Nintendo says the Wii well is 'nowhere near dry'

by Jason Dobson { Jul 16th 2008 at 9:30PM }

How long the Wii will remain a rupee-making juggernaut remains a question for debate, though according to Nintendo corporate communications director, Charlie Scibetta, players will continue to nurse tired limbs in their living rooms for some time.

"As long as publishers and our own first-party teams are able to get good use out of the technology that's there to make gameplay experiences people will like, it's going to be a legitimate console," he told us, adding that "the well is nowhere near dry in terms of what this console can do." Unfortunately, one thing the console can't seem to do is stay on store shelves, though he spun the scarcity as best he could, stating simply that "we're just trying to get as many out there as quick as we can."

Tags: nintendo, nintendo-of-america, supply

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Ridgecity @ Jul 16th 2008 9:34PM

It almost sounds as if you want the Wii to fail or make it sound as if it already failed.

Ridgecity @ Jul 16th 2008 9:38PM

if you already see a sold-out product as failure, you can't really change your opinion with anything else.

dyer @ Jul 18th 2008 7:33AM

Yup theres plenty of turd to go around kids! :D

F1 & The Way PC used to be. @ Jul 16th 2008 9:35PM

What's that Lassie? The Wii's in the well?

Boom! @ Jul 16th 2008 10:53PM

lol!

GoldBronco @ Jul 16th 2008 9:37PM

Speaking of Wii Wells, how about that virtual console well, nintendo? You know, THE ONE YOU REFUSE TO TAKE GOOD GAMES OUT OF?

"Trying to get them out as quick as you can"? I don't consider a NEO-GEO game or two per week to be "quick".

Ok, I'm done venting.

Chase @ Jul 16th 2008 9:37PM

Fernando with the N-Team defense in three... two... one...

Co @ Jul 16th 2008 10:21PM

Well tell 3rd parties to stop putting every effort into running the well dry.

I love how at the conference they stated they had like over 100 more games out in the first 19 months than any other system. Not really that great an accomplishment when looking closer at the library.

Burnt Meatloaf @ Jul 18th 2008 6:30AM

Correction: BAD 3rd party developers.

Stop shitting on the good 3rd party developers, and they won't keep disappearing. That goes for you too, Nintendo.

Mr.ESC @ Jul 16th 2008 9:39PM

More like:

As long as Ubisoft and Activision keep releasing ports, rehashes, casual titles and Spiderman games there are always going to be a few games for the Wii.

mr nimblewick @ Jul 16th 2008 9:42PM

Thank god you are here, Mr.ESC. You are a beacon that leads wayward gamers through the mist of fanboyism.

Or not.

Mr.ESC @ Jul 16th 2008 10:02PM

I'm glad you consider me an inspiration and don’t worry I will keep helping the need through these times of fanboyism and hate.

In the meanwhile I have to thank you for your great and original ideas that always seem to bright in the darkest abyss of the internet bringing the truth hidden inside of them.

Such brilliant comments always so truthful and clever couldn’t come from another mind, is ingenious the way you make every single one of your posts related to the present subject.

(On the other hand the second and third paragraph could be the biggest lies I’ve ever told.)

mr nimblewick @ Jul 16th 2008 10:22PM

I thank you and your dapper coif for the praise. You, sir, a gentleman and a scorer. If only the riffraff and ratscallions of this website could hoist themselves to the heights of your noble sensibilities and witness the greatness and peace you bring to the land.

And I... ACH... sorry, choked on my tongue a bit there.

Shogan @ Jul 16th 2008 9:40PM

The E3 Conference sure made it look like a serious drought compared to the other companies.

Mr Khan @ Jul 16th 2008 9:41PM

keyword "look like"

I've been saying all day. What they showed isn't even a fraction of what's going on on the console

Shogan @ Jul 16th 2008 9:43PM

Yeah, but they should have shown THAT. It's hard to be excited for titles they seem ashamed to show. They were an absolute failure this year.

Geist @ Jul 17th 2008 2:08AM

Here's what I figure: from what I remember, Nintendo showed a lot of its games like the Wii-blah stuff and some other minor stuff. This is all stuff they develop. They're pushing their stuff.

Now, how much of Microsoft's show is stuff developed in-house? How much of Sony's (well, SCEA does a fair amount, but you get my picture). There's a surprising amount of stuff coming out for the Wii that Nintendo just doesn't talk about at this venue, likely because it's not made by them.

Mr Khan @ Jul 16th 2008 9:41PM

Evidence of this is found today. The Conduit, Dead Rising Wii, and MadWorld. The goodness simply keeps coming

Superstar90 @ Jul 16th 2008 9:45PM

Don't forget already announced stuff like Monster Hunter 3, Rune Factory Frontier, Tenchu 4, Fragile and Fatal Frame 4.
All of which were missing from Nintendo's conference, sadly.

Mr.ESC @ Jul 16th 2008 9:46PM

I love Dead Rising I hope Capcom doesn't pull out the same crap they did with the remake of Resident Evil 0.Yes I would buy it again.

Mad world looks as awesome as No more heroes which I have to tell it was cool.There are other titles like Samba de Amigo (Sega bring Space Channel 5 back).

For now I haven't bought a game for the Wii since Brawl :/

Mr.ESC @ Jul 16th 2008 10:04PM

I love Monster Hunter series too bad the PSP games are almost unplayable.

Geist @ Jul 17th 2008 2:08AM

WAIT. STOP.

Dead Rising Wii?

*head asplode*

TheOverlord#2 can has Animals Crossing? @ Jul 17th 2008 3:54PM

Yep there's Dead Rising, MadWorld, The Conduit, Animal Crossing, Zelda, Mario, and more that we don't know about and others we do.

Though I still love this GIF: http://www.nintendoe32008.ytmnd.com

Superstar90 @ Jul 16th 2008 9:42PM

Nintendo screwed up at e3, they didn't show anything for the hardcore audience even though they kept saying they would.

They should have at least shown the 2 Harvest Moon games and Megaman because they are well known to the mass market.

SoulBlade @ Jul 16th 2008 9:49PM

Or maybe they know the hardcore gamers will use blogs and gaming websites to get the info they're interested in and used the keynote/press conference to hit the mass media so the average customer can see what's up.

Hardcore gamers (as sad as it is to hear) are not their target - they've made a lot more money targeting a wider audience.

John Z @ Jul 16th 2008 10:05PM

@SoulBlade: You're exactly right. If the entire WEEK-LONG show ends without any news on games focused towards traditional audiences, THEN and only then will I be willing to concede that there's serious problems. Until then, let the casuals have their moment. We've had thirty years or more. We can wait our turn.

Dovi @ Jul 16th 2008 11:01PM

What Harvest Moon games!?

Why have I not heard of this!?

T_T

Superstar90 @ Jul 17th 2008 1:13AM

@Dovi
Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility is another normal Harvest Moon game coming out in August in NA.

Rune Factory Frontier is based off the DS spin offs, it is like normal Harvest Moon, but it has ARPG dungeon crawling and monster fighting. It also looks incredible. It's coming out in Japan Q1 2009.
Screens:
http://www.nintendowiifanboy.com/2008/06/06/rune-factory-frontier-produces-screens-website/
Trailer:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x651fn_rune-factory-frontier-trailer_videogames

commen-cents @ Jul 16th 2008 9:47PM

well they are lying

Dwag @ Jul 16th 2008 9:48PM

Well the Wii has the Conduit coming out and Madworld and Monster Hunter 3 so i'll believe them for at least.

Sora @ Jul 16th 2008 9:52PM

Insert "I have a Wii so I'm not biased!" excuse here, followed by an extremely inflammatory comment.

Sesur @ Jul 16th 2008 10:05PM

yeah, I'm sure they have alot more garbage to announce/

Deezul @ Jul 16th 2008 10:11PM

Coming in 2010 - Wii Garbage! Pick up trash and recyclables. Sort them with the new MotionPlus controller to separate the glass into colors and plastics by number instead of just "glass" and "plastic."

Unlockables include new colored tubs, and to either make artificial reefs or mulch those old Christmas trees!

Sesur @ Jul 16th 2008 10:25PM

LOL

and it costs 79.99 because of the WiiCyle bin required to play!

Sesur @ Jul 16th 2008 10:27PM

*WiiCycle*

Wise Guy @ Jul 16th 2008 10:39PM

"the well is nowhere near dry in terms of what this console can do."

Oh really, can we see some better visuals than because Star Wars Rouge Squadron looks better visually than SW Force Unleashed. That was on the GameCube in 2001. What gives?

Geist @ Jul 17th 2008 2:10AM

So Lucasarts is a lazy porter. Blame them.

Have you seen 'The Conduit'? That's the kind of thing that shows off tech.

El Taco @ Jul 16th 2008 10:59PM

that picture is photoshopped.

Negativecool @ Jul 16th 2008 11:06PM

As long as the regular consumer, who has no idea what E3 is and that Nintendo's showing sucked at it, thinks the Wii is the tickle-me-elmo, it will still sell like this.

Regardless of if it has any games or not. If sally-no-nothing's friend says it's fun as hell and they are hard to come by, Wii's will move.

frogprince @ Jul 16th 2008 11:16PM

The Wii milkshake have not been drinked yet!

Saria the Cat @ Jul 17th 2008 12:17AM

I think Microsoft just drank their milkshake. :(

Geist @ Jul 17th 2008 2:12AM

If Nintendo has a milkshake, and Microsoft has a milkshake, and Sony has a milkshake, and Nintendo's straw features waggle, and it can reach aaaaalll the way across the room...

OMGOMG @ Jul 17th 2008 5:44AM

@frog

Hahaha!!

zeh @ Jul 16th 2008 11:29PM

Nintendo did well in tapping into an untapped market of players since they knew they couldn't directly compete in the hardcore gaming market with the pc/ps3/360. Obviously they are focusing on this market now, to which I don't blame them.

totoro @ Jul 17th 2008 2:00PM

I actually got one of Amazon's fabled "launch" Wii consoles in 2006, and counted myself extremely lucky at the time, but...Seriously, what is up with the persistent shortages of Wii consoles (not to mention the Fit!!). I never bought into the "Nintendo contrived shortage" theory, but it is coming up on 2 years since release, and people still complain about shortages.

Could demand really be outstripping supply for this long, is Nintendo just really terrible at forecasting, or wtf?
(They seem to have zero trouble keeping up with the DS production, btw)