asked about the boxing title, which was released in the US and the UK last month, Lappin said:

“Yes, we are bringing Punch-Out in. It’s coming in late August, but as an exclusive with one retailer.”

When asked if she could say which retailer, Lappin said: “Yep, it’s JB Hi-Fi.”

“To be honest we didn’t have a lot of requests for the game,” she contined. “There’s a few people… there’s a lot of noise but not a lot of sales, that sort of thing. However there was one retailer that was chasing it, so that’s why we’ve decided to go that way. Of course, if it continues and consumers want it then that’s what we’re here for. At the end of the day if we don’t support consumers then we don’t have a business. We’re certainly here to work with what people want.”

So, basically, most retailers weren’t excited by Punch-Out!!, at least in terms of how many copies they could sell. However, JB Hi-Fi were a little excited - understandably, given the boxing sim’s NES heritage positions it as something of a core gamer’s game - and have arranged an exclusive with Nintendo.

Expect an exact release date to be confirmed soon. UPDATE: Looks like the date is August 27, according to the listing on the Nintendo Channel, as reported by Vooks. (Thanks Jordan!)

via Kotaku - http://www.kotaku.com.au/2009/07/punch-out-to-hit-in-august-only-at-jb-hi-fi/

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Well this is an interesting situation. They are bringing the game to Australia bcoz of one retailer asking for it. No other retailers want it.

So its not Nintendo Australia's fault, its the retailers fault. Is this why Disaster isn't released in the US? Fatal Frame? How about Excitebots in any PAL territory?

This angers me greatly to think that either Nintendo are blaming their retailers for not being interested (kinda pathetic) or (even worse and prob. more likely) they just don't care about selling these games in other territories. This news makes me rage.

I hope jbs bring it out in new zealand too.

at the moment  only mighty ape has it and I don't want to pay $130 for it

Punch Out is a great game, one of the best of the wii i think the reason why it didnt sell well its because Nintendo didnt make enough publicity most of people didnt even notice this game came out, this game could have been easily played by both hardcore and casual gamers

JB is a pretty large store though, so it should get some alright sales through it.

EB use to get a few exclusive deals a few years back aswell if memory serves.

Well I hope to see a fairly big promotion then as JB are good at advertising games and this is an exclusive to them.

It does suggest we'll never get Excitebots though...

Well hopefully JB Hi-Fi wont use their position as the only retailer selling this game to up their price. I`m hoping it will be around the usual $59-$79 they offer for new release Wii games, if not I will have to give this a miss.

In related news, Aussie retailers don't like money.

I prefer to think that Nintendo subsidiaries are pathetic lazy slobs who have no communication with japan.

They still do, Disgaea 3 was the last that I could remember earlier this year.

Really I can't blame Nintendo for this one...If retail buyers don't think they can sell your game, you can't force it on them, and why should you discount it to get them to buy it when it will sale in other Countries/locations? It's business...

I don't think this relates to Disaster though, cause interest for that game unfortunately was never high. As much as I want that game I know it will probably only sale ten's of thousands at best...