Iwata: No guarantee Wii will be in stock this Xmas

[Skeeuk]

Iwata: No guarantee Wii will be in stock this Xmas

Wednesday 23-Jul-2008 5:37 PM Console may be hard to find in the US this holiday season

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/

Nintendo's global president and CEO Satoru Iwata has said that its market leading Wii console may be hard to find in the US this holiday season, despite the firm's best efforts to ensure a steady supply of units to retail.

"We are really intending to increase the shipments to the US, especially compared to last year," Iwata told Forbes.

"However, I can't give you a 100 percent commitment [that you'll be able to find a Wii this holiday season]. What I can commit myself to is that Nintendo is going to do its best to supply as many Wii hardware units as possible in order to meet demand there."

Since the Wii was launched around 18 months ago the console has sold phenomenally well but has often been in short supply. In April, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime said that he was "passionately upset" about the lack of product relative to US demand, and that his division had been reminding its Japanese parent of "missed opportunities" in the US due to the lack of stock. Last fiscal year the US received around 40 percent of monthly Wii shipments.

Nintendo subsequently announced plans to ramp up its annual Wii production level from 18.61 million to 25 million units, and last week the console's installed US base surpassed that of Microsoft's Xbox 360.

In the wide-ranging interview with Forbes, Iwata also apologized to core gamers for the company's focus on mass-market friendly titles at this year's E3.

"We are sorry about [the E3] media briefings, specifically for those who were expecting to see Nintendo show something about Super Mario or Legend of Zelda," he said.

"However, the fact of the matter is the so-called 'big titles' need a long, long development period. ... We really didn't think this year's E3 media briefing was the time to do so."

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do you thing many prospected consumers this fall, due to a possible wii shortage. might buy into ps360 - which in my opinion tower above the wii in gaming.