Pachter: Wii supplies being diverted to US from Japan

by Alexander Sliwinski { Aug 24th 2007 at 2:45PM }

Japan doesn't need their Wiis like those ravenous all-consuming Americans, and Nintendo knows this according to Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter. While crunching the NPD numbers for July, and trying to figure out where he went wrong, he noticed that the US Wii sales numbers were a bit confusing -- they were high. That's not confusing on the demand side of things, but the supply shouldn't have been there to sell.

Pachter says, "Wii sales remain strong, with an apparent increase in supply during the quarter. This increase is inconsistent with reports that Nintendo has had difficulty in increasing its manufacturing capacity ... suggesting to us that the company has diverted supply from other areas (perhaps Japan) to the U.S." Finally, our societal lack of patience pays off! We want our Wiis and we want them now! There will be "murder, death, kill" if mothers don't get their little ones a Wii by this Christmas.

Tags: japan, pachter, supply us, wii

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Sceren @ Aug 24th 2007 2:51PM

This just in, Microsoft diverting shipments to Japan to meet the holiday '07 demand for Xbox 360's.

Can I have this guys job now?

ssuk @ Aug 24th 2007 3:34PM

Oh har, you're a witty sod. It's news, so shut up and stop bigging up your 2 inch penis.

Sceren @ Aug 24th 2007 3:37PM

It's one inch, thank you very much.

But predictions and theories are hardly news :). More like opinions.

Fernando Rocker @ Aug 24th 2007 2:51PM

I can't imagine the oddisey to find a Wii this Christmas, specially whit games like SSBB and Mario Galaxy.

FrankTheCrank @ Aug 24th 2007 2:54PM

This whole Wii thing is mind blowing. Just amazing.

And yes, I have one.

Crono @ Aug 24th 2007 2:54PM

This probably will classify as a noob question but, aren't Wii's region locked? And if so, if they were to divert stock from Japan, is there a way to change a Wii's region code?

Sceren @ Aug 24th 2007 2:56PM

They would be doing it at a manufacturing level.

Jerk Face @ Aug 24th 2007 3:05PM

Yeah, like he said: They're not like taking them from store shelves - they're not reaching stores in the first place. So Japan gets the shaft for a little while to meet the U.S. demand.

CJC @ Aug 24th 2007 2:55PM

Hey, check it out. A story about the Wii.

That's a minimum of 50 comments of people arguing, easy.

GRANTED @ Aug 24th 2007 3:18PM

not nearly as many people give a crap about the wii, since most of the debate on joystiq is 360-vs-ps3-centric. but i am happy to add to your predicted tally, so i will add the following:

id get a wii, if the games looked halfway decent on an hdtv, and if the games weren't all gc ports with waggle gimmicks.

i may revise my statement following metroid's release--- but it's unlikely.

Almack64 @ Aug 24th 2007 4:01PM

@Granted's comment

Not really sure why all you people voted this comment done. It seems he was just being honest and stating his own opinion a very civil and non-threating way. If this voted down by Wii fans I feel shame to be one too.

Here's a +1 vote for your honesty and lack of trolling

Crono @ Aug 24th 2007 4:50PM

I have a wii, and a Westinghouse HDTV (LCD) Wii looks like shit on it. Do you know why? Because westinghouse uses the cheapest and slowest possible scaler in their TV to just get the job done.

I'm looking into another scaler/hdmi switcher for my setup, and I'm certain wii games will look much better through it.

required @ Aug 24th 2007 6:46PM

Not sure why people faded your comment GRANTED so:

"not nearly as many people give a crap about the wii, since most of the debate on joystiq is 360-vs-ps3-centric. but i am happy to add to your predicted tally, so i will add the following:

id get a wii, if the games looked halfway decent on an hdtv, and if the games weren't all gc ports with waggle gimmicks.

i may revise my statement following metroid's release--- but it's unlikely.
1 heart"

Burnt Meatloaf @ Aug 25th 2007 4:46AM

@Almack64: This is a gaming blog! What would give you the ridiculous idea that people should be allowed to freely express opinions?

Skippy @ Aug 24th 2007 2:55PM

It's total speculation, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was true. Honestly, though, how did this happen? I foolishly thought I'd walk into a store on launch day and pick up a Wii. I only later got mine through blood, sweat, and tears (oh so many tears). Nintendo has created a monster, and the beast needs to be fed. Oddly, enough, I feel it's already guaranteed to be the console winner for this generation.

burnt_secondary @ Aug 24th 2007 2:56PM

They better hurry up and get them here before the word gets out that Nintendo is still making kiddie systems . . . now with waggle.

Yeah I said it.

Nox @ Aug 24th 2007 2:57PM

Gotta love the Demolition Man reference tho, good stuff.

dukeatreides4ever @ Aug 24th 2007 2:57PM

I Love My Wii

Joystiq seems to harbor some resentment towards the Wii methinks...

Burnt Meatloaf @ Aug 25th 2007 4:48AM

Joystiq is totally biased against [insert platform here].

xeaxes @ Aug 24th 2007 3:07PM

My guess is they are diverting Wiis to the US since Metroid Prime is more popular over here and they want to boost the US install base for it.

Blu-Sam @ Aug 24th 2007 3:13PM

with official number console sold worldwide*

11.6M X360
6M PS3
9.3M Wii

After release and figure in average of month

770K/month X360
660k/month PS3
1.03M/month Wii

*source from wikiepdia

Fernando Rocker @ Aug 24th 2007 3:17PM

According to vgchartz and NPD

Wii: 10.57 millions.

360: 10.51 millions.

PS3: 4.32 millions.

Charron @ Aug 24th 2007 3:23PM

And, just for good measure, according to NeoGaf:

Wii: 10,361,287
360: 10,200,937
PS3: 4,145,106

FrankTheCrank @ Aug 24th 2007 3:26PM

It doesn't matter...cause in 6 months Nintendo WILL own the market.

Plain and simple. No if's, and's or but's...they got the console market and portable market locked up.

Blu-Sam @ Aug 24th 2007 3:43PM

very well.. with vgchartz

That would be...
700k/month X360
480k/month PS3
1.17M/month Wii

Fish @ Aug 24th 2007 3:13PM

I'm so glad I've already got a wii...

Almack64 @ Aug 24th 2007 4:06PM

Me too, right now I'm playing Prince of Persia, its a port but its actually really great on the Wii.

Rich @ Aug 24th 2007 3:17PM

Well, they sure as hell aren't being diverted to MY neighborhood; I still can't find one anywhere...!

Blazur @ Aug 24th 2007 3:37PM

I manage to obtain a Wii last year on Black Friday via a campout. I used it for a good solid month or two, but after beating Zelda it's been collecting dust. Metroid is the first game since release that I've actually been mildly excited about.

It's not a matter of graphics for me, their games simply don't have depth to them or are very challenging IMO. Also the lack of online playability really hampers the longevity of games.

I really want the console to succeed (which clearly the sales seem to indicate), but I'm just not feeling it.

Alex K. @ Aug 24th 2007 3:45PM

all console have a drought, especially the Wii since the sales success was such a surprise for many developers.

mine's collecting dust, too, but surely when metroid, mario galaxy, and smash bros come out at the same time, that's going to be crazy.

Blazur @ Aug 24th 2007 3:55PM

That's certainly true Alex K. Q4 2007 boasts a phenomenal lineup on the Wii, so it should help to liven the console for many people. Hopefully SSBB has online playability, otherwise I've virtually promised myself I'll be eBaying the console when I bore with Metroid and Galaxy. It's nearing 2008, and to not offer online playability in this day and age is unacceptable by my standards.

Oh and by the way, Wii Fit looks like a joke.

Nyroska @ Aug 24th 2007 3:39PM

Look up.

Korova @ Aug 24th 2007 3:54PM

Ah, mahn, now we are going to have to start talking about the Wii again all the time. I kinda linked the PS360 rivalry bit. But I guess it was getting old.

Welcome the new hottie - W I I ! !

hvnlysoldr @ Aug 24th 2007 4:07PM

I think Pachter is a little confused. Nintendo of America bought tons of eye patches before deciding to "divert" other territories' supplies.

Almack64 @ Aug 24th 2007 4:10PM

lol wow

Almack64 @ Aug 24th 2007 4:08PM

lol I love people getting upset at comment delays, and the half-broken reply system, and how the reply email links don't work...

wait a minute that all makes me frustrated too
frikin Joystiq

The Mor @ Aug 24th 2007 4:37PM

This Patcher idiot is wrong on every prediction so far. What a damn idiot. You think he'd give up now

AndrewNeo @ Aug 24th 2007 6:45PM

But if he gave up, how would he make money making false statements?

Adv2k1 @ Aug 24th 2007 5:12PM

It's interesting I guess Nintendo already sees that Japan is a lock, and if they can get USA to sell even better that will be a big deal.

Paviel @ Aug 24th 2007 5:14PM

Maybe the market in Japan has been saturated.

Or maybe Nintendo THINKS the market in Japan has been saturated.

That would account for production shifting from Japan to the US, since the US is bigger geographically than Japan is, and probably has a larger population to boot.

T-bone and Razor @ Aug 24th 2007 9:22PM

Please, saturated?

They haven't even saturated it with DS's yet (with about 1 in 12 Japanese owning one already, sales still aren't slowing)

I still say the internet community should change the unofficial Nintendo slogan to "It exudes money from every orifice," because that's about where they are

hvnlysoldr @ Aug 24th 2007 9:31PM

While exuding better fits the money creating DS, it's a little harder to design an animated gif for it without getting distracted by the orifices. Hmm.m Shame on you for thinking such disgusting thoughts.

mr mobius @ Aug 24th 2007 6:12PM

Surely It'd be wiser to suggest the shift is from Europe since as far as I know Europe doesn't have the same supply problems that America and Japan has had. Saying that though I haven't looked for a Wii since December when I had to fight hard to get one and got lucky by persuading a guy to give me one cause a delivery had just came in. Screw the little kid who'd be crying on christmas day because I stole his pre-order, I'd got my Wii and that was the important thing.