IBM launched a microprocessor for the Wii game system

IBM has said it has started selling the first version of the chip expected to integrate with Nintendo's upcoming Wii video game system.

Earlier this year, IBM signed a long-term agreement with Nintendo (Japan) to supply chip cores to its console game system. It is known that the terms of the agreement have not been published.

The Wii will compete with Sony's PlayStation (PS) 3 game console - expected to go on sale in November; and competing with Microsoft's Xbox 360 - has been on the market since last year. Nintendo hopes to sell about 6 million Wii systems in the budget year ending in March 2007.

The Wii is expected to be released in the fourth quarter of this year, but the time of publication and price of this console game has not been disclosed yet.

It is known that in addition to providing microprocessors for the Wii, IBM also has chip supply agreements for PS3 and Xbox 360.