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.'

Comments

artificially choking supply?

[ravyne]

If they're artificially choking supply at ~6million units sold worldwide already, I'd hate to hear those numbers if they weren't.

Pure speculation but possible

[L. VeGas]

It's very, very common for businesses to proceed slowly after sales / profit goals have been met in a fiscal year. Short term planning proceeds on a year-to-year basis. Te vastly ramp up production without fully analyzing consequences is a good way to shoot yourself in the foot, even if every console produced was sold.

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

Oh of course

[Anonymous Coward]

I know when I want to drive demand from my customers, I always intentionally ship less and less product. Just seeing their little faces tighten up with anger as the realization they have ONCE AGAIN failed to buy my product warms my heart.

I think before too long I'll just stop shipping product all together, why the sheer panic as people riot in the streets for my items is sure to make me millions and millions of dollars

*point at lip with pinky*

Re:That is a double edged sword

[Skreems]

The 360 has been out for nearly two years. They've sold somewhere under 11 million units. The Wii has been out for all of 4-5 months and they've sold over 5 million. And they still can't keep them on the shelves. Since they make a profit on their hardware, unlike MS and Sony, this is basically like printing money to them. I think demand has just exceeded everyone's expectations.

Re:Online Multiplayer

[Skreems]

I'd second the sentiment that online play pisses me off. If it's done well, as an added mode on top of a great game, then fine. But a lot of developers these days are using it as an excuse to deliver extremely half-assed single player content. I don't know how many times I've heard, "The story mode for Gears of War is kinda short and not that interesting, but the multiplayer is a lot of fun." Somehow, playing against a trash-talking pre-teen with nothing better to do than practice 8 hours a day just doesn't interest me in the same way as a well written story mode.