Nintendo sells out of Wii component cables

by Ross Miller { Nov 16th 2006 at 5:25PM }

It turns out that desire for higher-definition visuals is much higher than Nintendo expected. Those Wii component cables that showed up on Nintendo's official online store have completely sold out. In addition, GameStop's online listing has been pushed back from December 5 to the 15th. If you're impatient, however, you can purportedly still purchase MadCatz's "HD Premium" component cables for $60 as of December 1.

Has Nintendo underestimated the expedience at which consumers have adopted HD (or, at least, ED)? A 480p screen isn't a head-turner, but it certainly beats standard definition. Looks like the House that Mario Built might have to add more detail into the plumber's mustache sooner than they expected.

Tags: 480 p, 480P, component, hd tv, HdTv, launch 06, Launch06

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

crono141 @ Nov 16th 2006 5:28PM

I'm still wishing and hoping best buy might have some at launch.

If not, I can live a week or two. The de-interlace on my LCD is pretty good.

Anna @ Nov 16th 2006 5:32PM

Crap, knew I forgot to do something. Hmm... anyone ebaying them ;) they're probally going to be rarer then a PS3... hehe

Wedge @ Nov 16th 2006 5:29PM

Obviously the initial adopters are the hardcore games that know what the hell component cables are even for. Not that surprising.

v0yce @ Nov 16th 2006 5:42PM

"It turns out that desire for higher-definition visuals is much higher than Nintendo expected."

In other news the sky is blue.

fawazr @ Nov 16th 2006 5:32PM

I still think HD was Nintendo's biggest fumble this time around.

washingtonydc @ Nov 16th 2006 5:32PM

The most frustrating thing is that Nintendo's website won't let me cancel my order yet (no need to have expedited shipping when it's back ordered). Every time I attempt to cancel, the website--which loads quickly and seemingly has no problems--tells me:

"We are currently experiencing high volume or technical difficulties on our site. Please close your browser and try logging in again. If you have tried logging in several times over a 24 hour period and you are still experiencing difficulties please e-mail nintendo@noa.nintendo.com for assistance. We apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you."

Adam @ Nov 16th 2006 5:33PM

If you happen to live anywhere near Nintendo of America HQ in Redmond, WA, they have the Wii component cables at the Customer Service Center for $30. I just walked away with a set of cables on my lunch hour.

Richard Mitchell @ Nov 16th 2006 5:34PM

Damn it. The moment I decide to get component for my Gamecube, Nintendo doesn't even *make* the damned things anymore. Now that I'm getting a Wii, the cables sell out? WTF, man? Double-U Tee Eff?

RM
Xbox 360 Fanboy

Naruhodou @ Nov 16th 2006 5:37PM

Just found out mine was backordered..Fuck it. Won't be able to get the Wii until later this year anyway.

FSK405K @ Nov 16th 2006 5:46PM

Those of you like me looking for Wii S-Video, it's not on the site, but a call to Nintendo shows they have them. S-Video cables will be available from them by phone on Sunday, perhaps on their store, and perhaps at your retail location. At least, according to the phone rep.

WOOT! MY TWILIGHT PRINCESS JUST ARRIVED! THANK YOU AMAZON!

Ryan @ Nov 16th 2006 5:46PM

Man I wish I didn't have an HDTV. It sucks being in the minority.

Sam @ Nov 16th 2006 5:49PM

#5 - I'm having the same problem. I wish the page would have said backordered before i ordered them and the next day shipping.

Sizer @ Nov 16th 2006 5:51PM

Freaking Nintendo always does this. It seems like they made one batch of everything for the Gamecube (component cables, broadband adapter, GBA player, etc) and then decided that was enough.

I'm just hoping they take this as a sign to, oh, you know, make another batch of cables this time around.

Kevin @ Nov 16th 2006 5:55PM

I believe Best Buy is going to have those Psyclone branded cables for sale for the Wii.

Marty @ Nov 16th 2006 6:00PM

HD has not, and will not take off with the majority of consumers for years. If you look at the market penetration of HD sets, you'll see that they have yet to really take off with most people in the US.

What this article does not mention, however, is how many cables they had in the first place. If they only had a stock of a few thousand, I can see how they could sell out completely pretty easily.

Ritz @ Nov 16th 2006 5:57PM

Nintendo's site says it now:

"Due to high demand, our initial allotment of the Wii Component Video Cables has been depleted. We expect to begin shipping again the week of November 28, 2006."

http://store.nintendo.com/componentvideocables

RUSKULL @ Nov 16th 2006 6:00PM

Like there should be any surprises here. Further proof that Nintendo is quite out of touch with consumers.

Brandon @ Nov 16th 2006 5:59PM

Adam (#6) - Where exactly is the Customer Service Center in Redmond?

Kastef @ Nov 16th 2006 6:09PM

Crazy question here. Any chance my game cube component cables will work? Perhaps I'll be modding my wii on release day!

mattharvest @ Nov 16th 2006 6:11PM

For the nth time, GAMECUBE CABLES WONT WORK.

Ugh.

Steve @ Nov 16th 2006 6:15PM

This is a strange console generation:

1) Sony is selling a product where they lose $240 for each console that's sold.

2) Microsoft is selling a product that is so unreliable that it makes a Windows PC seem reliable.

3) And finally we have Nintendo stubbornly refusing to make a product that's typically highly profitable and is little more than wire with a rubber coating.

Amazing.

burn @ Nov 16th 2006 6:16PM

I've got two tv's which I game on, my 30" Phillips HDTV set thats down in my living area, and the 27" sony SDTV in my bedroom.

Both tvs have a component option, though only my HDTV does progressive.

I would like to have component video regardless, and I bet those who do not have HDTVs do have a Sony TV similar to mine that has a component option, which is why I am not surprised that they sold out. Though HDTVs are probably not in the majority of households, a hell-of-a-lot of TVs sold in the last 8-10 years do have component inputs.

mark @ Nov 17th 2006 12:38AM

i checked to see how many we were getting at best buy where i work and theres like 3 diff brands, 0 of each coming in right now. so yeah, limited supply.

fester @ Nov 16th 2006 6:25PM

Forget "HD" taking off arguments, it's "FLAT SCREEN" that is taking off. EVERYONE wants a new cheaper LCD (or sometimes older plasma) TVs because they are bigger, wider, sleeker and sexier (downsides compared to CRT are not widely advertised).

Therefore it's not about HD taking off really but LCD, SED, OLED and Plasmas are taking off and will take off and as it happens all sets made today are HD so it's kinda by default that HD will in fact take off as it's included in these desirable space saving TVs.

2 years max and the majority of tech savvy households (the kind that buy consoles) will have FLAT screen TVs 32" + and they will ALL be at least 720p and some 1080p.

I will be on my second HD tv by then no doubt (I have a 32" 720p set atm).

Biggie @ Nov 16th 2006 6:34PM

The Component cables for the Gamecube sold really poorly . So I'm guessing that Nintendo thought the same would be true again. I think its manly a fact that early adopters tend to have a HDTV, over the systems life span it will become less and less of a desired option. The mass market certainly doesn't have an HDTV, though I find it funny that every on TV demo of a Wii has been on an HDTV. In my mind it shows that Nintendo doesn't understand the market as well as I thought.

Jeff @ Nov 16th 2006 6:35PM

To whomever mentioned picking up the component cables at NoA HQ, I just got off the phone with a Nintendo rep who said that is not possible as all their cables are being shipped from North Bend, WA and none are onsite in Redmond. That said, anyone who has an order that is still has the status "Preparing Order" (like mine), that means it is boxed and sitting in their shipping area waiting to be picked up. You made it under the wire.

Fuzz @ Nov 16th 2006 6:39PM

Mine have been shipped. :) I doubt they will arrive by Sunday, but I should get them soon. Sweet

nick @ Nov 16th 2006 6:43PM

Shit. I'll drive to north bend for them (only 40 min from redmond). Gonna call them and see if they'll let me pick them up there...

The probably wont. Cause theyre ASSHOLES. But I'll try anyways

Matthew @ Nov 16th 2006 7:13PM

@17 Regardless of whether you have an HDTV or not, component cables make a world of difference. A large portion of CRT SDTVs have component input. The color separation and clarity is very visible on just about any TV you use. These cables should be commonplace and available at launch at retail, else it would be a mistake on Nintendo's part.

kdogg @ Nov 16th 2006 7:14PM

haha, erectile disfunction... i can't believe i was the first person to notice that.

i still dont know what i'm going to do in this next generation of video games, i have a wii on preorder, but i think im goin to sell it and hold off until next summer before i make up my mind. (i really want to play zelda though)

James @ Nov 16th 2006 7:18PM

All those that can't access to cancel their orders online should really try calling Nintendo. Speaking directly to a person gets you results.

As for me, I'm getting my TOMORROW! Full day early, so part of my day is planned to hook everything up to my Pelican component selector. Kotatu got reports of some stores selling Zelda early but my BestBuys won't sell them yet, or else it would be in my hands and I would be RTFM.

Well hopefully Nintendo will realize the demand for these cables, especially with the great jump in graphical quality from composite.

Silver @ Nov 16th 2006 7:19PM

For Nintendo not to have component cables in the retail stores (and in abundance) at launch is so ridiculously lame, it's almost unforgivable. Seriously - you hype a console all year, to the point the customers are in a complete, desperate frenzy, and you won't have decent VIDEO CABLES for the thing for a few more weeks? WHAT THE 'ELL IS THAT ALL ABOUT??? They're VIDEO CABLES, for crap sake! There should be a million of them sitting on the dock of every single Best Buy in the universe by now!

It was bad enough not to send component cables to all the reviewers, just begging them to give you bad marks for poor graphics. And now the consumer gets the shaft as well? You think I'm actually going to want to fire up Zelda before I can get my hands on some component cables and get the full 480p experience? Are you out of your minds???

Not getting HD with this console is a big enough compromise. Not giving us a way to get the best SD experience we possibly can is worse.

Maybe I shouldn't worry about getting one on launch day after all. What's the point?

Ludicrous.

Tortri @ Nov 16th 2006 7:22PM

Hey guys, I ordered mine yesterday (Nov 15) around 2:45PM Eastern. I just checked my order and its preparing meaning mines going to get shipped soon! w00t. Too bad I just got plan ol' UPS, should of spent the extra 2 bucks. D'oh *Smacks forehead* So with that said. Anyone ordering around that time should get theirs shipped! For everyone else.. I'm sorry dude, I feel your pain. Esp if you have a true HDTV, not a EDTV(no offense)

Adam @ Nov 16th 2006 7:29PM

Brandon (#16) -- The Nintendo "Customer Service Center" is located on the Nintendo of America main campus in Redmond. I couldn't quickly find the address online, but it's right across the street from the building with DigiPen in it.

Adam @ Nov 16th 2006 7:32PM

Jeff (#25) -- Although the Nintendo rep on the phone told you there are no Wii component cables in Redmond, that rep would be incorrect because there was at least one set of cables there. I should know since I bought one.

Omega697 @ Nov 16th 2006 7:43PM

Mine have shipped, but they are sort of to future-proof my Wii. I have an SDTV with component inputs, which I'm planning on using (since I'm out of composite inputs and S-Video inputs). Maybe I'll see a slight-improvement.

Someday I'll get an HDTV, and then I'll already have the cables.

Andrex @ Nov 16th 2006 7:42PM

1. HD is less than 10% adopted in the US.
2. US is leading the world in HD adoption.
3. HD adoption in the US is slower than what analysists predicted it to be a few years ago.
4. HD drives up game costs an development costs.
5. The casual gamer/non-gamer Nintendo is shooting for doesn't have an HD TV. Wii is supposed to be acceptable to all, which means you won't get Dead Rising-like bugs.

Just thoought I should add a few things nobody seems to realize.

zenprism @ Nov 16th 2006 7:46PM

I'm seriously considering not touching Zelda until I can play it in 480p/widescreen. I'm buying the system on Sunday either way, but I won't be as happy as I could have been.

Boo Nintendo. But thanks for the cool system.

mike @ Nov 16th 2006 7:51PM

"It turns out that desire for higher-definition visuals is much higher than Nintendo expected"

Hardly. More like people wanna have their cake and eat it too. If they wanted graphics over gameplay, they'd have gotten a PS3. Duh.

AzaMcWazza @ Nov 16th 2006 9:07PM

I do think Nintendo have underestimated a little bit. HD might not be popular in the general public yet, but in the gameing public I think it's more prevalent. No matter what, we want good graphics. Games need to be good sure, but we want as nice graphics as we can.

One could argue that the fact they are going after the non-gamer means HD sets will be a lower portion of overall sales compared to other consoles, I still feel they have played it a little too safe.

I can imagine their next console coming out sooner than later. Maybe a 3 year cycle, or at the most, when the next M$ one appears in about 3-4 years.

nick @ Nov 16th 2006 7:57PM

Any gamer who will settle for less than optimal graphics on a system isnt a real gamer.

Oh yeah. Nintendo isnt targetting gamers for Wii. Great strategy.

Rootbeer @ Nov 16th 2006 8:24PM

Any gamer who will settle for less than optimal graphics on a system isnt a real gamer.

I guess I'm not a real gamer to you, then. My HDTV's one set of component inputs is already claimed by my Xbox, so if I have to choose between dropping $100 on an IR-controllable component video switch and just settling for an S-Video connection for the Wii that I'm eventually going to buy, well -- looks like I just saved myself a hundred bucks!

Jordan @ Nov 16th 2006 8:29PM

There will be component cables in stores; just not Nintendo's first part cables ... there will be third party cables available on Sunday, so there is no need to wait to play the Wii.

Jordan @ Nov 16th 2006 8:29PM

Psyclone will have component cables in the stores on Sunday for Wii ... no need to wait for 1st party cables

Revo @ Nov 16th 2006 8:29PM

"Any gamer who will settle for less than optimal graphics on a system isnt a real gamer."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_scotsman

nick @ Nov 16th 2006 8:59PM

Actually, you can get a little component cord switcher for 20 bucks. Or you can just unhook your crappy xbox, play zelda twilight princess in 480p, then rehook your crappy xbox when youre done.

Any gamer who will settle for less than optimal graphics on a system isnt a real scotsman either.

GregZ @ Nov 16th 2006 9:17PM

Update: Check your status on store.nintendo.com guys, mine just changed from "Preparing order" to "Shipped" a few hours ago. I used 1 day UPS RED shipping, wonder what my odds are of getting it tomorrow?

480p ftw! Er, something. At least Zelda will look tollerable come Sunday.

Tortri @ Nov 16th 2006 9:34PM

Hey, does anyone who ordered the cables have this in their order?

Part # 61577
" INSERT, CONSUMER RETURN INST-US "

Adam @ Nov 16th 2006 9:40PM

Woot mine shipped too, even though they said not until the 25th. I guess since I have nintendo.com account I got perference, like the rumor says... I hope it will get here before Sunday, I did pick expediated shipping but it only shipped today :( I guess I will get it Monday, better than after Thanksgiving I guess.