Nintendo Ships Revolution Controller Early

Nintendo of Japan has started giving away the controller you see pictured to the right of this news. The controller will be made available to Club Nintendo platinum members in the next few weeks, free of charge, and unfortunately for we western types, in Japan only.

But what is it? No, it’s not an actual Revolution controller. Aside from the fact that there would be no point in releasing controllers without accompanying hardware, Nintendo would not be best pleased with letting its rivals tinker around with the innards of the much-vaunted revolution in gaming it has planned.

It’s actually a universal television remote, designed we imagine to sit on the coffee tables of Nintendo enthusiasts while they await the all-new machine, expected to be launched around the world starting in Japan in June 2006.

As mentioned a couple of paragraphs ago, there are no plans for the eBay-igniting piece of memorabilia to see a release outside of Japan right now, though given Nintendo’s recent relaxation of cross-border promotional activities, there is some hope.

We’ll keep you updated.