Iwata says that a worldwide simultaneous launch is not necessary.

Microsoft did it, Sony plan to do it and we thought Nintendo planned to also.
However in an interview this past weekend with the Taipei Times, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata stated: "We don't think it's necessary to do the simultaneous worldwide launch simply because others are doing this."

This is unfortunate news since the Nintendo President had previously said that "We hope to make it a simultaneous worldwide release as much as it's possible." Let us just hope that if we don't get it simultaneous that we Europeans still get our hands on it before 2006 comes to a close. Hopefully come E3 we'll be blessed with more detailed launch information.

Also speaking with the Seattle Times, Iwata-san said that the Revolution was unaffected by Sony's recent PlayStation 3 delay. "Because what we are aiming at with the Revolution is much different from what Sony's aiming at with the PlayStation 3, I really don't think any changes in their schedule will affect Nintendo greatly," he said.

And he continued: "We have never thought in terms of when they will make the PlayStation 3 available, but rather our hope is launching Revolution in 2006. In that sense, we really don't care what Sony is talking about with a launch delay."