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Why You Can't Find a Wii for Christmas

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the they're-already-making-a-skillion dept.

Nintendo is making Wii consoles at a record pace, some 1.8 million a month. Last week they sold 350,000 units. Yes, just last week. And yet, still, it's going to be almost impossible to find a Wii in a store this Christmas. Wired reports that the problem actually began back in August. Summer being the traditional 'dry' season in gaming usually leads to hardware surpluses, but not with Nintendo's console. The result is a holiday season that Nintendo essentially couldn't prepare for. "Demand for Wii is so high, says analyst Michael Pachter, because of all the different types of consumers competing for the units ... it's not just kids who crave Wii. [It's] an especially big hit at retirement homes ... Hard-core gamers, who initially spurned the Wii's lower graphic power compared to the Xbox and PlayStation 3, have changed their tune on the console, thanks to brilliant software like the first-person shooter Metroid Prime 3. And eBay scalpers? They really want Wii." In fact, the only reliable way to get your hands on a Wii is to go that most dubious of routes. Ebay Wii sales are very brisk indeed this week.

3 of 450 comments (clear)

  1. Re:The math? by kextyn · · Score: 0, Redundant

    I believe that is the number for the US and the 1.8 million is worldwide. I could be wrong though.

  2. Re:No Mom, It's MY Wii by pandrijeczko · · Score: -1, Redundant
    she'd really like a Wii.

    Well then she'd better go and have one then - it's not good for the bladder holding it in like that.

    Sorry, I was waiting for an "I'd like a Wii" statement...

    --
    Gentoo Linux - another day, another USE flag.
  3. Did no one else do this math? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant

    1.8 million consoles manufactured per month.
    350k consoles sold per week.
    4(lets be generous).25 weeks per month.
    ~1.5 million (rounding up) console sales per month.
    Over 300,000 unsold units per month.

    Theft? Arson? FUD? Loss? Where did they go?

    Or is 300k just too small a number to find on the shelves of your local retailers? I'm assuming both figures are world wide. Take it further, manufacturing has been ramping up steadily and demand has either gone up steadily or (more likely) remained somewhat flat over the summer and climbing for Christmas. Assuming this situation has been going on for a few months, shouldn't there be a million or two unsold console somewhere? Or is there some other trend at work (such as misinformation or bad journalism)?