Starting now: Walmart.com selling 'tens of thousands' of Wiis

by Ross Miller { Dec 8th 2008 at 12:25PM }

Thankfully we're not in the habit of making perceivably safe bets, otherwise we would've lost everything we had wagering that, two years after launch, retailers wouldn't still have a shortage of Nintendo Wiis. If you're still hunting for the console, starting now Walmart is selling "tens of thousands" of bundles priced from $250 (Wii only) to $460 (with Wii Fit). This time, we're willing to bet they'll be sold out by tonight.

[Via Reuters]

Tags: nintendo, shortage, walmart, wii-shortage

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

KobeBryunt @ Dec 8th 2008 12:28PM

Better prepare those shovels

Shagittarius @ Dec 8th 2008 12:33PM

Still the hardcore gently Wiip.

Marek Hryc @ Dec 8th 2008 1:02PM

I see wat U did thar!

Foetoid @ Dec 8th 2008 7:16PM

Not me. I've always considered myself a hardcore gamer and i don't have enough hours in the day to play the games i own (and the 2 dozen hardcore games i dont even own that are out now, or 1st half of next yr)....

I'll let Tmac finish that rant.

Cody @ Dec 8th 2008 9:39PM

I made your mom wiip last night.

tmacairjordan87 @ Dec 8th 2008 12:33PM

Well at least now they're actually selling the system only instead of putting a ridiculously awful bundle together. There's enough bad games on the wii....you don't need to help people buy them.

Madster @ Dec 8th 2008 12:35PM

I just checked the comments to see what kind of negativity there would be :)

I want one of these and I want to develop for it! (And I want a graphics upgrade. And a pony. With a mounted laser.)

Youthinized @ Dec 8th 2008 12:36PM

Yay!

Nothing like disappointed children on christmas day after playing it for 20 mins!

Wiinterfang @ Dec 8th 2008 1:10PM

You are crazy if you think kids are going to be dissapointed to get a wii in Christmas, unlike us kids play for fun and aren't up in their high horses bitching.

but if I get a wii this Christmas I'll gladly trade it for a Xbox 360.

Youthinized @ Dec 8th 2008 5:12PM

Yea, we'll see how much fun they're be having with it collecting dust 3 days later.

Lord Negatron @ Dec 8th 2008 5:48PM

Wii selling/ being out of stock is that still considered "news"?

/puzzled

Sora @ Dec 8th 2008 6:18PM

Nah, I got my Wii on a Christmas and it didn't start collecting dust till early February. So I bought SSBM in March and played that obsessively till June. And until Brawl came out, it's collected dust. And now, it's still collecting dust.

Foetoid @ Dec 8th 2008 7:29PM

Seriously Youthinized, your a tool. The collecting dust arguement is not only old, it's completely false. If i all bought for a 360 was Vampire Rain, SOF:Payback and Golden Axe: Beast Rider, it'd probably collect dust too. I've had my Wii since launch day and i've only let it 'collect dust' probably 1 day per week on average. You have to actually go out and buy good games for the damn thing or it will collect dust omg (yes i know, it's hard to believe there are plenty of good Wii games, you have to push aside the 95% of crap games to find the 20+ games worth owning, with another 20+ due out by this time next yr).

Youthinized @ Dec 8th 2008 9:01PM

Well I'm glad you bought a console that has as much depth as you do.

krycek @ Dec 8th 2008 12:38PM

Wii Fit is an extra $210?!?

The Aggie CEO @ Dec 8th 2008 1:02PM

it comes with other stuff........

if you max out the bundle it will cost that much

baby sea tuna @ Dec 8th 2008 1:05PM

They probably included one of those sweet WiiFit branded water bottles with it. You know, those really bump up the price!

Dirty @ Dec 8th 2008 1:20PM

Nothing like a wii branded Yoga mat to really show you care.

LilWiz @ Dec 8th 2008 1:44PM

And the specailly branded Wii socks.....Don't forget them....

Ignatius @ Dec 8th 2008 2:34PM

Don't forget the Wii dildo, to remind you who's screwing you out of your money.

TwEE @ Dec 8th 2008 2:56PM

Who's screwing who out of money Ignatius? What dose that even mean?

Lord Negatron @ Dec 8th 2008 5:50PM

Dont forget it has a break away pane of glass the throw yourself out a Wiindow shortly after you blow a grip on the bundle rather then a "current gen" system.

Whats that Nas? Huh Diddy? You can Haaate me now, buut i wont stop now..

The Aggie CEO @ Dec 8th 2008 12:40PM

now I dunno if I looked wrong or not.......

but I didnt see a "add to cart button" only "Sold out"

Shadow Hog @ Dec 8th 2008 12:50PM

Wiis really aren't as hard to find as they once were... I mean, I never see Wiis on the shelf, generally, and yet when I was in Target last Thursday, they had plenty.

A bit of a change, that.

Brent @ Dec 8th 2008 12:50PM

DO NOT WANT!

There's another white console that you should buy instead. It rhymes with "Hex fox tree mixty".

KeenCommander @ Dec 8th 2008 12:57PM

People want that stupid Chinese knock-off the Fexmox Meenixty?

In all seriousness, why hate? If you don't want one, don't buy one. For people who don't have one and want one, this is important. If you're not in your position, just play your console of choice rather than trolling.

Personally, I found my Wii to be worth every penny. Heck, Galaxy is worth $300 on it's own, but even beyond that there's enough good games to be worth getting.

Wiinterfang @ Dec 8th 2008 1:11PM

Galaxy is overrated.

Kizzle @ Dec 8th 2008 1:13PM

"In all seriousness, why hate?"

Because the Wii sucks and anyone with a brain knows Nintendo can do better, but they choose to take the easy route and cater to clueless general public.

It's not like I WANTED to hate the thing, I fucking BOUGHT it. Sucks that it was such a regrettable purchase.

Ignatius @ Dec 8th 2008 2:36PM

I am (was) a hardcore Nintendo fanboy. I sat outside for 7 hours to get 17 of 18 when I found out my Wii preorder was screwed.

I don't turn the thing on, I don't rent games for it, I don't buy games for it. SSBB, SMG and LoZ:TP were disappointments.

Metroid Prime 3 was pretty good though.

Lord Negatron @ Dec 8th 2008 6:08PM

Kizzle

You couldnt have worded it any more simple/better. All around me friends that have it, ages 28+, do not use it as often as another system...

I refuse to argue with a niche, casual player or fan of the system. Nintendo burned me since GameCube. Would it have KILLED them to give the Cube a regular CD-DvD drive to which i could've played music, movies etc. Like everyone else? Dude when i walk into a game store and see the white game cases on display, not even an ounce of curiosity crosses my mind to look on the back of any.

Economically the Wii is remarkable. Other than, if your older than 18, consider your self a gamer, but only own the Wii...

This rants for you. *raises stein*

Buckshot @ Dec 8th 2008 12:55PM

Like who did have this for 2 years already? It for the poor and ghetto kids now. Like the PS2 of it's day, just without any good games.

Nyroska @ Dec 8th 2008 2:25PM

How wonderfully classist, not to mention wrong.

Buckshot @ Dec 8th 2008 3:39PM

You mean they have been hiding the good games from me? All I see is family bullshit and shovelware.

Haggard @ Dec 8th 2008 1:00PM

Is the shortage really that bad in the US? There seems to be enough to go round in Europe.. but then they are charging us 35% more.

KeenCommander @ Dec 8th 2008 1:06PM

In short: Yes.

GUNT @ Dec 8th 2008 1:08PM

Come to Canada. They're always in stock at all the stores, not just Wal*Mart.

edgore @ Dec 8th 2008 1:09PM

My local bestbuy had a nice stack of both Wii systems and Wii fits this Saturday; somethign that has not been true in the past.

I'm kind of surprised that Nintendo hasn't had any new big-name game this season to drive sales. I mean, I know that they don't need one, but I would like a new big name game to buy this season...

Haggard @ Dec 8th 2008 1:41PM

Animal Crossing? They're advertising it on TV here in the UK at least as frequently as Sony is LittleBigPlanet.

edgore @ Dec 8th 2008 3:33PM

Okay, point taken. I amend the question to read "I'm kind of surprised that Nintendo hasn't had any new big-name games *that I care about* this season to drive sales. I mean, I know that they don't need one, but I would like a new big name game *that I care about* to buy this season..."

Animal Crossing just doesn't do it for me anymore - I played the first on to death and this one doesn't seem that much different. I can't be bothered to weed my own yard, much less a virtual village...

Covarr @ Dec 8th 2008 1:10PM

Damn bundles. The biggest reason that Wii Play keeps topping best selling lists is because Wal*Mart keeps bundling it with Wii consoles. Since it's not a manufacturer bundle, the lists count it as a separate sale.

Eric @ Dec 8th 2008 8:31PM

Everyone I know bought Wii Play(and not in a bundle), none of them got it from Walmart.

It's selling like that because it's a controller that you need(well,.. want) anyway, with a game for an extra ten bucks. Simple as that.

Blazur @ Dec 8th 2008 1:17PM

Guess Nintendo is realizing their console has jumped the shark, and have decided to stop withholding supply to artificially create demand before everybody catches on and dismisses the impulse buy.

T @ Dec 8th 2008 1:31PM

This actually seems more like Wal-Mart taking all of the Wiis they stuffed in their backrooms for the past few months and putting them on shelves all at once so they can grab the gaming dollar of families that are still out there Wii hunting.

You still wear the tinfoil hat if you want...

Shagittarius @ Dec 8th 2008 1:26PM

If you want to know what UbiSoft thinks of the Nintendo audience just check out their awesome "play with your butt" comercials.

They just need to include those hats with the helicopter blades on them as a pre-order and they would clean up.

Penisthumb FTW!

ThePhoenixLament @ Dec 8th 2008 1:51PM

Lol cue all the angry "hardcore" sony gamers/fanboys.

Quit bitching you idiots The Wii is a great system regardless of how many times you scream "FAD" or "THE WII IS DESTROYING GAMING!".

Go back and play your piece of shit 3 tmac. No one cares anymore. Hating on success is just so useless and ultimately lame.

But then again you're one of the top sony fanboys around here and by definition a LOSER like the console you support.

Covarr @ Dec 8th 2008 2:08PM

Chill, dude. No need to throw a fit just because somebody has the wrong opinion.

Me, I use my PS3 more than my Wii, though mostly because it act's as my bedroom's DVD/Blu-ray player, and my Wii is sharing a TV with the rest of my rather large family who all want to watch or play something different all the time.

However, I wouldn't say that quality is the reason Wii is selling like hotcakes. Not as long as Ubisoft games keep selling almost as well. Consumers don't know how to recognize quality, so they'll pass up on masterpieces like Zack and Wiki to get crap like Ultimate Horsez Adventure: Championship Grooming Edition or Spongebob Sudoku. Yes, the Wii is a quality system with quality games, but as far as I can tell quality has nothing to do with sales; it's winning purely because of good marketing and a comparitively low price point next to the PS3 or a 360 w/HDD.

edgore @ Dec 8th 2008 3:39PM

I am still trying to understand what "Imagine:Party Babyz" is. It's like my brain strips a gear each time I look at the box.

Lord Negatron @ Dec 8th 2008 6:18PM

Cant believe im going on the defense of Tmac. Although i once owned a PS3 myself, but rather allot my time into PC/360 games.IMO the Wii is an O K system, borderline of skeet shooting material.

Period.

Foetoid @ Dec 8th 2008 7:42PM

Come on Phoenix, i consider myself a hardcore Wii fanboy, but i also respect the opinions of others, you're just making us look bad. I think the Wii has heaps to offer. It plays all the awesome GC games i held onto after the GC, i can download the games i grew up with which is EXCELLENT, and the library of actual Wii games isn't as lacking for hardcore gamers as some may thing (tho it is severly outnumbered by crap titles).

Having said all that, the last half of '08 has been lacking and i've spent more time playing the PC than the Wii (tho i picked up Disaster: Day of Crisis the other day, great game!). We need a new DVD player for the big-screen in the lounge room and i've nearly got the missus convinced a 360 is the way to go for christmas. I'm not missing out on RE5, FFXIII or Fable 2. The only question now is to either buy a brand new 60gb Pro or Preowned 20gb Pro. I want HDMI so i may have to go brand new.

While the Wii is an excellent console and i believe the best console this-generation, it's also the perfect companion to either HD console.

tmacairjordan87 @ Dec 9th 2008 1:15AM

hey hey hey...what the hell did I do here?

As usual you display the intelligence of a 5 year old in your posts and if I was a wii fanboy I'd want you as far away from us as possible. You're pretty much the low level trash that all of us encounter in any online 360/ps3 game. If everyone who hated the wii was a sony fanboy then the ps3 would have a far bigger install base than the 360.

Your problem is you just can't handle the fact that the number of wii haters grow every month, and your only excuse for it is to throw them into your wierd hatred of the ps3 (which is pretty much the same console as your beloved 360, so really you must hate that too). In fact, with the way that you act I can't comprehend how you consider yourself a wii fanboy too

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