Nintendo: Okay, There's A Shortage, But It's Not Us. Really.
With Wii Fit set to roll out next week and sell a bazillion units, the populace is once again Wii wanton. As scavenging shoppers have routinely returned home sans system, the internet has been astir with gossip claiming that Nintendo is purposefully manufacturing systems at a reduced rate to maintain elusiveness and desirability. Responding to the assertions, Dervin Camden of Nintendo of America had the following to state:
"The fact is that we have put far more product on store shelves worldwide than our competitors. The difference is that in a very short time we have far outpaced their total sales. The Wii console has effectively expanded the video game market by re-defining what it means to be a gamer. Millions of people who never before picked up a controller or who had sworn off gaming years ago are trying the Wii and becoming fans. There is no benefit to Nintendo in not having enough product on the shelves to allow everyone who wants one to be able to buy one, which begs the question, 'Why don't you just make more?' Please understand that the Wii console is a complex electronic device featuring one-of-a-kind components from different suppliers around the world. Many things factor into our being able to effectively increase assembly and shipment of a product without compromising quality control. We are doing all we can to get as much product as possible into stores."
Buy it or not, and I have a feeling that console owners will accept it while console seekers will not, but this concept does seem fittingly logical.
What is your take on this fiasco? For that matter, is it even a fiasco?
Nintendo - No, really...we aren't creating an artificial Wii shortage [GoNintendo]
Noun
Posted to Video Games on 14 May 2008
· Comments (7)
Other stuff like this: it ain't me babe, nintendo wii, shortage, the drama continues
I really don't think it's Nintendo's fault they can't keep up. Who would have predicted like *everyone* would want one (like seriously...nursing homes...the army's physiotherapy division...o_O) I think they're trying their best, unfortunately they just can't keep up X_X
Yeah, the bottom line is that Nintendo has shipped more systems in 16 months than Microsoft has in 28 months, let alone what Sony's done. The apparent shortage comes from the fact that Nintendo has been able to sell basically everything they produce. These are not opinions; they're observations of the actual numbers and timeframes.
It could still be that they're playing a supply game, but because Nintendo is infamously greedy, I really do think they're producing all they can. If they were auctioning off Wiis rather than a thousand ebay profiteers, I'd be more suspicious.
Maybe the bottleneck is that accelerometer on a chip; something with moving parts that small may not have the best yields. If they hadn't managed to produce enough to take the market lead, I would say that was a liability for them.
Then again, I see Wiimotes and Wii Play on the shelves a lot more often than I see Wiis.
I don't get it. Hardly do I ever find a Target store or Best Buy without a Wii in stock. Granted, I got mine at launch. But I find it hard to believe that people are having such a difficult time finding the system. I see them all over the place. Maybe it's just Los Angeles?
Odd that the processors and motherboards have ridiculously high yields compared to 360 and PS3, also less components and a much higher MTBF.
I do feel, and have felt for a while they are creating an artificial shortage, wouldn't surprise me at all if it were true. the anecdotal evidence just seems to support it.
Well, I'd rather see 5 million regularly used machines than 15 million dust gatherers, oh wait a new release, okay give it 2 weeks then gathering dust again.
Good thing I'm not a businessman.
Considering the amount that get sold on a monthly basis, this is not an artificial shortage... on Nintendo's part.
Retailers love to hold back stock a few weeks in advance of large releases, and since in the past few months we've seen Smash Bros., Mario Kart, and WiiFit (soon), my guess is that any artificial shortage is from their doing. With March NPDs claiming over 720,000 Wiis sold, it's hard to say that Nintendo are purposing holding back when they are making more consoles then they ever have in such a short period of time.
My vote is non-fiasco.
Here in upstate New York, I have seen Wiis on the shelves at Target once and Wal-Mart never, for about half a dozen Targets and 8 or 9 Wal-Marts.
And if Wiis are plentiful in Los Angeles, I wonder why ebay resellers aren't snapping them up when a new Wii will still get you over 300 bucks; I think you're seeing empty display boxes and misconstruing them as in-stock consoles.
If you're still looking for your Wii the secret is to get to Target or any big box store early on a Sunday. If you get there before the doors open you've got a good shot at taking home a Wii.
I've only encountered 2 in the wild and both were at off-peak hours in obscure locations. The thought of Ebaying them was tempting, but I felt I'd be too much of an ass and would just leave them for someone else to discover with joy.