Where would they be getting all of these Wiis? Nintendo is selling > 1 million per month right now. Even if they've ramped up production to 1.5 million starting in June, there's no way they'll have so many millions available for several dates by the end of the year.

I don't think Nintendo's goal is to surpass the 360. I'd hope their goals are a bit more lofty and they basically stated that they anticipate getting a larger US installed base than the PS2. At the current rate, they're virtually guaranteed to surpass the 360 in terms of installed base by October.

iTracker is not the measuring stick to see how Wiis are selling.

"RetailEmployee" is the measuring stick to see how Wiis are selling.

Why? Because working in the electronics dept. in these low paid jobs creates a healthy frustration with their daily work and they'll be able to tell you what's up based on their expression.

Ask 'em about a never-ending selling system like Wii and the tone of frustration or apathy in their voice as that often repeated word rings once more shows you the speed of sale.

"Excuse me, ma'am but are there any Wiis in stock?"

"*sigh* (grimaced deadpan face with virtually monotone voice) No, we ain't got no Wiis. They're sold out."

"Do you know when they'll get anymore in stock? Day? Time?"

"No sir/ma'am, we just put 'em out. If we got 'em in stock you'll see them in the case."

"When was the last shipment you received?"

"(gleam of irritation and frustration at your persistence) I don't remember sir/ma'am. Maybe 2 days ago. Whenever they send 'em we stock 'em that's all I can tell ya."

"Are they selling THAT well?"

"Yeah, they are. Every time I turn around I get people asking me what you just asked me and I can't tell them anything different. They always go out of stock again in, like, a day sometimes in hours. No matter how many times we stock 'em. I've been opening up the Wii case like crazy for months getting people some game or something out of there. If it ain't that it's that other thing they want...what do they call it?"

"The DS Lite?"

"Yeah that's the name. And I'm like Sir? Ma'am? What you see in that case is all we got. That's all I can tell 'em."

"Oh, I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to add on to the aggravation."

"No it's OK sir/ma'am, you didn't know. I've been saying this so long it's like I'm a broken record now. I just switch on to 'No Wii explanation' mode. Just keep checking back and maybe you'll get lucky."

"One last question. Have at least the shipment numbers gotten better, like, more Wiis available at once?"

"Yeah I guess but it doesn't matter most are gone as soon as people walk by. You might see one left in case for the next day but the next day that'll be snapped up too. And then I gotta go into my 'No we ain't got no more Wii' routine until they ship again. I wish they just put an out-of-stock sign up there and get it over with! I get sick of saying the same thing over and over again."

"I apologize. I just can't seem to find it anywhere and just wanted to get some inside knowledge so I can stop all this damn hunting."

"No problem. Just keep checking back. They'll turn up eventually."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. (goes back to daily retail grind with grim waiting-for-the-timeclock face thinking 'I gotta get another job')"

The employee who has to continuously lock and unlock the shoplifting-protective case to retrieve Wiis, Wii games, and Wii accessories will give you the BEST gauge on how the Wii's doing. Especially if that employee knows little about videogames. There's a bit of looking down on people who want those silly toys so she hates her job even more and the frustration comes out in the voice and expression.

Then again you may find the more enthusiastic gamestore/retail employee who'll give you in-depth analysis on how the shipment/sellout thing is going.

But never iTracker. MyEmployee is a better service.

John Lucas

1.5 - 1 = 0.5 per month * 4 months untill november = 2 million units + the 1.5 units the produce per month. Well it is hard to say if they could reach 3 million in USA alone, but WW shouldn't a 5 million be a problem during november and december.

Some countries like spain and Sweden is also building up some stock so those countries might not get any christams deliveries. Then we also have the possibility that they actualy succeds in producing 2 million units in november and december, personally I don't think so but who knows.