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Weak US Dollar Means Nintendo Favors Europe For Now

Posted by timothy on from the aber-vere-ahr-all-zee-deutschmarks? dept.

timeOday writes "The LA Times is reporting that the new Nintendo Wii Fit is hard to find on US shelves, due not only to strong demand but also the United States' declining status in the world economy: '"[Nintendo] is also is shrewdly maximizing its profit by sending four times as many units to Europe, reaping the benefits of the strong euro," says Michael Pachter, an analyst with Wedbush Morgan Securities. "The shortage demonstrates one consequence of the weak dollar. We're seeing companies ignore their largest market simply because they can make a greater profit elsewhere."'"

19 of 588 comments (clear)

  1. Oh the humanity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I feel like a Canadian

    how long until US quarters get stuck/rejected by Canadian vending machines and laundermat washing machines

    1. Re:Oh the humanity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I can't think of anything better than that.

    2. Re:Oh the humanity by HalAtWork · · Score: 4, Funny

      Oh, you laughed at us when you were on top, but I bet you wished you accepted our quarters now!

      --
      Twinstiq, game news
    3. Re:Oh the humanity by DAldredge · · Score: 3, Funny

      USian isn't a word.

    4. Re:Oh the humanity by Jafafa+Hots · · Score: 2, Funny

      Wasn't there a thing where we were going to start counting fast food jobs as "manufacturing" recently?

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      This space available.
    5. Re:Oh the humanity by aliquis · · Score: 2, Funny

      It really boils down to the need for nationalized healthcare. So make it happen? Can't be that hard?
    6. Re:Oh the humanity by RiotingPacifist · · Score: 2, Funny

      It's going to be a long ass-swim from China before you need to worry about Chinese military aggression in this part of the world.

      There are plenty of reasons to be concerned about China, but neither of those are one of them. hyphenation FTW
      --
      IranAir Flight 655 never forget!
    7. Re:Oh the humanity by Boetsj · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yep - the "low-dollar-weeks" at our Dutch Chrysler dealerships have been extended!
      ... let's just say I'd rather not drive a Daewoo ;)

    8. Re:Oh the humanity by CompSci101 · · Score: 2, Funny

      OK. I know I'm an American and all, but I could swear that Canada is, in fact, on top of the US.

      Don't try to further confuse my already small grasp of geography with your Canadian lies!

      C

      --
      The Sun is proof that we can't even do fire properly.
  2. But... Wii Ain't Fit over HERE! by joocemann · · Score: 5, Funny

    Europeans are already fit! Wii need it here so we can earn our dubba-chee!

  3. With the US dollar this weak... by RealGrouchy · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'd have expected the headline to say "Nintento Favours Europe"

    - RG>

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    Hey pal, this isn't a pleasantforest, so don't waste my time with pleasantries!
  4. Re:Repeat after me... by Gregb05 · · Score: 3, Funny

    b-b-but... they took er JERBS!

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  5. Re:Bah Humbug by Tweenk · · Score: 3, Funny

    Slashdot is no better at European discrimination. I wanted to post a whiny comment about expensive Lego bricks in Europe, but some dork at /. decided to stay with ISO-8859-1 and this prevents me from using the Euro sign.

    --
    Those who would give up liberty to obtain working drivers, deserve neither liberty nor working drivers.
  6. Re:Bah Humbug by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Watch out, you're making government laws controlling reproduction seem necessary.

  7. Nothing to worry about. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    This isn't at all a symptom of the relative weakness of the dollar to the Euro, it's actually a perfect example of the complex self-regulation mechanisms of the global market.

    More Wiis in Europe -> More gaming options for Europeans -> More gaming hours for Europeans -> Less working hours for Europeans -> Less, and lower quality, European goods -> Less demand for European goods on the US market -> Stronger dollar relative to the Euro.

    So what's the problem?

  8. Re:Cost of localisation by shermo · · Score: 4, Funny

    Thanks for that Gavrilov link.

    It brings back memories of watching porn in Poland dubbed by one male with a thick russian accent. We couldn't understand a word they said, but it was the funniest thing we'd seen in a while.

    --
    Insanity: voting in the same two parties over and over again and expecting different results
  9. Re:Bah Humbug by neokushan · · Score: 2, Funny

    Raise the VAT Tax? The Value Added Tax Tax?
    So THAT'S why we're getting ripped off so much, we're actually getting taxed twice as much!

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    +1 IDisagreeSoHeMustBeATrollOrAnAstroturferOrAShill
  10. Subject by Legion303 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well hey, look on the bright side: if the US dollar value keeps plummeting, corporations will start outsourcing their computer work there.

  11. quote of the day in TFA :-) by slashbart · · Score: 2, Funny

    >> "They know that Americans will be just as fat a few months from now" when Nintendo will have more units available, he said.

    OK, let the flames begin!