The NYC Nintendo press conference is officially underway with Live Blogging happening all over the place. I will be pulling my news exclusively from Destructoid and Kotaku. Apparently, the NY Times article was right on target, November 19 release with a $249.99 price tag, but Reggie Fils-Amie states that it’s just the tip of the iceberg…more to follow…

Update #1: Wii will launch with Wii sports and the list of 1st party launch titles are Zelda: Twilight Princess, Excite Truck and of course, Wii Sports

Update #2: There will be approximately 15 launch titles, games will retail for around $50

Update #3: Nintendo will launch “Wii Channels”, a virtual console system on uber-steroids.

From Destructoid’s Robert Summa:

Wii believe Wii Channels can change the interface between TV and viewers and their games. When Wii is connected to TV in standby mode, user will see a unique menu of 12 Wii Channels that is expandable. First Channel is “Disc Channel” which allows players to play Wii game or GC discs. Next is Wii Shop Channel which is home of virtual Console. Users can browse and download software from over 20 years of gaming.

30 “legacy” titles available at launch for VC: Legend of Zelda, Super Mario World, Mario 64. (500 Wii points or $5 NES) (800 points for Super NES games) (1,000 Wii points for N64 games). Wii card can be purchased at stores for $20 — 2,000 points. Once downloaded, becomes own channel on menu.

Other channels: Mii Channel — digital character of you or anyone in a big 3d virtual room. Can interact with others in this channel. Can customize avatar — he’s making a Samuel L Jackson character. Guy actually looks like Jackson, pretty funny. Tons of choices and such to create character. Gives Sam the Pulp Fiction stache. Can change outfit color and put in a nickname.
Can do a little dance move. Now showing interaction. Can transfer Mii’s to Wii remote and can customize Wii remote to carry Mii’s. Can populate your own Wii console and also populate other consoles. Can also let Mii’s populate your games like Wii Sports and Warioware and others in development.

Now showing the Photo Channel. Looks very slick. Great interface for this channel. Take SD card and insert card in Wii to look at photos. Can look at all the photos at the same time — crazy looking. Interface is fast and smooth. Very impressive. Other features: Can do a cool slideshow — showing slideshow now of Ninty stuff at offices — funny.