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Nintendo can't meet holiday Wii demand

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 01 Oct 2007 11:33 User comments (29)

Nintendo can't meet holiday Wii demand

Reggie Fils-Aime, the president of Nintendo America has made comments indicating that the company will not be able to meet the demand for its ever popular Wii console during the upcoming holiday season.
“We have been sold out worldwide since we launched,” said Fils-Aime. “Every time we put more into the marketplace, we sell more, which says that we are not even close to understanding where the threshold is between supply and demand.”

Fils-Aime also added that Nintendo was pushing production hard to meet the demand but that the issue "is not a lack of production.”

“The issue is we went in with a curve that was aggressive, but the demand has been substantially more than that. And the ability to ramp up production and to sustain it is not a switch that you flick on. We're working very hard to make sure that consumers are satisfied this holiday, but I can't guarantee that we're going to meet demand. As a matter of fact, I can tell you on the record we won't,”
he added.



Since its launch, the Wii has led every weekly sales chart and recently surpassed the Xbox 360 as the best selling next-gen console.

Source:
Dailytech

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29 user comments

11.10.2007 11:51

I'm glad to see competition among the ranks. Keeps everyone honest (so to speak).

21.10.2007 11:58

awwww damn..
and i was hoping to actually get ahold of a fewww

31.10.2007 12:41

The only reason people are buying the Wii is because it's cheaper than the XBox 360 and MUCH cheaper than the PS3. This is especially true if parents are the ones buying most of the Wii's for their families. With a cheap price and a unique mode of gameplay, it is not at all surprising at how well the sales are doing.

I wish the other two consoles would lower their price a bit :/.

41.10.2007 12:42

well i still see them from time to time in the stores right now. im sure it wont be imppossible to get them.

51.10.2007 12:46

looks like I need to buy now and hold on them till the holidays


CHA-CHING

61.10.2007 13:49

Originally posted by muccione:
looks like I need to buy now and hold on them till the holidays


CHA-CHING

A racket I may need to jump on. :P

71.10.2007 18:06

meh the wii is cool and all, but the recent article in the new issue of EGM brings up a really good point of "Wii Crap", (aka why publishers are shoveling crap games onto the wii simply because it costs less money to make a wii game, and that nintendo doesnt really care) which i believe this trend will continue for a long time coming.

I myself will wait for the xb360 "holiday bundles" (if they actually do exist). 2 games for free aint too shabby, even though ill only play one of em. Even so, the system is a perfect balance between price and performance. And Live and the XBMarketplace looks to be thriving!

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 01 Oct 2007 @ 6:07

81.10.2007 18:31

Originally posted by limelight:
meh the wii is cool and all, but the recent article in the new issue of EGM brings up a really good point of "Wii Crap", (aka why publishers are shoveling crap games onto the wii simply because it costs less money to make a wii game, and that nintendo doesnt really care) which i believe this trend will continue for a long time coming.

I myself will wait for the xb360 "holiday bundles" (if they actually do exist). 2 games for free aint too shabby, even though ill only play one of em. Even so, the system is a perfect balance between price and performance. And Live and the XBMarketplace looks to be thriving!
It happened on the PSX and PS2 the system the industry loves best is the one to get the sewer plant installed by it.

91.10.2007 19:42

Originally posted by WhoCares3:
The only reason people are buying the Wii is because it's cheaper than the XBox 360 and MUCH cheaper than the PS3. This is especially true if parents are the ones buying most of the Wii's for their families. With a cheap price and a unique mode of gameplay, it is not at all surprising at how well the sales are doing.

I wish the other two consoles would lower their price a bit :/.
I wouldn't say the only reason is because of the low price. Your other points at the end of your post play a big role to. They have marketed their system to gamers of all types and even opened playing video games to people that may have never played at all. They are found in assisted living homes that have them for their senior citizens and it even found its way into helping medical situations such as stroke victims and special needs children and adults.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 01 Oct 2007 @ 7:43

101.10.2007 19:51

Quote:
Originally posted by WhoCares3:
The only reason people are buying the Wii is because it's cheaper than the XBox 360 and MUCH cheaper than the PS3. This is especially true if parents are the ones buying most of the Wii's for their families. With a cheap price and a unique mode of gameplay, it is not at all surprising at how well the sales are doing.

I wish the other two consoles would lower their price a bit :/.
I wouldn't say the only reason is because of the low price. Your other points at the end of your post play a big role to. They have marketed their system to gamers of all types and even opened playing video games to people that may have never played at all. They are found in assisted living homes that have them for their senior citizens and it even found its way into helping medical situations such as stroke victims and special needs children and adults.
I think its a one 2 punch the price ontop of the dual motion sense makes it a hot bed for mainstream gaming, if they can keep pushing out quality gimmick titles the WII will maintain its house hold name.

The other 2 simply can not compete with the WII in this filed however they have the high end market so it all works out, MS would be best off to secure its mature image with sony gaining steam MS should polish what it can to survive until it can release a new console.

111.10.2007 20:29

i think we'll know who the winner is at the end ,like in everything else. These consoles will last at least up to 2010, those days will tell us who sold more , cuz the main fact that worries me is that 360 with all the aesome graphics is working at 95% is like a ps2 right now and it's only the beginning while the ps3 is cool handling everthing nice. I think time will tell and it's extremely early to think that the wii will win the race (not that this article says that but i mean what ppl start to beleive when they read this)

121.10.2007 20:39

Originally posted by chaos_zzz:
i think we'll know who the winner is at the end ,like in everything else. These consoles will last at least up to 2010, those days will tell us who sold more , cuz the main fact that worries me is that 360 with all the aesome graphics is working at 95% is like a ps2 right now and it's only the beginning while the ps3 is cool handling everthing nice. I think time will tell and it's extremely early to think that the wii will win the race (not that this article says that but i mean what ppl start to beleive when they read this)

Trouble is the WII has already won, you must factor in the profit to loss ratio here and nintendo has made a killing, they have pretty much won and it dose not matter if they stop selling consoles tomorrow they have already made their profit and war chest to build a new console.

Now with that sad whats next,the 360 is on shaky ground because it still has hardware issues and is partially showing tis age, the PS3 is a bit overpriced and the software has not caught up with it however this will change in time and if sony can launch a 399 core system with a smaller HD and nothing else different than the normal 80GB unit then they will lead the industry during the final years of the 7th gen (010-013).

131.10.2007 20:39

i just read some of the comments the price is a very imporant fact.
not onyl for the console for games:

how does it cost to make zelda? 10$ plus cofee ticket not just kidding probably 20$

heavenyl sword? Thousands

not the same aside the fact that ps3 and 360 are Hi-tech devices not some integrated chip so it's really hard to beat thos prices , and mostly family who want to save a few hundres ont he budget why not take the wii.
For example Conversation at the mall:

kid: Mom i want the ps3
mom: too expensive honey don't you want anything else
kid: the 360 is cool too can i get one?
mom: still to expensive honey
kid: wii
mom: ok that' a more reasonable price ....


(anyone offended not my intenttion just the way i talk that's all)

141.10.2007 20:48

double post FTW!

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 01 Oct 2007 @ 8:52

151.10.2007 20:51

Originally posted by chaos_zzz:
i just read some of the comments the price is a very imporant fact.
not onyl for the console for games:

how does it cost to make zelda? 10$ plus cofee ticket not just kidding probably 20$

heavenyl sword? Thousands

not the same aside the fact that ps3 and 360 are Hi-tech devices not some integrated chip so it's really hard to beat thos prices , and mostly family who want to save a few hundres ont he budget why not take the wii.
For example Conversation at the mall:

kid: Mom i want the ps3
mom: too expensive honey don't you want anything else
kid: the 360 is cool too can i get one?
mom: still to expensive honey
kid: wii
mom: ok that' a more reasonable price ....


(anyone offended not my intenttion just the way i talk that's all)
chaos_zzz

Oh come on heavenly sword is rip off on god of war (like zelda is a rip off of zelda and the zelda before it), and yes most of us know most games cost 20 million plus to make, you seem to be so caught up on the high end BS you can't see gaming is a bit more about market share and profit than "ZOMG tits!".

And the saddest thing is MS has not made any real headway since it screwed up its launch they are still running a large debt and sony is running at least 3 billion, so it comes down to the current winner and that would be Nintendo ,shocking a simple game console can hammer a media machine into the ground.

161.10.2007 21:11

Mmm ok well the 360 is not a total loss

MS has managed to sustain itself in the industry and make some in roads to digital services, they have shown asian devs its a viable system but still one to ignore mostly.

Nintendo has made a comeback and reset itself as king of the indutry and from what I can see they should keep the throne acouple years (2-3), because the hardware is solid you can't dismiss 20-30% of it as rebuys for failed units however it has a limit a normal console wont have either nin looses its steam by 010 or they stay on the throne till the 8th gen starts.

With the PS3 getting a real core unit at 399 and it having the best hardware I see it doing well on the back end of the 7th generation only a few questions remian is sony willing to go lower to regain market share, will they improve the dev kits to make games more optimized out of gate will more devs be willing to add cost to their project to build games on the PS3 to make it the center of 7th gen.

All I know is that nintendo has made all the profits it needs to start a new console war thus them gaining or losing more is moot, MS needs ahell of alot more polish on hardware and software(HD caching,multi discs get it polished and out you'll need every bit of it to combat the PS3 on the high end path) and bonus(fee live gold).

If MS dose anythign in the next 15 months they need to get hardware done and over with the issues with the hardware is laughable and down right disturbing.

Sony needs to effect price and get optimizations to devs ASAP with these the PS3 will get more devs more devs means more games.

172.10.2007 04:09

well done NINTENDO!!!! thats pretty much all i got to say to them.. after the disaster of the Game Cube i tough they were going out of bussiness.. for real the original machines were sweet and like it or not the invented the video game industry!! at least their new machines is paying off since they own the market!! personally i got a ps3 which is sweet and ill never get a wii bc is sucks balls!! but good for them.. i still got my super nintendo and the sucker still going strong after 10 years..

182.10.2007 05:13

Originally posted by cartucho:
well done NINTENDO!!!! thats pretty much all i got to say to them.. after the disaster of the Game Cube i tough they were going out of bussiness.. for real the original machines were sweet and like it or not the invented the video game industry!! at least their new machines is paying off since they own the market!! personally i got a ps3 which is sweet and ill never get a wii bc is sucks balls!! but good for them.. i still got my super nintendo and the sucker still going strong after 10 years..
and your basis for saying the Wii sucks balls is what? Just your own opinion or do you have some valid points back your statement up? It may not have the sheer power of its competitors but what it lacks in graphics and processing power it thoroughly makes up for in game play and fun factor. I have a XBOX 360 and a Wii and both have the strong points but I have more fun with the Nintendo. Inviting my friends and family over and play some nice multi-player games with real people is much more fun than throwing on a headset and trash talking online. But thats my opinion.

194.10.2007 20:07

To cartucho:



Also, Nintendo is the only game company that is making money off of console sales (meaning the costs to produce is less than the sales price). You add onto that their huge first party dev teams that is second to none and they make money hand over fist (Hello Zelda, Marior and Pokemon). The PS3 comes close, they have a pretty sizable dev teams as well, but they need to start pumping out the games, Heavenly Sword will help (hot chick that kicks ass will always sell).

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 04 Oct 2007 @ 8:11

204.10.2007 20:19

Originally posted by wetsparks:
To cartucho:



Also, Nintendo is the only game company that is making money off of console sales (meaning the costs to produce is less than the sales price). You add onto that their huge first party dev teams that is second to none and they make money hand over fist (Hello Zelda, Marior and Pokemon). The PS3 comes close, they have a pretty sizable dev teams as well, but they need to start pumping out the games, Heavenly Sword will help (hot chick that kicks ass will always sell).
Pretty much why I say nintendo was "WON" the others can only dig them selfs out of the hole they put them selfs in while nins resting on the mountain they made,if sony adds a 399 system to their line up I cna see sony outselling nin in a few years if they can keep their libary going but for now nins got all the balls.

214.10.2007 20:27

Now don't take this as a fan boy comment but I think Sony did the smart thing with putting in all the bells and whistles in this generation of systems. If you think about it logically, when the next round of systems comes out, M$ and Nintendo will each need to put a next gen player in their systems if the current trend of game size etc continues and they are going to have to go through the learning curve that Sony is going through right now. They are taking a huge hit in the pocketbook for it and losing some exclusive games (but that may partly be due to games costing so much now days) but it may have been something that will save them a lot of money down the road. Nintendo likes to have underpowered consoles since they don't have other means to make money like M$ and Sony do, so that should continue in the next generation. I'm not positive but I'm not even sure M$ has even made money on the original xbox (or not very much) and they will still have trouble in this generation and then having to catch up with next gen players in the next generation consoles means a hit to the pocketbook that even Bill Gates will notice.

224.10.2007 20:38

Originally posted by wetsparks:
Now don't take this as a fan boy comment but I think Sony did the smart thing with putting in all the bells and whistles in this generation of systems. If you think about it logically, when the next round of systems comes out, M$ and Nintendo will each need to put a next gen player in their systems if the current trend of game size etc continues and they are going to have to go through the learning curve that Sony is going through right now. They are taking a huge hit in the pocketbook for it and losing some exclusive games (but that may partly be due to games costing so much now days) but it may have been something that will save them a lot of money down the road. Nintendo likes to have underpowered consoles since they don't have other means to make money like M$ and Sony do, so that should continue in the next generation. I'm not positive but I'm not even sure M$ has even made money on the original xbox (or not very much) and they will still have trouble in this generation and then having to catch up with next gen players in the next generation consoles means a hit to the pocketbook that even Bill Gates will notice.
I'll agree with you(MS still has a 5B debt on the Xbox itself), however Sony WILL not get anywhere with a console above 500$, they need to to offer a fully upgradeable core version at 400 or under.

MS only real mistake was not testing their hardware enough it still has issues even today.... their other mistake I can think off was dissmissing the need for a bigger HDD when they came out a month or 2 later with 6GB HDef movies on LIVE....really tis time MS flipped the switch and let people install any HDD they want in it....

234.10.2007 20:48

Sony is rumored to be coming out with a $400 dollar version for the xmas rush (according to several sources, including an article here that I believe you Zippy posted in). I would really like to find out what comes with this console other than the smaller hard drive (mainly, will it have built in wi-fi). I never understood how come M$ didn't put a larger hard drive into the 360 seeing as you can download stuff from Live without the gold version. I didn't know that you couldn't put your own bigger hard drive in it, but the fact that you can't is pretty screwed up.

edit: seeing how I have posted several times in this thread I might as well say something about the article. In Best Buy here I have NEVER seen a Nintendo Wii. I have two Walmarts here, rarely go to one but in the couple times I have gone to that one there hasn't been a Wii and in the dozens of times I've been to the other I think I have seen Wii's maybe 5 times. So it looks like you got to be a 6 a.m. shopper around here if you are going to want to pick one up this holiday season.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 04 Oct 2007 @ 8:52

244.10.2007 21:06

wetsparks


look online and even used units are going at normal retail more often than not the WII is the hot item.

MS did what MS dose underestimates on stuff and the consumer suffers for it (build qaulity,HDD,OS compatibility,ect,ect)

MS took the no media start so they did not need the extra space since 20GB is enough for a non media console however they jumped on the media bandwagon and started drinking the in house koolaid (the kind sony PR guys drank) so you get a rather fcked up system and the official HDD stuff is BS it took them how long to admit to the 30% fail rate they wont own up to the HDD issue anytime soon but they will sale you a 150$ 120GB HDD....prehaps its because they made deals with the media mafia who knows all I know is they are losing their media system status by the day and when most games are optimized to run well on the PS3 the 360 will be yesterdays news.....

MS has alot of work to do to get the 360 up to snuff better build qaulity, better HD caching, better multi disc system they should own up to hdvd gaming and offer HDVD kits to devs that want it.... I'd opt to pay 10/15 more for the HDVD version of a game.

I mean I sit and look at the Xbox and 360 and the 360 is filled with so much winging it tis scary, sure the Xbox had issues but they were cleaned up rather fast...could it be sicne MS has more system out more issues will be known?

In any case MS needs polish and so dose sony but cone polished sony will be the better but that dose not mean MS should ignore improving them selfs...

254.10.2007 21:18

Quote:
Since its launch, the Wii has led every weekly sales chart and recently surpassed the Xbox 360 as the best selling next-gen console.
This is my fav line in the whole article as i love the Wii and i wish it continued success.

264.10.2007 22:58
dantheaf
Inactive

"Sony is rumored to be coming out with a $400 dollar version for the xmas rush".

Yes, Sony is coming out with a much cheaper PlayStation 3. It will be out in the next few weeks in Australia at AU $699 instead of the current $999. The deal is, it will be a be 40GB hard drive, it will only have 2 USB ports instead of 4 and it will drop compatibility with older games (PS2, PS1). As for the price in the U.S, I am not sure.

275.10.2007 08:00

Originally posted by dantheaf:
"Sony is rumored to be coming out with a $400 dollar version for the xmas rush".

Yes, Sony is coming out with a much cheaper PlayStation 3. It will be out in the next few weeks in Australia at AU $699 instead of the current $999. The deal is, it will be a be 40GB hard drive, it will only have 2 USB ports instead of 4 and it will drop compatibility with older games (PS2, PS1). As for the price in the U.S, I am not sure.
Ummmmmm the PS3 60/80 has already droped comapbilty with the PS2 PSX games its called emulation and they are working to get it to 80% like MS is on the Xbox/360 thing.

285.10.2007 17:58

If the only difference will be two less usb ports, the new ps3 would be a steal.

295.10.2007 18:27

Originally posted by wetsparks:
If the only difference will be two less usb ports, the new ps3 would be a steal.
Ya even without the card reader it still would be good.


Now if it had 2 less USB, no wi fi,no card reader and a smaller HDD I would have to wodner what sony is smoking, but I hope they learn they cant do to much to it.

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