Getting Mad At Nintendo

[VideoGameCritic]

I stopped by the local Target today and asked about the availability of the Wii.  I was told they had not received a shipment in FIVE WEEKS.  The salesguy said they get the systems from Nintendo directly, so they have no control of the distribution.

About two months ago I tossed out a theory that Nintendo was holding back production on purpose in order to keep the "buzz" going and extend their stay on "top of the heap".  I'm really starting to think that it's true.  I've read stories that Nintendo's production is at maximum capacity, but I don't believe it.  Stores aren't getting shipments for weeks, and even when they do, it's usually only a few.  I asked at Best Buy the other day, and they said they were getting 18 in on April 22.  It's doesn't make any sense.

Something wrong with this picture, and I'm getting pissed off.

[voor]

critic, your emotions are getting the best of you.  Simmer down now. They are getting more and more available around here....have patience (or have someone hook you up).

[KanYozakura]

There's been some speculation on the 'net that Nintendo is purposely holding back because it made its forecast for the 06 fiscal year and wants to hold on to any extra Wii revenue for the 07 fiscal year.  Great for stockholders, bad for gamers.

I was lucky and got mine on launch day...number 38 of 38 to boot.  The Target where I work sells out within hours of getting systems in (which only happens about once a month, as you've experienced).  I think this should change pretty soon though; I heard my managers talking about a new Wii demo station (!!!) in our video games section, and now that more titles are out I think Nintendo is going to have a huge retail blitzkreig this summer.  I only hope they lead it off with SSBB...

[m0zart1]

I am sort of torn on this issue.  On the one hand, they are selling LIKE CRAZY!  If the 360 or PS3 were selling at this rate, they could conceivably be out as well.  On the other hand, when you see this kind of thing and expect it to continue, you move quickly to open avenues to increase production.  That hasn't happened, and it leaves me confused and a little angry myself.

My nephew finally got a Wii about a week ago.  Gamestop got a shipment in of somewhere near twelve per store, with some of them getting less and some getting more.  I rushed to the Gamestop to get them and the last one was being sold, so when I called my sister, she told me that they had just bought the last one in their location.  Given that this search was stressing me out, and went on much longer than it reasonably should have, it was a relief not to have to worry about this anymore.

[Steerforth]

I doubt they are holding back.....making numbers or not for a fiscal year pales in comparison to locking up nextgen marketshare. Maybe you get hit a little more in taxes short term, but I can't believe Nintendo would not be doing anything they can to get systems in the hands of their customers.

Its possible they were a little conservative estimating demand this summer and did not have the proper production in place to really push systems, that would sound like a Nintendo move. The demand has exceeded their best case senerio and they did not plan for it, ramping up production does not happen over night.

I know it is insane Critic, but every system they have put on the shelf sells almost immediately. They have apparently sold 6 million systems since launch, that is a very healthy clip.

[feilong801]

Hmm. I think people are overthinking this. Sure, there might be some "cloak and dagger" scheme to please stockholders or whatever, but I tend to think that the good ol' fashioned "gee whiz Festus, they be sellin' like hotcakes, we can't keep up, golly!" is probably the answer.

I do know that they are in the process of contracting more factories to make more of them. I'm sure that's not an easy process, as I bet many such factories are bidding like crazy to make more Wiis. I'll also bet that it isn't as simple as forking over the blueprints and telling a new factory: "have at em' hoss!"

What we are experiencing here with Wii is what the Japanese have been going through for well over a year with the DS lite. It's so bad for them that it is common practice to import them from America.

Remember, Xbox 360s were quite hard to come by for awhile also, yet with less sales than Wii. This stuff happens. It's tough. I think Nintendo benefits from getting the most systems to the most people. They're smart. They know how mad people are getting. They don't like that and want to remedy the situation.

I'm not trying to blindly defend them, but it just makes no sense at all that they would hold them back for some reason. Japanese companies tend to be fiscally conservative (i.e. Toyota). I'll bet they underplanned in terms of production, but then again, with so many so called game industry "journalists" snickering at the Wii from the moment the name was changed from Revolution, I can't blame them.



-Rob

[BigOldCar]

I don't know, gang.  It's not like Nintendo hasn't withheld product before.  They like to get everyone foaming at the mouth.  Then somebody sells a couple at a huge markup and the story gets around that the only way to get the product is to pay some scalper big bucks.  Some company rep does a few interviews talking about how demand is so great that they just can't keep up production.  A bunch more people get sucked in by the bandwagon effect.  Then the company opens the taps again, and everyone says, "Wow!  Product at face value?!  What a deal!"  And even people who had been on the fence jump at the opportunity to own the product.  Nintendo did it with the GameCube.  Sony *may* have done it with the PS2.  Disney does it with impunity with their crappy kids' movies.  "Buy it now before it goes back into the vault!"  Conniving bastards.

[Edward M]

Critic, let me tell you how I got my wii.   I browsed the Sunday ads until a store said it was getting a shipment. I got mine at Circuit City.   Circuit City will say in its paper when all the stores get Wiis.   They get them ahead of time, but they stock them until Sunday morning.  I was there Sunday morning exactly when they opened when I got mine.  They sold out immediately.  

So basically if you want a wii, keep looking at the Sunday ads until one of the store says it will be available, and be there when it opens or you won't get one.  And don't ask the employees because they are clueless.   According to cheapassgamer.com the wii isn't in the next two ads so it might be a while.

[Edward M]

Critic, I hope you are online, because I got some great news.   It has leaked the  Wii is in Kmart's Sunday Ad.

http://kmart.shoplocal.com/kmart/default.aspx?action=browsepagelarge&storeid=2422311&rapid=388641&pagenumber=7


I hope you read this before tomorrow morning.   Find out when K mart opens and be there 10 minutes early and get a Wii.   God I hope you read this.  Sorry Im so late.

[Cataclysm1]

Critic,

Nintendo, as a profit hungry conservative company, ships Wii by boat instead of airlifting them. (Sony got PS3s to stores so fast since they were airlifting them which is extremely expensive.) Toys R Us recieves more Wiis than the other stores. Wal-Mart also has enough clout to get constant shipment of Wiis (no one will risk offending Wal-Mart!).

One thing I have heard Nintendo say is that they believe a console's reputation is defined within the first year. PSP, after getting PS2 ports and having droughts for the first year, got a reputation of "having no games" even though it has games now. Xbox 360's year on the market had games consist mostly of FPS and racing games climaxing with Gears of Wars. So the Xbox 360 ends up having a reputation of having a library full of 'shooters and racing games'. Gamecube had many family friendly and kid orientated games with droughts. It didn't matter if Resident Evil 4 came out on the system, Gamecube had a reputation of "kiddie system" Nintendo could never shake off.

If the current situation continues, the Wii will end up with a reputation of being too difficult to get and people will just lose interest (and lose sales). This is probably the reason why Nintendo (says it is) working to build further production. DS Lites are sold out too but Nintendo doesn't bother increasing production of those. But it will with Wii. Why? I think because Nintendo is scared of a 'negative element' to be cemented into Wii's reputation.

With a new fiscal year, all these changes should now be able to take place. From what I can understand, 7 million Wiis were manufactured, 6 million Wiis were shipped with 2.5 million going to North America, 2 million going to Europe, and 1.5 million going everywhere else.

I wouldn't try getting a Wii from Target. Try a Sam's Club or some other store people normally wouldn't think of having video game systems.