Wii are the champions

[Fred Derf Veteran]

Wii are the champions

RICHARD BLACKWELL

Globe and Mail Update

November 13, 2007 at 9:26 PM EST

When senior citizens are leaping from their couches to mime tennis moves with a little white control stick, you know something's up in the video game business.

Massive sales of Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s Wii console have proven that it's not just basement-dwelling young men who can become addicted gamers, and that runaway success is turning the system into the must-have item for Christmas ? this year's Cabbage Patch Kid or Tickle Me Elmo.

Retailers report they are selling out Wii units almost as quickly as they can get them, and Nintendo acknowledges it just can't keep up with demand.

The Wii, launched a year ago this week, is unique in its use of a motion-sensitive handheld controller that forces players to get on their feet to mimic swinging a bat or golf club, or deliver a bowling ball. That feature, and a price under $300, appeals to people who have eschewed video games in the past.

?We are getting weekly shipments and we're selling out each and every week in virtually every store,? said Kevin Groh, director of corporate affairs for Wal-Mart Canada Corp. ?We're selling them as fast as they can make them.?

It's the same at other game retailers.

?Since the launch we've seen them selling out continuously,? said Heather Seabrook, a spokeswoman at Best Buy Canada Ltd. ?We could sell more, if we had more.?

Nintendo is trying to make the units faster, but can't keep up. It has already sold more than nine million Wiis around the globe, and is now churning out 1.8 million a month.

Twice in the past six months Nintendo has boosted its sales forecast, and it now says it will ship 17.5 million Wii units in the current fiscal year that ends in March.

Ron Bertram, general manager of Nintendo of Canada Ltd., said the company is making more hardware than ever before. ?We're shipping boatloads of product [but] the demand has just been extraordinary.?

Most stores in Canada that sell the Wii are getting deliveries weekly, he said, and Nintendo is trying to make sure any retailer that features the game system in a sales flyer will get enough of the units that week.

While supplies are tight, the Wii isn't quite as rare a commodity as last Christmas, Mr. Bertram said. ?The product only lasted hours [after each shipment] last year, [but] it seems to be lasting two or three or four days this year.?

Nintendo says that by New Year's Day, it expects the Wii to be the most successful game system in a decade.

In Britain, shortages have been so acute that individuals are selling the game consoles on online sites such as Amazon for close to double the retail price.

The scarcity of units has prompted some debate over whether Nintendo is keeping back product to make the Wii seem even more desirable.

The company denies that, and analysts say such a strategy would make no sense.

There's no point in Nintendo holding back when it can sell everything it produces, said New York-based independent toy analyst Chris Byrne. ?You end up leaving money on the table.? He said shortages are no surprise because it is hard to project future demand for a game device, and even harder to quickly ramp up production of a unit that relies on custom-designed electronic components. ?[They] have to order the chip, and it's not like they're using an off-the-rack chip.?

Mr. Byrne said the main reason for the Wii's success ? and the shortages ? is that it has diversified the market for video games so dramatically, and unexpectedly. People who don't normally play video games find it easy to use, and parents like the fact that it forces their kids to get up and move around.

?You've got so many more people getting into this because of what it is,? Mr. Byrne said. ?You've got senior citizens buying this.?

Nintendo is clearly delighted at its success. Nintendo of America president Reginald Fils-Aime gleefully told a Bank of Montreal investment conference last week that while the Wii was first bought by core game players, it has now mushroomed far beyond that group. ?It's in retirement homes, it's on cruise ships, it's been the No. 1 requested item on bridal registries, it's the source of contests in bars, [and] it's been used as a rehab tool in children's hospitals,? Mr. Fils-Aime said.

According to market research firm NPD Group Inc., Nintendo has sold about 423,000 Wii units in Canada since it was launched a year ago, far outstripping the 138,000 sales of the more expensive Sony PlayStation 3, which was unveiled around the same time. Microsoft's Xbox 360 sold about 306,000 units in Canada over the same period.

Darrel Ryce, director of technology and entertainment at NPD's Canadian operation, said Nintendo has benefited because Wii appeals to the ?Nintendo faithful? as well as the burgeoning number of ?casual gamers.?

Sales have also been boosted by the release of a very strong range of game software, he said. This week, Nintendo is launching Super Mario Galaxy for Wii, and ?there will be huge sales for this [game],? Mr. Ryce predicts.

Next year, there could be another burst when the company releases Wii Fit, software combined with a balance board that allows users to play fitness games such as ski jumping, soccer heading, or hula-hooping, or to hold yoga poses.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...Technology/home

[EduardValencia]

But the Wii was outsold last month in U.S and canada by the xbox 360 :rolleyes:

[clx]

But the Wii was outsold last month in U.S and canada by the xbox 360 :rolleyes:

Halo 3 was released. end of discussion.

[Lexcyn]

But the Wii was outsold last month in U.S and canada by the xbox 360 :rolleyes:

Just wait, when the Christmas rush starts the Wii will be almost impossible to find again.

[Spookie]

Halo 3 was released. end of discussion.

Indeed and Mario is out this week in the UK. :D

Things aren't in stock longer than 5 mins in the UK! :/

[xploit1030]

Just wait, when the Christmas rush starts the Wii will be almost impossible to find again.

Clearly you don't live in the D.C. area because the Wii has been impossible to find since it was released. I lucked out and got mine the day of a shipment but my friends have had to order theirs online.

To this day my local Target, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, EB Games, all have zero in stock.

[Lexcyn]

Clearly you don't live in the D.C. area because the Wii has been impossible to find since it was released. I lucked out and got mine the day of a shipment but my friends have had to order theirs online.

To this day my local Target, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, EB Games, all have zero in stock.

Nope I live in Ontario ... and for a few months we've always had a few Wii's in stock at our local electronics stores. But my guess those few in stock will quickly turn into zero in stock.

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

Sales have also been boosted by the release of a very strong range of game software, he said.

Ha! My ass it does

[dysmatik]

^ :laugh:

[PiracyX]

Just wait, when the Christmas rush starts the Wii will be almost impossible to find again.

Yes because they are holding them back!

As for the comment on a very strong range of software games.....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!! :laugh: Is he having a bubble?

[jerzdawg]

Clearly you don't live in the D.C. area because the Wii has been impossible to find since it was released. I lucked out and got mine the day of a shipment but my friends have had to order theirs online.

To this day my local Target, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, EB Games, all have zero in stock.

same here in NJ/PA area... its not as crazy as it used to be... but the only way you are going to get one is if you are there the day they are stocked on the shelf... in a 12 hr retail day... they will be gone... its luck if you get one

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

Yes because they are holding them back!

Just as MS did! And Sony would have LOL

[neufuse Veteran]

same here in NJ/PA area... its not as crazy as it used to be... but the only way you are going to get one is if you are there the day they are stocked on the shelf... in a 12 hr retail day... they will be gone... its luck if you get one

Yeah we've been trying to find one for my sister for christmas... impossible.. been looking for months now... It took me 6 months to get mine after release... when I did see them on the shelves in the past they where gone within the day

[Fred Derf Veteran]

The strong range of software games, in the context of the article, was referring to games for kids, games for teens, games for mature audiences and games for seniors. No other console has that type of range. Other consoles often target the prime gaming years of about 13 to 29.

[rajputwarrior]

Just wait, when the Christmas rush starts the Wii will be almost impossible to find again.

still hard to find...

[jackwanders]

Clearly you don't live in the D.C. area because the Wii has been impossible to find since it was released. I lucked out and got mine the day of a shipment but my friends have had to order theirs online.

To this day my local Target, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, EB Games, all have zero in stock.

I live in DC as well and can confirm this. I wasn't able to get one until April, and I had to drive out to a Circuit City in Virginia and sit outside in line for 90 minutes before the store opened just to get it.

Since then, the ONLY time I've seen a Wii on a shelf is when I go to BestBuy at 11am on a Sunday (when the store opens). Outside of that, not a single one...and the console was released a year ago. Huge demand? **** poor production rate by Nintendo? A bit of both I assume.

[Morphie]

Yes because they are holding them back!

As for the comment on a very strong range of software games.....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!! :laugh: Is he having a bubble?

The Wii has amazing games. Granted there has been some delay on some of the "I NEED THESE" titles, but there are many games that are enjoyable to a decently varied audience.

A short list:

- Super Swing Golf - Difficult, enjoyable

- Zelda - yes it's a hacked GCN game, but it is still fun

- Mario - brilliant, amazing, amazing, amazing

- Zack and Wiki - This game is so much fun. Sleeper hit of the year.

- Metroid - A nice return to quality in the series after somewhat of a slump in MP2: Echoes

- Wii Sports - Free, very fun for non gamers, very easy to learn, nice tech demo.

- Virtual Console - Um... Do I really have to explain how great this is? XBox Live has amazing titles, but they will never have most of these.

The Wii is Nintendo's testament to focusing on fun in gaming, as they always have. I keep wanting to get an Xbox360, but then remember I'm already busy playing Wii all the time, and don't have time for another console. I've had it since launch and I'm not bored at all with it.

[Xerus]

The whole "Wii has no games!" boat is sinking... time to get off and actually check out some games.

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

The whole "Wii has no games!" boat is sinking... time to get off and actually check out some games.

Why's that then? Because SMG is out now? One game doesn't save anything from sinking. And please, don't bring up 3rd party titles into the discussion if you intend to.

[Morphie]

Why's that then? Because SMG is out now? One game doesn't save anything from sinking. And please, don't bring up 3rd party titles into the discussion if you intend to.

What is wrong with 3rd party games? Also, from my list, 3 are Nintendo owned studios, core franchise.

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

What is wrong with 3rd party games? Also, from my list, 3 are Nintendo owned studios, core franchise.

Sorry I meant to say multiplatform games :p

Let's put it this way, Zelda (even though it's a port to begin with) Metroid Prime 3 and Mario are the only worth while games owning. Which is a bad situation to be in after a year, no matter what the excuse is. You can say the 360 had a bad lineup at launch or whatever, but it had more than 3 must have games in it's first year, that's for damn sure :yes:

[Fred Derf Veteran]

Again, the discussion on games is assuming the 13-29 age range. The Wii has a much wider range of games than that.

[Darrian]

If you take out 3rd party games, what is left? Microsoft has nothing interesting, and Sony has what, God of War? Most of the best games come from Capcom and Square/Enix. At least Nintendo and Sony make some great games themselves, but not nearly enough to justify buying a console. It's always the number of 3rd party games by the publishers that you prefer and which console they're available for that will win the war. Right now my PC is dominating all my time, but when I do have time for a new console I'm definitely buying a Wii first.

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

My point is, what's the use in comparing multiplatform games when they are on the competitors console. You are just going to go around in circles naming names. That's why first party titles are important and will always be one of the biggest deciding factors in the success of your platform.

How the hell does MSFT have nothing interesting? You may not like the titles on 360, but there is some fantastic ones to choose from. Just like I'm not fussed over Ratchet or Uncharted, but they are still great games and will be very important titles for the PS3 this xmas.

Nintendo are going into the holiday season basically riding on the success of Mario here, and to a lesser extent the Zapper release with Zelda game inc and Resident Evil UC. Not exactly the most appealing games lineup for "casual" gamers Nintendo is trying to reach out to.

Yes Fred the range is wider, but they are also leaving the core 13-29 age group out in the cold. They have forgotten all about hardcore gamers almost.

[Fred Derf Veteran]

Yes Fred the range is wider, but they are also leaving the core 13-29 age group out in the cold. They have forgotten all about hardcore gamers almost.

The point of this article, however, was to suggest that Nintendo's success has come from appealing to wider age ranges than just the hardcore gamers (who also tend to be mostly male). That means mind puzzles for Grandma and kiddie games for the little ones.