Unprecedented Demand for Wii in Europe

[fitbabits]

Nintendo sends along word that demand for their Wii console in Europe has reached an unprecedented level.

Press Release to follow...

Even in my wildest dreams I didn't think that the Wii would be performing so well - especially going up against the Xbox 360 and PS3. Kudos to Nintendo for seemingly reading the mood of the game-playing public so well.

[fitbabits]

29th November 2006 – A huge shipment of Nintendo’s new system, Wii, has now arrived in Europe ahead of launch on December 8th and with an unprecedented number of pre-orders having been taken, it is likely that there will be exceptional demand for the system when it goes on sale in Europe.

Nintendo is doing their utmost to replenish stocks and ensure that as many people as possible who want to experience Wii, can do so in time for Christmas. But the message for shoppers is clear – to play with Wii, or just to get your hands on one, you need to get moving!

“We’re launching a great product and we knew that demand would be high. Nintendo’s expansion of the gaming market is paying dividends and Wii really is the ‘must have’ item for Christmas. Obviously, we’re doing everything we can to make sure that everyone who wants one, gets one.” - Laurent Fischer, Marketing Director, Nintendo of Europe

Nintendo is shipping an exceptionally large number of consoles - 4 million globally by the end of 2006, the largest ever for a Nintendo console launch. Wii launched in the US on 19th November and sold over 600,000 consoles in just one week. That’s a rate of nearly one per second continuously since the launch date. The European and Japanese launches follow close behind – Europe on December 8th and Japan on December 2nd.

The intuitive, motion sensitive control of Wii means that a much wider audience than traditional ‘gamers’ are interested in the console – hence the surge in demand as Nintendo continues to broaden the video games market. Across Europe this year, Nintendo has reached an installed base of 7 million with the handheld, touch-screen DS console – success which Wii aims to replicate in the home.

[Sl1pstream]

As long as I can buy one, it's all good. Problem is that we won't get our second shipment until January, so if I don't get one on release, it's going to be a problem.

[Serapth]

I can't believe so many people would want it, the wii kinda sucks.

[Lutheran]

There's always ebay :) J/K My stores around here are still totally devoid of Wii's and don't have a clue when they are getting more. The guy that sent me the already played Wii ended up doing the right thing and sent me back 80 bucks to my paypal so I wouldn't give him a negative rating. He said his son opened it up and set it up while he was at work. Of course I don't believe that for a second but he had a perfect rating before so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I just took the money back and left no remark instead of lying to other ebayers.

[Intruder]

I can't believe more people don't want the Wii, the Wii rocks. I haven't had so much fun with a system in quite a while.

[fitbabits]

I can't believe more people don't want the Wii, the Wii rocks. I haven't had so much fun with a system in quite a while.
I think the issue right now is that too many people want the Wii, hence the low supply.

[Lutheran]

I can't believe so many people would want it, the wii kinda sucks.


I have been having a blast with it , Wii sports is fun as all hell. Everyone who comes over is just thrilled with the damn system. I can't get them to stop playing it. Zelda is great too , I am loving that game. I just don't know what to get next though. I am still not sold on the Rayman game and although everyone says not to buy Red Steel I kinda like the way it looks.

[fitbabits]

I have been having a blast with it , Wii sports is fun as all hell. Everyone who comes over is just thrilled with the damn system. I can't get them to stop playing it. Zelda is great too , I am loving that game. I just don't know what to get next though. I am still not sold on the Rayman game and although everyone says not to buy Red Steel I kinda like the way it looks.
Pssst, Lutheran - that's Serapth's new game. He/she has a Wii and loves it.

[lazymanschair]

Yeah this is deffinately the case, I'm in Ireland and the preorders were already allocated a month ago, I was talking to a sales clerk in one of our main record shops and he says that the 30 additional consoles they are getting on top of the Dec 8th launch stock dont even cover the preorders, demand is crazy. I mean they arent available anywhere for preorder, and judging by the ebay auctions from England they have the same situation there. Every irish paper and magazine has articles about it and calling it this Christmas' must have gift, so i guess NIntendos strategy is paying off, good for them. I dont think the lack of a PS3 this holiday season is the reason either, i think the appeal is just broader than the the otehr consoles here. Oh i couldnt get a preorder so ill be waiting till the February I was told by one guy, dammit!!

[Serapth]

Pssst, Lutheran - that's Serapth's new game. He/she has a Wii and loves it.

PSSSSHHHH, you blabber mouths are completely ruining that game. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted! :( Hey, and watch the she stuff there kiltboy!

[fitbabits]

PSSSSHHHH, you blabber mouths are completely ruining that game. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted! :( Hey, and watch the she stuff there kiltboy!
The only reason you bought a Wii was because you felt your own was inferior.

[Serapth]

The only reason you bought a Wii was because you felt your own was inferior.

Dont make me drive to Denver and beat you down with my giant man unit!

[fitbabits]

Dont make me drive to Denver and beat you down with my giant man unit!
Have at it! We're in the middle of a winter storm, though, so your "giant man unit" will most likely resemble a pebble by the time you get here.

[if76]

Kudos to Nintendo for seemingly reading the mood of the game-playing public so well.[/QUOTE]

They certainly read my mood. In the last year I think I've rented about 5 games that I didn't play for more than an hour total. I remember I rented GTA San Andreas and Psychonauts for Xbox and just got really bored of the same old controls and the same old designs.

The only console games I think I've really enjoyed in the last two years are Katamari Damacy, Shadow of the Collosus, and Guitar Hero.

The Wii is the breath of fresh air that at least this longtime gamer really needed.

[NoName]

I can't believe so many people would want it, the wii kinda sucks.
I am impressed at your ability to post so quickly whenever a new Wii thread is made.

[Serapth]

Have at it! We're in the middle of a winter storm, though, so your "giant man unit" will most likely resemble a pebble by the time you get here.


Ahhh, touche. In the cold my giant man unit is more like an infantile boy unit.

Just to let you know, its great weather here. Average about 15 celsius for the last few weeks, no snow in sight!

[Serapth]

I am impressed at your ability to post so quickly whenever a new Wii thread is made.

My thanks, its been alot of hard work but its been worth it. Sadly, I think the joke has run its course :(

[NoName]

My thanks, its been alot of hard work but its been worth it. Sadly, I think the joke has run its course :(
Hehe, I dono. You still manage to get some people feather's fluffed every time ;).

[Abednigo]

Totally not related to this story, but it reminded me of this. I was at Target yesterday here in Chantilly, VA and I was waiting to get Excite Truck. A guy and his girlfriend/wife walked by and he said, "It's that Wii thing." But he pronounced it "why". Amateurs. ;)

[jeffbax]

I don't understand the surprise.

Every Nintendo system sells well at launch. The real test will be next holiday - or how long will the Wii be able to hold its momentum versus two much more powerful machines. Yeah yeah, the Wii isn't about power bla bla... but nothing does more to influence people than visuals when it comes to deciding between machines.

If Wii can spite this long term, I'll say its a success.

[Abednigo]

I don't understand the surprise.

Every Nintendo system sells well at launch. The real test will be next holiday - or how long will the Wii be able to hold its momentum versus two much more powerful machines. Yeah yeah, the Wii isn't about power bla bla... but nothing does more to influence people than visuals when it comes to deciding between machines.

If Wii can spite this long term, I'll say its a success.

I don't know about that. The DS is doing perfectly well against the PSP and it is far less powerful. I think Nintendo is trying to do a similar thing with the Wii.

[Rook34]

So the other day my parents drove down to visit me and my family. My step-dad is a staunch hater of videogames, always has been. "You need to go outside and play. Get your friends and play football." He used to say. He's always thought they were giant wastes of time and childish on so many levels. Anyway... I made him get up and try the wii. Long story short, he loved it. I only had him try the sports games, but it was funny to watch a 60 year old man play wii golf or bowl. Every time he sent the bowling ball into the stratosphere but he laughed and thought it was pretty cool.
Later my parents said it was one of the most fun visits they've had.

[Johan]

I can't believe so many people would want it, the wii kinda sucks.

Man...you don't even change the wording hardly at all on your Nintendo droppings, do you? ;)

And, yes...it has run it's course, donchathink?

I'm glad for Nintendo. Hell, I hope they WIN this generation and stick it to MS and Sony for pricing so many people out of buying a console.

[Manzy]

I don't think I've seen any negative press on the Wii yet - even by mainstream news sources (other than the obligatory MY WII FAILED AND I'M SHOCKED THAT IT DID BECAUSE I BOUGHT IT AT LAUNCH).

[Zaro]

Yeah yeah, the Wii isn't about power bla bla... but nothing does more to influence people than visuals when it comes to deciding between machines.

I'll add that nothing does more to influence people than games
when it comes to deciding between machines. I don't know what
kind of games but Nintendo need more than just port with new control.
They need more exclusive. Nintendo need a good online too.

[Lutheran]

Yes if they can do something good online other then the VC then they may be able to compete long term. They need some real good exclusives that use their controllers in an intelligent and fun way. And they need more in depth Wii sports games..cause that damn little game is a system seller by itself ( if they can flesh out those games a bit more it would be real sweet )..

[Zaro]

I'm waiting for a complete golf game.

[Serapth]

I'm waiting for a complete golf game.

Yeah, im waiting for that too. Frankly, golf was probrably the game they implemented the worst, so far as real life actions translating to the game. If you swing the club like in RL, you will slice or hook every time. If you just flick your wrist, perfect shot, everytime. I found that very disappointing.

[antoniogaud]

Wii - Whee!

Nuff said.

[ArchVile]

I don't know about that. The DS is doing perfectly well against the PSP and it is far less powerful. I think Nintendo is trying to do a similar thing with the Wii.

The only reason for that is the PSP's lack of quality games and developer backing. The PSP was a bold move by Sony to try and muscle in on Nintendo's handheld market, and due to Nintendo's prior dominance in this area developers were fairly nervous of making a game for the opposition's new handheld, and still are. Home console's however are Sony and Microsofts turf (lets face it, Nintendo's last two consoles haven't really been 'holding their own' against Sony or MS), so i expect a similar thing to happen with the Wii, strong initial sales at launch, but then dwindling sales further down the line. Like someone has said, the real test will be next Christmas when all 3 consoles have hit their stride.

As for the original press release on the first post here: Don't ALL console manufacturers release a glowing statement at how well it's selling/pre-ordering? Hardly a surprise is it...

[Cubfan]

Is this a surprise really, everyone knew it would sellout at launch (and likely for the next couple of months). If it eventually surpasses the Xbox 360 and PS3 in the long run, now that would be surprising (but not out of the realm of possibility).

[wezlypipz]

The Wii is good, but the games out are meh. Zelda is great. I'm sorry I dropped $50 on Red Steel and I can't sell it to anyone...sob.

In a year though, the Wii is going to be amazing. Tons of new developers will flock to it becasue of the cheap production costs and the motion sensing. You can own a PS3 or a 360, but you must have your Wii!

[BigJonno]

Nintendo are sounding a lot like Blizzard did a couple of years ago.

European Business Studies 101:

Don't treat your customers like shit and they will buy stuff.

[J Arcane]

I'm waiting for a complete golf game.
Hell, I'm waiting for full versions of any of the Wii Sports. Bowling I think is about the only one that's really complete on it's own, save that some kind of vs. CPU tourney mode would be nice.

Full Baseball in particular is absolutely needed, as the shortcuts they took with the gameplay make it frustrating as hell.

[jeffbax]

I don't know about that. The DS is doing perfectly well against the PSP and it is far less powerful. I think Nintendo is trying to do a similar thing with the Wii.
The handheld market isn't like the console market though.

First, PSP games suck and offer little to nothing differentiating itself from say a PS2 game.

Second, I'd argue that the difference between PSP and DS graphics (cause both are pretty dated looking) is a whole lot smaller on those tiny 4" screens than a Wii and 360 will be on a person's shiny new HDTV.

I dunno, for me I like simplicity and stuff in my DS games, but on a console I want to be wowed. Wii currently has one really good game - Zelda, I'm interested if it can keep the deep game experiences up. I'm not too interested in the more gimmicky titles.

[drakkarim]

Microsoft: "what, me worry?"... drop the price you idiots before you can't even catch the wii :) let alone the ps3 once it goes full steam.

anyway, the DS rocks because the games are fun, i think the problem with the PSP is that it gives you a limited attempt at 3D graphics, but the hardware can't deliver the full experience so people end up (subconciously) being dissapointed. Whereas the DS doesn't pretend and sticks to quality.

i was thinking about getting a psp a while ago, but ended up with a ds lite i traded for, and MAN its fun :) maybe its my sense of nostalgia for the old NES days of zelda and mario that the DS seems to capture so well.

[TheFlyingOrc]

The handheld market isn't like the console market though.

First, PSP games suck and offer little to nothing differentiating itself from say a PS2 game.

Second, I'd argue that the difference between PSP and DS graphics (cause both are pretty dated looking) is a whole lot smaller on those tiny 4" screens than a Wii and 360 will be on a person's shiny new HDTV.

I dunno, for me I like simplicity and stuff in my DS games, but on a console I want to be wowed. Wii currently has one really good game - Zelda, I'm interested if it can keep the deep game experiences up. I'm not too interested in the more gimmicky titles.

From what I've seen of the PSP, I would guess that the graphical difference between the PSP and DS is greater than that between the Wii and 360.

[Wyrm]

With all the talk, I pretty much figured this is how it would end up. Even Nintendo won't be able to meet demand. Remember what they did with the DS Lite? How hard it was to find one for awhile? That's what this will be. The shortages won't last as long, and the shipments will be far greater in number than PS3s, but these things will still not be easy to find for the next 5-6 months.

[Zanzibar]

I can't believe so many people would want it, the wii kinda sucks.

I really, really like this joke. I have no idea why.

[TheFlyingOrc]

Even in my wildest dreams I didn't think that the Wii would be performing so well - especially going up against the Xbox 360 and PS3. Kudos to Nintendo for seemingly reading the mood of the game-playing public so well.
My wildest dreams are usually not related to product demand in Europe AT ALL.

[Headcase]

And they need more in depth Wii sports games..cause that damn little game is a system seller by itself ( if they can flesh out those games a bit more it would be real sweet )..

Mario Tennis, Mario Golf, and I hate to say it but there's a chance EA will make a good Fight Night for it.

'Course they'll each be full priced games (ostensibly), so I'd expect them to flesh out those games a hell of a lot (and put them online!) for me to put up my $$$.

[RMan]

anyway, the DS rocks because the games are fun, i think the problem with the PSP is that it gives you a limited attempt at 3D graphics, but the hardware can't deliver the full experience so people end up (subconciously) being dissapointed.
I actually think, just like with the console systems, most people, including Nintendo until recently, have continuously overestimated how much the consumer cares about the highest quality graphics. I think the PSP’s graphics looked really good, visually I thought it was quite impressive from a technical level. However, being impressed on a technical level hardly translates to an engaging gaming experience. I don’t think there’s any such thing as a ‘full experience’ as you suggest, and if there is one, I’m not sure how the PSP didn’t achieve it. The PSP seemed significantly better than the PS1, and people seemingly had no problem accepting that system’s 3D experience. Technologically, handhelds seem about 1.5-2 generations behind consoles, and it never stopped them from appealing to people. The PSP was well beyond the average as far as technical superiority, people just simply don’t care much about that.

I’m playing Advance Wars: DS right now and the touch screen makes it a FAR more enjoyable experience than the GBA version, even though if you saw screen shots of the two they look the same (the graphics are really not improved). The game is just so much smoother and I’m sure for the average player it’s far more accessible because of the ease of play than the original AW (right now I’d call it the best strategy game I ever played, and that includes the Civilization series, which I loved). The main reason I bring this up is that it’s one of the best games I’ve ever played, and graphically it hasn’t changed in a generation. Would I like it to look better? Sure, it’d be nice, but would I sacrifice the touch screen to make it look as good as even a PS3/360 game? No, not on your life.

Second, I'd argue that the difference between PSP and DS graphics (cause both are pretty dated looking) is a whole lot smaller on those tiny 4" screens than a Wii and 360 will be on a person's shiny new HDTV.
IMO the PSP’s graphics over the DS are well beyond the difference between the Wii and 360 (even if you have the high end video equipment). Heck, I’d say the DS is just barely able to do 3D, also the technical limitations in terms of what can be done in a game are much more limited on the DS respectively. Again, technical limitations just are not of paramount importance to the vast majority of consumers.

I’m not the least bit surprised by the Wii’s success. It offers very unique, intuitive, and immersive control while not sacrificing much to get it. As far as graphics and horsepower, it clearly just makes compromises compared to the PS3/360, and falls very short of their abilities in that respect. However, like the DS/PSP, the consumers and developers just don’t care that much, the advantages simply far outweigh the disadvantages.

[sixtyfps]

The only console games I think I've really enjoyed in the last two years are Katamari Damacy, Shadow of the Collosus, and Guitar Hero.

The Wii is the breath of fresh air that at least this longtime gamer really needed.

Agreed 90%: I only finish games if they're really something special (and not prohibitively difficult), and it seems to me I'll be finishing Bully and Okami, too. Of course, I'll get to Zelda:ToiletPaper right after those two.

But, damn! your post resonates with me because I just over the past two days have been replaying Katamari and Colossus and reveling in the freshness of it all. I need Guitar Hero II something fierce after having played a demo unit a month ago, too. It sure would be nice if money was free...

[LilEvilFish]

I've had my preorder in since they first announced the Europe price. I phoned the store and asked if I could put down a deposit. That evening I had my preorder of number 12. Most of the ones before me were taken up by the staff!

My friend also cancelled his order at play.com (he was around 9700th in line) and I got the boss' preorder receipt for him. Now he's 7th in line at the store in another city. We're gonna have a busy night on the 7th.

Other people I know are going to Tesco at midnight and hoping for one. Asda (or Walmart to you yanks) will probably be invaded too.

Seriously, demand is so strong around here, you could use it as building material.

[juliepink]

I can't believe so many people would want it, the wii kinda sucks.
I dont think so... the ps3's rip off prices that SUCKS!! I defently want one dont forget it was nintendo that was there in the begining.. NES brings back fond childhood memorys to many!

[sixtyfps]

I dont think so... the ps3's rip off prices that SUCKS!! I defently want one dont forget it was nintendo that was there in the begining.. NES brings back fond childhood memorys to many!

Did someone flick the switch on the 'tard firewall?

Sometimes I think there ought to be a committee charged with observing new-EA-account activity.

[[VSK]BadCRC]

Did someone flick the switch on the 'tard firewall?

Sometimes I think there ought to be a committee charged with observing new-EA-account activity.


I know, trolling and his lame ass signature is one of those retarded sites where he gets paid to draw people into the link.

Go back to the hole you crawled out of.