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Wii supply finally catches up to demand

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DVDBack23 @ Mar 21, 2009 20:56 | 26 comments

According to an interview with Gamasutra, GameStop has said they finally have enough Nintendo Wii supply to keep up with demand.

GameStop Senior Vice President of Merchandising Bob McKenzie added: "Three years later, we finally have enough inventory on the shelf, and we've got a couple of weeks in supply."

McKenzie also says he is fully confident gamers can walk in and purchase the console without any lines, in any retail location. The company is the largest gaming retailer in the biggest market, the US.

Since its launch in 2006, the Wii has constantly been out of stock, with many would-be buyers hearing lines such as "the console is first come, first serve, we wont know when we will have them back in stock." If you were trying to get the console during the holiday season, chances are you you weren't getting one.

48 million global console sales later, the Wii is finally available. Well done, Nintendo.

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Comment by: Azuran (Mar 22, 2009 03:36)

Originally posted by kikzm33z:
People still want the Wii when the 360 is just as cheap?

And that the Wii actually got a price raise? (if that's the right way to say it)

Im pretty sure the price increase was only for the UK. Also the Wii caters to a different demographic. Not suprising it has a different demand then xbox 360 or PS3.

Comment by: varnull (Mar 22, 2009 03:39)

hahaha.. more non-news.. it's dead season and the middle of a world recession.. wait till xmas and there will be a shortage again.

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Comment by: bomber991 (Mar 22, 2009 04:18)

Ah, I always hated how they did things this way:
"The console is first come, first serve, we wont know when we will have them back in stock"

Why the hell won't they just create a waiting list, and have people pay for the console now and put them at the top of that list. I mean damn, you could just go and prepay for the system, and then pick it up in 2 or 3 weeks when it gets in stock. Instead they want you to just go store to store asking if they have a Wii.

Even better, I don't understand why you can't just order the system straight from the manufacturer and get it mailed to your house. If it's out of stock they put you on a waiting list till you get it.

Comment by: ZippyDSM (Mar 22, 2009 06:36)

Almost got a used WII for 200$ but was outbidded by 20$, even then that's a one out of 20 that got below 250$.

60GB PS3 is going above 300, closer to 400, and the 360 you can get for 100$.....though if its that cheap I doubt it be working for long..... *hides*

:P

Comment by: rainofire (Mar 22, 2009 06:58)

Is it really still that hard to get a wii? I can walk in to my local gamestop right now and buy one. My local gamestop has a bunch of them just lying around, so I thought the low supply and higher demand was over. I have a wii, but it is like a complete waste, I haven't turned it on since July 2008.

Comment by: ZippyDSM (Mar 22, 2009 07:01)

Originally posted by rainofire:
Is it really still that hard to get a wii? I can walk in to my local gamestop right now and buy one. My local gamestop has a bunch of them just lying around, so I thought the low supply and higher demand was over. I have a wii, but it is like a complete waste, I haven't turned it on since July 2008.

No its not hard to get a Wii if you want to spend 350+.

Myself 200+30 is my limit and that's for the PS360(.ea) as well.

Comment by: xnonsuchx (Mar 22, 2009 07:54)

It was always an artificial shortage created by Nintendo anyway...semi-brilliant marketing to keep up demand, even if it was an a$$holish thing to do. I wonder if they just decided to stop that or are just doing it until next Xmas season, though.

Comment by: SamNz (Mar 22, 2009 10:15)

Originally posted by rainofire:
I haven't turned it on since July 2008.

thats exactly what everyone i know who owns one is saying, (its a toy) im so happy i got my ps3 which i play 2-3 times a week.

Comment by: D00mer (Mar 22, 2009 10:20)

Originally posted by kikzm33z:
People still want the Wii when the 360 is just as cheap?

So price is reason to buy 360? I myself dont want 360, because controller is piece of crap, as well RROD and I already have PC, and ~90% games are released for pc and 360(and online costs), so IMO theres no reason to buy 360 if you already have pc (also wii>>>>>360)

Comment by: ZippyDSM (Mar 22, 2009 10:36)

Quote:
Originally posted by kikzm33z:
People still want the Wii when the 360 is just as cheap?

So price is reason to buy 360? I myself dont want 360, because controller is piece of shit, as well RROD and I already have PC, and ~90% games are released for pc and 360(and online costs), so IMO theres no reason to buy 360 if you already have pc (also wii>>>>>360)

There are a few games like Lost oddessy,Star ocean,ect
The analog sticks are nice and tight and layout is not practicably like a PS2 pad but without button mapping you can forget trying to play any complicated action game(FPSs).

The 360 is nice but not worth more than 200$ for the 2 or 4 worth while games on it and I can say the same for the WII.

Comment by: creaky (Mar 22, 2009 12:35)

Originally posted by varnull:
it's dead season and the middle of a world recession.. wait till xmas and there will be a shortage again.

Indeed, my sentiments exactly

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Comment by: varnull (Mar 22, 2009 12:46)

It's a fact tho isn't it.. all the rest of the usual suspects nonsense bashing this console is pointless.. It's sold twice as many as the others put together.. so banging on about anything else is pointless fanboy ranting.. the ps3 and 360 lost this gen. Neither of them will ever get close to the sales figures for the wii .. not even if, like sony like doing.. they keep piling them on the shelves until they are a technological dinosaur.

Comment by: D00mer (Mar 22, 2009 14:30)

Quote:
Quote:
Originally posted by kikzm33z:
People still want the Wii when the 360 is just as cheap?

So price is reason to buy 360? I myself dont want 360, because controller is piece of shit, as well RROD and I already have PC, and ~90% games are released for pc and 360(and online costs), so IMO theres no reason to buy 360 if you already have pc (also wii>>>>>360)
There are a few games like Lost oddessy,Star ocean,ect
The analog sticks are nice and tight and layout is not practicably like a PS2 pad but without button mapping you can forget trying to play any complicated action game(FPSs).

The 360 is nice but not worth more than 200$ for the 2 or 4 worth while games on it and I can say the same for the WII.

wii is worth for 2-5 games if you already have pc what is made for gaming

Comment by: ZippyDSM (Mar 22, 2009 14:52)

Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Originally posted by kikzm33z:
People still want the Wii when the 360 is just as cheap?

So price is reason to buy 360? I myself dont want 360, because controller is piece of shit, as well RROD and I already have PC, and ~90% games are released for pc and 360(and online costs), so IMO theres no reason to buy 360 if you already have pc (also wii>>>>>360)
There are a few games like Lost oddessy,Star ocean,ect
The analog sticks are nice and tight and layout is not practicably like a PS2 pad but without button mapping you can forget trying to play any complicated action game(FPSs).

The 360 is nice but not worth more than 200$ for the 2 or 4 worth while games on it and I can say the same for the WII.

wii is worth for 2-5 games if you already have pc what is made for gaming

Not really since most PC games are port me downs and barely worth wasting time on when gotten free.... you still need all the systems to have the pick of the best games.

Comment by: sssharp (Mar 22, 2009 15:15)

Originally posted by kikzm33z:
]

Not really since most PC games are port me downs and barely worth wasting time on when gotten free.... you still need all the systems to have the pick of the best games.

That is the problem, there are 80+ different cars but they all run on the same fuel. The games (3rd party) should all be available no matter which console you purchase. The system is trying to sell you the features, the game is the bonus that should be available always. I know all the bs about who pays who more is the problem.

Comment by: keith1993 (Mar 22, 2009 16:47)

Oh good just at the time the early ones are starting to die very clever Nintendo....

Comment by: ZippyDSM (Mar 22, 2009 17:56)

Quote:
Originally posted by kikzm33z:
]

Not really since most PC games are port me downs and barely worth wasting time on when gotten free.... you still need all the systems to have the pick of the best games.
That is the problem, there are 80+ different cars but they all run on the same fuel. The games (3rd party) should all be available no matter which console you purchase. The system is trying to sell you the features, the game is the bonus that should be available always. I know all the bs about who pays who more is the problem.

Its the "console war" business model, unlike say DVD or normal universal formats you have proprietary each with their own licensing fees and markets. As dev costs goes up this business model will crack and in time break.

The reason why it worked so well you sell million units world wide and you break even and start generating massive amounts of money but the trouble is qaulity is cut every time they bleed money and try and find something to take off their bloated units to try and get buy.

They really should license out there software engines that run on more universal hardware so we can have a all in one unit under 500$ they can still sale normal "their brand" units at a bloated prices but the console war model needs to die and go away... vendor based more universal based(or at least more modular as something that can be installed into something with other stuff cheaply) hardware.

Comment by: xnonsuchx (Mar 23, 2009 04:44)

Originally posted by ZippyDSM:

They really should license out there software engines that run on more universal hardware so we can have a all in one unit under 500$

That was tried and totally failed...3DO, anyone???

Comment by: ZippyDSM (Mar 23, 2009 09:13)

Quote:
Originally posted by ZippyDSM:

They really should license out there software engines that run on more universal hardware so we can have a all in one unit under 500$

That was tried and totally failed...3DO, anyone???

And why was that? It was during the time a HIGH point in the console war were dev cost was easily manageable and the market was frakkin huge.

Things are much different now.

Comment by: snowlock (Mar 23, 2009 23:31)

Quote:

No its not hard to get a Wii if you want to spend 350+.

store i work at has a constant stock of over 50 wii consoles.
true, the price is $250 but if they (somehow?) get sold for $350...

Comment by: ZippyDSM (Mar 23, 2009 23:34)

Quote:
Quote:

No its not hard to get a Wii if you want to spend 350+.
store i work at has a constant stock of over 50 wii consoles.
true, the price is $250 but if they (somehow?) get sold for $350...

Once you buy a game and a numchuck it goes up 100ish.
Shipping online is another 20-30$

It adds up.

Comment by: snowlock (Mar 24, 2009 01:24)

Quote:
Quote:
Quote:

No its not hard to get a Wii if you want to spend 350+.
store i work at has a constant stock of over 50 wii consoles.
true, the price is $250 but if they (somehow?) get sold for $350...
Once you buy a game and a numchuck it goes up 100ish.
Shipping online is another 20-30$

It adds up.

this is very true. I am just still surprised.
I thought they were never going to keep the wii in stock.

Comment by: ZippyDSM (Mar 24, 2009 01:32)

Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:

No its not hard to get a Wii if you want to spend 350+.
store i work at has a constant stock of over 50 wii consoles.
true, the price is $250 but if they (somehow?) get sold for $350...
Once you buy a game and a numchuck it goes up 100ish.
Shipping online is another 20-30$

It adds up.
this is very true. I am just still surprised.
I thought they were never going to keep the wii in stock.

I did some double checking today base price is around 250 now, 6 months ago when I was looking it was closer to 300-350 alot of places where upping price due to demand. Its started to come down, maybe by Xmas you can get one and a game for under 250!

Comment by: snowlock (Mar 24, 2009 07:09)

Quote:

I did some double checking today base price is around 250 now, 6 months ago when I was looking it was closer to 300-350 alot of places where upping price due to demand. Its started to come down, maybe by Xmas you can get one and a game for under 250!

here's hoping.

i know there used to be a 2-per-customer limit when the supply was low,
but i think it has been lifted because i heard of someone buying 10 recently.
this is another good sign that the supply has actually increased.

Comment by: dbminter (Apr 03, 2009 02:26)

Originally posted by xnonsuchx:
It was always an artificial shortage created by Nintendo anyway...semi-brilliant marketing to keep up demand, even if it was an a$$holish thing to do. I wonder if they just decided to stop that or are just doing it until next Xmas season, though.

Nintendo used to create artificial markets back with the NES, too. A so called "chip shortage" raised demand and prices for Zelda 2. TriSoft was selling Super Mario Brothers 3 at first release for $75 a pop.