Nintendo Wii

Shortly after the GameCube launched, Nintendo began thinking about its next console with a clear idea: not to compete on power, but on new ways to play. Satoru Iwata, president from 2002, asked Genyo Takeda for a machine accessible to non-players, while Shigeru Miyamoto handled the controller, using Gyration's motion-sensing technology. The Nintendo DS's success with new audiences served as a reference. The project was called "Revolution" until April 2006.

Nintendo showed the console at E3 2005 and the controller at that year's Tokyo Game Show. The Wii name, announced in April 2006, drew mockery at first. It launched on November 19, 2006, in North America at US$249.99, on December 2 in Japan and on December 8 in the UK, with most of Europe paying €249.99. It was Nintendo's biggest console launch in those regions and stayed in short supply for its first year. Critics praised its simple controls and broad appeal.

The Wii Remote recognises gestures and works as a pointer, and Wii Sports, bundled in most regions, became its key game. New Mario, Zelda, Pokémon and Metroid entries strengthened the library, and accessories such as the Wii Fit Balance Board and Wii MotionPlus extended the controls. It was Nintendo's first console with built-in internet access and a digital store. Third-party studios struggled to sell on it, and its casual focus pushed away some core players.

Sales declined from 2010, as PlayStation Move and Kinect arrived. Nintendo released the cheaper RVL-101 in 2011 and the Wii Mini in 2012, the year its successor, the Wii U, came out. Production ended in October 2013, though the Mini was made for some time after. Online play closed in May 2014, the Wii Shop in January 2019, and in 2020 Nintendo stopped repairing the console due to a lack of parts. It is Nintendo's second best-selling home console, after the Switch.