Wii Shortages Could Last For Months

Next Generation is reporting that, apparently, the Wii shortages could continue for some time yet. This is news from Nintendo's Perrin Kaplan, Nintendo's VP of marketing and corporate affairs, speaking to the Game Theory Podcast. Says Kaplan, "There is a lot going on behind the scenes in terms of working on what we are producing and the numbers continue to rise but the product is so very popular that we may see a supply / demand situation last for some time. We are at absolute maximum production and doing everything we can. The number of units that we have been able to produce has far exceeded our hardware production in the past and the production levels of a lot of our competitors but demand continues to be really high."

Comments

Not a big deal...

[__aaclcg7560]

... it's only going to be a bit Wii late. :P

Re:Not a big deal...

[JordanL]

A statement from the VP of marketting on hardware production and logistics?

Call me crazy, but seems like Nintendo is manufacturing hype at this point.

Re:Not a big deal...

[Anonymous Coward]

... it's only going to be a bit Wii late. :P Wow you completely fucked that one up. Should be 'Wii bit'. What's a 'bit Wii'? It turns your TV either all black or all white depending on how you move the mote?

Re:Not a big deal...

[CogDissident]

You do realize, its the VP of marketing's JOB to tell us crap, the VP of hardware production and logistics should be out there making us more Wii-s.

Re:Not a big deal...

[coren2000]

Well they have to manufacture something! It's obviously not gaming consoles.

Re:Not a big deal...

[Floritard]

It's easy to jump to that conclusion but is there really any precedent from Nintendo specifically for something like that? IIRC, the only sort of consumer-physological maneuvering from Nintendo in the past would be the vaporware SNES-CDrom addon that was announced supposedly just to screw with Sega. I've heard that actually became Sony's PS1 and the big N didn't release it b/c Sony wanted more action than they were prepared to give them. I could be getting this wrong. Other than that the only evil corporation type nonsense from Nintendo with which I've had a problem would be their attitude towards emulation (outright calling it illegal), a relatively benign thing in itself. Sony with its rumored strong-arming of vendors concerning their support for the Dreamcast around the launch of the PS2, amoung other things more recently, and MS's countless trespasses over the years are another story.

I'm not a Nintendo fanboy (Wii is my first system from them in like a decade), but they seem relatively honest to me, even to the point of hurting themselves competition-wise. I can remember the president of Nintendo actually kind of whining at one point about people's lack of interest in the gamecube in favor of the more "realistic" games of the xbox/ps2. That was an honest statement embarrassingly devoid of spin. At the end of the day, I would think they would simply want to sell as many systems as they can. Don't believe the Gamestop FUD. Besides, if I hadn't just happened upon a Wii a few weeks ago on a random visit to Blockbuster of all places, I might never have gotten one. My interest was, as I think many people's has been, waning rather than building, what with the difficulty of procuring one of the damn things. I just don't think the shortage is really helping sales, especially if it is going to last for months more into the future. I don't think it's intentional.

Re:Not a big deal...

[JD-1027]

You are crazy!

Re:Not a big deal...

[Applekid]

N certainly earned its share of negative karma. You're dead on about the SNES CD with Sony, but they also broke the cardinal rule of Japanese business and partnered with Phillips (a non-Japanese company) as a 2nd try to not be caught with their pants down on the transition to CD games.

Also in the day, Nintendo didn't let 3rd party companies release too many games per year to avoid them from overshadowing 1st party title release volume so you find things like Konami releasing games until the Ultra label and other oddities.

Then you have stock-fixing at stores where they'd be denied the newest most-in-demand SNES games unless they also stocked a bunch of tepid Game Boy items that simply weren't selling.

Right now there are no saint video game company players. But, I think Nintendo took it on the chin enough with the sales of N64 and Gamecube that they know they gotta be on their best behavior.

Re:Not a big deal...

[AKAImBatman]

the only sort of consumer-physological maneuvering from Nintendo in the past would be the vaporware SNES-CDrom addon that was announced supposedly just to screw with Sega.

Say what?

I could be getting this wrong.

Yeah, that sums it up.

Nintendo was committed to a CDRom attachment for the Super NES. The product (known as the "Play Station") almost made it to market. Right up until the CEO of Nintendo read the contract and realized that they had basically sold the farm to Sony. He nixed the deal at the 11th hour. Nintendo then started working with Phillips to create a joint CDRom design.

Nintendo eventually realized that Phillips didn't know their heads from their rears and pulled out. But not before Phillips decided that they had the best thing since sliced bread. Phillips managed to get a license to produce a few Mario and Zelda titles out of the deal, and thus the worst Mario and Zelda games ever imagined were made for the (you guessed it!) Phillips CD-i. Nintendo ended up skipping the CDRom format altogether, and stuck with cartridges until the DVD was available. (GameCube discs are Mini-DVDs recorded at Constant Angular Velocity.)

Re:Not a big deal...

[Anonymous Coward]

This day and age, you need marketing people in those areas. Consumers and users are demanding to know things these days that was generally unknown outside the company in the past. Demands are made to know development information on games, details as to algorithms used in MMORPGs. And something like hardware production, people demand to know why there are shortages, why can't I buy it. That's exactly what your marketing department is for.

So I don't find it odd that you have marketing directors for departments like Hardware production. Consumers have made it a requirement with demand and demand for information they probably don't necessarily HAVE to know.

Re:Not a big deal...

[Leviance]

Nintendo was arguably right though.. Sony wanted to get all of the licensing fees for games produced for SNES-CD

Re:Not a big deal...

[Rolgar]

One aspect of marketing is figuring out how many of your product to make. Production is a part of marketing, since it is the marketing department who basically determines how many units you need. I mean, you wouldn't let production make 100 million of an item if marketing only saw demand for 20 million, right? Companies shouldn't really have CEOs picking a number out of air about how many he'd like to sell and producing that amount, the marketing department is supposed to figure out what demand is so the company can make the right amount, and then try to generate new business when the company has excess capacity. Likewise, if marketing thinks their is demand for 20 million, but you can only produce 5 or 10 million, they kind of need to communicate that to the customer, or you'll have 10 million fans screaming, "OMG, what is wrong with Nintendo!?? When will I be able to buy a Wii!?" more than we currently do.

Re:Not a big deal...

[BobPaul]

The SNES has a slot on the bottom for peripheral expansion, just like the Sega with their CD-Rom adapter. Nintendo had a deal with Sony inked, but then decided they weren't happy with the terms--which gave Sony rights over the CD based games. Nintendo had historically been heavy handed in dealing with third parties and licensing terms. Nintendo then announced talks with Philips, shortly after Sony showed a concept, or maybe even a demo, at the '89 CES. In the end, Philips made the CD-I and Sony made the PlayStation. By the time they worked things out, Sony broke off the deal realizing the SNES was getting too old. The wikipedia artical on "PlayStation" has the longer version.

Re:Not a big deal...

[turbidostato]

"Likewise, if marketing thinks their is demand for 20 million, but you can only produce 5 or 10 million, they kind of need to communicate that to the customer"

Or else you can have a marketroid that knows how to multiply (gasp!) and knows that at (more or less) constant market capacity, the more expensive you sell, the more benefits you have and he has discovered that early sells manage to be made at higher prices so they have decided to artificially extend the "early adopters" time frame by means of an artificial offer shortage.

"or you'll have 10 million fans screaming, "OMG, what is wrong with Nintendo!?? When will I be able to buy a Wii!?""

Exactly the kind of fans that will pay *more* for the product than its percived "neutral" market value in order to be the firsts to have the thing.

Just imagine you have studied your market so you know that you will sell 100 units of a given item. 10 of the buyers are rabid enthusiasts 80 "usual & casual" buyers and you will manage to extract 10 sells more by flooding the market with marketing campaigns. Now, you can put 100 units on the market at a time so you can sell 90 of them quite soon and the other ten once the product is well stablished (those ten are the ones that will say to themselves "after all, I do want to own one of those devices everybody is talking about"). All in all you'll get 100*X gross income (being X the price per unit).

Or you can put only 5 units in the market only after an strategic marketing campaign so your 10 enthusiasts will be waiting at wal-mart doors by day one in order to buy the device at 2*X and feeling there's a product shortage and you will only risk your 5-unit production (after all you market study could be wrong). Then you sell another 7 units at a bit slower pace at 2*X and as an added effect you will gain mindshare (what's happening with that thingie?) which can make your market going from 100 to 110 of "late adopters". Once you have squeezed your "fans cow" you sell at X 90 units more. Gross income? 12*2X+100*X=124*X or a 24% more. Of course the numbers are totally made up but the reasoning is quite strong. So the marketing guys managed to augment their benefits reducing their risk and they even didn't lied since there *were* a shortage (only it was an expected one).

Re:Not a big deal...

[Moridin42]

Not that the console market works like that. Console prices don't fall at retail until well after production is sufficient to meet demand. While some Wiis do get sold at a considerable markup, Nintendo doesn't capture the benefits. eBay, Amazon's zShops, and what have you benefit. As do the individuals who sell through those sites.

Production capacity is expensive to maintain. If you have it and don't use it, you don't get a discount on the costs of the facilities. If, in your first scenario, they sell the 100 units and the market is saturated Nintendo should then immediately sell their facilities to get rid of the costs of owning (but not using) them. In your second scenario, you need a production capacity to make the 90 unit supply. But you don't use it for the first few shipping cycles. The phantom benefits you describe get obliterated by the excessive costs.

Re:Not a big deal...

[Floritard]

N certainly earned its share of negative karma. You're dead on about the SNES CD with Sony, but they also broke the cardinal rule of Japanese business and partnered with Phillips (a non-Japanese company) as a 2nd try to not be caught with their pants down on the transition to CD games.
This is more of a cultural thing. I couldn't care less about Japanese ethnocentricity. Doesn't affect my games negatively at the end of the day.

Also in the day, Nintendo didn't let 3rd party companies release too many games per year to avoid them from overshadowing 1st party title release volume so you find things like Konami releasing games until the Ultra label and other oddities.
From what I understand, Nintendo did this to prevent people from publishing garbage. The kind of stuff that poisoned the Atari library and crashed the industry which Nintendo was actually rebuilding. This is both a good business decision and good for the consumer if you ask me. I appreciate the filter for the most part. Too bad EA doesn't have someone telling them they can't just shovel redundant tripe onto the marketplace every year.

Then you have stock-fixing at stores where they'd be denied the newest most-in-demand SNES games unless they also stocked a bunch of tepid Game Boy items that simply weren't selling.
That's more of what I was asking about. That's pretty abusive.

Re:Not a big deal...

[iamhassi]

"Well they have to manufacture something! It's obviously not gaming consoles."

Yep, like quotes from their marketing department. They came out last November and you still can't buy one anywhere. That's 6 months for those of you doing the math. 6 month's they've been sold out. That's BS. My old roommate stood in line a few hours and picked one up. I figured "naw, i'll just get one in a month". Boy was I wrong!

Re:Not a big deal...

[TheGeneration]

In reference to CD-i veresion of Zelda: You Tube: Zelda: Faces of Death

wows.

Re:Not a big deal...

[renegadesx]

If they went through with the SNES CD and it flopped like the Mega CD, I reckon Sony would have never bothered with the Playstation and consoles may still be a Sega vs Nintendo affair

Re:Not a big deal...

[thatguywhoiam]

N certainly earned its share of negative karma. You're dead on about the SNES CD with Sony, but they also broke the cardinal rule of Japanese business and partnered with Phillips (a non-Japanese company) as a 2nd try to not be caught with their pants down on the transition to CD games.

I don't quite understand what you mean - Sony co-invented the CD format with Philips, did they not? Why didn't this hurt the Playstation then?

Re:Not a big deal...

[sixteenbitsamurai]

You do realize, its the VP of marketing's JOB to tell us crap, the VP of hardware production and logistics should be out there making us more Wii-s. Exactly. For those who don't know who Perrin Kaplan is, she is the dumb bitch who insists on spreading FUD about her own company, just to have Nintendo go and retract her statements a day later. This is up there with her saying the Gamecube is out of production and the Wii is about twice as fast as the GC.

She needs yet another nice warm cup of STFU.

Re:Not a big deal...

[DrScotsman]

... it's only going to be a bit Wii late. :P Wow you completely fucked that one up. Should be 'Wii bit'. What's a 'bit Wii'? It turns your TV either all black or all white depending on how you move the mote?

Indeed. I thought US sitcoms had used enough stereotypes of Scottish people for everyone to know how to use the adjective "wee" in a sentence (and I mean "everyone"; the same US sitcoms teach the English about the Scottish :p), but looking at the current 70% funny, I guess not.

Re:Not a big deal...

[turbidostato]

"Not that the console market works like that."

That's why you have a bazillion posts just here explaining how somebody were shopping at 6AM just to find somebody else were even earlier.

"Console prices don't fall at retail until well after production is sufficient to meet demand"

And that's exactly what I already told.

"In your second scenario, you need a production capacity to make the 90 unit supply. "

At a slower pace, that's what I said.

Re:Not a big deal...

[Roguey]

Wasn't it ATI (who designed the Wii's GPU) that claimed it was twice as powerful as the GameCube?

Re:Not a big deal...

[swissfondue]

I bought one in Switzerland two weeks ago in a large department store. This was just after the PS 3 media blitz and the whole game section was decked out with playstation 3s as demos. A few Wiis locked up behind a glass window. No one asking for them at that moment in time (except me of course). No one was buying PS3s either, just playing the demo machines.

It is very easy to get Wiis and Wiimotes here.

Re:Not a big deal...

[Anonymous Coward]

"I can remember the president of Nintendo actually kind of whining at one point about people's lack of interest in the gamecube in favor of the more "realistic" games of the xbox/ps2. That was an honest statement embarrassingly devoid of spin."

I can't remember that. URL?

Re:Not a big deal...

[KDR_11k]

Nope, Perrin Kaplan. She also claimed that the Wii will have no region lock. A day later Nintendo of Europe denied that (though I can't get rid of the feeling that the Wii was going to be region lock free until NoE objected).

Re:Not a big deal...

[KDR_11k]

A store that opened a week after the PS3 launch here (Braunschweig, Germany) still has a huge pile of Wiis (I'd estimate around 60 units or so) next to a somewhat smaller pile of PS3s. Other stores do seem to be out of Wiis though while PS3s are ubiquitous even in stores in small towns.

Re:Not a big deal...

[provigilman]

I HIGHLY doubt that the VP of hardware production and logistics taking time out to answer some questions is actually going to affect how many Wii-s get out the door.

Re:Not a big deal...

[CogDissident]

My point was not that it was going to affect it, but rather that it simply isn't the VP of hardware's job to talk to us about it.
Do you expect the guys down in engineering to make the press releases? or the marketing guys?

Re:Not a big deal...

[Moridin42]

That's why you have a bazillion posts just here explaining how somebody were shopping at 6AM just to find somebody else were even earlier.

What's your point? Thats an indicator of demand for Wiis, and is nothing probative about Nintendo's motivations, or indeed any other console maker's motivations. Consumers have a price they're willing to pay. Nintendo can't make people pay more than they're willing. Especially not by not having product to sell them. Some non-traditional gamer might be willing to enter the market because they've discovered the Wii is fun. But I can pretty well promise you that they'd be willing to enter the market at $250 if there wasn't a shortage of units, as well. According to you, all console makers should set the price high (although in actual practice thats rare) in order to extract extra revenue. But if that was the strategy to follow, you should see price cuts much sooner, more frequently, and of smaller magnitude. That way each console is closer to the ideal of selling every console to every customer at their reservation price. You don't see that, because your strategy isn't the one to follow. Which is why I said that isn't how the console market works. Because it isn't.

And that's exactly what I already told.

No. No it isn't exactly what you already "told." You stated that console makers should sell a small fraction of units at a high price and then cut prices down the road to capture the vast majority of the market. That isn't what happens. The price is set at launch and then many, many, many months down the road the price gets cut. After a significant portion of the market has already purchased the product.

Not surprisingly, high initial prices is a bad strategy because it scares off potential customers. Which is why Sony and Microsoft are selling the hardware at a loss. They would love to sell you nothing but software, stuff they actually make money on. However, if you don't have the hardware thats a pretty hard sell.

At a slower pace, that's what I said.

Actually, you said the second round of sales (the 7 units) is at a slower pace. You said nothing about the 90 units. However, the numbers you use indicate an unusually long useful life in the console, if the 90 units is at an even slower pace than the 7. Actually, even if the 90 sells at the same pace as the 7, thats still an unusually long console life.

Re:Not a big deal...

[provigilman]

So your point is that the most qualified person to speak on hardware shortages and production capacity should be kept locked away in his office, never to speak to the public? Personally, I would rather hear from someone who's actually qualified to speak on the subject, rather than just some PR staffer who got a memo briefing on the bullet points he needed to cover.

Re:Not a big deal...

[Applekid]

While the green-book standard was already done, IIRC, after the fallout with Sony for getting a CD SNES addon off the ground, Nintendo decided to go partner with a company it thought would have fewer demands of the final result leading to going to Phillips.

CD-i (console) was hurt versus instead of the Playstation I think for a few reasons: development, price and focus. The Playstation had an additional 3 years of development over the CD-i machine and the technology scaled accordingly. It was also an expensive bugger (wiki states $700, which would put it at double the PSX) and it was marketed as an "everything interactive" device and targeted adults considerably heavier than children. Plus the really horrible games that were made with Nintendo IP for that system (granted by contract even though there was no SNES CD marriage in the end) certainly didn't help matters any.

Wii want to play

[Anonymous Coward]

NOW!

Typo?

[danbert8]

Could???? I think the article meant "HAS". I just want a Wii, is that too much to ask for?

Re:Typo?

[coren2000]

is that too much to ask for?

Yes, yes it is.

Re:Typo?

[Anonymous Coward]

You are confused about the difference between the past and the future. "HAS" refers to the past. "Could", in this case, refers to the future. The article is not merely stating that there have been Wii shortages, but that you should expect that in the immediate future (next few months) you should expect that there will still be Wii shortages. Now do you see the difference?

I got mine today

[Turn-X Alphonse]

Mine arrived today and I can see why it's so popular, my only "problem" is it's difficult to see how "normal" games will work on a wii unless they use the gamecube pads.

Re:I got mine today

[yroJJory]

I didn't buy a Wii to play "normal" games. I can do that on my PS2 (assuming it feels like reading the disc). I got a Wii because the games are fun!

Re:I got mine today

[Phisbut]

Mine arrived today and I can see why it's so popular, my only "problem" is it's difficult to see how "normal" games will work on a wii unless they use the gamecube pads.

It's quite simple actually... the Wii is not made for "normal" games. If you want to play "normal" games, get a PS2 or a PC.

Re:I got mine today

[CogDissident]

Use the nunchuck as a movement joystick, and the remote has 2 easy access buttons (1,2) and the nunchuck has 2 (c,z), along with 4 menu buttons (up,left,right,down arrows) and two option buttons (plus,minus).
Not terribly many games use more than 4 quick access buttons, and 6 menu buttons. A few, yes, but not really that many.

Most games do use just one joystick, unless its a FPS game, which traditionally use two, and you can see why the Wii won't need two joysticks.

Re:I got mine today

[moranar]

You could always get this, you know.

Re:I got mine today

[DreadSpoon]

"Normal" in what sense? Keep in mind that the entire idea of a controller with a thumbpad on one side and buttons on the other didn't exist until Nintendo came along. I'm sure people then were also skeptical on how "normal" games would be played. ;)

The Wii-mote can be turned sideways, and in that respect can function a lot like a "normal" Nintendo controller. Super Paper Mario is one game I own that does this. Plus it also occasionally makes use of the pointing and motion abilities, too, in a very intuitive and easy to play by manner.

There's also the Wii Classic Controller, which is (as its name implies) a classically-shaped controller. While intended for the Virtual Console, I wouldn't be surprised if new games start requiring it, too. Plus, as you say, you can just use the Gamecube controllers.

While I'll admit that needing to buy a Wii-mote, and then also buy additional controller parts (classic controller and nun-chuk controller) is irritating, and rather expensive, in the end it's probably a smooth idea, as it increases the number of game styles the system can support. And it's not like consumers aren't already used to buying unique controllers, such as the Guitar Hero controller or DDR mats and the like.

Re:I got mine today

[Anonymous Coward]

Mine arrived today and I can see why it's so popular, my only "problem" is it's difficult to see how "normal" games will work on a wii unless they use the gamecube pads.

Try Zelda for a taster. Move with the nunchuck analogue stick, Z-target, fire with A and B, and use the pointer function for fine-control of aiming.

The most 'normal' game I've played so far is The Godfather, which handles pretty much like Zelda or GTA most of the time, but starts using the motion controls when you get stuck in to hand-to-hand combat. The sheer brutality of throwing people around the room with your own hands, pummelling their face, then giving them a killing chop to the neck... it elevates the game from 'decent GTA clone' to 'utterly awesome' :-)

Re:I got mine today

[Anonymous Coward]

They can and do, Dragon Ball Z for the Wii uses the GameCube controller, and so will Super Smash Bros Wii. The Virtual Console games also use the GameCube controller.

Re:I got mine today

[archen]

I'm not sure why you got modded as a troll since it's true. The entire idea behind the Wii is to change the way gaming works (for nintendo). Personally I'm waiting for the game company that gets so fustrated with trying to put a square peg in a round hole via porting a ps3/xbox to the Wii that they just insist that people buy a wavebird

Re:I got mine today

[644bd346996]

I don't think the thumbpad/button split was all that revolutionary. Arcade games and the like have had joysticks for one hand, and button clusters for the other hand. Putting it into a handheld form factor is not earth-shattering. The Wiimote, on the other hand, adds so many extra dimensions that it will take years for developers to refine their control schemes. People are not good at incorporating another dimension of movement or rotation into their thinking. We are jumping from a 2-stick, 2-throttle/trigger scheme to a 1 or two gyro scheme. Where the old controlers (Xbox, gamecube, etc.) had at most 6 analog degrees of freedom, the Wiimote alone has that many, and the nunchuk adds another 6 plus two in the analog stick. It will take a long time before games take full advantage of those gyros.

I think we will see quite a few FPS style games ported but with bad control schemes before developers get used to a different way of thinking. At the very least, the differences between the Wii and the 360/PS3 versions of games will keep getting larger, and fewer games will be ported across control schemes. The cross-platform franchises will probably split so that studios don't have to keep trying to make the Wii and 360/PS3 games comparable.

Re:I got mine today

[MaximvsG]

I just got my Wii yesterday (pre-ordered with gamestop) and I too know what you mean about the awkwardness of the new joystick. It was perfect on the free sports games that came with the system. It was very natural feeling - actually awesome feeling in some games like boxing, gold and tennis. However when I started playing Zelda, it felt really strange. I'm thinking in time it'll start to feel more normal. Either that or I'm going to get the adapter to use the old style controller. All in all, this was a GREAT purchase!!

Re:I got mine today

[superbus1929]

The flexibility of the system, to me, is a perk. The only thing I don't want is for developers to feel forced into adding gimmicks into their games just so they could say they "got the most" out of the Wii. Too many otherwise-good DS games were fucked up because developers forced us into using the touch pad for things we could easily use a classic control scheme for (the DS version of Star Fox burns me, especially), I'd hate to see that happen to Wii games.

Then again, I'm a little concerned that Nintendo is all of a sudden having shortages on what is ostensibly outdated, pri-gen hardware. You mean to tell me they got all those Wiis together for launch - coincidentally with a screwed up PS3 launch coinciding - and now all of a sudden, they just happened to run out of shit? Seems... almost like they've done this before...

(Hint: Zelda II was intentionally shorted in 1988 to increase and sustain consumer demand)

Re:I got mine today

[nbehary]

True. I haven't tried it in any games yet, but the Classic Controller is fully functional in the Wii "OS"....the Control stick controls the pointer same as using the Wiimote, and the A button serves the same function as the A button on the Wiimote. This is almost useless (except for quickly switching from one VC game to another without messing with the Wiimote), but it proves that gamemakers can easily make a game that could allow players to use the CC instead of the Wiimote.

Re:I got mine today

[shoemilk]

I haven't picked it up yet, but Fire Emblem on the Wii can be played using the classic controler or the Wii remote (at least according to the commercials and the back of the box...)

Re:I got mine today

[catprog]

don't you mean a,b for easy access buttons on the remote with 1,2 being option buttons?

Re:I got mine today

[RancidMilk]

360 BURN! Bluetooth FTW.

Re:I got mine today

[mink]

What adapter? Gamecube controllers can plug right in.

Re:I got mine today

[KDR_11k]

You're talking about an adapter, look a bit closer at the system, it has a set of Gamecube controller ports on the side and the classic controller (that SNES analog looking thing) plugs directly in the expansion port of the Wiimote, same place the Nunchuk goes.

Local Gamestore

[Shadow Wrought]

I asked about the Wii and PS3 at my local gamestore not too terirbly long ago. The Wii's waiting list had been hovering around 100 people ever since it came out. The PS3 had 18 units in back waiting to be sold. Maybe fun really is more important than pretty?

Re:Local Gamestore

[bigstrat2003]

You seem to indicate that the PS3 isn't fun, somehow. I bought a PS3 to replace my dying PS2, and I've found it to be just fine on the "fun" factor. Is it too expensive? Yeah, it is. That doesn't stop it from being fun, though... if you call the PS3 not fun, you're basically calling the PS2, the Xbox, and the Xbox 360 "not fun", because they have roughly the same sorts of games available. What's dragging the PS3 down is not its lack of fun, but its price.

Re:Local Gamestore

[CogDissident]

I bought a Wii, a half dozen games, a gamecube controller, gamecube memory card, another half dozen gamecube games, and an extra wii-mote, and only just barely hit the cost of a ps3. That was the biggest selling point to me.

Re:Local Gamestore

[nine-times]

if you call the PS3 not fun, you're basically calling the PS2, the Xbox, and the Xbox 360 "not fun", because they have roughly the same sorts of games available.

I think that's the point: PS3s are prettier than the XBox or PS2, but they aren't any more fun. So far, it seems like they're offering the same sorts of games with better graphics. For a lot of people, the Wii is more fun than these other systems because of its novel control scheme. Yeah, yeah, it's a bit gimmicky, but it makes certain sorts of games easier and more fun. It makes people get up, move around, and make silly movements.

And so the question in some people's minds has been, "what's going to have a greater demand: pretty graphics or fun gameplay?" It's not that the Wii can't have pretty graphics or that the PS3 can't have fun gameplay, but which one sells more depends on which feature people are more interested in.

Re:Local Gamestore

[jawtheshark]

If my PS2 were dying, I'd probably buy a new PS2 instead of a PS3.

Re:Local Gamestore

[bealzabobs_youruncle]

Buy an Xbox 360 and have both?

Re:Local Gamestore

[Anonymous Coward]

Maybe fun really is more important than pretty?

Or maybe price is a big factor.

I'm still waiting to buy a Wii too, but I wouldn't discount the cost issue for most people. Wii looks fun, and it's much cheaper than the other two choices. Double plus good.

Re:Local Gamestore

[Shadow Wrought]

I've only played demos on the PS3 and it certainly was fun- just not $600 worth. And certainly not more fun than my Wii for over twice the cost. Sony, and Microsoft too, both invested heavily on making their next generation systems as powerful as possible. Nintendo focused on making its system as readily fun as possible, with less emphasis on horsepower, and more emphasis on intuitive playability. So as far as the value of fun goes, the Wii is more fun, for less price. And that's why its demand is greater than that of the PS3's.

To follow this a bit further, lets talk about gaming. We have an Xbox and a Wii. I play Halo and other FPS games with my stepsons and they just flat out pwn me. A good game for me is one in which I can get 5 kills on them before they get 25 on me. (FWIW I'm even worse with PC controls.) When we played multiplayer MoH on the Wii, however, I was within only a couple of kills of them. 10-9, 15-13, that kind of thing. The controls really are that much easier to use, and that much more intuitive.

I have every intention of buying a 360 one of these months, but won't until after next Christmas since I think there'll (a) likely be a bundle with Halo 3 and (b) a price cut too boot. The chances of me buying a PS3 are pretty miniscule unless corporations pay enough money for the cycles that it will pay itself off in a reasonably short amount of time. Not that that's likely, mind you, just that that's about the only thing that I can see that would get me to spend the money.

Re:Local Gamestore

[Zeros]

Well the big thing is the fun/price factor, i'm sure going to space would be as it gets but its too expensive. If both the ps3 and the wii where 250$ then everyone would be getting both since they both have good games(or will have), i still find it amazing how many units the wii is selling.

Re:Local Gamestore

[blahplusplus]

"Maybe fun really is more important than pretty?"

It is, although pretty adds to the fun. Was it huxley who coined the term (to paraphrase him not exactly) "emotioneering"? The truth is that what games really are: Emotional and intellectual stimulation engines.

But there is no longevity in something that is pretty that has no depth. Almost all games today fall under "lacking depth" with a few exceptions because of the unfortunate skyrocketing of developing costs and development time associated with those costs.

While everyone is playing through and done with the new Halo 3, I'll still be enjoying the games like Civ 4, Alpha centauri, etc. Good games never stop being fun, thats how you know a great game from the rest of the one-shot wonders.

I can go back to warcraft 3 to this day and still enjoy how well the cheezy in-game cinematics compare to other games who use pre-renders (like RPG's) and the fact that a game like warcraft 3 compares well storytelling wise against a game like final fantasy says a lot about the game itself.

War 3 hasn't aged well in terms of graphics but I certainly have fond memories of the characters (unique art design) and the story.

Re:Local Gamestore

[Type-E]

No, it's spending $250 is easier than spending $600

Re:Local Gamestore

[fm6]

Maybe fun really is more important than pretty? I think you're missing the point. Both platforms are designed for "fun". They just differ on how you go about providing it. Sony just assumed that more fun meant better graphics, just as it always has. Nintendo decided that they'd already gone far enough in that direction, and decided to get clever with the interaction side of things.

Also, remember that the Wii's target audience isn't exactly the same as the PS3's. The Wii was designed to attract people who have no interest in traditional twitch-factor video games. (At which it seems to have exceeded even its designers' best hopes!) Even if the Wii had not been invented, those extra PS3s would probably still be gathering dust.

Re:Local Gamestore

[MeanderingMind]

I actually did that about a month ago. My PS2 completely crapped out. For a moment I considered getting a PS3, but then I realized all I wanted to do was play Azure Dreams. $600 vs ~$100 was a no brainer.

Re:Local Gamestore

[Firehed]

$250 + (6*$50) + $20 + $15 + (6*$30) + $40 = $805, plus tax. Give or take on anything. While I can't possibly deny that you got a MUCH better value for your money, $200 over isn't "just barely hit[ting]" the cost of a PS3. Even if you add in the cost of an extra game and controller for the PS3, you've still spent about a hundred bucks more; you just have a LOT more to show for it.

Re:Local Gamestore

[Matey-O]

What makes you think he bought new? 3 of my 4 gamecube games (bought post Wii) were used.

Re:Local Gamestore

[KDR_11k]

Just for reference, what does a 360 (Premium) currently cost in the US? Here in Germany the price of the premium has been dropped to 300€ (same as the core price, the core is discontinued I think) and I've even seen that come with a game (GRAW2) already.

Re:Local Gamestore

[KDR_11k]

It is, although pretty adds to the fun. Was it huxley who coined the term (to paraphrase him not exactly) "emotioneering"? The truth is that what games really are: Emotional and intellectual stimulation engines.

Emotions aren't limited to prettyness, though. I think the feeling of physical involvement with e.g. Wii Sports also makes it more fun, mostly because physical activity releases adrenaline. Nonphysical games can produce adrenaline too but that takes the thrill and threat of a challenging game which seems to be an outdated design, replaced with games you can beat on your first try no matter how brain damaged you are. It's been a while since I had a normal game really raise my heart rate, back on the SNES and Gameboy they did that regularly. Many a game these days allows the player to shrug off such huge amounts of errors you'll never commit enough of them between health refills to actually lose. The newest Zelda doesn't even seem to try anymore once you're through the first 2-3 dungeons.

Re:Local Gamestore

[Shadow Wrought]

The 360 costs $399 for a system with a HD and wireless controller, and $299 for a system without HD and plug in controller AFAIK.

Do They Really Exist?

[Mr. No Skills]

I've seen them on TV and on the Internet. I've seen empty boxes with price tags on them in stores. I've seen demo systems behind glass running a demo.

I'VE NEVER SEEN THE WII

Does anyone actually own one and play it in their home? These things have supposedly been out since Christmas, I live in a major metropolitan area, I know lots of people, and I don't know anyone that has one or heard anyone talking about playing one. Did they only make a few dozen that were snapped up by Best Buy employees?

I don't believe the demand is there anymore - I only here people buying XBOX 360 because that't the only thing to buy.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[coren2000]

I know a guy who knows a guy who says that his sisters boyfriends roommate has seen one at a party.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[k_187]

yes, they exist. I have one. It is all sorts of teh awesome. If the demand wasn't there there would be more on the shelves.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[hal2814]

"I'VE NEVER SEEN THE WII"

Then you need to lose some weight, dude. You should just be able to look down and there it is.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Quila]

Yep, and I'm loving mine. I got mine on the first day, but I finally found a second controller/nunchuk in a store last week. Those are apparently in high demand too.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Criffer]

Here.

That is all.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Rurik]

The Wii's are out there. I bought one last month with only a week of searching. Use www.itrackr.com, set up the Wii as a favorite, and pay a small fee to have them email you when one comes in stock. I got a notice, called my wife, and she went down and picked it up at a local Target store.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Anonymous Coward]

they exist, and I have one. I spoke to someone in GAME about the supply, he said that they've been through a real fallow period but they finally had some in store. If you really want one just ring round your local computer shops and ask if they don't have them in when they'd be getting them... or get on an order list.

Still, its a good place to be in with your products

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[techstar25]

I know a couple of coworkers who walked into Wal-Mart and got one on launch day (no standing in line or anything). Ironically, on launch you could get one anywhere because the Wii was still an enigma and people didn't know what to expect from it. Only the hardcore Nintendo fanboys got one back then. It's grown in popularity since due to word of mouth and all the "talk" on the internet.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[moranar]

Good God, thanks nobody invented a network protocol and called it "I pee". We'd never see the end of it.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Is0m0rph]

I saw 1 about a month ago at Walmart and didn't buy it. I hadn't seen one before or after that one at any of the stores I go to since then. There's always PS3s available now.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[joggle]

Not here (in Colorado). I tried to get a Wii at 6am at the local Wal-Mart on launch day but they had already sold out. I then waited in line for hours at a nearby Target but ultimately missed it (I was 33rd in line and they only had 29 units).

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Pharmboy]

We have one only because the wife was at Sam's Club and someone brought out 5 of them. The wife GRABBED one, and some guy tried to buy the other 4 but was told they limit sales to one per person. Instantly, the others were grabbed up, so, if she had been a few seconds sooner or later to that end isle, we wouldn't have one either.

Oh, and by the way, it's awesome. You should get one ;)

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Raistlin77]

Good thing the Wii includes a network adapter, otherwise they might have named the external add-on a "pee-wii"...

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[644bd346996]

My university's library has one in a computer lab. Every time I walk by it, two things go through my head: cool! and wtf?!

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[vorpal22]

I have one. I wasn't intending to engage in any drastic measures to get a hold of a Wii. During the December break, I was visiting a friend, who had bought one to resell it on eBay, but ended up making the mistake of "just trying it out". After a few hours, said that anyone who wanted it would have to pry it from his cold, dead hands. I also made the mistake of trying his out, and a few weeks of scouring online tip sites and arriving at a Toys 'R Us at 5:30 AM, I was victoriously armed with my Wii, which is just seven different flavours of fun.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[jawtheshark]

My brother in law has one, and my wife (a pure non-gamers) gave me the "Ok" to buy one because she loved it.

I haven't seen many for sale though....

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[slothbait]

Just just suck at playing Wii Retail. I got mine on black friday.
I only had to kill a grandmother, and 2 college students and a little doggy too. The big N an't kid stuff.

* Goes back to playing Super Paper Mario

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[GURU Meditation 8000]

err.......yes!

I vowed that I would never pre-order a games console again...and that I would only buy one if
I could buy one when I felt like it (ie passing a shop, visiting amazon and it happened to
be in stock etc.

about a month back, local GAME store had them in. about 20 units arrived on the saturday
morning. less than an hour later (when I passed by) only 8 left in stock. They didnt have
a big crazy sign on the shop window announcing 'Wii in stock!' or somesuch. they didnt need to.
(that said, EVERY console-selling store in town has signs saying 'PS3 in stock!' - yeah, we know.
theres no rush, noones buying them. I could pop into town now and buy 40 of them from various
stores.)

so yes, they DO exist...and they are very cool. I'm awaiting a few killer games. Cricket,
Starwars....maybe even a nifty Harry Potter (use wand, use broomstick, play Quiditch in real
time - throw the ball through hoop, hit bludgers, grab snitch etc???), a Wiimote version of
f-zero might be very nice too. I've just seen the trailers for paper mario 2. whoah! freaky!

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[jonnythan]

Not in upstate NY. There were lines at every store. Every single store was sold out by midnight before launch. People were showing up at the Circuit City where I was in line after they had been turned away at six stores because of the long lines there already.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Scorchio]

I have the controller but no Wii!

Managed to get an online order in with Circuit City when they had stock at the beginning of last month. I got the bundled games and controller, but the Wii went awol during transit. Somewhere, there's a USPS working having a great time with my console. Meanwhile, I'm back on the damned waiting list.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Wylfing]

But...but...it's a shortage. Of the Wii. Must...make...joke...

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[antdude]

Maybe, but what if he lost it like John Bobbit's incident?

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Akaihiryuu]

Columbus OH here...I got mine on launch day from Toys 'R Us. Showed up there an hour before opening. They got 150 systems, and I managed to get the next to the last one. I got really really lucky though, as most stores started getting campers the Tuesday before (system came out on Sunday). I originally went to Target, but there was a huge line. A police officer happened to drive by and said that there were only a few people at Toys 'R Us (it was hidden behind some other buildings so I guess not a lot of people knew the store was there). They handed out vouchers an hour before the store opened, and I managed to get the next to the last one (out of 150). My roommate has been trying to get one since a week after that, and noone has ever had them. When stores around here get them in they always sell out within 15 minutes, no matter how many they get.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Anonymous Coward]

i'm a girl

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Wdomburg]

Nintendo must have an awful lot of hardcore fanboys considering the lines pretty much everyone else saw and the number of vendors who exhausted their allotment of pre-orders in a matter of days (or even hours, like Amazon).

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[7Prime]

Got one here in Fairbanks, Alaska, on launch day. It was -30F the night of the launch. I got in line (outside), at about 1h30m before hand, got 46th out of 100. 45m before launch, they opened the doors and let everyone inside so they wouldn't freeze to death, by that time, all 100 spots were taken. Strangely, we didn't expect them to open the doors, we all came prepared to wait out in the cold.

So, if ANYONE was able to walk in and buy one at launch, their town was a fucking fluke. Fairbanks doesn't even have a big gaming population.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[daveilers]

I used the target wii finder to keep an eye on when they were available.

http://crayz.org/target_wii.php?zip=52501

It is shiny and funtacular.

Now if I could only afford to get some games.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[arudloff]

I have one, and it was made by the hands of God. I live in Orlando. I went to buy a new controller a couple weeks back at toys r us, and people were lined up around the building waiting in line. The wii exists, it is glorious, and the demand is there. ;)

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[BeansBaxter]

I found one for myself and one for my friend. I got my by being the last in line at Target in December. I found my friends when I stopped at a different target on my way home from work. They quit doing the lines and just put them out. Happy wii hunting. I also managed to snag 3 extra wii motes and nun-chucks. I do feel fortunate. At least the games are easy to find.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Chris Burke]

Hey, he can take the high road if he wants, but he got a comic out of the "Wii = penis" pun.

And one year? For me it's been thirty and I still have yet to grow up and stop laughing at "wee" jokes. Personally the name of the Wii -- which comes complete with a vibrating phalic object you hold in your hand and wave and thrust -- is a major selling point.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[turbidostato]

Hummm... Let's see...

"I know"

That makes one.

"a guy"

Two.

"who knows a guy"

Three.

"who says that his sisters"

Four.

"boyfriends"

Five.

roomate"

And six!

I know who's the roomate of the boyfriend of the sister of the guy who knows a guy you know: It's Kevin Bacon!

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[moeinvt]

"Got one here in Fairbanks, Alaska, on launch day. It was -30F the night of the launch."

Semiconductors can be run at faster clock speeds in low temperature operating environments. Obviously they took all the parts that weren't good enough to operate in a temperate zone and sent them to Alaska.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[kubalaa]

Here is the technique I used to get a Wii with a minimum of effort:

• Once every few days, check a site like Fat Wallet for rumors of Wiis in a weekly ad at a major retailer.
• You may have to wait a couple weeks, but probably not more than that.
• Call the stores in your area the day before the ad comes out and see which is getting the most Wiis. You might also ask if they will hand out vouchers early.
• Showing up an hour before vouchers are handed out, or 2-3 hours before the store opens, will pretty much guarantee you a Wii. You can probably show up later. I got mine at Toys R Us 2 weeks ago and there were still 20 systems unclaimed when they started handing out vouchers.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yup!
Got two on opening day. (yes, I'm greedy)

One for myself and one for my son. Both are used regularly. Even my wife plays, something she hasn't done since the first nintendo console came out.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[nagora]

Does anyone actually own one and play it in their home?

Over here! Got it in January from Argos. I had to order it, though, and then wait 24hrs.

Great fun.

TWW

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[SydShamino]

Have you tried to get one? I started looking in December without success, but by January I knew the UPS delivery dates of every GameStop, Target, and Best Buy within 5 miles. (That's not too hard to do; just ask.)

Within a few days I caught a GameStop as the UPS truck was driving off. While the clerk fended off phone callers ("Yes we have Wii, no we can't hold one, yes there's a line.") I bought mine and left. I ran across a few more at a Target the next day, though then I was just looking for a game and not another system.

All told, I spent perhaps 2 hours in December making extra stops, then three or four lunch hours in January. If you live in a major metropolitan area, I doubt it would take you more than that.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Anonymous Coward]

The electronics department guy at Target stocks them every couple weeks and they stay on the shelf for a couple hours before they are all gone (from what he was telling me). I got lucky strolling through Target one day, and I bought one before it made it to the shelf as the target employee was wheeling a cart of them from the stock room. When I was in line to pay for mine, a guy behind me immediately got on his cell phone, made a couple calls to ask all his buddies if they wanted him to pick one up for them. So I guess there is demand... I have never see anyone rolling out of Target with a 360 in the cart.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[dcam]

Here in Australia (Sydney) it's the same. I have a friend who works at EB in a large shopping center. I asked him the other day if they had any Wiis in stock. "One but not for long"

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Simulant]

    Me neither. I haven't even seen a working Wii demo or kiosk, though I noticed today that my local Fry's finally has a PS3 kiosk.

I was actually going to buy a Wii a few months ago after reading all the rave reviews, but I couldn't find one. Nobody could tell me when they would get a shipment in, and everyone suggested I keep calling back every day to see if any had arrived. No Thank You.

Ended up buying something else and since then my desire for a Wii has waned. Perhaps when the Wii's next killer game comes along I'll take another look, but I'm over it for now.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[SeaFox]

Look at the bright side. With the restrained supply, demand for my Wii should be much higher among female gamers!

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[RepCentral]

Some Six Flags theme parks now have an area near the arcades with about 8 Wii units playing different games.
They call it the "Wii Experience". No joke, first time I have seen the machine in person and tried out the games.
It was at the Atlanta Six Flags but the operator told me that the demo exists at other Six Flags as well.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[fimbulvetr]

Every few Sundays Circuit City will print in their flyer that they will give away vouchers at 9:00AM (1 hour prior to opening). I actually made it to CC one of those Sundays but it was snowing awfully hard and saw a line of ~10 people. I read later that the supplies that day were averaging ~12 a store. Missing that opportunity was my own fault.

If you get the Post, check the CC flyers, otherwise, google about for circuit city wii flyers.

Also, as mentioned above, try http://www.itrackr.com/home.aspx

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Firehed]

Did he pass out at 31 flavors last night?

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[Fulcrum of Evil]

Eh, so did the vgcats guy.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[miro f]

EB in Melbourne Central has had Wiis in stock for about a week now. I haven't checked back recently (I'm looking for a classic controller), but I think the situation may have calmed down here at least.

Australia has always been a bit down on the Nintendo love.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[slimjim8094]

First /. reference I've heard to the KB game! I have a grand total of 2 degrees of separation from the KB - my dad was a stagehand at a play, and a fellow stagehand was in a show that KB was in... Yes, OT whatever

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[sdsichero]

Everybody sing! "I've been to paradise..... but I've --
NEVER SEEN THE Wii!!"

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[supermank17]

Well, I've seen a single Wii out in the wild, and its owner waited in line for 8 hours to get his (2 months after release no less). I have to say though, that I'm in the crowd of people who's probably going to end up with a 360 for now due to the shortage. I was really pumped about the Wii at launch, waited in line at launch to get one (2 people back, darnit), even bought a couple of Wii controllers because I saw them in the store and they were as rare as Wii's in the beginning. But... I still haven't seen one on a shelf, and its been months. I figured that by March I could walk into a store and grab a box off of a huge pile, but they're still nowhere to be found. Then I started noticing that there aren't a whole lot of great single player games for it. I still badly want Zelda, Paper Mario, and a couple of other titles, but the big draw for me has always been the party game aspect of the Wii. And that position has been filled admirably by Guitar Hero. So I find myself looking to the Xbox360 to fill my single player gaming fix, because I can get one now and there are loads of games I'd like to try for it. I'll still pick up a Wii eventually, but man if Nintendo had fixed the supply problem I'd own one already. Oh well, in the meantime at least I've found a home for my Wii accessories, as my parents plan on picking up a Wii (if they can find one) later this summer for my little sister who's still in high school.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[joggle]

Thanks. Ultimately I did manage to get one. I tried another weekend at a local Gamestop that knew ahead of time that they would have some. Unfortunately they only had 3 so that was a wasted effort. When Nintendo started shipping the Wiis with the new wrist straps there was a sort of re-launch day (so all of the stores simultaneously had them in stock). I showed up to Best Buy at about 7am and finally managed to nab one for a friend of mine while my roommate bought one.

Re:Do They Really Exist?

[elrous0]

I always laugh at the "six degrees" thing. Why on earth would you need six? I wouldn't even need six degrees to connect MYSELF with anyone in Hollywood. Hell, a friend and I once connected Rob Morrow to *John Wilkes Booth* in less than six.

why is the demand so high?

[insanius]

granted, i got mine at release so this is semi-hypocritical, but i don't think the demand should be that high...

other then WiiSports, Zelda, and some VC games that any PC less then a decade old can emulate, there are no good games and other then PaperMario, which looks ok, none on the horizon either.

seriously, as of december, my wii has not been touched...the 2 360's in my house, on the other hand, are both played for hours daily and fights break out frequently over the Oblivion disc and now the GH2 guitar.

honestly, i don't understand how i can't walk into best buy and not get a wii but the shelves are packed with 360's. Is the hate for M$ really that ingrained that people won't buy it even though it is by far the best system out right now?

Re:why is the demand so high?

[JordanL]

No, Nintendo was able to create enormous hype. That's what happened.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[g4pengts]

I have not turn on my Wii for months either. The next game I'm looking at for it is Fire Emblem, and that is basically a GC game on a Wii disk.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[stratjakt]

Thats funny, I haven't used the 360 for anything other than a means of watching HD movies since I got the Wii.

I see Zelda, Paper Mario, Wii Sports, Wario Ware, Elebits - and even "crappy" wii games like Rampage are fun on the Wii. And I see nothing really worth owning on the 360 (I guess Gears of War is alright, I'll pick it up when its cheaper though..)

To me, the 360 and PS3 don't offer anything that I haven't played before - they're the exact same games I've played since the PSX era, with the exact same controller. The games are just shinier. But, the Wii offers something new.

I've played Far Cry for both, both are supposedly "crappy" titles, relative to what's out there. But the wii-mote actually works, and I found the Wii version engaging because of it.

What does that prove? Nothing. Just that different people have different tastes.

But the numbers seem to show there's more of me than you.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[99BottlesOfBeerInMyF]

honestly, i don't understand how i can't walk into best buy and not get a wii but the shelves are packed with 360's. Is the hate for M$ really that ingrained that people won't buy it even though it is by far the best system out right now?

Hate for MS? Are you joking? The average consumer vaguely knows MS is a cool technology company and might know they make Windows. The reason the Wii is in such demand is a series of well planned moves from Nintendo. They aimed at the casual gamer market instead of the traditional game console market. They continued their support for the younger children market. Maybe you are not understanding the demand because you are not the average buyer. The average buyer has an old console and is looking for one from this generation. They do not have two xbox 360's. The average buyer cares about price and the Wii is killing MS on price. The average consumer has seen the TV ads and the occasional article or news program commentary and what they took away from it is that the Wii is new and different with different controls and new types of games, while the Sony and MS systems are the same thing with slightly better graphics and a big price tag.

Nintendo took a big gamble in abandoning the traditional controller and focusing on a new type of gameplay. They took a big gamble in aiming at a nontraditional market. Those gambles paid off. Most of the big game developers expected them to fail and ignored the Wii as being too different from the others, figuring it likely either Sony or MS would win and they could make a quick port if they backed the wrong player. Those developers are all trying to reverse course and announcing Wii titles in the works.

I think you're right for the most part that the Wii only has a few good titles right now. That doesn't much matter to the average buyer though, because the average buyer only buys two games a year. I also think the strategic buyer on a budget, looking to the future will probably conclude that the Wii's popularity will result in it getting many of the best games a year from now. The only people it does matter to are people like you, who are going to buy several consoles and pick up a Wii anyway. You did buy one, right?

In summary, if you're looking to think hatred for MS is the cause, I only wish people were that conscious of MS's actions and that ethical and meticulous in their purchasing decisions. The Wii is winning on its merits, which are merits that don't apply to unusual buyers and hardcore gamers like yourself. Note, I am not a fanboy for any game console. I have a PS2 and an old dreamcast somewhere. I probably will not buy any current console for a year or more, or not at all. Right now, If someone gave me $600 on the condition I bought one, I'd get a Wii and a couple games and pocket the rest of the cash.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[mingot]

Wow, I thought I was the only person on the planet with the same story. My daughter wanted to camp for a Wii, so we did. Played it for a week or so, and then she's back on RealGames/Playing GC games/Viva Pinata (so technically, it does get touched, just not for Wii games).

Re:why is the demand so high?

[miyako]

I concur with this sentiment. I got the Wii on launch for Zelda- which is a great game, but once I had finished zelda I haven't played the wii a whole lot. Red Steel got a little play, but really the game sucks. Elebits was a lot of fun for about a week until you realize how repetitive it is. Wii Play actually has some fun mini-games, but they are over so quickly you would swear the game was developed for a hyperactive three year old with the attention span of a gnat. So overall, after zelda the Wii sat unused except for a quick VC game or using the internet channel to watch youtube videos while waiting for the pizza guy (The Wii is the only console I have in the living room, since because of the nature of the controls it's not feasable to play it in my office sitting a foot away from a small TV).
On the other hand, both the PS3 and 360 get fair amounts of play. Oblivion on the 360, and Godfather, Motor Storm, Resistance: Fall of Man, and FF XII on the PS3 all get regular play.
Of course, as mentioned, since Super Paper Mario came out yesterday, the Wii will probaby get quite a bit more attention for a little while. Only about 2 hours into that game so far, but it's quite a bit of fun.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[KrazeeEyezKilla]

why is the above comment marked as troll? I bought a Wii at launch also and virtual console is the only reason its not completely covered in dust right now. I am a fan of the wii and I'm excited about future games but as of right now even PS3(which I am having much more "fun" with than my wii) has a better game selection.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[nine-times]

The reason the Wii is in such demand is a series of well planned moves from Nintendo.

From what I've seen, a surprisingly large portion of the demand is coming from people who normally wouldn't buy a game system, or at least wouldn't put much time into trying to find one that's selling out so quickly. I've watched people who "hate video games" get hooked on Wii Sports because they're so easy to pick up and learn. I've taught people to play and they're surprised by the controls; they have a very hard time believing, for example, that the tennis game doesn't require that you press any buttons.

"So what button do I press to swing?"

"No buttons, just swing."

"Really? No! Oh, wait... really. I see. Cool."

Big smiles all around. It's almost fun just to watch other people get worked up. People try really hard to make good Miis, people jumping around to play tennis, etc. It's even fun for parties-- when's the last time you heard of a bunch of non-geeks getting together and throwing a party to play video games?

Re:why is the demand so high?

[Knuckles]

other then WiiSports, Zelda, and some VC games that any PC less then a decade old can emulate, there are no good games and other then PaperMario, which looks ok, none on the horizon either.

SSX Blur had a very good review in Edge this month (granted only 7 points out of 10, but they never cared to explain why in the text; there, they only rave). Many people like Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 and The Godfather: Blackhand Edition. There is also Cooking Mama and Trauma Center if you are into this kind of thing.

And just FYI, Guitar Hero 3 will be out in fall (ok, that is not exactly "on the horizon").

Re:why is the demand so high?

[cHALiTO]

Heh, a couple of days ago a friend of mine invited me and a few others to his apt for some pizza & beer. They've all played videogames (on pc mostly) but they're certainly not hardcore gamers. However, I couln't help giggling when I showed them Wii Sports Tennis and they kept pushing buttons when they swing (even when they knew they had to actually swing the remote, some still instinctively pressed the A button).
we had lots of fun, btw ;)

Re:why is the demand so high?

[fotbr]

Because in the real world, which is made up mostly of people other than hardcore gamers, the Wii gets points for being "cute" and "simple" and "cheap". All of which I've heard said about the Wii, and none of which have I heard said about the 360 or the PS3.

Yeah, there are more games for the 360. Yeah, the 360 and the PS3 have better graphics. But you know what? To the average real-world person, those don't matter. Price, "cute" and "simple" matter.

I have no loyalty to any of the consoles. I don't own any of them, and have no plans to buy any of them anytime soon. Maybe in a couple years I'll pick one of each up when the Wii is $149, and the PS3 and 360 can be found for $299 or less -- I can afford to buy all of them them now, but console gaming simply isn't worth that much money to me given how much time I'd spend on it.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[ZombieRoboNinja]

and some VC games that any PC less then a decade old can emulate...

...illegally.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[Anonymous Coward]

You know, although I'm a Wii fan, you have a legitimate point, as I'm growing a little weary of having nothing good to play except for Wii Sports and Virtual Console (Wii Play just didn't do it for me). But you bashed the Wii, so you get modded to oblivion. Sometimes I think that Slashdot should just go ahead and come out with mods for "+1 I like the Wii" and "-1 I hate the Wii" so as to better reveal the real reason you were modded down.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[Mr EdgEy]

You can still buy used nes/snes games at a lot of retailers. Morals come before the law with victimless crimes (i'm referring to it being illegal to download a copy of software you already own).

Re:why is the demand so high?

[grumbel]

### But, the Wii offers something new.

There have been over 10 Zeldas, five MarioRPG games and three WarioWare games before the Wii even launched, oh, and Mario, MetroidPrime and SmashBros aren't exactly new either.

### But the numbers seem to show there's more of me than you.

Last time I looked the XBox360 still had a 4mio lead to the Wii.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[hal2814]

"However, I couln't help giggling when I showed them Wii Sports Tennis and they kept pushing buttons when they swing"

But at the same time, I'm quite upset with Wii baseball for requiring me to press a button to throw a
curve ball or slider. I know the grip and release are probably a bit too subtle to get down accurately with a Wiimote but they could've at least made it possible to throw special pitches with an exaggerated version of the pitch.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[insanius]

WOW!!!, i'm a troll for this!?!?!?

i guess i can add Nintendo to the list of things 'one must not speak semi-negatively about' along with Linux....sheesh, just speaking the truth....people that agreed with my post get 2 points positive and as the original i get trolled.......fuck you guys, your wii's, and your Linux boxes....there now you have a legitimate reason to mod me a troll, jerks...

Re:why is the demand so high?

[metamatic]

Kinda telling that half the games you mention playing on the PS3 are PS2 games. How about trying some GameCube games on the Wii?

Re:why is the demand so high?

[AvitarX]

I purchased the original Zelda for VC.

I own it legally for the GC, but I felt like playing through Zelda and it was worth 5 USD to no have to get up and turn the sytem on and put the game in. The state saving is a nice add on too (obviously emulators do this too).

Re:why is the demand so high?

[Kalendraf]

I'm afraid any posts even the slightest bit negative about the Wii around these parts seems to earn that. I fell victim to this a few weeks back myself. Even if you have valid arguments, should your opinion differ at all from the views of the Wii-zealots, your post is immediately marked as a troll. So much for open, objective thinking and dialogue.

Fully expecting to this post to be modded to troll as well...

Re:why is the demand so high?

[phantomlord]

There have been over 10 Zeldas, five MarioRPG games and three WarioWare games before the Wii even launched, oh, and Mario, MetroidPrime and SmashBros aren't exactly new either.

I haven't owned a console since the SNES... and even then, I only had about 6 games for it. Prior to getting a Wii in November, I went about 14 years without playing a Zelda and haven't played a Super Mario game since Super Mario World. I've still only played the original Metroid. I've never played a Smash Bros or Wario game. They're all new to me.

I stopped playing my SNES and started gaming exclusively on my computer. On occasion, I'd end up at someone's house who had a Playstation, N64 or whatever and I might play a little bit, but I had lost interest in console gaming in favor of the strengths offered by PC gaming. PC games offered more depth, complexity, strategy, etc. I played the NHL 9x series on the PC instead of a console as well because the console stuff just looked too cheezy and was lacking a lot of the stuff the PC version had.

A few years ago, I got addicted to EverQuest and wasted most of three years on it. I quit a year ago this week because I realized it had taken over my life, was causing me to constantly be stressed out, etc. I didn't want to stop gaming entirely but I wanted to game on my terms and when I had free time. I use Linux and since the demise of Loki, there haven't really been a lot of options to feed my gamer side. I certainly didn't want to build a new rig just for gaming here and there. Nintendo stepped in and offered me a $250 console with games that I can play on my terms. Not only that, they had a new controller scheme that lets my paralyzed father (can't use his left arm and hand) play a lot of games. Just this past Saturday, I went over to my mom's house and she called me just before I left to tell me to make sure I brought my Wii. My parents haven't played video games since Pacman but they both get excited over something as simple as bowling on Wii Sports. Everyone else who stops in at my mom's house who sees the Wii wants to play with it.

The games you listed may very well be sequel after sequel... but the Wii is opening the market to people who don't video game to begin with and brining people like me back to the console market who've been absent for years and years. The Xbox and PS fanboys can keep their consoles and the bragging rights to how big their processor is. Neither system appeals to me. I've done my hardcore gaming (60-80 hours a week for 3 years as a guild and raid leader in EQ is more hardcore than most console gamers could ever want to be). I want something that is just fun, doesn't stress me out and that I can engage with my friends and family in real life with. That said, I still beat Twilight Princess in two long sessions of play but it was refreshing to play a Zelda in a whole new way (my last Zelda being A Link to the Past). Three months later, I'm still having fun with Madden 07 as well. The new controller scheme completely revived that game for me since last playing it on the PC in the last 90s.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[MemoryDragon]

Twilight princiess is basically the second/third zelda with the same gamestyle. Super Paper Mario is basically an entirely new gaming concept in and out. Metroid Prime is the third one with the same gamestyle. Elebits is entirely new, Trauma Center more or less as well, Kororinpha in the way you play it also (but the gamestyle itself is old, but you cannot play it the same way on any console) Rayman Raving rabbits, old characters entirely new gameplay. I would not entirely say that just because the same characters are rehashed means that the games are sequels. Most shooters have way less variety than what is found in between two different zeldas.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[LKM]

There have been over 10 Zeldas, five MarioRPG games and three WarioWare games before the Wii even launched, oh, and Mario, MetroidPrime and SmashBros aren't exactly new either.

Are you intentionally missing the whole point of the Wii?

Last time I looked the XBox360 still had a 4mio lead to the Wii.

Oh, I get it, you're a fanboy.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[rjung2k]

[b]Excite Truck[/b] is a game that gets overlooked by too many folks, IMO -- ignore the lackluster reviews, this is one of the best arcade racing titles since [i]San Francisco Rush.[/i] I've been playing it since December and am still working to S-rank all of the tracks on Super Excite level, and my "quick" 10-minute games turn into hour-long sessions as a result...

Re:why is the demand so high?

[grumbel]

Zeldas core hasn't changed since the early days of the NES, you are still fighting Ganon, you still have the same items and Zelda:TP was by far the most uninspired game of the whole series and yes I did play them all (ignoring the CD-i ones). Paper Mario a new concept? Sorry, did you miss the other two PaperMarios and the other three MarioRPGs, a few changes in the fighting system don't make a new game? TraumaCenter is a port of a DS game. Kororinpa is one of already way to many 'roll a ball' games on the Wii. Elebits and Rayman Raving Rabbits are new, but also rather shallow.

I am not claiming that PS3 and XBox360 are somewhat miracles of innovative game design, I am bored as everybody by yet-another-FPS, but I am kind of sick and tired hearing of how fresh an innovative the Wii is when beside Wii Sports there really isn't much worth to talk about, ports, sequels, rehashes and very little else, oh and of course VC games...

When the Wii was announced Nintendo talked a lot about how the idea was more important then the money and such, but so far the Wii is still a very proprietary platform, locking out all the people with interesting ideas and only leaving the large publishing houses with their big money, which they make with the Wii thanks to crap ports and shovelware. Maybe I am spoiled of the C64 and Amiga days were the platform where still open and everybody could try their luck and thus the number of innovative games was huge (many of the genres from back in the day are totally forgotten today and could use a revival). I don't see any of that on the Wii today, no hints, no announcement, just a big silence, even more weird, I do see it, at least in parts, on the Xbox360 and PS3 (XNA, FlOw, Linux, GeometryWars, Folding@Home, etc.).

Re:why is the demand so high?

[TheGeneration]

The demand is so high because even the most basic sports game (WiiSports) is a lot of fun. You open up that box and next thing you know you're swatting at tennis balls, and it's fun. I hate tennis but I love Wii Tennis.

I agree with you that Nintendo needs to get some more games out. I got the new Sonic game and that's a ton of fun, and I've never enjoyed the Sonic franchise... so once again the new controls make that much of a difference!

Re:why is the demand so high?

[TheGeneration]

I disagree. All the news coverage I saw when the PS3 and Wii were coming out talked solely about the PS3. The Wii lines were not as long. What happened though was that when those of us who got a Wii took them home and invited our non-gamer friends to play our non-gamer friends LOVED it. They're the ones who create the hype.

I've always loved Nintendo because of the quality and depth their games have. Everytime I play a PSX game I find that the story is lacking and generally the game play is poorly thought out. Nintendo sells a license which requires a certain level of quality. Sony sells libraries which require only dollars, and it shows.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[TheGeneration]

When the Wii was announced Nintendo talked a lot about how the idea was more important then the money and such, but so far the Wii is still a very proprietary platform, locking out all the people with interesting ideas and only leaving the large publishing houses with their big money, which they make with the Wii thanks to crap ports and shovelware.

Wow, you have no idea what you're talking about. Nintendo licenses to guarantee quality. As for the COST, producing a game on the Wii is about 50% of the cost as producing one on the 360 or PS3. If you want to talk about requiring wealth to make a game then it's those two systems that require it. Producing a new and innovative game on the Wii is a lot less of a financial risk than it is for the other two.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[Lynxara]

That's not at all impressive if you consider how much longer the 360's been on the market. In terms of sales rate, Nintendo is simply crushing Microsoft and Sony this go-round, and would probably have evened out their lead with Microsoft if they could manufacture the units more quickly.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[coren2000]

Where do you get this 50% cheaper from?

Also, IMHO to create a really good game for the Wii, the game will have to be proprietary to the Wii because a good Wii game will rely heavily on the power of the wii-mote (a really cool lightsaber fighting game for instance).

When creating a PS3/Xbox/PC game, the developer can be pretty sure that the game will port easily, and allow the same gameplay on all three platforms, this will allow the developing company to offset the higher production costs by the fact that they will reach a larger audience. Creating a PC/PS3/Xbox game is LESS of a risk.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[Lynxara]

Trauma Center is a direct remake of a Nintendo DS game.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[MemoryDragon]

Shooters havent changed since the early days of Castle Wolfenstein 3d, you still run around and frag... seriously things have changed, but Zelda has some core concepts which have not been touched since day 0. As for the other comments, there is lots of innovation, but if you expect fro a console to be an entirely open platform forget it, the entire console concept is woven around vendor and user lockin. The only open platform is the PC live with it.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[grumbel]

### Nintendo licenses to guarantee quality.

Your argumentation is a good 20 years to late, back in the early days of the NES that might have been the case, but DS and Wii get tons of pure crap, there is no quality control in place to stop those games from release:

http://www.metacritic.com/games/ds/scores/
http://www.metacritic.com/games/wii/scores/

### If you want to talk about requiring wealth to make a game then it's those two systems that require it.

Developing for the PS3 is free, it allows you to install Linux right out of the box without any hacks. Developing for the XBox360 cost $99 a year with XNA. Developing for the Wii is *impossible* for independent developers, Nintendo won't give you a devkit, end of story.

I am not talking about developing a top notch game that makes the most of the hardware, there a Wii game will of course be cheaper, I am talking about doing small scale development for the platform (see GeometryWars, FlOw, Folding@Home, etc.). PS3 and XBox360 allow that for anybody who wants to, Wii doesn't, its 100% closed for normal people. Getting a game developed that way is of course a different stories, but Microsoft and Sony do provide entry points for aspiring developers, they also already have publish small games, Nintendo so far has done nothing in that direction.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[grumbel]

### Shooters havent changed since the early days of Castle Wolfenstein 3d, you still run around and frag... seriously things have changed

There have been some good developments in the genre, like DeusEx or OperationFlashpoint, sadly most games just continue to pure primitive fragging. The packaging got nicer over the years, the gameplay however really isn't far away from Wolfenstein.

### but if you expect fro a console to be an entirely open platform forget it,

I don't expect consoles to be an entirely open platform, but I do expect Nintendo to give me a way to develop for the system, currently they simply don't. Unless you have large publiher backing you up and already are in the business for a few years they simply won't sell you a devkit and they don't provide anything like XNA either. So you are stuck, you can't develop for the Wii, while you can get started with developing for both PS3 and XBox360 without much problems.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[grumbel]

A while ago I saw a little statistic about early selling numbers for consoles, all of them performed pretty much the same, the Wii got a few percent more then the rest, but nothing all that significant. Point is, many of the consoled flopped later (XBox, Gamecube), while some others dominated their generation (PS2), the early numbers gave *NO* hint at all at the what would happen a few years later.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[MemoryDragon]

I agree generally with your shooter statement, it was more or less a comparison how nintendo games have evolved over time.
The main problem with lack of experimentation is definitely not on nintendos side, although they are masters of franchise recycling they at least try to experiment a lot in their gaming concepts, most of the times with success sometimes with utter failure. From all big publishers, and Nintendo is the biggest worldwide by far most do way less experimentation in gaming concepts, they try to milk the frenchises they have on the save side by minor modifications.
As for the entry barriers. Actually gettig the devkits is not a problem they can be bought, the main problem is Nintendo is the gatekeeper of what can be published on the console. I agree Micrsoft is better in this regard, they have lower barriers for their online console stuff, the main barriers for the entry as a grade developer are similar high on all three consoles. I personally think the huge entry barriers is the biggest problem the consoles have, and why it is vital for console makers that the PC as a gaming platform is available, there are no gatekeeper costs involved in the PC and hence the PC is the only platform which can bring out new talents, which in the long run can bring also new concepts to consoles.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[Lynxara]

While it's true the Xbox never turned a profit, calling it "a flop" seems a bit much (if only because of Halo and the effect the system had on 3rd party devs and multiplatform development).

And where'd you see that statistic? Some people publishing video game stats online are far more credible than others. (I had an e-mail conversation with the maintainers of one particular site where they essentially admitted they fabricated some of the numbers, and didn't realize why that was bad.)

Re:why is the demand so high?

[Lynxara]

Nintendo's quality control is more lax these days, but it's there. If you want to see a total train wreck of QA failure, go look at the sort of god-awful shovelware Sony lets people publish on the PSP. It's the only system where I've seen games ship that are completely unplayable.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[grumbel]

### The main problem with lack of experimentation is definitely not on nintendos side,

Ten years ago I would have agreed, but after the N64 they have slowed down a lot. Sure, they did expand the video game market with their non-games (BrainAge, Nintendogs and such) lately, but when it comes to 'normal' games they really didn't have much impact at all, they even completly missed the online-bandwagon. The interesting innovations are happening elsewhere these days, Nintendo is just really good as making money from old ideas.

### Actually gettig the devkits is not a problem they can be bought,

They can't be bought. I can not go over to Warioworld.com and order on, instead that page basically just say "Go away, we don't want small developers". Getting stuff published is of course another issue, but when you can't even start developing then you don't really have to think about publishing. This is especially disappointing since the Wii has everything you would need to get started, USB, network, SD-Card support, all they would need to do is allow a way to execute binaries, OpenSource devkits are already available for the Gamecube and could be reused for the Wii.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[grumbel]

### While it's true the Xbox never turned a profit, calling it "a flop" seems a bit much

The PS3 is selling much better in relation to the Wii then the XBox did to the PS2, same with the PSP vs DS, yet people call both the PSP and PS3 a flop. The XBox certainly did its job for Microsoft, but it sold a lot less then the PS2 did.

### And where'd you see that statistic? Some people publishing video game stats online are far more credible than others.

Might have been Digg or Slashdot a few days/weeks ago, can't really remember.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[Lynxara]

The reason why has to be multiplayer. In a two-player game of baseball, you can't tell what kind of pitch the pitcher is about to throw your way unless you're staring rather closely at their fingers. You only know when they've begun to throw a pitch, and have to read the ball's onscreen motion to figure out what they did, and how to respond.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[randyest]

Besides all the other spin and outright lies in your post that I don't have time or inclunation to refute, linux on the PS3 can't use the RSX -- the graphics chip.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[StormReaver]

Yeah, there are more games for the 360. Yeah, the 360 and the PS3 have better graphics. But you know what? To the average real-world person, those don't matter. Price, "cute" and "simple" matter. That is exactly right. When the Wii's were first released, two of my coworkers were each able to track one down. One of those coworkers brought the system to work the next day, and the entire department spent half the day playing Wii Sports. He promised to bring it in the next day, too. Coincidentally, I was maxed out on vacation time and had to take a day off. I spent my vacation day at work playing Wii Sports again.

The main difference between the Wii and the other consoles is that the Wii is easy fun and not work. Most console games are more work than play, which is probably why they appeal to a relatively small part of the population. Consider that the Wii has a VERY intuitive controller that allows people to become comfortable with the basic game controls in mere seconds rather than several hours of wrist-crunching button combinations, and it's self-evident why the Wii's are in such high demand that Nintendo can't produce them fast enough.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[grumbel]

### It's the only system where I've seen games ship that are completely unplayable.

Which games would that be? At least judging from the ratings the PSP has a lot less low quality games then the DS:

http://pingus.seul.org/~grumbel/tmp/psp_vs_nds_met acritic.png

Re:why is the demand so high?

[catprog]

I could say that you can develop flash games using the wii controller for free at wiicade.com. I mean you probaly going to get about the same performance as under PS3 Linux

Re:why is the demand so high?

[Lynxara]

Spectral Souls is absolutely unplayable unless streamed from the memory stick. If you play it from UMD, you are faced with a turn-based strategy game where calling up any menu to make any input decision results in ~5-10 seconds of load times. The title is a localized port of a PS2 title, and the load time lag was simply the result of a poorly-done porting process. Somehow Sony of America still saw fit to declare this thing releasable in the US.

Regarding metacritic and determining software quality via review scores, I have a story about a game called Puzzle Quest to tell you. Was the #1 game for the NDS for a few weeks, check any sales figs to see. Sold slightly less well for the PSP but still charted. The NDS and PSP versions are essentially identical, although most outlets scored the PSP version slightly higher... despite the fact that fans quickly disocvered the PSP version is noticeably buggier than the NDS version, to the point where certain parts of the combat system simply didn't work at all.

Doesn't say much complimentary about the scores most outlets attached to the games, now does it? It's just enough to make you think that aggregate review scores from sites like metacritic and gamerankings probably aren't telling a complete or meaningful story about software quality. Linking to an aggregate score listing is definitely not much of a rebuttal.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[Merusdraconis]

I understand it's impossible for independent developers to get a Wii devkit for much the same reason that it's impossible for people to get a Wii - more demand than Nintendo has had for years.

In this case, it's the massive development houses that have suddenly decided to start ramping up their Wii production. I think Nintendo's aware that getting independent developers is important to the ongoing success of their platform (the Fund Q back when Nintendo was irrelevant to the early DS library suggests that) but they simply don't have enough devkits to go around when EA's buying them all up.

Of course, not providing WiiConnect24 or Mii libraries is sheer bastardry, especially considering how compelling both pieces of content are, or have the potential to be, to players, and what third parties could do with them.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[Lynxara]

I can agree that PS3 sales are much better than people try to make them sound. I can agree that the PSP should be considered a success, on some level, just for moving millions of units and surviving against Nintendo's decades-old handheld hegemony.

But you yourself fall into the same logical fallacy as Sony haters by dismissing the Xbox is a failure simply because it did not outsell the PS2. Given the PS2's lower price point and much higher penetration level, the fact that Microsoft moved the units they did was a triumph. Creating the Halo franchise, become a third-party darling, and the creation of the now widely-imitated Live services are very compelling reasons why.

Also declaring a PS3:Wii::Xbox:PS2 sales comparison somehow meaningful is just laughable. The particulars of the market situations are so different that the statistics just don't say anything useful. Try again.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[grumbel]

### I understand it's impossible for independent developers to get a Wii devkit for much the same reason that it's impossible for people to get a Wii - more demand than Nintendo has had for years.

Sorry, thats bullshit. The reason why you can't buy a devkit is because Nintendo won't sell it to you, not because they can't produce them in reasonable numbers, which would be trivial given that the demand for devkits is a few orders of magnitude lower the that for normal Wiis. Just look around at WarioWorld.com, I don't see there a "Sorry, we would like to sell you a devkit, but are out of stock", but instead you get a little nice list of pre-requirements which are basically impossible to fullfill for a normal person.

### I think Nintendo's aware that getting independent developers is important to the ongoing success of their platform

Why is it then that they have announced no plans for anything in that direction? No games channel for newly created Wii games, no showcase games like FlOw or something like that. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[grumbel]

### dismissing the Xbox is a failure simply because it did not outsell the PS2.

I am not dismissing the XBox, I like it, but its certainly not the console that ruled the last generation. The point simply was: early sales for *all* consoles where very similar, sales after five years on the other side where very much apart. In turn, early hype for Wii might mean nothing in a few years.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[grumbel]

Flash will give you only access to a very small number of functions that the Wiimote provides, i.e. buttons, dpad, pointing, but no accelerometer, no nunchuck, which kind of makes the whole thing rather uninteresting for new innovative Wii games. You also lack 3d graphics, except those that you can emulate with Flash itself. Its of course still better then nothing, but no replacement for a devkit or a proper virtual machine.

### I mean you probaly going to get about the same performance as under PS3 Linux

PS3 Linux doesn't give access to the GPU, but it does gives access to the SPEs, which provide quite a ton of horsepower, enough for some realtime raytracing or for implementing a renderer for OpenGL. Its of course not enough for the next AAA title, but more then enough for homebrew development.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[miro f]

The average consumer has seen the TV ads and the occasional article or news program commentary and what they took away from it is that the Wii is new and different with different controls and new types of games, while the Sony and MS systems are the same thing with slightly better graphics and a big price tag.

really? the impression I got from those ads was that the PS3 is a baby-molesting rubiks-cube-exploding egg-smashing machine. If I didn't know better, I wouldn't even know that it was a gaming console.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[sunhou]

I've also been playing Excite Truck about 20-40 minutes per night since around late-December. Just a couple of nights ago, I finally got S rank on all of the Mirror tracks (which get unlocked after you get S on the Super Excite level). Now I'm just finishing up all of the achievements (still need a few more S ranks, super airs, and super rings I think). Then I need to do the Challenge levels, and I'll have beaten the whole thing. The various Super Mario Karts have been mostly my favorite games so far, but I'm really enjoying Excite Truck, and the whole turning/flailing the controller interface.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[Knuckles]

They can't be bought. I can not go over to Warioworld.com and order on, instead that page basically just say "Go away, we don't want small developers".

I don't know where you get this from. At the application page for Wii, they just require entirely reasonable things, like

An authorized developer must have demonstrated the ability to develop and program excellent software for Nintendo video game systems or for other video game or computer systems. In addition, an authorized developer must have a stable business organization with secure office facilities, equipment, personnel and financial resources in order to insure the security of Nintendo proprietary information and in order to ensure an effective environment for working with Nintendo and/or its licensees. Home offices do not meet this requirement.

What's exclusive about that? It only requires demonstrable prior experience on any platform, and a reasonable business setup.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[DFENS619]

super smash bros brawl Mario Party 8 Pokémon Battle Revolution Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games those are all games that wil be released soley on the Wii that have gathered lots of attention, but in addition to those, games which will be cross-platformed released will still offer an entirely different dimension for gameplay on the wii. Imagine playing WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008 by making punching and lifting movements with the wii controller rather than tapping buttons on a ps3 or xbox360 controller.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[grumbel]

### What's exclusive about that?

Those things are reasonable demands for professional development studios, but not for single-man/small-scale indie developers, which however are exactly kind of people the Wii need. "Home offices do not meet this requirement." just screams "We don't want you, go away", being open about new ideas and inviting to new developers looks different.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[miyako]

Only one of the PS3 games I mentioned is actually a PS2 game (FF XII) - Godfather is available on PS2- but I have the PS3 version. I do play GC games on occasion, but the GC also suffered from having a few excellent killer titles, and everything else pretty much sucking.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[Knuckles]

There is a wide space between "big, established dev house" and "bedroom coder". Nintendo definitely invites indie developers to the Wii (after all, the requirements could be much stricter, and in fact were stricter for previous Nintendo consoles), but chooses that their minimum requirement is that said indie at least has demonstrated once that he can actually develop a game, and that the business setup is a bit more stable than a parent's basement. Seems reasonable to me, and as a Wii owner I certainly have no interest in wading through a million bedroom-produced games that suck. The PC is open for those who want to get their feet wet for the first time.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[grumbel]

### but chooses that their minimum requirement is that said indie at least has demonstrated once that he can actually develop a game,

Many have, many have done so in their parents basement.

### and that the business setup is a bit more stable than a parent's basement.

Parents basement is actually a lot more stable then a real business, since the risk of getting thrown out when you can no longer pay the rent is much smaller, its of course simply a hell of a lot cheaper. You really don't need more then a single person to develop a game that can be sold via the VirtualConsole for $5 or $10, which is exactly what should happen, but doesn't. Testing out little cool ideas in 50 dollar games just isn't fun, neither for the developers not the players.

Re:why is the demand so high?

[metamatic]

OK, so Godfather is a PS2 game that's been ported to the PS3. That's different from it being a game you actually need a PS3 to play.

That's what's keeping me from buying a PS3--it's too expensive, given the tiny number of games I'm interested in playing that are exclusive (or far superior) on the PS3.

[For example, I plan to pick up the Wii version of Godfather.]

Taking the p***?

[Dogtanian]

Are all these shortages the reason I keep hearing small children in my local supermarket yelling "Mummy, Mummy, I need a wii!"?

Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[Guntram Shatterhand,]

I get the idea that Nintendo is going to drop the ball on this. Having a hot system is one thing, but not being able to match demand for a console that your business is going to revolve around (outside of the DS) for the next couple of years while games sit on the shelves untouched because nobody can play them is sheer incompetence. If it's a game, then Nintendo is betting a lot. If they lose and people get sick of waiting, then they're going to sink. Seriously, what is the problem? They're not amateurs at this, this is their bread and butter.

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[Anonymous Coward]

Come again? They have outsold the PS3 since launch. The numbers aren't really that close (I think almost 2 to 1). Games won't be sitting on the shelves because no one can play them. Everyone is buying them and it just so happens that even with everyone buying them, more people still want them! Now, I would be more worried that Sony is dropping the ball, because they have thousands (tens of thousands?) of PS3's sitting on shelves that NO ONE is buying. So which is worse? Selling so much of your product you cannot make them fast enough, or selling so few of your product that your out of stock competitor is doubling your sales? (BTW, I wouldn't be surprised if this helped drive DS sales too. I doubt I was the only person who bought a DS to hold him over until he could find his Wii.)

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[Kingrames]

They can't "drop the ball on this" unless Microsoft or Sony creates their next-gen system right now with a motion-sensitive remote controller.

Nearly 90% of the "too old to play video games" age people I run into (mom, dad, uncles, etc.) say that they're interested in the Wii. My dad admitted that the reason he's interested in it is because the controller is a remote, and he knows how to use a remote. Or at least, he'd never admit that he didn't know how to use a remote.

But any other gaming platform? They wouldn't own up to the fact that they could figure out how to play games on them.

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[Anonymous Coward]

You, sir, are an idiot.

Neither games nor consoles are "sitting on the shelves." Being able to sell every piece of hardware you manufacture isn't "dropping the ball"; it's called success.

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[Anonymous Coward]

How's this a failure by any measure? They're producing more systems than ever and still can't keep up with demand. Think about that. They're producing more systems than ever. Just because you can't become a customer because of limited supply doesn't mean they have a lack of customers for their games.

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[seebs]

Over 6M systems in peoples' hands in under six months is not a bad rate for early production. In fact, it's astoundingly good. The attach rate is beating the PS3 per system sold, let alone in overall game sales.

I don't think they're dropping the ball; I think they're just not juggling quite as fast as we'd like.

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[coren2000]

However, after 6 months they should understand what the amount of demand is, and increase their supply accordingly. What the article says is that they are still looking for ways to increase production. IMHO after 6 months they should start implementing a plan to increase production, not still be looking for one.

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[GweeDo]

Only the asstounding logic of a /. reader could come up with your brilliant analysis. My favorite statement you make is "while games sit on the shelves untouched because nobody can play them is sheer incompetence". What of the 6 million people that already own Wii's? Are we not allowed to buy games for some reason? Also, each week the # of Wii owners increases more and more there by make more and more software sales.

It is your good friends at Sony that have issues with software just sitting on a shelf. Or are they succeeding because because I could go buy one right now?

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[7Prime]

It takes time to build factories, hire workers, and whatnot. This is not an item that can just be thrown together at your local "Multi-Purpose Factory(tm)" It requires coordination with a slu of 2nd and 3rd tier businesses, who all have to figure out ways of increasing their output, and then new assembly facilities and equipment, and train new workers.

Computer companies run into these sorts of things all the time. Unlike huge auto makers, who can quickly change over one plant to do another kind of car, if one line takes off, Nintendo is essentially a "two product" company, they have infrastructure in place for making DSs, and another for producing Wiis. Since the two are entirely different in architecture, they can't just change over their DS plants to make Wiis (not that they'd be able to anyway, since DSs are selling just as well). Microsoft's in the same boat, they're a two product company: the Zune and the XBox, but their sales started off slow and ramped up, giving them time to build on their infrastructure. Sony has the luxury of being a massive hardware manufacturer, with literally hundreds of lines of products. They have a lot more resources they can swap out if things get tight in one area.

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[rlp]

> I get the idea that Nintendo is going to drop the ball on this.

They've sold 4 million of them since the launch at the end of November '06. They plan to sell another 12 million between now and the end of the year. The factories are now churning our over a million a month. There's a limit to how fast you can get manufacturing capacity on-line. Particularly if you want to maintain quality. The WORST thing they could do at this point is increase production at the cost of churning out low-quality units.

So yeah, they could have forseen that the new console would sell like hot cakes. But to be fair, at the time, the industry analysts had already consigned Nintendo to a distant third place in the console wars. Nintendo made a contrarian bet. They just didn't ante quite high enough.

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[Anonymous Coward]

You are correct about the DS diversion effect. I tried (not terribly hard) to get a Wii on release day since it looked like an impressive piece of hardware. No luck (#40 something in line at a Target with 33), so I continued browse over the next few weeks and still struck out. In all the commotion, I started reading up on the DS, which up to that point I had totally ignored. (I am a computer hardware/software nerd in my spare time, not a gamer, really.) The nice form factor, cheap price, decent games, and homebrew options (esp with WiFi and touch screen) intrigued me. A few weeks after Christmas I finally decided to pick up a DS Lite, which was almost as scarce as the Wii, and a Supercard One homebrew cartridge. So far I've been very happy with it.

I'm still interested in the Wii, but I think I'll wait 6-8 months to look again and see where things stand. The games look good, the price can only go down from here, and hopefully someone will discover how to run homebrew reliably on the Wii (the Gamecube emu homebrew isn't quite there yet).

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[SetupWeasel]

If Nintendo were not making a good number of Wii, you would be right. The fact is that the Wii is selling faster than any other console in the past 2 generations, and they did not stagger the release. The 360 was still out of stock at this time last year and they sold far fewer.

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[rjung2k]

Quick, Mr. Iwata! Wave your magic Wii-materializing wand! We need another 5 million consoles!

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[LWATCDR]

They also have to think long term. The Wii isn't going to sell at this rate forever. A million systems a month if a really high rate production. Nintendo could increase capacity but at what cost? What happens when the demand drops and they have all that production capacity?
If I had a failure like the Wii I would be a very happy person.

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[coren2000]

Yes I understand what you are saying. I disagree on the difficulty of replicating an existing technology production line, but thats not what I am arguing at the moment.

However what you have outlined is a "plan" of how to get production up... build more factories (or lease existing similar product high-tech factories) and start producing more product.

From what I read in the article, Nintendo is still up-in-the-air about their plan. After 6months, I believe that the bulldozers should be on the ground plowing away for a new factory OR marketting should say 'we aint producing at a higher rate'.

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[7Prime]

Probably their best bet is to outsource it. They really don't have time for bulldozers. One way or another, demand is going to slow down. They might not make as much money in the short term, but anything that saturates the market and mindshare with their console, right now, is going to do a lot of good for their future.

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[fm6]

Oh, please. It's not as if Nintendo is have trouble manufacturing boxes. They've simply got more demand than they can be expected to supply. Those games have plenty of players; they just don't have as many as they would if the Nintendo could magically create new factories out of thin air.

The Wii was a big gamble for Nintendo. The fact that it paid off off better than they anticipated is nothing but good news for them.

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[aliquis]

I guess it's just hard for them to know how high the demand will actually be, better to produce to few than expand and produce more than is needed. Also the DS was in very shorts supplys for long aswell but it have still sold good, thought they could probably have sold many more if it was actually possible to get one...

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[miro f]

they already are outsourcing it. Nintendo doesn't produce anything, it's all outsourced.

What they are doing, however, is trying to outsource to a second supplier, since the first one isn't producing enough for them.

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[Dal Platinum]

They can't "drop the ball on this" unless Microsoft or Sony creates their next-gen system right now with a motion-sensitive remote controller.

You mean like Sony did? Or are we talking about something completely different here, like the controller should be a 'remote control-looking' thing, rather than a two-handed device?

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[glesga_kiss]

unless Microsoft or Sony creates their next-gen system right now with a motion-sensitive remote controller.

I take it you've not actually played the PS3 then? The controller is the same shape as the old dual-shock one but is much lighter. It loses the rumble and replaces it with bluetooth and the same 6-axis stuff as the Wii Remote. I've played it on some driving games and it works remarkably well, especially with the new analog shoulder buttons like the xbox has.

Re:Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Victory?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm sure they're just trying to keep an obvious video-game-fanatic pleased and saying whatever the fuck they think you'll want to hear. Normal people don't discuss whether or not they have an interest in purchasing a Wii. Or if they do, it comes up on rare occasions. It sounds like you ask every person you know whether they're interested in purchasing a Wii, what a freak!

Valid argument, not a Troll

[paladinwannabe2]

If you can't find the thing that you want (at reasonable prices), you settle for the next best thing. If I couldn't get a Wii I would seriously consider an Xbox360. It's not like a Wii is the only console with fun games on it.

Re:Valid argument, not a Troll

[Applekid]

I disagree that'd be a safe blanket statement. Certainly for some if they can't get a Wii they'd take a 360 instead, but there are Wiis being played by people outside the hardcore gaming circles who wouldn't.

Plus, while both can be fun, they take different avenues towards fun. Wii right now is all about how unique its' input is and 360 is fun like conventional video games are fun.

WiiSports *is* the console

[Anonymous Coward]

Clearly you're a gamer, so you don't understand how real people game. You've got a game maintenance cycle. If you can't buy a new game every month, you don't care about the console.

Real people are not buying the Wii to play a game every month. They're spending $300 to play WiiSports. That's it! If the console never does anything else, they still got to play WiiSports for a couple of months. The entertainment cost is comparable to going to the movies once a week.

Keep in mind that first, real people don't sit down and game for hours every day. Bringing the Wii out on Saturday afternoon is a treat. It's like Monopoly or Scrabble. This keeps it fun longer.

Real people also don't have a whole set of consoles. When they're playing the Wii, they're getting the full enjoyment of "I'm playing a videogame!" on top of "I'm playing WiiSports." You no longer have fun just because you're playing a videogame. For you it has to be either a GREAT videogame or a NEW videogame.

So all these real people are going out and buying the Wii, and guess what? There are about four times as many of them as there are people like you. The whole videogame hardware production pipeline was geared towards the forty million people who buy videogames regularly, divided among three console brands and the PC. When the wider population taps in the pipeline hits capacity fast. I guess you don't remember Pac-man. Same thing happened.

Each Wii owned by a real person will probably only run four to eight games in the next five years. Shocking, isn't it? Nintendo isn't scared of this because that's where they already were... I know I only played about eight games on my Cube, and only six on my N64. They were all great, and I haven't had time for more than that. A game or two a year is my console limit as an adult, even though I work in the field.

So think Scrabble, not Halo, and you'll get it.

Re:WiiSports *is* the console

[jawtheshark]

Mod parent +5, insightful... Best explanation I read in ages!

Re:WiiSports *is* the console

[djchristensen]

You saved me a lot of typing.

I would have included the following quote:

seriously, as of december, my wii has not been touched...the 2 360's in my house, on the other hand, are both played for hours daily

The demand for the Wii isn't coming from those with 2 360's who play for "hours daily", it's coming from the likes of me: father of two (ages 5 and 10) who's never owned a console and saw one that wouldn't require hours of investment to become good enough to begin to enjoy a game, and one that the kids could enjoy, too (not to mention the wife).

And boy do I feel lucky that I got one before Christmas!

Re:WiiSports *is* the console

[crabpeople]

"While this site tends to be older, the Wii's primary target is children."

Well of course, its a console. If they were mature gamers, they would be using a PC.

Re:WiiSports *is* the console

[Mr. Hankey]

Change "real people" to "most people" and I believe he has a point. There are clearly more people who do not play console games than those who do. Declaring them to be stupid is an interesting take, based on which I'd wager that you're either in your mid to upper teens or possibly your twenties. I've been there, and as a gamer I can understand your sentiments. Once you get past that point however, you'll find that most people have a different set of priorities. Video games are not even a secondary concern, other elements like family become more important. Games that one can pick up easily, which is what the Wii console seems to do very well, are far easier to work into a busy schedule. The ability to bring the entire family into the experience makes it more attractive.

Re:WiiSports *is* the console

[Straif]

Perhaps the parent could have just said 'average' instead of 'real' but everyone, including you I'm assuming, knows what they meant.

You seem to be stuck on a definition of gamers that only gamers themselves use; 1 system is an average person, all 3 is a gamer. The parent is using the definition as an average person would consider it; own on console = gamer, period.

Gamers are a relatively small specialized subset of the general population and previously the big 3 were content to fight over their share of that market. Nintendo has chosen to break ranks with other game manufacturers and instead of focusing on the biggest, flashiest, fastest system decided to make it the friendliest, thereby allowing them access a market many times the size of their competitors.

By sacrificing graphics for playability they risk losing the bleeding edge gamers which make up a significant portion of gamers on the whole but they are still nothing compared to the number of previously untapped non-gamers out there.

Of all the people I know that have or want a Wii, the majority have never owned any game system before. Most have never played anything more than a few minutes of Donkey Kong or Pac Man when someone handed them a controller to make a snack run but after getting their hands on it at a store demo or a friend/family members place they all want one. I have a friend whose 60+ year old parents stood in line to get a machine a few weeks after it came out because they wanted their own to lower their fitness age in Wii Sports and beat him. These are the people Nintendo was hoping to attract and so far it's worked.

Many of their games may be simplistic and very cartoon like, which you may equate with being for children, but they are also designed that way to make it much easier for a non-gamer to get into and play.

I happen to have a Wii and a 360 and admit I play the 360 much more often (though I'm mostly back to PC right now), but whenever I have non-gaming friends over, almost without hesitation, the Wiimotes come out. I doubt they even know what the large Microsoft branded DVD player next to the Wii even is. With my game playing friends it's about 50/50.

Re:WiiSports *is* the console

[tieTYT]

Maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong. The important question is, "Does the 'WiiSports Only' gamer matter in the long run?". 2 out of the 3 console companies, which I assume have more than one person working around the clock thinking of these issues, decided that they don't. I base this off of the fact that these 2 companies were content making slim profits off of each console sold.

Maybe 1 real gamer is worth 20 'WiiSports Only' gamers. If that's the case, the console with the best games "wins". It seems that Nintendo is winning right now in both departments but I truly feel that the way things are going now is absolutely no indication of how things will end up. I'll wait till the next Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, Mario and Halo have come out first.

Re:WiiSports *is* the console

[Anonymous Coward]

Slim profits off each conole sold? Last I checked PS3 and the 360 lost money for each unit sold. Nintendo being the only company to turn a profit on each system sold.

Re:WiiSports *is* the console

[Anonymous Coward]

So you bought the Wii only to play Wii sports. I am sorry, that is stupid no matter how you look at it. So, no, WiiSports is not the console. I don't think you even read what I wrote. I have co-workers with families. I am 29. My friends range from 22 to 55. No one I have ever met buys a console to play one game. Just because it isn't rah-rah Nintendo, doesn't mean it is flamebait. It is a different opinion.

Re:WiiSports *is* the console

[Mr. Hankey]

While I have more games than Wii Sports, and consoles other than the Wii, I can see why others might just want that one game. Declaring it 'stupid' is the primary flaw in your logic; a lack of intelligence is not required, simply a strong desire to try something new. You'll understand in time.

Re:Bullshit

[scsirob]

If so, they are doing one hell of a job. I ordered mine mid-Januari, and the shop *still* cant give me an estimate delivery date. It sucks really bad...

I got me a Wii...

[Mizled]

The idea to getting a Wii is to keep calling your local game stores everyday. Game stores are getting them in and selliing out the same day. You just have to find out what days they come in and get down there and buy it.

I work a 7 - 4 job and on my lunch break I would call all the local stores...within a week Gamestop got a couple Wiis in and I went on my lunch and picked it up.

You can get a Wii...it's all about how bad you want it. =p

Re:I got me a Wii...

[kannibal_klown]

The idea to getting a Wii is to keep calling your local game stores everyday.

Unfortunately, by me, the stores are sick of that. The BestBuys have a recording that plays when you select the game systems dept on your phone. It goes something like "We don't have any, and please stop asking our employees; they don't know and woudln't tell you if they did." When I (or one of my friends) call one of the local gamestops they act like jack-asses for a few minutes, then stop laughing and tell us to stop bothering them.

I got mine from eBay 1-2 weeks after launch. I paid way too much, but didn't mind. It's definately a fun system.

Re:I got me a Wii...

[drinkypoo]

The game stores are fucking loving this. It means that people are constantly coming into the store to try to find a Wii. Some percentage of them will end up buying other shit when they're there. Even if it only helps them clear out last year's crap toys from the bargain bin, it's a win for them.

Re:I got me a Wii...

[Fez]

I happened to find one at a local Wal-Mart (small town, ~2500 people) they get shipments (at least) Sunday mornings. They had two left when I got there about noonish. I wasn't looking for it, but there it was and I knew better than to pass it up.

I sort of regret that I didn't buy both of them and sell the other on eBay. However, I figured much of the shortage is from people doing just that, so I let it go and left it for the next person.

I went to the same Wal-Mart a week later and they had one left then, too. Guy behind the counter said they had 18 of them come in one time, they weren't even sure why they got more than anyone else.

Moral of the story is: Troll Wal-Marts on Sunday mornings.

Re:I got me a Wii...

[Fez]

And for the record: The last console I owned before buying the Wii was a Sega Genesis. Although I do have a DS, which I also happened upon by chance at a different Wal-Mart after a day-long search.

I love the Wii, and I don't think I'd really care for a PS3/360/etc. I'm more of a casual gamer, more so for lack of time than desire. It's just that the Wii looked like so much fun and it really is. It's lived up to its hype and it's been worth every penny.

My wife loves it, too -- Wii Sports/Wii Play at least so far. Her left hand is injured and she doesn't have feeling enough in it to work a directional controller or buttons. She also likes games on the DS that focus on the touch screen for the same reason. There's another market that MS and Sony are forgetting/ignoring -- disabled/impaired people.

Of course she's not too keen on Zelda since I spend a little too much time playing it :)

Re:I got me a Wii...

[Mizled]

Well, When I would call they would only tell me if they got a shipment in and if they had any in at the moment I called. I asked the guy if they would have any in that afternoon and he said "Probably not" so when I went to get it they had gotten 4 in that day and I got the last one and that was around 11 - 12 noon on a weekday. If you check in at night or on a Friday/Saturday your chances are slim to none at getting one. Of course I live in a smaller town in Alabama so...yeah go figure.

Re:I got me a Wii...

[Tim Browse]

When I (or one of my friends) call one of the local gamestops they act like jack-asses for a few minutes

That's not specific to you asking about availability of the Wii.

Don't Worry, It's Just Perrin

[AbsoluteXyro]

With Perrin Kaplan, you have to pretend every day is opposite day... because the things she say have a nasty habit of turning out untrue.

Redundant?

[Doctor Faustus]

How can the first post be redundant?

Re:Redundant?

[Anonymous Coward]

I take special joy in moderating first posts, especially when they're redundant.

And how could a stupid Wii pun not be redundant? Whether it's the first post makes no difference. I mean, it's obvious the guy crapped out a stupid Wii joke just to make first post. Well, It ain't gonna happen on my watch, no sir.

Sincerely,
Moderator

P.S.: I'm putting you on notice, Doctor Faustus. Better not make any redundant comments yourself. :)

Re:Redundant?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, really. I thought first posts were inherently Off-Topic. Why the sudden change?

Re:Redundant?

[__aaclcg7560]

Not to mention that the moderator doesn't have a Wii either. :P

Wii shortage *snickers*

[TeknoHog]

I thought we'd already learned from trustworthy media such as South Park that Japanese men have a chronic wii shortage...

Re:Wii shortage *snickers*

[drinkypoo]

I thought we'd already learned from trustworthy media such as South Park that Japanese men have a chronic wii shortage...

Since you already all know I'm a pervert, I feel little trepidation about announcing that you can find this very thing out by simply watching Japanese porn.

My Wii hunting rotation.

[Churla]

I've had one since Mid January. When I decided to get one I made a rotation of the local best buys (2 of them), then local circuit cities (1 of them), and the local warmarts (3 of them),plus 2 gamestops.

On day 7 of making a rotation driving to each one I got the Wii, at a WalMart. Notably it was a WalMart we refer to as "GhettoMart" because of the neighborhood it's in. It's also the leader in "shrinkage" for the area (i.e. more stuff gets stolen from it). I don't know if that was a factor in some way, but that's where I got mine.

I don't get it either.

[Hamster Lover]

I understand shortages regarding the 360 and the PS3 because of the leading edge technologies, but the Wii is essentially a Gamecube with twice the power. I don't understand where the production bottle neck is considering that the Wii represents mature technologies, unless there are production issues with the "Broadway" and "Hollywood" graphics and CPU chips.

I know the DS has been in short supply at times, but not to the extent that the Wii has experienced. People are genuinely frustrated with Nintendo's seeming inability to produce enough Wiis to fill demand and I think it might hurt them in the long run.

Re:I don't get it either.

[7Prime]

That's because you're basing value off of horsepower, alone. The whole point of this generation, and the point that Nintendo is trying to make, is that horsepower is a shitty thing to base value off of. You could "duct tape" two gamecubes together, and it wouldn't be able to play a Wii game, you could duct tape two PS3s together, and it wouldn't be able to play a Wii game. The value of the system, itself, is in its design philosophy... a much more valuable commodity than horsepower.

Even if the Wii used the same hardware as the GameCube, but used the same design philosophy as it does now, it would still sell about the same amount. Creative design is worth a lot more than clock cycles.

Re:I don't get it either.

[zerocommazero]

Most likely the shortages are due to the wiimote's parts, at least in part. It's been just as hard to find extra wiimotes as it is to get a system. I have had a Wii since mid-February and only because a buddy picked me up one when he finally found his. I still haven't found an extra wiimote but I haven't been searching as hard in the past few weeks for other issues.

You also have to figure in the fact that the mainstream market is gung-ho about this product too instead of just your typical gamer. Just look at Nintendo's sales figures and you'll see that the Wii is definitely selling. And with flash card adapter out there you can use to load various emulators and roms from all kinds of classic systems and play on the Wii via the gamecube controllers, I know some friends of mine who are anxiously coming over to this side of the fence and looking for one now. Now all we need is more new games...

Re:I don't get it either.

[Wdomburg]

Cutting edge of performance or not, they're custom components. Which means if they want more produced per month, they need to contract the vendor to increase production. In either case it's likely going to require an upfront investment to generate the fabrication capacity as well as an increase in the minimum volume. With ATI it's more complicated, since they don't actually own any fabs, which means they have to contract additional capacity as well.

And that ignores the rest of the component. The accelerometer is state of the art. The eDRAM ASIC is a custom design from NEC and MoSYS which uses a fair number of advanced fab processes. Then there's the custom optical drive which handles 8cm discs. And so on and so forth.

Rly?

[pauloncall]

I went with my fiance to Costco on the release date where we each picked up the $340 ($357 w/tax) Costco Wii Bundle (Wii + Zelda + Excite Truck). One was for me and the other was for resale. I tried for 3 months to sell it on craigslist - first for $450 (on the release date), then $400, and then at $357. When I dropped it down to $357 I had one Indian (dot not feather) call me and tried to negotiate the price to $200. In the end I decided it wasn't worth it and returned it to Costco for a full refund. The guy behind me in the return line bought it the second I returned it. My guess is that there aren't any on the shelves because everyone is selling them for a quick $50 profit on craigslist. And I live in Northern Virginia, one of the most affluent areas in the country. I must not be a good salesman!

Re:Rly?

[drinkypoo]

I tried for 3 months to sell it on craigslist - first for $450 (on the release date), then $400, and then at $357. When I dropped it down to $357 I had one Indian (dot not feather) call me and tried to negotiate the price to $200. In the end I decided it wasn't worth it and returned it to Costco for a full refund.

I don't suppose you kept a copy of your listing? I'd love to see it.

Re:Rly?

[laffer1]

Well not everybody that wants a wii is willing to pay the $$$ for a wii sooner. I'm waiting until I can walk in and pay RETAIL. I can afford a RETAIL priced unit, but I can't spend $400 on it. If I wanted to spend $400, I would be a Microsoft product.

What really pisses me off is the lack of units online. Stores could put 8 up at retail once in awhile. Instead we get these god awful bundles. I don't want a bundle, I just want the wii. To paraphrase one of the lethal weapon (4?) movies.. they fuck you with the wii! They fuck you!

Eventually I'd buy games for it, but upfront I only have so much to spend. Besides, I think the bundles sports game would keep me busy for awhile.

Everyone who has one stop buying them for ebay and craigslist!

As for the other consoles, I may buy an xbox360 when Microsoft figures out why all the hard drive models break so damn fast. Everytime I go into a game store looking for a Wii, there is someone bitching about their 3 month old broken xbox360. When they get the quote to fix it at $50 less than a new one, they always cave and buy again. So that means Microsoft's sales numbers in part are people rebuying a console they already had break. I'd consider a PS3 if they drop the price 200-300 dollars. Its a very expensive blue ray player to me.

Re:Rly?

[rjung2k]

"What really pisses me off is the lack of units online."

There are units for sale online -- but they sell out in a few minutes...

Re:Rly?

[laffer1]

Most sites list that they will not sell units online until the "shortage" no longer exists. A few sites will sell you bundles online for as much as a PS3 or highend xbox360. I just want the Wii at retail price without bundling crap I may or may not want later.

They're still selling twice as much as PS3

[ZombieRoboNinja]

According to that article yesterday, Nintendo is selling more than twice as many units as PS3 or Xbox360. So I doubt this is really a case of "artificial" shortage, although obviously the Nintendo marketing guys will spin it to their best advantage.

Why would Nintendo want people to go elsewhere?

[Webapprentice]

I don't think Nintendo is doing this on purpose. They set forecasts and set up production to meet them, and those forecasts were exceeded by a lot. They could open up new production facilities, but that would take time, and they may also be factoring that by the time the facility is ready, the demand may have waned.

It makes no business sense to suppress the supply. because every unit they sell is profitable. I'd say Occam's Razor applies: They just can't make enough to meet the demand.

Nintendo of recent years has been generally more forthcoming in their PR, so I don't think they really want people to go to PS3 or XboX 360.

Re:Why would Nintendo want people to go elsewhere?

[Anonymous Coward]

It makes business sense if you factor in that the system has little going for it other than hype and novelty. If everyone was able to get one all at once, it would be a big Wii orgy for a month or 2, and then everyone would forget about it. This way, they can drag the hype out over the entire year. It's a bunch of crap, is what it is.

Re:Why would Nintendo want people to go elsewhere?

[DarkSarin]

I think you've got it. Think about this--since launch they have sold >6 MILLION units. That's a lot of frickin' Wiis. Per day, that means they've sold on the order of 77,000 units (from launch till they hit the 6 million mark). I don't know how long they had before launch to build inventory, but it couldn't have been THAT long--no one sits on much inventory when they could be making money--I'd fire a manager who did that. But even if it was two or three months, that still puts them making >30,000/day, plus all the accessories (figure 2-3x the number of controllers & slightly less than that for certain other items).

I say that they can't meet demand, and unless people just plain give up, I don't see that changing for quite a while. Even my wife, who is as non-gamer as they come, thinks it looks like fun. We'll buy one when we have the cash and can get it reasonably easy.

Re:Why would Nintendo want people to go elsewhere?

[DarkGreenNight]

Exactly. You only have to watch out the games and extra controllers. I found extra controllers one day by sheer luck (with a wiiplay too), but they are hard to see. And the games fly out of the shelves. One day I see Dragon Ball and Marvel's fighting game on a shop and buy Wario Ware on another (there was none on the first), next week these three titles are not on any of those shelves.

About how great is the controller I can only say that my over 80 years old grandfather played a hole in wiisports' golf, that's something I would have never thought I'd see (and he made a birdie!). I'm talking about someone who hasn't had a VCR and the last time he went to the cinema was over 30 years ago. When he was around my age the bus that went from his village to the nearest city operated on wood, and now he has played a video game just waving his hands while holding a stick and pressing a button. I can only marvel at how much can we advance and wonder what will I be able to see when I'm his age.

Re:Bullshit

[Anonymous Coward]

We ordered ours 2 weeks ago, and it showed up yesterday. Sucka!

Re: Wii DOES offer something new...

[trdrstv]

### But, the Wii offers something new.

There have been over 10 Zeldas, five MarioRPG games and three WarioWare games before the Wii even launched, oh, and Mario, MetroidPrime and SmashBros aren't exactly new either.

Why do you assume new IP when he says something new? Fine, there hasn't been an Elebits, WiiSports, RedSteel before... There are new IP's already but I don't think that's what he meant. Tiger Woods and Madden as Franchises have been on just about every system (including Cell phones) for years, but the Wii version does offer something new. This 'something new' is a more immersive gameplay mechanic that is unique to the Wii and (currently) can't be replicated on any other system.

### But the numbers seem to show there's more of me than you.

Last time I looked the XBox360 still had a 4mio lead to the Wii.

It also had a full 12 month head start. Is there any doubt the Will will sell more than 10 million units before the holiday season (Q4 2007) starts ?

Not a valid replacement

[LKM]

For most people, the 360 is quite simply not a valid replacement for the Wii. Both are game consoles, but they're really quite different game consoles.

(Danger, car comparisons ahead!)
If you decide to buy a Smart car because parking space is scarce, and you then figure out that all Smarts are sold out, you aren't going to buy a Hummer instead.

Re:Not a valid replacement

[coren2000]

Actually ....

*imagines a parkinglot full of Smart cars, not being able to find a parking space and 'making his own' monster-truck style in a Hummer. *

Re:Not a valid replacement

[LKM]

Damn. Yet another car analogy gone down the drain :-)

Re:Not a valid replacement

[coren2000]

At least your analogy wasn't something about inserting your wii into my s'Xbox

"Pretty" is the wrong word

[LKM]

I think "pretty" is the wrong word. Yes, a game being pretty ads to the fun. But "pretty" does not equal "lots of polygons." Games like Okami or Paper Mario are very pretty, yet the graphics can't compare with more "advanced" games such as Gears of War. Art direction makes a game pretty, not polygon count.

Re:Xbox here I come

[Maxo-Texas]

Given an option between a Waiting, or Xbox or PS3 now, I must choose waiting.

I have interest in a fun console game with a new and unique controller that sells for about $250 before taxes.

Substituting an expensive machine with great graphics but controllers that will hurt my hands isn't a solution.

The Godfather: Blackhand Edition

[LKM]

Godfather on the Wii is awesome. It's easily the most violent game I've ever played.

That may sound somewhat strange, but it's true. While the level of graphic violence can't approach games like Manhunt, the very fact that you're basically doing this with your own hands makes it so tactile and real that you can't help but feel the violence. Knocking somebody to his knees, then picking him up and throwing him through a window just feels so... right... It's scary.

Don't play that game. I think it's dangerous :-)

Re:The Godfather: Blackhand Edition

[The Benefactor]

I agree entirely. I love throwing people into traffic for some reason. Also game world seems pretty large from the map (haven't played past first couple of missions yet though). The weapon selction seems better than remembering what number key was assigned to which weapon and also easier to do as fingers are on the buttons (was PC gamer until having kids stopped upgrade cycle budget) Also must add to nearly everyone else's comments, my entire family have come round, made a Mii and love it. My mum even beat me at boxing! (once)

Here's the problem:

[LKM]

I don't understand where the production bottle neck is

The Cube sold what, 20 million consoles in 5 years? The Wii sold 6 millions in a few months. There's your problem. Production capacitiy is not where it should be, considering the demand. Can't really blame Nintendo, though. Nobody expected that kind of success.

And what has that got to do with what I said?

[Hamster Lover]

I addressed the question of Wii production shortages by positing that perhaps Nintendo is running into problems with the supply of the new GPU and CPU chips in the Wii (because they use different chips from those used in the Gamecube). Obviously, there could be other reasons such as a limited number of available manufacturing facilities.

I don't understand why you come back with a reply to my post with a litany on why gaming doesn't always have to be about performance, which I happen to agree with, when that wasn't my point to begin with. I understand that people want a Wii because it's simply fun to play, and it is. I have one myself and I play Wii Sports every night.

Re:Bullshit

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm sure it'll get here by Juli then ;)

Do I know you?

[aztektum]

You sound like the guy in my neighborhood with the Ferrari who everyone thinks is trying to compensate for having a little (wait for it)... wii.

Re: Wii exceeded even Nintendo's expectations...

[trdrstv]

I addressed the question of Wii production shortages by positing that perhaps Nintendo is running into problems with the supply of the new GPU and CPU chips in the Wii (because they use different chips from those used in the Gamecube). Obviously, there could be other reasons such as a limited number of available manufacturing facilities.

It might also have to do with them selling more units faster than any other system. The Wii is not a trivial thing to produce, nor is a PS3. You see PS3's on the shelf because the initial demand has been met. The Wii's has not and has sold 2 to 3 times more units. It's simply a matter of Nintendo mis-gauging demand. They felt it would take longer for the Wii to 'Catch on' as is evidenced by the lack of 'casual gamer' titles available (both Wii, and VC).

They ramped up launch production so they could launch with about 2 million units world wide, and meet 6 million by the end of their fiscal year. At that point they felt their demand would be met, and wouldn't need any more capacity since 50% of all their hardware sales are Quarter 4 (typically) and they would have enough capacity to meet the next wave of demand. Wii sales exceeded their expectations, plain and simple.

Wii Shortages in Canada

[rnmartinez]

I don't know what it's like in the U.S., but prices have gone up here. it's only $10 but still, if this thing sells so well why do they need to jack up the price?

Re:Wii Shortages in Canada

[JMZero]

it's only $10 but still, if this thing sells so well why do they need to jack up the price?

I think the proper question is "Why aren't they jacking up the price way, way more?"

Businesses set prices to make money. Sometimes lowering prices will result in making more money (by selling more units or something). However, if you're selling out continuously then raising prices seems pretty dang reasonable. Now you might have some reason why you think they shouldn't raise prices. And maybe they shouldn't (for good will or something), but the default desire of a business to raise prices shouldn't require much explanation.

Re:Wii Shortages in Canada

[rnmartinez]

Thats true, I do get what you are saying. Maybe they will raise it enough that I can find one LOL

Re:Wii Shortages in Canada

[iainl]

Exchange rates, I think. The PS3 has gone up even more in Canada.

Got mine, just about

[Minigun_Fiend]

I ordered my Wii from GAME UK on Tuesday, it will (hopefully) arrive tomorrow - as long as Parcelforce don't screw me over. I was real lucky to get one though, when stock appears in the mornings it's usually gone in about 10 minutes.

Re: Wii DOES offer something new...

[coren2000]

Is there any doubt the Will will sell more than 10 million units before the holiday season (Q4 2007) starts ?

Yes there is, but only very small amount. People might get sick of waiting for the Wii and pick up an Xbox. Im seriously considering this, as I already know I want an Xbox when Halo 3 comes out. I want a Wii because it looks so much fun to play, but the more I hear from people who own it, the less I want to buy it...

Speaking of Halo 3, I expect a LOT of Xboxs to be sold when this little gem comes out. I expect the 'console wars' to be red hot between July-December. In Jan 2008, we can safely call a winner.

Slashdot V DIgg!

[tushar]

So many comments and none of the "I went to the local and they had tons of PS3s but no Wii... PS3 sucks..." comments usually found on digg:) Its nice to see a nice discussion on game consoles without the idiotic comments.

Re:Slashdot V DIgg!

[aadvancedGIR]

I'd try to avoid the "sucks part", but yesterday, while filling my frigde from my local (french) supermarket, I took a look at the console row, there were about a dozen PSP & DS lite and a couple of PS2 & 360 in a locked cabinet with a bell to call a seller and a 3m wide*1.5m tall PS3 wall (not a single one seemed to be missing, the wall was perfectly rectangular) for immediate pick up, but I couldn't see any Wii.
BTW, I'm not anti-Sony, to me the best console of the moment (read: the one with the best new games) is the PS2.

Re:Slashdot V DIgg!

[Ogive17]

What would make a comment like that idiotic? The topic is about the shortage of Wii's, and saying something like "I've been trying to buy a Wii for the past month, but can't find one... meanwhile every store I visit has 3-4 PS3s on display" is hardly stupid. It would be stupid if it was a lie.

In my area, it's not just the Wii that is in short supply, it's all of the hardware. I was going to buy the wired networked adaptor (no wifi in my house) as well as an extra wiimote + nunchuck in anticipation of finding a wii, but none of the local stores have any of those. Granted I don't live in a metropolis and I could probably drive 30 miles south to a larger city to find one. I've heard reports that Costco and Sam's Club have them in stock... too bad I'm not a member to either.

Re:Slashdot V DIgg!

[tushar]

One or two stories like that don't seem idiotic, but when there is atleast one story everyday with the same lame ass comments, it does a bit boring.

I never played a console

[unity100]

and even at times i am finding myself of trying out this wii.

Are you sure?

[raehl]

on the Wii, however, I was within only a couple of kills of them. 10-9, 15-13, that kind of thing. The controls really are that much easier to use, and that much more intuitive.

This doesn't mean the Wii controls are easier to use. It just means your stepsons are just as bad at using the Wii controls as you are.

Just wait a few months until they've spend 10x more time on the Wii than you have and I'm sure they'll be kicking your butt again. Will that mean the Wii controls have suddenly become less intuitive?

Re:Are you sure?

[Shadow Wrought]

Just wait a few months until they've spend 10x more time on the Wii than you have and I'm sure they'll be kicking your butt again. Will that mean the Wii controls have suddenly become less intuitive?

Well... We've had it since December, and they already play it 10x more than I do. But, other than that, I'm sure you're right;-)

Re:Are you sure?

[Raenex]

As a gamer this sounds potentially bad to me. It could be that the controller is more intuitive, making you suck less, or it could be that the controller is less accurate at conveying skill, which would be a bad thing. When I hear stories of old people competitively playing Wii sports I think the latter.

Don't know

[daviee]

I have friends in HK (Asia) that told me it is quite easy to get the official (Japanese) version of Wii there. It's also fairly easy to get the North American version although it costs more.

Maybe they have the wrong stock allocation or that NA ppl are cleaning out their inventory much quicker? I don't know.

PONG

[freeweed]

when's the last time you heard of a bunch of non-geeks getting together and throwing a party to play video games?

The mid to late 1970s.

Nintendo wasn't kidding when they code-named it the "Revolution".

AC==girl??

[MonoSynth]

That explains a lot!

Solution to Wii shortages

[auroran]

Isn't that what most of the spam that gets sent out about?

Artificial shortage

[billcopc]

This reminds me of the Xbox 360 release. One of the reasons why there's a Wii shortage is because of all the assholes hoarding them for big profits. Every day in the local bartering newsgroup/weblists, I see a half-dozen Wiis posted for ridiculous prices. The fact that these welfare cases crawl their asses off to Best Buy every morning with their mastercard is just one of the reasons why I want to strangle each and every one of these scalpers. Just in my city, there's probably a hundred Wiis being "held hostage", that's probably more than the actual demand would be so Best Buy isn't going to do anything to stop it, they're just moving more units.

While we're at it, anyone wanna pay $900 for a Duron 1.3ghz system with a massive 15" CRT ? Come to Ottawa, someone here will gladly take your money.

AHA! Gotcha!

[Headcase88]

"The number of units that we have been able to produce has far exceeded our hardware production in the past and the production levels of a lot of our competitors but demand continues to be really high."

Who are these mystical competitors? I thought the Wii was supposed to be something completely different that was not competing with the 360 or PS3. Or at least that's the case in areas where Nintendo lags behind.

"Online gaming? Well, the Xbox 360 isn't really a competitor. Production speed? Yeah, we're kicking their ass."

Imagine a company's PR contradicting itself. What has this world come to?

In Perrin's defense, "a lot of competitors" sure implies a very broad definition of the word "competitor", but in the context used, I think it was just used to make Nintendo look good without using the "all" qualifier, as the PS2 might be leading them in production speed.

Nintendo taking a gamble

[theatrecade]

it's funny that everybody is saying that nintendo is taking a gamble. the company that started over a century in the play card industry. Neither MS or Sony has that much "game" experience.

You were misinformed.

[TheVelvetFlamebait]

The guy's sister's boyfriend's roomate had heard that another guy at the party had seen one, but it's largely unconfirmed.

Re:You were misinformed.

[mink]

So we can blame Ferris for the wii shortage.

Nail on the head.

[kiddailey]

If I could mod you up further, I would. You're hitting the nail on the head. The demand isn't from gamers and geeks... it's from everyone else -- and that's a whole lot more Miis.

During the time since I purchased the console, I have had it out at practically every party and family get-together at our place. It quickly becomes the center of the party with non-gamers 7 - 70 years old playing and laughing together like never before. And all with ONLY with the built-in/free Channels and the included Wii Sports games (I can't wait to get them throwing cows in Rayman Raving Rabbids).

My parents, my fiance's parents, our brothers and sisters, young and old... all of them talk about how much fun the Wii is, how well it gets kids off the couch and how much they'd like to get one themselves.

Them I tell them "good luck finding one!" :)

No, you're just a fucking liar.

[Anonymous Coward]

I caught your bullshit within five words. Can you spell F-I-A-N-C-E-E? Apparently not, unless you're the bottom in your fictional homoistic relationship. "Fiance" is the term for the male in an engagement, asswipe. But I digress. And even in the highly unlikely chance you're were alluding to a female, this is Slashdot. No one here has a girlfriend.

Re:No, you're just a fucking liar.

[glesga_kiss]

Apparently not, unless you're the bottom in your fictional homoistic relationship. "Fiance" is the term for the male in an engagement

Em, no. Fiancee can refer to either the man or the woman.

Re:No, you're just a fucking liar.

[Anonymous Coward]

Fiancée is feminine.
Fiancé is masculine.

Though, it comes from French, so I understand your confusion.

Because its fun?

[Generic Player]

While you may not like any of the games out, there are lots of really good games already: wii sports, wii play, zelda, rayman, wario, elebits, marvell ultimate aliance, trauma center, godfather, paper mario, etc. Plus there's all the good gamecube games for people who didn't get a gamecube last generation.

There's lots of 360s available because its been out for so long. The people who wanted one got one. Now until there's a game worth buying the console for, or a price cut, there's no reason to buy one. That's a natural part of the console sales cycle.

You can tell your grandchildren...

[brianthesmurf]

"and I survived the great Wii shortage of 2007"
Hem hem - Slashdot - "Stuff that matters"?

Re:You can tell your grandchildren...

[Ogive17]

You forgot the "News for Nerds" part.. and I think gaming matters to quite a few of us.

You're looking in the wrong places.

[Osmosis_Garett]

Yes, the supply is being outstripped by demand, but you'll also be surprised to find out where many of them are going. Obviously any technology store is going to carry them, but I see them in department stores, toy stores, drug stores, video rental places, and the list goes on. If you really want to get a Wii, you can find them.

Because it is a cheap internet appliance?

[dgym]

I do not own a Wii, apparently there is something of a shortage of them, but I do hope to get one some day as the games I have played on it are fun and it isn't too expensive.

If that wasn't reason enough then there is the added advantage of begin able to browse from your TV, great for those like me who don't already have a PC in their living room. If there is nothing worth watching on the telly you can head over to sites like www.stumblupon.com, and if you get bored with your games you can find some internet ones.

The WiiMote is an excellent mouse replacement for a living room, making this a reasonable experience, and a bluetooth keyboard would turn a Wii into an adequate and cheap desktop replacement for occasional users. My mother might end up with one before I do for this very reason. It would probably save me hours of support phone calls too.

Re: Wii DOES offer something new...

[trdrstv]

Speaking of Halo 3, I expect a LOT of Xboxs to be sold when this little gem comes out. I expect the 'console wars' to be red hot between July-December. In Jan 2008, we can safely call a winner.

If we can't declare a winner in Jan 08, we can likely declare a loser. Currently the Wii is riding high. MS has Halo 3, and Blue Dragon this year which will sell many units. The Wii has Mario Galaxy, and Smash Bros... (Metroid likely bumped to 08) which will sell many units... Sony has... what? A $600 system (real smart of them cutting the $500 version) with no exlusives of that calibur coming out this holiday season... MGS4 and FFXIII would move units... Provided they didn't come out in 08.

Wow another moron.

[Anonymous Coward]

Fiancee (with the mark over the second e) is for the woman, fiance is for the male. Go back to spelling class, loser.

Re:No, you're just a liar.

[Silver Solid Brass]

To be a nazi about it, he is right, 'Fiance' refers to a man, 'Fiancee' refers to a woman. And the first 'e' in both should have an accent.