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Wii on the production line  (Source: Seeking Alpha)
Wii production to increase again this summer to supply crazy demand

As unbelievable as it may sound, Nintendo Wii consoles are still selling out from stores even though the system launched nearly 18 months ago. In fact, according to comments made by Nintendo president Reggie Fils-Aime to Wired, the average Wii only sits idly on the store shelf for just an hour before it is purchased.

"We are passionately upset about the lack of product relative to demand," said Fils-Aime, also pointing out the interesting fact that North America is the only territory in which demand is outstripping supply. Apparently, Wiis are easily found on European and Japanese store shelves.

Of the 1.8 million Wiis that Nintendo is producing every month, 40 percent heads towards the Americas – and more are on their way. Nintendo is ramping up its production even further, hoping to output 2.4 million Wiis a month starting this summer.

Nintendo is making a handsome sum from its brisk sales of consoles, and has little reason to limit production. Nintendo posted its financials for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2008, revealing sales of more than 1.67 trillion yen, an increase of 73 percent over the prior year and operating profits of more than 487 billion yen, a year-over-year increase of 115.6 percent.

Nintendo shipped 18.61 million Wii console to the global market, bringing the worldwide total to 24.45 million since its debut in November 2006. For its upcoming fiscal year, Nintendo forecasts global shipments to hit 25 million.

Although the Wii figures are the best in the home console space, Nintendo also has a stranglehold on the portable market. Nintendo shipped 30.31 million DS systems worldwide, bringing the total worldwide shipment to 70.6 million. By March 31, 2009, Nintendo forecasts shipments of an additional 28 million Nintendo DS systems.

The games maker also released tie-ratios of systems to games. The Wii currently sits at 6.07 games per system, and the DS has 5.24 games per unit.

As for whether or not an extra 600,000 Wiis produced per month with allow the average unit to survive more than an hour of the store shelf remains to be seen.

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Brilliant...
By Locutus465 on 4/24/08, Rating: 0
RE: Brilliant...
By BansheeX on 4/24/2008 5:38:55 PM , Rating: 5
Does every Wii thread have to start with this congratulatory nonsense? Graphics and gameplay is not some kind of see-saw where a decline in one means an automatically greater result in the other. That's utter nonsense. Objectively speaking, third party titles for the wii have average scores that are lower than the 360 and PS3, but Nintendo titles rock as usual and would play exactly the same but look better with HD graphics. Nuff said.


RE: Brilliant...
By AlphaVirus on 4/24/2008 5:47:50 PM , Rating: 4
I usually dont agree with much of what you say BansheeX but I have to agree with this.
It seems like the Wii has turned several people in to drones that believe "It has less-than-HD graphics so it has excellent gameplay". As you mentioned the Nintendo titles are the only ones that truly sell for the Wii, as it does not have a very great 3rd party backing.

I will applaud the Wii for selling so well, its a great thing for the gaming community.


RE: Brilliant...
By daftrok on 4/24/08, Rating: 0
RE: Brilliant...
By ebakke on 4/24/2008 6:20:50 PM , Rating: 5
quote:
there are hardly any decent games on the Wii


What you deem to be decent, and what someone else deems to be decent may be completely different.

Also, many people use the console as an occasional source of fun where the average of 5-6 games/console is a more than acceptable ratio. A more avid gamer will want more frequent releases of big titles, but the casual gamer won't mind.


RE: Brilliant...
By Hiawa23 on 4/25/2008 9:04:40 AM , Rating: 2
From a business standpoint, I think Nintendo is brilliant, but I don't buy consoles based on how many they sell.

I own a Honda & a Mitsubishi & could care less how much both companies rake in. What's important to me is the service that the console provide, & the PS3 & 360 has delivered for me, meanwhile, there is nothing on the Cube, ur Wii that interests me, but again, it's great to see Nintendo back on top where they belong, I just can't see buying any games for the Wii, for myself, but my daughter loves it, so that's all that's important. The DS is also doing great, but I prefer the PSP to that.


RE: Brilliant...
By MrBlastman on 4/25/2008 9:37:34 AM , Rating: 3
I could play Warlords, River Raid, Star Raiders, Joust, Asteroids and more for HOURS AND HOURS on the 2600 and never get bored.

Anything I've ever tried to play in the next-gen systems might be fun for 10 or so minutes, but after that I get bored quickly.

Graphics don't make the game - gameplay does, and always will.

Without gameplay, all you have is a glorified screensaver that you have to keep pressing buttons to make it do anything. The Wii might not have graphics, but the games have plenty of gameplay. Yes, there are some weak ones (actually plenty of titles I'd never buy), but there is something for everyone I suppose - not just games for the hardcore crowd (which I do happen to be a part of).

I've had plenty of fun on the Wii so far and coupled with my PC, I see no point buying a PS 3 or a 360. The Wii is everything I need in a console. If I want graphics, I'll use my PC for everything else. Best of all, I am not forced to use a silly analog stick controller to aim in FPS games on both the Wii and PC.

It is time for the control scheme on consoles to evolve - nintendo just realized this early. Give people something they can use and enjoy first, make it pretty later. That is how games evolved in the first place, isn't it?


RE: Brilliant...
By inperfectdarkness on 4/25/2008 10:11:01 AM , Rating: 1
well said. i'm glad someone else out there recognizes the truth.

if i want FPS and online gaming...my PC doesn't charge me a "live" subscription fee.


RE: Brilliant...
By AlphaVirus on 4/25/2008 1:14:31 PM , Rating: 1
The 360 is actually free to play online, only certain games are resctricted to the paying crowd.

PS3 is completed free everything online.

Online gaming for the PC is not always free, WoW anyone?


RE: Brilliant...
By kensiko on 4/26/2008 8:58:47 AM , Rating: 2
Well me and thousands of people are playing WOW for free... Look on google.


RE: Brilliant...
By BansheeX on 4/25/2008 10:28:11 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Anything I've ever tried to play in the next-gen systems might be fun for 10 or so minutes, but after that I get bored quickly.

Graphics don't make the game - gameplay does, and always will.


Well, gameplay is subjective. Some people do have the attention span of a gnat and won't go as far as space invaders. Personally, some of the most rewarding games I've played are the ones with the steepest learning curve.

But I think you're missing how graphical progress allows new forms of gameplay not before possible. Is Quake 3 gameplay possible on the Atari? No, it can't even do 3d. Is Quake 3 gameplay possible on the PS1? No, it isn't fast enough.

As physics get better, you will start to see new types of gameplay and take them for granted. One day you'll probably be able to break anything, dig anywhere to create foxholes, put the dirt in sacks to weigh something down. Puzzles won't be preset anymore. You'll be able to use anything around you as if it were real and not the illusory surface it is now. We've already seen some of this object manipulation in HL2 and it's quite gratifying.


RE: Brilliant...
By AlphaVirus on 4/25/2008 1:21:56 PM , Rating: 2
And you know whats funny BansheeX, the same people who complain PS3 and 360 are "only about graphics and no gameplay" are probably the same people who crazed over games such as BioShock, Fear, Crysis, and lots of other games for PC.

PC has delivered great gameplay and graphics over gaming history yet people seem to think great gameplay = poor graphics and that Wii is the holy grail of gaming. Why cant people notice that there are great games on all 3 consoles? But everyone has different tastes so not everyone has to agree with the Wii style of gameplay.


RE: Brilliant...
By afkrotch on 4/25/2008 12:59:00 PM , Rating: 1
quote:
I've had plenty of fun on the Wii so far and coupled with my PC, I see no point buying a PS 3 or a 360. The Wii is everything I need in a console. If I want graphics, I'll use my PC for everything else. Best of all, I am not forced to use a silly analog stick controller to aim in FPS games on both the Wii and PC.


Instead you are forced to use an analog stick controller and a remote control to play an FPS game. I'd much rather stick with analog sticks where it's only one block of plastic that the kids can lose and not multiple pieces and cables.

quote:
It is time for the control scheme on consoles to evolve - nintendo just realized this early. Give people something they can use and enjoy first, make it pretty later. That is how games evolved in the first place, isn't it?


Power glove? Super scope? The multitude of different controller schemes that Nintendo has come up with. Sry, they've all been pretty gimmicky.

As for gameplay, what exactly has changed, except for the controller scheme? Smash Bros on the Wii is no different than the last Smash Bros or the one before it. They just look different and used different controls. Just like all the other games on the Wii.

What requires a control scheme to evolve? Hardcore gamers are more than happy with what they have now. If they didn't, the 360 and PS3 wouldn't be doing so well. Majority of your best selling games are on what system? I can tell you, it doesn't start with a W and end in an I.


RE: Brilliant...
By The0ne on 4/25/2008 1:10:28 PM , Rating: 2
I have to agree with you too. I an Engineer and I know my techs but those savy grahpics, sound really doesn't compare to whether or not the game is fun to play. I hardly play my Wii but when I do their fun, and this is with Wii Sports! I recently went back to the PS2 and tried many many games and my attention span didn't last more than 20min for most of them.

This isn't to say I'm not impress by the new technologies. In fact I'm very happy that xbox and ps3 were release. However, trying most of the games for either (and yes I do have preferences so no FPS for me) it's kinda like meh...pretty game but not so much fun. I don't play FPS but that doesn't mean I don't know what's going on fyi.

Wii controls on the other hand is pretty impressive and innovative in my opinion. I wasn't so sure during press coverage but after trying them it's really nice. Granted it could use more responsiveness but if you're patient and don't overdo any motion than it's more than ok.

And lastly, I've been playing retro games for snes, genesis and PC. Games like Shining Force, SNES RPGs, and Heroes of Might and Magic 3 for PC. HOMM3 is 2D but what a great game with WoG mod. The random map generator is a blessing. I wouldn't be suprise if Wii's retro gaming solution takes off quicker soon :) There are other good current games that I've seen and can't stomach to play myself (i.e. fps makes me dizzy) like COD4 :) games has improved since the first release in which I've played. My nephews love the multiplayer.


RE: Brilliant...
By PAPutzback on 4/28/2008 9:30:50 AM , Rating: 2
Carnival games and Bowling have made the Wii worth it to me. It is more fun than sitting around playing Euchre for a few hours with friends. Something the PC gamers are losing.


RE: Brilliant...
By inighthawki on 4/24/2008 6:23:52 PM , Rating: 2
I can tell you're not a big fan of Nintendo games. The games you listed in your post are some of my all-time favorite games, and in my opinion are FAR better than the junky games for 360 and ps3. (Not to mention u spelled Mario Kart wrong...)


RE: Brilliant...
By Hiawa23 on 4/25/2008 9:19:19 AM , Rating: 2
I own every Nintendo console since the NEs, so I am a big Nintendo fan, just not a fan of the shakinging controller, Gamecube technology. Nintendo should be making money hand over fist. IF Sony & MS removed all that separates their consoles from the Wii, I am sure they would make more money too. Nintendo should make money on the Wii, as they have a great model, re-release you previous console, add a shaking controller, make is mass friendly so everyone buys into it & wallah. I have nothing against Nintendo, as I have been a fan since forever, but the Wii doesn't impress me at all, & I can't even play & enjoy the Nintendo games with that controller, & I don't know about most of you but I expect consoles to improve in terms of technology, but it's good to see Nintendo back on top, although who comes in 1st 2nd 3rd matters not to me. who delivers the games & services I like is what matters most to me.


RE: Brilliant...
By kellehair on 4/25/2008 12:24:49 PM , Rating: 2
Calling the Wiimote a "shaking controller" is pure ignorance. One of the main benefits of it is its pointing abilities. Playing an FPS on Wii is much more accurate than doing to so with 2 sticks on the 360 or PS3. It's also more immersive, at least from a control standpoint. All systems have their advantages and disadvantages but to dismiss the Wii as a glorified Gamecube is ignorant, ignorant, ignorant. </