Nintendo believes that its new sleek black Wii console can single-handedly lure hard-to-reach consumers back into gaming.

As revealed by MCVUK.com last week, the console will be launched in the UK and Ireland on November 6th – two weeks before mainland Europe. The move has widely been seen as a way to lure in male consumers.

The Limited Edition console will come bundled with a Wii Remote, Wii MotionPlus and Nunchuk – all in black – as well as Wii Sports Resort game and the original Wii Sports.

“As the new colour launches just a few weeks before New Super Mario Bros. Wii there is potential to attract lapsed gamers who are coming back to gaming for the first time in a number of years who like the look of the hardware,” Nintendo senior product manager Rob Lowe told MCV.

“New colours have worked really well for us in the past on Nintendo DS as it provides additional choices for consumers who may want different coloured hardware to make a statement or express their personality though the things they use in their everyday lives.

“It may attract people to purchase a Wii if they like the new colour or even people who might want to change from white to black.”

Wii Sports Resort, which is bundled with the new black Wii, has already sold well over one million copies across Europe – a territory to which Nintendo UK says its central office is committed.

“Nintendo has always taken the European market seriously and this isn’t the first time a product has launched in the UK or Europe before the US,” added Lowe. “We are keen to launch the black Wii in time for the Christmas sales season and this starts slightly earlier in the UK and Republic of Ireland.”