Nintendo of America confirm the Revolution will see a release in America in the "latter half" of 2006. So where does this leave Europe?

The Nintendo Power Line - an automated phone service provided by Nintendo of America - is now specifying the Revolution's US launch date as the "latter half of 2006."

The statement read out is identical to one read this year at E3 - except the ambiguous "2006" release date is now a little more pinned down. Here's the statement in full:

"As the company with the strongest heritage of innovation, Nintendo moves the bar for all next gen systems by employing a wide-ranging strategy that will attract more kinds of gamers to more kinds of games. When Nintendo's new console, codenamed Revolution, arrives in the latter half of 2006, everyone will discover the meaning of all-access gaming."

If the PS3's launch date is the suspected March 2006, this appears to confirm that Nintendo will be third - and last - into the console market for the third generation running.

Additionally, a latter half of 2006 release in America (and presumably Japan too), could mean that Europeans may not see the console until early 2007 - if the Revolution's release follows the DS model, which saw Europe get the handheld the Spring after Japan and the States. Alternatively, Nintendo could still opt for a near-simultaneous worldwide release. Let's hope so.

More as we get it.