Funny you mention that, and funny that I didn't read your comment before posting below.

Me.autoFail();

Why people keeps saying that is a fake demand?

I mean, month after month, week after week, the Wii outsell the competitors consoles by a huge margin.

I don't think Nintendo would be able to do that of they don't send enough Wii's to retailers.


They are producing 1.8 millions Wii per month... that's a lot more than Sony or Microsoft produce per month.

Other point in consideration is that Nintendo clearly said a few months ago that they will increase the production at the end of the fiscal year. This new fiscal year started April 1:

http://www.gamer.tm/news.php?id=2010&filtr=wii

Now... this is just from Toy's r Us... I just receive an email from Circuit City newsletters, and it say that they will have large amounts of Wii's this Sunday too... and some stores are receiving Wii's for this Sunday too (Wal-Mart was receiving some Wii's yesterday).

Maybe Nintendo already increased the Wii production.

*That was a reply for someone else...

Or maybe Nintendo hoards them for "Big" releases like Mario Kart.

Just a thought

This continues to be one of the stupidest conspiracy theories on the web.

The Wii is in demand, how does it benefit Nintendo to NOT pump as many Wii as possible to retailers to make sure everybody who wants one NOW is able to find one NOW.

Retailers from day one have been hoarding shipments they get during the week to meet their Sunday ads. By putting "We have Wii!" in a flyer, they are drawing shoppers who will come in looking for Wii with the hopes they'll do additional shopping on top of it.

And yeah, it's convenient that they got a whole bunch in for Mario Kart Wii's release. And why would that be? Oh I dunno, maybe TRU figured they'd stock up a few Wii shipments so they could be the ones to grab the Mario Kart Wii crowd.

Because a lot of people will want Mario Kart. And a lot of them may not have a Wii yet. So TRU hordes their Wii shipments and then is able to put this flyer out. Now if you want a Wii AND you want Mario Kart...why bother with any other store when you can set yourself up with one via TRU.

Put the tinfoil hats away.

Your account name is awesome, seriously.

I just don't understand how anyone can say that the wii is withholding stock. Do you realize that they sell more wii's each month worldwide than PS3's, 360's, and PS2 combined? Maybe they make as many as they can and don't want to be stuck with an extra production line if demand does cool off. Its is an extremely expensive investment to "just make more Wii's." If withholding stock did make a console sell out, then don't you think Sony and Microsoft would do the same thing?

Why people keeps saying that is a fake demand?

I mean, month after month, week after week, the Wii outsell the competitors consoles by a huge margin.

I don't think Nintendo would be able to do that of they don't send enough Wii's to retailers.


They are producing 1.8 millions Wii per month... that's a lot more than Sony or Microsoft produce per month.

Other point in consideration is that Nintendo clearly said a few months ago that they will increase the production at the end of the fiscal year. This new fiscal year started April 1:

http://www.gamer.tm/news.php?id=2010&filtr=wii

Now... this is just from Toy's r Us... I just receive an email from Circuit City newsletters, and it say that they will have large amounts of Wii's this Sunday too... and some stores are receiving Wii's for this Sunday too (Wal-Mart was receiving some Wii's yesterday).

Maybe Nintendo already increased the Wii production.

I guess I was right... I just find this:

http://kotaku.com/383472/nintendo-to-increase-wii-production-to-24-million-a-month

2.4 million a month is a lot of work... and still, there will be a huge demand.

The PS2 has sold 125+ million systems. Using your logic they should still be hard to find. Yet somehow, despite being the most successfull console ever, Sony managed to get the supply issue in order in about six months after US launch.

Yes alot of Wii's are sold each month, but Kyoto knows that the "wow" factor and the "must have" status would start to go down if they were readily available in stores. Creating this sense of want and urgency is something that Nintendo routinely did with the GameBoy line.

The DS sells as much or more than the Wii yet Nintendo ironed out "supply" issues a long time ago.

People want what the can't have. Just look at Cuban cigars, if you go to a country that has them, they do not carry the mystique that they do here.

I think it's mostly to do with factories. Sony knew the ps2 was going to be a smash hit because the ps1 was, so they had more factories ready to produce. Last I heard, Nintendo only has 1 factory in china or somewhere close making wiis.

They don't want to build another one cause they're worried that the wii hype could die at any time and thus they would then be over-supplying.

Jordan,

That is exactly spot on. Kyoto knows that the hype will die down, and they do not want to be left with a factory full of Wii's. It makes perfect sense for them to refuse to fix what is not broken. Why saturate the market to meet demand when you can get all of this free advertising from stores like Toys that will do it for you.

Nintendo is doing the only thing they can do, riding the Wiiwave until it breaks.

forbidden fruit tastes the best

hard to find game consoles satisfy you more

I dont see why they would increase supply if they could.
It only takes basic econ to learn about supply and demand curves. Supply down, demand goes up. Supply up, demand goes down.

Uh...huh.

So within the past 6 months you're telling me that you haven't found a single game worth playing on the Wii?
I mean, I'm not going to go all list-whore on your ass (someone else will, probably), but I can easily think of 10 good games on the Wii that have come out within the last 6 months.

Even the most rabid Nintendo trolls around here would probably admit there's been good reason to turn the Wii on in the last 6 months...

Yep, six sounds about right.

-SMG
-MP3
-SSBB
-MKW
-NMH
-Z&W

Third party developers seriously need to take it up a notch..

Er, wait... I misread your post, you said six months, not six games. What were the other four you were talking about?

(I wasn't including ports.)

I would argue that the past 6 months have been the best for the wii in terms of games.

Alright, let me try and defend myself.

(I did mean 6 months I haven't turned it on)

You guys are right, There are good games. I'll agree in saying That (haven't played any of these)Metroid, Zelda, Brawl (Minus online), and Red Steal (last one was a joke... I played that one and it sucked)

I personally own 3 games. Wii Sports, Wii Play, and Raven Rabbids. I've only played one but my time spent in it was beat my me creating Miis for about 5 hours. Cyler Mii is so eviiiiilll!

I just do not get hyped for Wii Games. I'm not saying it sucks but I just don't see things getting better. It seems to of been released at it's peak. The best games are here, they've been here, and this is where it'll stay (here as in the past year and this next 8 months). Is this a bad thing? No... It just leaves no room to expand. To me for 20 extra bucks you get a 360 and yes it's a "crappy" version but it's upgradeable. In case you want more ... um content? Plus for 20 extra bucks it's a system that you can play GTA4 on and it come with free games (arcade games) but isn't that what Wii sports is?

In Conclusion (Just read this part if what is above is to much text for you)

The Wii isn't my genera. I like cutting edge with a mix of pick up and play + in depth games. I shouldn't be the one to rank it. I am stoked to one day get Geometry Wars (Anyone got a copy they'll trade for Wii Play)? I just haven't turned it on because there isn't anything for me to do on it. I really wish it did have a DVD player because I'd be able to use it much more in my bedroom.

Those are your 3 games, seriously?

No wonder you haven't touched it in awhile.

So... they shouldn't have more units available when a big game launches? I'm not following.

They have been delibrately witholding supplies to create fake demand, and then dump large numbers of consoles, when a half decent game arrives.

Its a cheap ploy to fool dumb consumers.

@ Tranando

Tranando, I know people love conspiracy theories and all of that but pretend your Nintendo, and lets assume they do have a shortage still of the Wii, if you knew a big release was coming out and you happen to have a few more units produced, you wouldn't want to release them along with the game so when people demand the game there are systems for them to play it on?

I think we all look at this too much from the point of view of a customer, look at it from a business standpoint and trust me, they are doing whats best for them.

Perhaps they are playing it a bit conservatively, but it makes business sense to be on the safe side of things. Better to be selling all that you're making than to over-stock and have a useless surplus.

As for you saying it tricks dumb consumers, please! If you want a Wii you want a Wii. You don't go into a shop, see that it, unlike the 360 or ps3, is out of stock then instantly want one. Have you seriously ever met anyone who said they wanted it because it was sold out all the time!? No, of course you haven't, because people like that aren't just dumb, they're mentally retarded.

Now who's being naive? Of course a lot of people went out and bought Wiis because they were scarce. That happens all the time. I know people who were on the fence about iPhones when they came out until they were supposed to be in short supply as well, same with DS Lites, same with PS2 and 3. I'm not saying Nintendo is creating false demand for this or anything, but they're certainly not hurting from the fact that this thing isn't readily available.

If this truly were a global Nintendo conspiracy...why would it only be TRU getting massive shipments of Wii?

Oh wait, that's becaues there is no global Nintendo conspiracy.

Here's the thing; if it was a global nintendo conspiracy, wouldn't it make sense for them to release very few (if any) and flood ebay with them, grabbing the inflated prices? That would certainly be what I would be doing in this situation if I were an 'evil corporation.'

I waited hours in line at Walmart at launch. Went home, played Red Steel and Wii Sports. 1hr later. That was the last time I touched a Wii. My wife and I both hate the Wii with a passion. I guess I'm not a waggler.

I've heard that once the next fiscal year rolls over, they're going to increase production again (currrently at 1.8M systems a month, with NA getting 40% of the allocation).

RED STEEL? ...well there's your problem! Go play UMBRELLA CHRONICLES, GHOST SQUAD, or MoD2 HEROES. Granted, of the three suggested, only GS is 4 player offline, but there's a good starting ground.

I got my Wii January '07. I now have 11 games(12 in 4 days) and I can't find the time between internet, Brawl, and TV its so time consuming!

The kind that regular people eat?
Or the ones that Tranando likes to eat?

The Wii sausages

New perhipreal?

I'm gonna bet nintendo has something hidden up their sleeves, I've seen the gameplay vids for disaster day of crisis, it's looking quite good although nothing compared to Wiis highest power, even the conduit uses no where near Wiis power.

Lets see we have

Pikmin 3
Animal Crossing Wii
Turrican Wii (proly what else is Factor five got)
Legend of Zelda Wii
Starfox Wii
Kid Icarus
Another Mii based game
Disaster Day of crisis
not project hammer as has been indefinetly suspended
2 MMOS
I think there is like 5 major third party titles as well but I don't remember them.
And Zoonami is coming out with Goldeneyes spiritual sequel.

I'm not too fond of the fact that most these titles are nintendos old IPs

We Need New IPs lets hope that Disaster sells well, so nintendo decides to bring us something new.

I really want Pikmin 3, D:DoC, and Animal Crossing Wii.

Oh, If you are talking about the "unannounced MMO project" that some company leaked earlier this week, It's a Wii-Project and an MMO-Project. There isn't news regarding whether or not the MMO is for Wii or if the Wii is an MMO.

agreed. Hopefully we'll see some new games at E3.

when has *raising* prices ever worked in the consumer electronics industry, specifically video games?

this isnt the high-end fashion industry...

to embassy: and that is why demand has NEVER truly outsripped supply in the history of video games industry, yes even during the PS1 and PS2 eras.

M$'s OS monopoly, on the other hand, was a true monopoly during the early to mid 90s (not monopolistic competition which describes the "Big Three" right now) with true demand outstripping supply, and what happens? the following: "Dramatic" Price Increases "Prove Microsoft Monopoly" from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CGN/is_/ai_53335233

I'm curious, when you write your posts...do you first do a Find/Replace for all instances of "Nintendo" and "MS"?

Because I find it hard to believe anybody would honestly and intentionally write out "Nintendonalds" and "M$" every single time.

I suggest you stop using M$ and Nintendonalds, lest you get banned again. Or at least make it fair and throw a $ony in there somewhere.

PS. You have no idea what you're talking about. The reason that the 360 was in short supply 2 months ago was because they either sold or recalled their Xmas stock bundles so that they could rebox some without the free games and put some newer units out there. Personally, I think they should have thrown a price-drop in there but I don't run a multi-billion dollar software company, so what do I know?