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GameStop Theorizes Wii Shortage Deliberate
In GameStop's quarterly public conference call, company COO Dan DeMatteo called out Nintendo on what he sees as intentional supply shortages. Along with the news that the company hit $5.3 Billion in 2006, Next Gen reports that the call contained several remarks on the next gen systems. The Wii, Dematteo thinks, has been short supplied because 'they made their numbers for the year ... [Nintendo's] new year starts April 1st, and I think we're going to see supply flowing.' They also commented on the Euro launch of the PS3, with CEO R. Richard Fontaine saying, 'I think the summary of that was that it was a very good launch falling somewhat short of what [GameStop's Euro managing directors] would call a great launch.'
But I'm not sure this makes a lot of sense. "Making goal" for the quarter isn't exactly the most important issue in the world, in comparison to the livelyhood of an entire console generation. I'm not saying that they didn't intentionally short the supply, but I doubt that it was for this reason alone, it's just too risky. I doubt it was to make the launch look incredible either, because they still did incredibly well, and would have sold out even if they had put twice the number of units into circulation.
Probably a more practical reason is to short the supply of units during the innitial games draught, a game release slump which is simply unavoidable for any console. If 5 million people get their Wii off the bat, and then have to wait 6 months for good games to start coming out, you're going to have a lot of angry people. Currently, most people are still focused on getting the damn system itself, and don't have time to bitch about the lack of games. Now that some big titles, such as Super Paper Mario, and possibly MP3 are on the horizon, they can satisfy more customers, with less public backlash.
Multiplayer Gaming (defined): Sitting around, discussing single-player games with my friends, at the bar.
Yes it is, and for good reason. Online multiplayer is the last psychographic Nintendo wants to hit, there are many consiquences for doing so. Blinding going into the online multiplayer market before establishing a good, solid, lineup of single-player and offline multiplayer games could have dier consiquences. It's quite possibly the single biggest reason why the DS and the Wii are doing so well, by heavily concentrating on offline gaming. Many many people are annoyed, intimidated with, and turned off by online multiplayer gaming. Currently, they're getting their fix (and thus fairly silent), but with the current trend toward strongarming developers into putting their games online, that could change very quickly.
The other consoles are taking over the huge gaping hole left behind by PC gaming, Nintendo has an opportunity to remain the bastion of traditional console gaming, and the followers that that genre has produced. I think its very wise of them to stay as far away from online games as long as they possibly can, in order to build up a pretty substantial library of single-player and offline multiplayer games.
Personally, my favorite version of multiplayer is sitting around, discussing games with my buds over a beer at the bar.
Multiplayer Gaming (defined): Sitting around, discussing single-player games with my friends, at the bar.
Gamestop is talking out of their ass. Nintendo still can't keep with with the DS Lite in Japan, and the Lite revision has been out for over a year, and thats the last place they want to have shortages.
Is it at all possible that Nintendo didn't expect the system to do so well in the US? DS-Lite is still the #1 seller in Japan while here its sales are more down to earth. By looking at that performance and equating DS = Wii, I'd call it reasonable to assume that they didn't expect demand to be so high.
More Twoson than Cupertino
For quite some time now I've thought the shortage was deliberate to help them liquidate their stock of GameCube titles. I was never interested in the GC but there's such a shortage of good Wii games (that I have not already played through) I am forced to look in other directions. The online retro titles don't interest me so I'm forced to choose between lego star wars and mario sunshine.
As for april 1, I don't think we'll see anything new unless Nintendo issues with their shares has ended. Miyamoto couldn't announce anything new at the GDC because of it, so why would the company be able to make any april 1 announcements? If the issue is resolved then it's news to me.
Then again, after a month of trying to get one, I gave up the Wii and bought a PS3 instead.
If Nintendo was really intentionally choking the supply, it would make them the biggest idiots of all time. There is a short window after launch where you are everybody's baby - if you don't make it then, then your platform will fail. Cutting off supply during this period would be beyond idiocy.
It is possible that Nintendo underestimated demand when they were reserving factory time for the Wii to be built. Then again, it is possible they just can't get enough units to market as quickly as they would like due to some factor beyond their control (this is most likely).
Avoid Missing Ball for High Score
I have a 50" HD Plasma, but I've definitely got zero interest in the PS3's Blu Ray. I get my HD TV via my satellite, and later this year those of us in the UK will be able to get additional HD TV via our 360's.
However, I don't have much interest in an HD-DVD drive for the 360 either. My perspective is, if I want an HD player (whichever one wins - Blu Ray or HD DVD) I'd rather get a good one, given how much I've invested already in my home media kit.
While I'm sure the PS3 is a competent console and plays games really well (even though the 'dashboard' and online software is a bit iffy sounding), I don't trust Sony's ability to write a really decent Blu Ray movie player, and I doubt the console is as quiet as a dedicated player (just like the 360 is noisy even when playing back DVD's). I'd be surprised if it didn't have compatibility problems evident in a year or two, just like we saw with most early DVD players.
I might well get a PS3 - despite owning a Mac, PC, DC, X-Box, GC, Wii and 360 I didn't get a PS2 though - it will need to have compelling unique titles to convince me (even if it's just two or three). If it had been the price of an X-Box I would have gone for it I think, but at 425 GBP for base package alone (compared to the 360's 260 GBP for Core - that's a fair step up, not that I'd get 'core'...) it was enough to make me not bother, given how similar it is to the 360.
I wonder how many other HD set owners (especially those of us in Europe who got sick of waiting for the PS3) have already got a 360 for the 'HD game fix', and are similarly not enticed by the PS3's inclusion of a Blu Ray drive. I'm still waiting for some PS3 'killer apps' (hopefully there will be some...).
Generally people who are bad at games feel this way. Some people are just naturally better. My brother and I could probably hop in to any random FPS and within an hour be better than a majority of the players. It is a wrong assumption to think all these people are teens with a lot of time. I think it is more likely that you have poor reflexes.
Though you do bring up a good point. Many, many people are terrible at games and find online play frustrating. Having cooperative vs. dumb AI is a lot more fun for them and there is probably a large market for this. PvP play is more for people who want to test their abilities against other intelligent people. They appreciate it because it is the ultimate form of competition. Sure, some people get egos over it and some are immature teens. But really, if you are actually up for a challenge that is the best place to get it.
Support a great indie game: http://www.abaddon360.com