Unbeaten in the console sales charts since April in the US, Nintendo's Wii has consistently outsold its competitors by healthy margins. However, far from reaching its saturation point, the Mario Factory has yet to meet demand for its console. According to Nintendo of America president and CEO Reggie Fils-Aime, that situation isn't going to change as the already-booming gaming industry heads into its busiest time of the year.
In an interview with the San Jose Mercury News, Fils-Aime unabashedly admitted that Nintendo isn't meeting the demand for its console. "We have been sold out worldwide since we launched," he boasted. "Every time we put more into the marketplace, we sell more, which says that we are not even close to understanding where the threshold is between supply and demand...Our inventory is lasting a day."
Not mincing words, the outspoken exec said that a lot of children will be left wanting this holiday season. "We're working very hard to make sure that consumers are satisfied this holiday, but I can't guarantee that we're going to meet demand," he said. "As a matter of fact, I can tell you on the record we won't."
As for why, Fils-Aime noted that it is a game of economics that it is hampering supply, not the console maker's ability to produce. "The issue is we went in with a curve that was aggressive, but the demand has been substantially more than that. And the ability to ramp up production and to sustain it is not a switch that you flick on," he explained.
http://videogames.yahoo.com/news-532512
can't say im suprised but I still find it retarded, it just doesn't seem like they are even trying to meet the demand despite what they've said, but I have mine thats all I care about I guess.
great marketing ploy, though--rarity produces demand
yeah that was the case back when they were saying the Wii would be available to everyone by spring, now its just getting old
maybe to you, but not the clamoring parents who'll body slam eachother to get one for their kids
i don't find it unrealistic that Nintendo would find it hard to meet demand for the Wii. The Wii is the new iPod (it's that popular). I don't even think it is possible to meet demand for the Wii.
It WOULD have been had they anticipated this awesome reception of it, however they did not and as a result are having trouble increasing production
"The issue is we went in with a curve that was aggressive, but the demand has been substantially more than that[read: more aggressive than their curve]. And the ability to ramp up production and to sustain it is not a switch that you flick on."
they ARE upping production, it just takes time, I believe
Rarity also makes people who don't *need* something, want it even more.
My Wii's still collecting dust until Smash Bros. comes out. Spose I should burn through Metroid Prime III on a rental weekend to give it a workout.
GAME in the UK has been completely out of Wiis (the whole company) for about 2 weeks now
Elites and cores sold out in our store a few days ago (Not sure about the companies state), Premiums are going soon. We've still got a few halo 360s though.
We've got a 10 foot tall pile of PS3s where each layer is 9 PS3s.
i don't find it unrealistic that Nintendo would find it hard to meet demand for the Wii. The Wii is the new iPod (it's that popular). I don't even think it is possible to meet demand for the Wii.
Let's stand back and consider what actually goes into a Nintendo Wii. If anyone can come up with at least one piece of technology inside the little white rectangle that would be so hard to produce and would give a good reason why Nintendo won't be able to keep up with demand a year later, then I'd like to hear it.
Image if Microsoft did this when Halo3 came out and they kept dicking with people telling them that it was in such high demand that you wouldn't be able to buy it in stores for months or even a year. Everyone would cry fowl, but when Nintendo does it, everyone just sighs and pretends that there's a shortage of plastic and dvd drives in the world. The Wii isn't cutting edge, so let's not pretend it's components are either.
Nintendo, you're marketing tires me. Although, I guess you are just a money hungry corporation trying to keep the hype for your console alive so whatever.
Lol, why is Nintendo considered this big, friendly company that has each and every one of our needs in mind? It's a business, and while we, more informed? gamers don't like it, they're raking in the dough, and that's all that matters.
@ GFT...just because it's not the best doesn't mean it still takes time to produce them. It's not like they stockpile things... Not that I'm approving of they're strategy or excuses.
actually, they MAY be stockpiling them... it's actually LIKELY that they're stockpiling them for Black Friday
Yeah, that's the official word.
They're upping supply for the holiday season, whilst generating hype in the rift.
It WOULD have been had they anticipated this awesome reception of it, however they did not and as a result are having trouble increasing production
"The issue is we went in with a curve that was aggressive, but the demand has been substantially more than that[read: more aggressive than their curve]. And the ability to ramp up production and to sustain it is not a switch that you flick on."
they ARE upping production, it just takes time, I believe
It does take time to up production. Remember Nintendo only had one company for Wii production and when demand rose rapidly they went looking for other companies. It's probably a more a time consuming process.
My Wii's still collecting dust until Smash Bros. comes out. Spose I should burn through Metroid Prime III on a rental weekend to give it a workout.
MP3 is worth it and we're about a month away from SMG,with decent to solid games in between from third party devs.
You know what I love seeing? Those videos of people inline trying to get (or smash) the Wii. But who cares, cause I gots me one!