Nintendo establishes official raincheck program for Wii

This one's just hitting the wires folks, but apparently, Nintendo has established an official raincheck program to somewhat alleviate the Wii shortage frustrations that are sure to overwhelm those scouting one for the holidays. Details are scant at the moment, but we do know that Nintendo of America will be partnering with GameStop to allow patient buyers to fork out $249 up front in exchange for a guaranteed Wii "by the end of January." We aren't told whether or not the program is effective immediately, but we'd certainly assume it is.

Update: We're hearing the program actually won't go into effect until next Friday. We'll keep you posted on anything official.

[Via Switched]

[Sebastian @ Dec 14th 2007 12:02PM]

Here in Germany we have plenty of Wii in shops. 3 days ago when I bought Super Mario Galaxy there were about 50 Wii piled up on a Media Markt.

[IndiaTech @ Dec 14th 2007 2:00PM]

Dude, can you give me directions to the store, I tried Google Mapping it but all it says is "We could not calculate driving directions between San Francisco, CA and Germany"

[arthur dent @ Dec 14th 2007 2:25PM]

Thats because people in Germany are smart and people elsewhere are buying 249 dollars of empty hype.

[Panq @ Dec 14th 2007 5:15PM]

Plenty of Wiis in New Zealand, thanks to the ridiculous price disparity - roughly $US380 for the console (and, in some stores, one free game other than Wii Sports).

[Matthew Hilario @ Dec 14th 2007 12:06PM]

Wii is sold out in San Diego everywhere. If i could, I'd buy one everyday to resell overpriced.

[Anthony @ Dec 14th 2007 12:53PM]

I bought one last year & my wife & I didn't like it. Sold it on Craigslist to the person w/ the "saddest story". I felt just like the Make A Wish Foundation (you know, w/o actually really helping anyone).

[Electromodo @ Dec 14th 2007 3:47PM]

@Anthony

Why didn't you like the Wii? Video quality or something else?

I am still making my mind about buying one, so I am really interested in feedback.

[Chuckles McGee @ Dec 14th 2007 4:39PM]

Hey, the Wii's awesome. I love mine. Still, I'm a college kid, and I see no reason to take advantage of the high demand and resell a few off at a higher price. Helps pay the bills.

[Peter @ Dec 15th 2007 10:21AM]

@ Electromodo

I also purchased a Wii and didn't like it. I honestly haven't played it since I bought it. I hated the video quality. Even on 480p setting, it still looked like complete crap upscaled to my 46" 1080p Samsung. The jaggies were huge! Also, I haven't purchased any games in addition to Wii Sports. Most of the games are just gimmicks or have better version on the Xbox 360, which I own. Super Mario Galaxy and Metroid games aren't for me. I find them too childish and they don't have any real fun value to them vs. the games on the Xbox 360 such as Halo 3, COD 4, among others. I also hate the lack of surround sound in the Wii. The friend code thing is really bad and useless. Browsing the Internet on the Wii sucks because it is SD. You really need HD to view the Internet. I recommend not buying the Wii, especially if you have an Xbox 360 or an HDTV already. If you don't have an Xbox 360, I would definitely recommend that instead.

[baws @ Dec 17th 2007 3:41PM]

Yeah, so let me get this straight:

- you bought a Wii, but don't like Nintendo-style games.
- you think all the games are gimmicky or better elsewhere, but you've never bought any.
- you think the Friends code system sucks, but you've never had the chance to use it in a game, since you've never bought any.
- jesus will not be saving you, i'm afraid.

[Herman Manfred @ Dec 14th 2007 12:07PM]

There will be no shortage of WIIs after the holidays - waste of perfectly good interest-in-your-account to give any entity $249 without getting the WII in hand.

[mabhatter @ Dec 16th 2007 2:18PM]

hopefully the pre-sale will kill the market spike the "ebay-rs" have created. This way a wii now will be worth $249.. period. My opinion is that there is no shortage. Wiis phone home, so Nintendo knows exactly how many are plugged in versus hoarded. They know they're short, but not short enough to rush out and build more.

[avantgardener @ Dec 14th 2007 12:55PM]

ok Nostradamus.

[Corey @ Dec 14th 2007 2:21PM]

Even if that $250 was in a reasonably good CD @ 5.5%, that'd be a whopping $1.72 in interest.

I'm willing to bet quite a few folks will buy into this raincheck/presell.

[Ellianth @ Dec 14th 2007 8:13PM]

Time to break out the old prediction kit.

*rolls dice, reads cards, jingles bones, and blows a spit bubble*

I predict due to a MASSIVE forest fire there will be a paper shortage, and thus a wii-raincheck shortage.

How's that for a prediction?

[redspear @ Dec 14th 2007 2:34PM]

The problem with that reasoning is this.

Before the Wii launch it was widely said you could just walk into the store and get one after launch.

Then it was said that after the Holidays you could walk into the store and get one.

Then after that most reasonable people assumed it would be reaily availabel between March and May.

Around August some places reported having it in stock but not everywhere.

Around November it became impossible to find again even though it was never fully available everywhere in the first place.

In all likelyhood this will be sold out again till at least March and maybe not then eitehr since Wii Fit and Super Smash Brothers Brawl is coming.

[Anonymous @ Dec 14th 2007 12:09PM]

In the UK its a serious shortage thats for sure. No stores have any stock whatsoever, and the online retailers are looking for 280+ pounds a unit! $249 for a unit for January is so cheap!

[Gareth Burleigh @ Dec 14th 2007 12:43PM]

Hey if you gen want one for yourself or for a gift HMV in Darlington got a load of them in today according to their window display. Just be a decent person and if your just wanting them to resell on ebay, hold off and let some kid get their Christmas present

Gareth

[NHAnimator @ Dec 14th 2007 12:10PM]

This seems bad for every other reseller. Will all inventory now be shipped solely to GameStop?

[primetime4 @ Dec 14th 2007 12:14PM]

What I would like to know is how are there sellers on ebay with over 1200 Wii's sold? This is probably more than some stores have received all year. Something is amiss in the supply chain.

[Kasey D. @ Dec 14th 2007 6:23PM]

It's about time they did something like this. At GameStop/EBGames, you could reserve something up until a week or so before its release, and they'd give you one according to their stock and your place in line, but a week before the release, they quit taking reservations, and don't any time after that. They do that with consoles, controllers, games, etc. I should be able to walk in there and lay claim to the next one that comes in. Of anything. If I pay em up front, what's the difference? They get their money, I get my thingymajig, and everybody's happy.

I picked up my Wii by going to a particular GameStop and making friends with the workers (I still do business with them because they're really nice people), and I found out from them when the shipments normally come in, and I called a little after the UPS truck showed up and asked if they had any Wii, and when they said they had a few one day, I drove there and picked one up right away. That was almost a year ago, now. I had to do the same with Wii Play when Wiimotes were scarce.

Anyone remember how all of the analysts and offishals were saying the Wii shortage was only gonna last through March? Here we are in December and there still aren't any to be found on the shelves!

[andy @ Dec 14th 2007 12:18PM]

What's the point?


To have a point, they should have done this through this week (or until a maximum number of orders were taken) for guaranteed delivery by December 24.

By the end of January? Who cares?

[Frank @ Dec 14th 2007 12:20PM]

Wow... the bullsh!t keeps growing... Ofcourse they want you to fork up money before the new year... last minute revenue for 2007. Wall Street loves that.

[Rick @ Dec 14th 2007 12:30PM]

It's not last minute revenue. It's deferred revenue. It will be revenue in January. Accounting guidance requires 4 critera to be met prior to the recognition of revenue
>Evidence of an arrangement (all set)
>Price is fixed or determinable (all set)
>Delivery has occurred (this is the problem -until January)
>Collectibility is reasonably assured. (all set)

Wall street likes backlog though :)

[Andrew @ Dec 14th 2007 12:31PM]

You're assuming their fiscal year end is in December, it might not be.

[Rick @ Dec 14th 2007 6:00PM]

Andrew, you're right - they're fiscal year-end is probably 3/31 (like many Japanese companies)

[Speddy @ Dec 14th 2007 12:26PM]

Since when does GameStop sell Wii's at $249??? Everytime I saw a Wii there, it was part of a $599 or $799 bundle package!

Eff U GameStop. I hope your Wii allotment goes to Costco.

[Jason Petersen @ Dec 14th 2007 2:04PM]

What in the hell are you on about? Bundles suck. Most force you to buy the system with some crappy game they can't sell and so unload by forcing potential wii owners to buy it with the system.

Case in point: My local Fry's only sold DS Lites in a bundle (for $160) with a Kim Possible or some Cartoon Network game.

I went to Gamestop and bought my gf's christmas present (a DS Lite) separately for $129, then picked up NSMB and Picross also á la carte.

Bundles are horrible (unless they actually include something you want; like Nintendo's Zelda DS bundle: sweet case design, sweet game).

Gamestop will keep getting my business (even though I think reselling games is bad for developers-and I am one) as long as they keep selling systems separately from bundles.

[Irfan @ Dec 14th 2007 2:39PM]

bought mine at gamestop. no bundle. 266.86 after 6.75% tax.

[aeo @ Dec 14th 2007 12:28PM]

Perhaps the mere knowledge of a future guaranteed price will keep people from blowing 500 bucks on a Wii today? It certainly affects my perception that I HAVE to buy one before Christmas.

[saintchuck @ Dec 14th 2007 12:34PM]

I'll be right back...

[saintchuck @ Dec 14th 2007 12:38PM]

Oh, never mind. Dec 20-21, apparently.

[Bizam! @ Dec 14th 2007 12:47PM]

If I wanted to, I could just go into New York City and head to the Nintendo World Store there. They've always got Wiis in stock! I'm sure this is at least one place that the eBay'ers are getting their inventory.

[Austin @ Dec 14th 2007 3:01PM]

This is what's hapeening at the Nintendo World Store in NYC since Black Friday: Daily stock of 100-150 units. People line up starting at 8/9pm for the next day's stock. As of this week, you needed to be in that line by 2am/3am to be that 100-150 persons. It's out everywhere in NYC too dude.

[phlavor @ Dec 14th 2007 12:58PM]

One of the reasons I want a Wii is the $250 price tag and here we are, what, a year or so after launch and I have never seen one for sale in a store. Ever. Now, I've seen $600 bundles on line and $350 mark ups on ebay but I'm not paying it. I'm paying $250. And I've waited this long, I don't mind waiting until January.

[KaosDG @ Dec 14th 2007 1:07PM]

While a nice gesture on Nintendo's part...

Why Gamestop? I wouldn't trust them with $2.49 of my hard earned cash, let alone $249.

[JadedFuck @ Dec 14th 2007 1:22PM]

"I will gladly pay you tomorrow for a cheeseburger today..."

Reverse that.

[Ryan J. @ Dec 14th 2007 2:03PM]

Nice. This should start to deflate the overpriced Wii black market. I suggested this idea last year; it's about time Nintendo came to their senses. They are leaving BILLIONS on the table by not meeting demand. Many people left without a Wii have been turning to Xbox 360 or PS3. This will help out all the people who still want to get their kids the Wii for Christmas. Getting the accessories, games, and an I.O.U. for the hottest game system on the market is better than getting nothing or a system you didn't want in the first place. Good move Nintendo / GameStop...

[IndiaTech @ Dec 14th 2007 2:03PM]

@Andrew
Sales figures are released quarterly, not annually.

[James @ Dec 14th 2007 2:24PM]

I Live in Omaha, Ne and they are nowhere to be found.

i went to Pocatello Idaho about 8 months ago and they had Plenty of new And used ones in stock there, it would be worth a shot to call them if you are looking for one and willing to make the trip to see if they have them. most of the time you can get one on creigslist for around a 50$ markup. i see them all the time.

I was in best buy and my wife asked them about The wii as we are hunting for one for a friend. They said they don't put them out when they recive them and hold them for when best buy puts an add out in the sunday paper. so if you are looking for one then you should do some early morning paper hunting.

[Ike Skelton @ Dec 14th 2007 2:52PM]

Too late. I don't want one anymore.

[Ig @ Dec 14th 2007 5:01PM]

I think I can faintly hear the rhythmic sound of executives at Sony and Microsoft banging their heads against their desks over Nintendo's continuing success with the Wii.

[John McKenna @ Dec 14th 2007 6:34PM]

Awesome! Now I can get in line on Nintendo Website and get my Wii!!!... I think thats how it works

[JBDragon @ Dec 14th 2007 11:36PM]

At first I wanted one, these days, no thanks. My 360 keeps me more then busy as it is, no time to play with a Wii for only a couple games I'm interested in. Lack of HD support is the final nail.

The price really isn't all that cheap anymore. You can buy a 360 Arcade system for the same price and later expand if you want and have better Sound and graphics, a huge library of games, far, far better online gaming, and the list goes on and on. The Wii has a nifty controller that just isn't as accurate as a everyday controller. I've lost interest in the Wii.

[ZeroCorpse @ Dec 15th 2007 12:02AM]

Nintendo turns up the hype machine to 11.

This "shortage" is utter B.S. -- No other product that has been in high demand has been this hard to get for a YEAR. They're milking this for all it's worth, and people are lapping it up like hungry kittens on a dairy floor.

I will NEVER get a Wii, unless they're dirt cheap or I win one. I'm far too pissed at Nintendo for screwing around with availability and using short shipments and hype to sell their console. Yes, they all get bought when they come in, but that's because they only ship a dozen to each Best Buy every two weeks, and there are profiteers waiting outside in a line to get them for resale on ebay.

And the whole Wiimote gimmick. I've had a few people tell me the Wii is fun for about a week, and then it gets stale. On top of that, there are guys dusting off the Xavix game console and trying to sell it for $130 based on Nintendo making motion control cool again... Nevermind that the Xavix did it first and it was a complete BOMB of a console. Nobody even heard of it.

I will pass on the Wii. There's nothing coming out of Nintendo that I haven't played before a zillion times, anyway. Call me when they invent a new franchise instead of making sequels to 20-year-old games.

[Tony Greene @ Dec 17th 2007 3:44PM]

Heheheh...I'm sorry, I truly feel bad for everyone who can't get their hands on a Wii at retail price a year after launch. I think it's amazing how well the console is selling. It's especially amazing that I was able to purchase one at invoice price, on the launch day AND had shown up only 45 mins. before the store opened LOL....sorry I can't help it.

Anyways, I went to Best Buy last Saturday morning[12/8] to buy a camcorder and a customer came up to the Rep that was helping me, looking for a Wii and of course the Rep said they were sold out. I didn't think anything of it because I've never seen them on a store shelf (My Wii was at the customer service counter when purchased) but then after the customer stormed off. He told me they had gotten a shipment of 300 Wii's that morning! I went to the store around 2 hours after opening...So Best Buy sold 300 Not advertised in-stock (checked ad) Wiis in roughly 2 hours!

How could any company keep up with that kind of demand a YEAR after its release!? I have full faith now that Nintendo is doing everything within (Financial) reason to alleviate this shortage.

Satisfying the Wii Demand is kinda like trying to empty a flooded boat with a Dixie cup...while it's still raining. The results are bound to be miniscule at best.

[bdavis96 @ Dec 24th 2007 2:44PM]

I have to laugh at some of the comments above. Why would any "gamer" buy a Wii when they don't like Nintendo-style games. I specifically say gamer because their solution was to buy a Microsoft XBox. The Wii wasn't created to compete directly (graphically) with the XBox and Playstation. Yes, the Wii lacks in some areas, but it makes up in others. I have always been a Nintendo fan since the early 90s (NES). The Wii is the first console system that I have purchased since the NES (though I was given a SNES in the late 90s). What sold me on the Wii is the Virtual Console. I have downloaded every Mario and Zelda game that was released for the NES, SNES and N64 to the Virtual Console. I like the interaction that the Wii provides with the Wii-mote (I purchased Harry Potter 5 because of the idea using the Wii-mote to cast spells). Super Paper Mario is a pretty awesome game that requires a lot of logical thinking. One note: I purchased my Wii in April and by October had weird static lines. I sent the Wii into Nintendo (their repair affiliate in CA) and they sent me back my Wii in good working order. They are speedy and take care of their faulty products.

Now, something I haven't taken into consideration yet is how the Wii plays on HD wide screen televisions. It played just fine on a 32" Sony Wega (wide screen) CRT television, but yesterday I upgraded to a 65" Toshiba 1080p DLP television. I haven't had a chance to test the Wii on it and a couple people above mentioned that it looks like crap on big televisions. I do know that the television has a "game mode", so maybe that might be a feature that needs to be turned on. I will have to test the Wii on the television tonight.