Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Nintendo finally sees Wii demand slowing, calls iPhone a DS / DSi competitor]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/30/nintendo-finally-sees-wii-demand-slowing-calls-iphone-a-ds-ds/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/30/nintendo-finally-sees-wii-demand-slowing-calls-iphone-a-ds-ds/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/30/nintendo-finally-sees-wii-demand-slowing-calls-iphone-a-ds-ds/#comments
While it seemed that all was going well for the Big N, it looks like those jovial times are finally coming to a (temporary) end. In an earnings report filed today, the company posted a 66 percent fall in quarterly operating profit on "slowing demand for its Wii console and a stronger yen." It's not so much the profit slide that's surprising, but the sudden admission that Wii demand has finally (finally!) slowed from a raging boil to simply piping hot definitely caught us off guard. Still, Nintendo maintained that it would sell 26 million Wii consoles before the year was out alongside 30 million DS handhelds, the latter of which has seen momentum slow due to "increased competition in the handheld business from Apple's iPhone." Now, we've known for some time that the suits in Cupertino have always viewed the iPhone as a game console, but to hear it called out as such from an entity not named Apple is another matter entirely. Maybe it should reconsider that whole "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" thing? Nah.

[Image courtesy of QuiteCurious]

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Nintendo finally sees Wii demand slowing, calls iPhone a DS / DSi competitor originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applebusinesscompetitionconsoledsdsiearningseconomygaminghandheldindustryiphonenintendoquarterly earningsQuarterlyEarningsrecessionshortagewiiwii shortageWiiShortageThu, 30 Jul 2009 04:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Best Buy rumored to be hoarding Wiis for holiday push]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/10/best-buy-rumored-to-be-hoarding-wiis-for-holiday-push/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/10/best-buy-rumored-to-be-hoarding-wiis-for-holiday-push/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/10/best-buy-rumored-to-be-hoarding-wiis-for-holiday-push/#comments
It's hard to say if this rumor is true, but it's not behavior that Best Buy has avoided in the past. In fact, we vividly remember this exact same scenario happening in late 2006 -- the difference? That was the Wii's launch year. This is two years later. Two. Years. Later. Oh, and it's totally a futile effort, considering that Wally World sold through "tens of thousands" in about four milliseconds. Seriously people, there's a new Elmo to wage holiday war on, you have no business scrapping for a Wii 25 months after it hit US shores.*

[Via NintendoWiiFanboy]

*Image above is assumed to be Photoshopped, as we cannot find a single human to confirm ever seeing that many Wii consoles for sale in one location.

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Best Buy rumored to be hoarding Wiis for holiday push originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best buyBestBuyconsolenintendoretailrumorshortagestockWiiwii shortageWiiShortageWed, 10 Dec 2008 17:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo cranking on Wii production for the holidays, still making no promises]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/27/nintendo-cranking-on-wii-production-for-the-holidays-still-maki/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/27/nintendo-cranking-on-wii-production-for-the-holidays-still-maki/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/27/nintendo-cranking-on-wii-production-for-the-holidays-still-maki/#comments
Hard to believe, nay, mind-boggling, that two full years after Nintendo launched the Wii in America we're still looking at shortages. In the midst of "economic turmoil," no less. Back in April, Reggie Fils-Aime proclaimed that he was "passionately upset" about the difficulty consumers were having in finding Wii consoles, and now that yet another holiday season is upon us, it's clear that he's made some changes. In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, he admitted that Wii production was up from 1.6 million units per month (during this time last year) to 2.4 million units per month (now), though he wouldn't go so far as to say you'd have an easy time finding one. In fact, he stated that "once you see [a Wii console] on the shelf, you ought to buy it." Also of note, those still scouting a Wii Fit may be in luck, as the Big N could decide to ship more units to America rather than Europe now that the greenback is gaining strength versus the euro. Good luck hunting -- we'd recommend you start looking, um, yesterday.

Update: Looks like Ninty's already turning up the burners -- that's a heretofore-unbelievable shot of Wii stock at reader Roberto's local Best Buy in West Paterson, New Jersey.

[Via GameDaily]

Read - Reggie Fils-Aime interview
Read - Analyst's take Wii Fit shipments

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Nintendo cranking on Wii production for the holidays, still making no promises originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>holidaysholidazenintendoshortagesupplysupply chainSupplyChainwiiwii fitwii shortageWiiFitWiiShortageMon, 27 Oct 2008 15:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo "passionately upset" about Wii shortages, won't give out free Mario cakes]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/24/nintendo-passionately-upset-about-wii-shortages-wont-give-ou/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/24/nintendo-passionately-upset-about-wii-shortages-wont-give-ou/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/24/nintendo-passionately-upset-about-wii-shortages-wont-give-ou/#comments
Besides being infuriated with leaving over a billion dollars on the table this past holiday season, Nintendo of America is also "passionately upset about the lack of product relative to demand." Those words came straight from Mr. Reggie Fils-Aime himself, who noted that North America was the only Wii-serviced territory where supply and demand were still out of sync. Reportedly, some 40-percent of the 1.8 million Wii consoles manufactured each month are making their way over, but even after 17 months on the market, the average Wii sits around on retail shelves for "just an hour before [it is] purchased." Unfortunately, we're no closer to being able to clone the consoles in order to meet the insatiable appetite.

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Nintendo "passionately upset" about Wii shortages, won't give out free Mario cakes originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>nintendoReggie Fils-AimeReggieFils-aimeshortagesupplywiiwii shortageWiiShortageThu, 24 Apr 2008 22:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo reportedly puts Wii expansion plans on hold]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/17/nintendo-reportedly-puts-wii-expansion-plans-on-hold/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/17/nintendo-reportedly-puts-wii-expansion-plans-on-hold/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/17/nintendo-reportedly-puts-wii-expansion-plans-on-hold/#comments
Nintendo wasn't exactly all that specific when it recently warned of possible Wii shortages through the 2007 holiday season, but it seems that some component makers now have a bit more to say about the matter, and they're claiming that tight supply of IC chips, PCBs and other parts has forced Nintendo to delay its plans to expand production. According to DigiTimes, that would make any easing of Wii shortages in the second half of 2007 'unlikely," although we're guessing that they'll still be a fair bit easier to come by than they were last holiday season.

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Nintendo reportedly puts Wii expansion plans on hold originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Aug 2007 13:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>nintendowiiwii shortageWiiShortageFri, 17 Aug 2007 13:17:00 EST