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Wii 'Popularity Bubble' to Burst?

Posted by Zonk on from the it's-a-big-one dept.

A combination of industry and developer observations has prompted Tech.co.uk to wonder if the Wii's overwhelming popularity is due to end sometime soon. This is based on a report from Japanese business newspaper The Nikkei, which published an article recently entitled 'Software Houses Miscalculate Audience, Demand For Wii'. "The report goes on to discuss the likelihood that many Wiis are gathering dust in owners' cupboards, citing one software house president as saying, 'People bought it out of curiosity, and it's likely a lot of them haven't used it.' Given that September saw Wii sales fall sharply in Japan for the second consecutive month, it seems reasonable to speculate that the bubble inflated by the novelty factor is starting to deflate, but writing Nintendo off at any stage is a perilous course to steer." Is this just worrying, or is there validity to this?

6 of 426 comments (clear)

  1. Nintendo's new motto: by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Wii are bored".

    1. Re:Nintendo's new motto: by Tikkun · · Score: 2, Funny

      I just want some wanton violence, blood, gore, robots, lasers, possibly sharks and the ability to prove to other people online that I have spent more time than them playing a video game.

      Is that too much to ask?

  2. Re:Redirect shipments... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    In other news: Wisconsin has major metro areas

  3. Re:Dude, Where's my games? by AKAImBatman · · Score: 3, Funny

    In other words, when was the last time you saw an Atari 5200 game hit the market?

    The much anticipated Adventure II finally hit the market just a few months ago. Though I'll grant you that new games for the 5200 are nowhere near as common as the Atari 2600 releases. The 2600 is just more popular, I'm afraid. :P
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  4. Re:strange premise... by jollyreaper · · Score: 5, Funny

    They should have added "It 'seems reasonable' that the company the 'software house president' works for isn't selling as many games as they would like because their particular games suck balls." Given the Wii's proclivity for innovative controllers, one that sucks balls could be a huge hit.
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  5. Re:That's what I thought about the Dreamcast too by Moraelin · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well, that's reassuring to know. Now I regret that I never learned Japanese, though ;)

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