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More Wii consoles than ever, but still hard to find, says Nintendo

After one year since the launch of the Wii, Nintendo is unable to keep up with customer demand. While some conspiracy theorists believe that Nintendo may be creating a shortage as a sales tactic, it’s more plausible the game maker underestimated demand for the Wii.

With the hot holiday buying season here, Nintendo fully knows that demand for its Wii console is higher than ever. Speaking to Next-Gen, Nintendo marketing chief George Harrison said that production rate of Wii is now greater than ever.

“We’re at a rate now worldwide of about 1.8 million Wiis produced every month, and that’s going to sustain itself until we get on top of this,” said Harrison. “We’re trying to make decisions on almost a weekly basis about which market to ship the product to, because in Japan it’s a big success, and same in Europe ... It’s almost an embarrassment of opportunity in terms of where to place those Wii hardware units.”

Despite injecting 1.8 million Wiis into the market every month, don’t expect the console to be easily seen sitting idly on retailer shelves. “We’re still expecting some shortages in December,” revealed Harrison. “So even though we’ll be selling everything we can get, we’ll continue full-blast with our outreach through PR, and through paid advertising and other things.”

This isn’t the first time Nintendo has warned the public of potential supply shortfalls, as the company’s American president Reggie Fils-Aime said in a previous story that “it is still going to be difficult to get your hands on the Wii” this holiday season.

The Wii isn’t the only system that Nintendo is selling with super impressive numbers – the DS handheld is just behind the Wii in monthly sales in the U.S. “For DS, we think there’s still a huge amount of potential left. We’re barely at half of the life-to-date sales that we achieved on our last generation of Game Boy,” Harrison added.

The Wii and DS are the top two selling consoles in the U.S. throughout October, selling 519,000 and 458,000 units.

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Buying it and not caring are two different things.
By gochichi on 11/19/2007 8:03:41 PM , Rating: 2
Who says that because you buy a console you love every single thing about it. I would prefer it if the Wii had some basic HD capabilities, but I think Nintendo made the right choice... it was too costly at the time and would have overrun the design, the price, the flexibility. Nintendo will release an HD console, and it will be cake for them when they do... no b/c Nintendo is so amazing, but b/c Nvidia and Ati will have technology in a year or two that will allow the Wii2 to have a cute little case, a great price tag, and still have great graphics.

Nintendo has nursed itself back to health in an amazing way. I fully believe that Nintendo should NOT sit on its laurels, the Wii is severely underpowered and far from perfect. They would do well to start considering a successor... so that it's something really great. It's inevitable that it will be very easy to make a great successor in two or three years (the time that Sony and MS will require just to maybe start breaking even).

It's nice for Nintendo that Microsoft and Sony were overly aggressive with their designs. They both feel slow and bloated, while the Wii feels peepy b/c it's so simple. MS and Sony really dropped the ball... we expected MS to not lead, but Sony really dropped the ball. So the success of the Wii is NOT b/c the Wii is so perfect, but b/c PS3 is not a gaming console, it's a Blu-ray player with a bad remote.

I will probably buy a Wii so that I can play Mario Galaxy. Wii Sports is fun... funner than Guitar Hero in my opinion.

Sony and Microsoft should be grateful for Nintendo, b/c I seriously think that the video game industry (particularly consoles) would be in a full blown downturn otherwise.

I'm expecting there to be one console next time around, and it will have Nintendo written on it. And Microsoft will make some good games for it, and maybe Sony will too. I don't know why they wouldn't all just join in behind a next gen Nintendo console... all they're doing is costing us money and loosing money at the same time.




By StevoLincolnite on 11/19/2007 11:32:11 PM , Rating: 1
This why I love living in a Pal territory.
The Wii to me seems clearer than my 360 on my normal crappy CRT T.V - Why? Because the Wii upscales to 575P while the 360 is at 480.
The ssame thing happend last generation, with the Game Cube, Xbox, and Playstation 2 - Gamecube games just looked "Sharper".

Besides the Wii's GPU s "capable" of any effect that the 360 and PS3 can perform in its fixed function hardware anyway, just that the 360 and PS3 can perform "More" of those effects at any one time.


Where are the stories
By shocker38 on 11/20/2007 12:13:41 PM , Rating: 2
I was thinking this the over day, I found that the art of story telling is really beginning to blossom in our new games, examples of these being Oblivion, Bioshock, Mass Effect. I have to admit I do like looking at great eye candy but I will never be put of any really good game just by the way it looks (my all time favourite being ‘Transport Tycoon’ which I still play to this very day). I think the Wii is not as innovative as everybody screams it is, okay all first party games are me 2’s or Mii2’s, I understand that they may be very good but that is in no way innovative, and accelerometers have been in shopping malls for years but you had to put a great big helmet on to experience it. I personally found that a truly great story and immerse me more that any other physical stimulation (an please Timmy from Texas just drop the comment before truly embarrassing your self). I’m not saying that the Wii can or wont but just hasn’t yet and until that day I will still only every play it when I’m at my mates having a few drinks.

PS disclaimer:- my opinions a just that opinions and are in now way fact.




The Real Shortage
By GhandiInstinct on 11/19/07, Rating: -1
RE: The Real Shortage
By weskurtz0081 on 11/19/2007 6:02:34 PM , Rating: 5
I guess 1.8million people per month just really don't care.


RE: The Real Shortage
By deeznuts on 11/19/07, Rating: -1
RE: The Real Shortage
By erikejw on 11/20/2007 9:30:48 AM , Rating: 2
Maybe all this teach us that graphics isn't everything in a game. I know in the late 80s I had a ball when I played all those games on NES. Maybe PS3 should have been a little less graphics intense and sold for 30% less it would have been a huge success.

Quality of gameplay in games is 100% for the success of it.
It might be fun the first 15 min to watch a good looking game but then it is all gameplay that counts.


RE: The Real Shortage
By Holytrinity on 11/19/2007 6:37:44 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
I guess 1.8million people per month just really don't care.


Best reply ever?

+1


RE: The Real Shortage
By Etsp on 11/19/2007 10:55:08 PM , Rating: 1
Almost, it should be
quote:
"I guess 1.8million additional people per month just really don't care."


RE: The Real Shortage
By mikefarinha on 11/19/2007 6:03:00 PM , Rating: 3
"Agree or not, the wii remote is a gimmick."

I don't agree. The Wiimote is doing for the Wii what the mouse did for the Computer. Also, I use the Wiimote everyday and it is very accurate.

The Wii is much more than a gaming system, just wait until WiiFit comes out...

I don't know about everyone else but I'm glad that Nintendo made the gamble with the Wii, it really will 'revolution'ize the family living room.


RE: The Real Shortage
By BansheeX on 11/19/07, Rating: -1
RE: The Real Shortage
By Polynikes on 11/19/2007 10:26:28 PM , Rating: 2
I disagree. I haven't EVER bought a Nintendo console (though my parents bought me one in 198x when I was only a few years old, and back then I had 3 games. Super Mario, Duck Hunt, and the Olympic games thing with the floor pad (they were all on the same cartridge and came with the NES I think.) Anyways, I'm no Nintendo fan, I've been a PlayStation guy.

That said, when I tried the Wii, I thought it was absolutely awesome. (I'm getting one for Christmas, whoo hoo!) The "simulation" may not be that good, but how the hell else can you play Tennis or Ping Pong and have it actually be fun? You can't possibly tell me that doing it with a Wiimote is LESS fun than with a gamepad. No way. Same goes for baseball and bowling. It's just a completely different, more immersive experience. I'm sure they could make more "hardcore" or realistic simulations of these sports if they wanted to, but Wii Sports is pretty fun as is.

The beauty of the Wiimote is it's different. It's not trying to replace the gamepad, it just offers a different way to interact with a game. Let me guess, you thought joysticks were just a gimmick, too, huh?


RE: The Real Shortage
By BansheeX on 11/20/07, Rating: -1
RE: The Real Shortage
By Gnoad on 11/20/2007 6:33:50 AM , Rating: 2
As for soccer, look at Mario Strikers. It's not soccer, but its a similar concept, and the controls work beautifully.


RE: The Real Shortage
By BansheeX on 11/21/2007 2:05:28 AM , Rating: 1
Nice thorough explanation of how the wiimote revolutionizes or even works in all of those aforementioned genres guys. You're awfully good at clicking ratedowns though, I'll give you that.


RE: The Real Shortage
By Circle T on 11/19/2007 6:05:03 PM , Rating: 2
I'm sure Nintendo thanks you for your comments, and would now like you to step aside so someone can purchase another.

You can call it a gimmick. You can say the graphics are terrible. You can complain of lag and little precision. That is your opinion, and you are totally entitled to it. I will kindly disagree, and go back to having an absolute blast playing Galaxy.


RE: The Real Shortage
By BioRebel on 11/19/2007 6:12:32 PM , Rating: 3
Yea, I mean its not like the Wii has 2 games for it that could potentially win game of the year. Nor are the graphics from said games compared to games on higher end systems that are supposed to be 'more powerful'.

Besides, a controller that makes you do nothing but twidle your thumbs is FAR more intuitive, innovative, and realistic than a motion sensing controller.


RE: The Real Shortage
By Chocolate Pi on 11/19/2007 6:54:16 PM , Rating: 2
Trolling a video game platform? On the Internet? That's nice, but I have to get back to playing Galaxy and checking my Nintendo stock holdings. (Hard to say which is making me happier...)


RE: The Real Shortage
By inperfectdarkness on 11/20/2007 10:27:52 AM , Rating: 2
sadly, my roth fund cannot buy nintendo stock. (i'm nearly committing seppuku right now. if they're making $100 of every console x 500,000 u.s. console sales/month = OH SNAP!)

if graphics are everything, then the psp should also be outselling the ds....oh wait, it's not.

you see kids, there's plenty of "gold" from previous consoles that's still around to be played. and every week, the wii allows us to download some of those gems for the virtua console. even with 8-bit graphics, the original legend of zelda is still a great game. that's why the best rpg's of the past 10 years have all been released for GBA...imho. (ff1,2,4,5,6,golden sun, etc) you only need bombastic graphics if you're trying to disguise a turd.

the gcn could not simply be "updated" to a wii. and as previously stated, it still has a gba player...so it's going to stick around indefinately in my living room. it would also require wi-fi, a hard drive, and a host of other features. plus, we now have higher capacity disks.

i'll tell you from experience, i wasn't too keen on the control stick back in 1995. nintendo knows what they're doing. i was equally worried about the wiimote. nintendo still knows what they're doing. just because it's new to the market doesn't make it irrevelant. and just because sony and microsoft get their hands on the idea doesn't mean they'll make quality. i've yet to see even one instance where sony and microsoft combined can have a better gaming execution than 99% of the 1st party games nintendo releases. unlike nintendo, sony and microsoft usually farm out their 1st party games. to be fair, nintendo does this on a few of their titles too...but the best ones, the blockbusters, are almost exclusively in-house.

i can virtually guarantee that if the 360 was selling for $250, and the wii was still at $250, the wii would still outsell the 360. haters who think the price should drop are loony.

naysay all you want, at this rate, the wii will become the fastest, best selling, most successful console platform yet. (i say yet, because this leaves the door open for more huge success to follow).

the wii was never intended to best pc fps gaming. just appreciate that it does what it does extremely well...so well in fact; that it makes both of its competitors look stupid.


RE: The Real Shortage
By BMFPitt on 11/20/2007 3:33:02 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
That's nice, but I have to get back to playing Galaxy and checking my Nintendo stock holdings. (Hard to say which is making me happier...)
Probably the Mario Galaxy if you've been checking the last 2 weeks or so. But I still expect to see it in the high 80's by spring (I hope.)


RE: The Real Shortage
By Volkerkind on 11/19/2007 7:28:11 PM , Rating: 3
Wii Mote is no Gimmick. Tell me how engineers all over the world are making the Wiimote do amazing things? From controlling a Vacuum Cleaner, to controlling a robot.... Quality Games, well if you are shallow than go back to your PS3, and have fun with your thumbs. I own all three systems, and by far the best, and the one i have the most fun with is the Wii, GALAXY. NUFF SAID!

Lag on the Wiimote? HAHAHA! yea right.

Obviously you are one of those fanboys who waited in line for 24 hours to get yourself a PS3, and later found out it was useless. Now you find yourself pulling your hair and hating on others who have a Wii cause you missed the train.

peace out, and go wait in line for a Wii.

Hata.


RE: The Real Shortage
By kinnoch on 11/19/2007 7:41:07 PM , Rating: 2
Some games are very gimicky, but many games use the wiimote correctly. Wii Galaxy is a great example of good wiimote usage. It really plays like any other console game, you use the direction stick to move and a couple buttons to perform some moves. However, the wii'mote allows easy access to some other controls. A quick shake will cause you to do a spin attack. I find using a quick shake as a button click is much more convenient than having to know the location of another tiny button. Also, the pointing feature allows for some unique game play features.


RE: The Real Shortage
By GoodBytes on 11/19/2007 9:03:59 PM , Rating: 2
Let's not forget Metroid Prime 3 Corruption, where you can get a perfect head shot fairly easy with your wiimote from really far on a 27inch CRT TV. So far not even a high-end laser mouse for the computer can compete. Unless you play with the sensitivity during game play, or you cheaply reduce your screen resolution or wtv trick I heard.
And don't think your 6 axis is even better then a mouse.


RE: The Real Shortage
By kinnoch on 11/19/2007 11:57:57 PM , Rating: 2
I think the wiimote works well in Metroid 3, but it has nothing on a mouse. A mouse has got to be the most precise gaming instrument.


RE: The Real Shortage
By BansheeX on 11/20/07, Rating: 0
RE: The Real Shortage
By BansheeX on 11/21/2007 2:02:00 AM , Rating: 2
Unbelievable that this would get rated down. What am I going to have to do, make a youtube video and show you people? You've got to be kidding me.


RE: The Real Shortage
By Tilmitt on 11/19/07, Rating: -1
RE: The Real Shortage
By Circle T on 11/19/2007 8:10:05 PM , Rating: 3
quote:
Can someone write a coherent reply to me as to why in your universe, good games must have bad graphics?

In my universe, the graphics on the Wii are just fine. Zelda, Metroid and Galaxy look great, in my opinion. Now sure, there are some games that don't look very good. But, that can be said for every system ever made. Galaxy does everything right, in my book. It has just the right graphical touches, in the right spots, and runs at a rock solid frame-rate all the time.

To me, the fun and enjoyment that the Wii brings is not in its WOW factor in the visuals. It is the way it gets you to have fun without caring about the graphics. I mean, I had to actually force myself to stop playing Zelda for a minute to actually see how good it looks. I didn't care up to that point I was having such a good time. No, we aren't talking Gears or Heavenly Sword quality visuals. But, for the world that Zelda takes place in, it works.

The phrase "Good Visuals" is a subjective term, and everyone will have a desired level in that area. You are perfectly fine to want that. On my PS3 and 360, I would expect nothing less at this point. But, the Wii has so much fun to offer, the graphics couldn't be lower on my list. I mean, Wii Sports is nothing special. But my friends and I have a blast playing that almost every weekend when we get together.

Fun comes in all types. You want Visuals, and thats good. That isn't the Wii's forte, so it just might not be the device for you. I don't care as long as the game is fun, so the Wii is great. I mean, I can't count the HUNDREDS OF HOURS I have played Desktop Tower Defense. Its just an online Flash game, and is just scribbles, but its SOOOO fun.


RE: The Real Shortage
By mmntech on 11/19/2007 8:38:50 PM , Rating: 2
I agree. Graphics are of little importance. I've played many spectacular looking games over the years that turned out to be complete garbage. Or they're like Crysis where nobody without a $2000+ gaming PC can play them (at least at the level they're meant to). I do think the Wii's visuals look pretty good though, based on screenshots I've seen. So what if they're not cutting edge or in HD. As was mentioned above, visuals are subjective.

Even though I own a PS3, I still want a Wii. Unfortunately, over a year after they're release, there are none to be found. I saw one once in Costco a few months ago but that was it. I wish I had picked it up now. lol. Catalogs and flyers don't even advertise the hardware at all anymore. I think it's a ploy by Nintendo to keep stimulating demand and maintain the price, which should have dropped with the release of the 360 Arcade. Though I think Nintendo is going to end up shooting themselves in the foot with that tactic. People will just end up getting fed up and search for alternatives.


RE: The Real Shortage
By gradoman on 11/19/2007 8:39:26 PM , Rating: 3
Graphics don't mean everything?? Who would have thought!?


RE: The Real Shortage
By Tilmitt on 11/19/2007 11:53:05 PM , Rating: 2
I didn`t say graphics were everything. Great gameplay and brilliant graphics TOGETHER is everything. The Wii can never give both together.


RE: The Real Shortage
By Circle T on 11/20/2007 12:51:06 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
The Wii can never give both together.

See, I believe Galaxy does just that. It perfectly pulls off the cartoony, funny style that Mario games have always had. But it also kicks the extra visual touches up a few notches like we've never seen before in the series. Not realism, but perfectly in-line with its silly, bright, colorful style. And it does this all while doing more things gameplay-wise than we've ever done before in the series. It really is that good. In my opinion, of course.


RE: The Real Shortage
By robinthakur on 11/20/2007 6:24:02 AM , Rating: 2
I completely agree, the first time I saw Mario fly through space with a trail of space dust behind him at 60 frames/sec lands on the ground with an earthquake like "boom" and the text reads 'Welcome to the Galaxy' I almost fainted out of the sheer wonderfulness. Those that bash the way just don't understand the situation. They espouse potential rather than reality. Potentially, the PS3 and Xbox 360 will destroy the Wii with their graphical might, the reality is that they are getting their asses handed to them on a monthly basis (Assasins Creed anyone? Anybody...? No?!?!? Money well spent UBISoft...) Thank God for Nintendo, and its great that now they have the installed base which the poor NGC never managed, they can hopefully get some decent developer support. I just want 3rd parties to do with the Wii what Nintendo has managed so far.


RE: The Real Shortage
By BansheeX on 11/20/07, Rating: -1
RE: The Real Shortage
By gradoman on 11/20/2007 9:33:13 AM , Rating: 2
To each his/her own, I say to you.

As for me, I enjoy playing SNES and Sega Genesis, and quite a few 2D arcade games on their respective emulators. I also still enjoy the previous generation of systems and what they offer and yes, I've played on a Wii and X360.

I'd say as long as the games are enjoyable, I play 'em.

quote:
Secondly, if graphics don't matter, why release a new console? Why not just release add-ons to the Gamecube? What again was the justification for me handing over another $250?


You'd have to take that up with the big N


RE: The Real Shortage
By Circle T on 11/20/2007 12:45:04 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
First, if graphics don't matter, than why am I not playing old games?

I don't know. Why don't you?? They didn't all vanish. You CAN still play them. And they are STILL fun. Hell, I just played some Goldeneye the other day with some friends, and it was just as fun as always.
quote:
What again was the justification for me handing over another $250?

That sounds like a personal question you need to ask yourself.


Maybe I am bad at math, but...
By SilthDraeth on 11/19/07, Rating: -1
RE: Maybe I am bad at math, but...
By daftrok on 11/19/2007 9:23:13 PM , Rating: 3
They are selling 500,000 IN THE US. This 1.8 million is GLOBAL.


By SilthDraeth on 11/21/2007 12:23:46 AM , Rating: 2
I am glad people rated me down to a negative one. I don't see anywhere in the article where it mentions the sales figures are for US only.


I find it interesting.
By bangmal on 11/20/07, Rating: -1
RE: I find it interesting.
By mrp0379 on 11/20/2007 7:14:19 PM , Rating: 1
I'd be happy to purchase the Wii from you.


I'd get it in two conditions
By daftrok on 11/19/07, Rating: -1
RE: I'd get it in two conditions
By Circle T on 11/19/2007 9:31:33 PM , Rating: 5
quote:
At least have DVD/CD playback its 2007 COME ON.

Because I bet this will be the first device that will play them in your house, RIGHT??

IT'S 2007!! COME ON!!


RE: I'd get it in two conditions
By MFK on 11/19/2007 10:23:38 PM , Rating: 2
+1
:P


RE: I'd get it in two conditions
By Etsp on 11/19/2007 10:51:16 PM , Rating: 2
Luckily Nintendo has no need to stoop that low since it's alread selling 500,000+ each month...Wired Wiimotes? Are you nuts? The major selling point of the Wii is it's total implementation of physical actions. I wouldn't have half as much fun Wiibowling if the wiimote was wired... I'd end up tripping over it.
Besides, you have any idea how cheap rechargable AA's are nowadays? Energizer sells a FIFTEEN MINUTE charger for $30 and it comes with four batteries. Another $20 and you have enough batteries for 4 wiimotes and a backup pair. Can be used with 360 controllers as well...

As far as DVD playback is concerned... yeah, that would be nice.


RE: I'd get it in two conditions
By daftrok on 11/20/2007 12:20:16 AM , Rating: 3
OMG I meant you can charge the batteries on the Wiimote via a USB connection (which would make sense because there are two USB ports on the back of the Wii). If rechargeable batteries are so cheap then why aren't they included with the Wiimote in the first place?


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