Wii sells out in Japan
by Blake Snow 
{ Dec 4th 2006 at 1:30PM }
In case you missed it, the Japanese launch of Nintendo's Wii came and went over the weekend. As expected, it sold out. According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun paper via Forbes, an estimated 400,000 Wiis were sold on the first day by noon. That number, though unconfirmed, is what Nintendo apparently shipped to its homeland for launch.If accurate, this would put reported Wii sales at around 1 million units between the US and Japanese launches (600,000 in the US plus 400,000 in Japan). It should be interesting to see if subsequent weekly sales and upcoming worldwide launches can help Nintendo make up the three quarter difference in hitting their 4 million target by year's end.
[Thanks to all who sent this in]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
silkylove @ Dec 4th 2006 1:37PM
It's all on manufacturing now. If they ship 4 million by January then they'll sell 4 million by January.
$Money @ Dec 4th 2006 1:45PM
@ 1
that's what i was thinking and that's true in every catagory everybody wants a wii..and everyone will get a wii sooner or later..and realize it might be the winner of this whole console war stuff..
ps3 might do well in a couple years..don't doubt it just yet...i might get one in like 4 years when it might be possible to walk in a store and buy one..
xbox360..next price drop im gettin one
BPM? @ Dec 4th 2006 1:53PM
Actually, wouldn't Wii have already sold a million before Japan? US got about 600,000 units, and Canada got about 400,000, right? They said there'd be one million for the NORTH AMERICAN launch (not US launch), right?
daxiang12 @ Dec 4th 2006 7:53PM
Meaning they need to sell 3 million within a month to meet the target. Whether or not they can make that many in time, I doubt this will happen.
Darkness @ Dec 4th 2006 2:13PM
@3
I think there were only 600,000 in North America and that included Canada. They did state there would be 250,000 a week until the end of the year, so if everything works out, then they'll be over 1 million in North America by the end of the year. I'm pretty sure they'll sell out of the 400,000 in Europe on the first day. That should put them around 2 million (if we add in the 250,000) that supposed to be available this week.
SuperMario21 @ Dec 4th 2006 2:15PM
I think they have a chance to sell 4 million by January. Europe hasn't had their launch yet and Wii units are coming in by the thousands in the United States. It will be only a matter of if they can push out those units fast enough to meet the demand of the consumers.
the Brayn @ Dec 4th 2006 2:28PM
I think they mean 4 million consoles by the end of their fiscal year not by the end of 2006.
redspear75 @ Dec 4th 2006 3:40PM
Brayn their Target is 4 million by Early January and 6 million by March the end of the Fiscal Year. The still have to release in Europe and they are realeasing consoles fairly consistantly. I mean even the Circut City in SF on Van Ness is getting a Decent Supply on Sundays and they are hardly get much of anything.
crono141 @ Dec 4th 2006 3:45PM
Brayn, I believe they are on record as saying "4 million by January" and something like 6 million by fiscal year (march 07).
nootau @ Dec 4th 2006 3:52PM
@ #7 Brayn
Nintendo stated 4 million by the end of 2006[2], and 6 million [1] by end of the fiscal year March 2007. Just for the record, Sony's and Nintendo's Fiscal year target are the same[1]. Sony has never revised their March 2007 target number, even after the 2 (or was it 3?) cuts in launch shipments.
[1] http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=17273
[2] http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=11510
Saneless @ Dec 4th 2006 4:38PM
Damn Nintendo has some serious momentum. Sony's going to be so behind the curve that us real gamers won't have to worry about HAVING to buy a PS3 for exclusive titles. Sony's stupidity and arrogance ensured all of us a wealth of non-exclusive titles on just as capable systems like the 360.
withoutasol @ Dec 5th 2006 12:21AM
I don't doubt it. Everyone I know is talking about how fun the wii is. I haven't even gotten the chance to pick one up for myselves yet.
spartan084 @ Dec 4th 2006 3:27PM
i think that 4 million is very optimistic. while im not saying that it cant be done, i think that the whole process of machines producing them, then quality control, then the massive amount that need to be shipped around the world. just taking everything into consideration, 4 million is going to be pretty hard to meet by January 1st. I'm betting they'll probably meet it midway through January, the end of January at the latest.