Almost 2 million Wiis in US by year's end

  • By Michael Kanellos, News.com
  • Posted Nov 21, 2006 10:50 am PT

Reggie tells Reuters that 1 million Wiis will be in the US by early December and expects an additional million in the country by the second week of January.

From News.com

Nintendo will bring approximately 2 million Wii game consoles to the US by the end of the year, a wave of machines that could help the company gain ground in the console wars.

Speaking with Reuters, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime said that he expects 1 million Wiis in the region by early December and 2 million by the second week of January. The previous official company line simply stated that 4 million Wiis would be available worldwide by the end of the year.

Nintendo plans to restock US distributors and retailers on a weekly basis, according to the company. The console will next launch in Japan on December 2 and in Europe on December 8. Earlier this month, Nintendo said it would ship around 400,000 consoles into Japan this year.

Of the three console makers, Nintendo so far seems to have done the most thorough job in getting retailers and distributors stocked. The $250 Wii console, which went on sale over the weekend, was available in several retail outlets. Some early buyers are selling consoles on eBay, but generally current bidding is in the $300 to $400 range with games and extras.

Reggie expects 2 million Wiis in the US by mid-January.

By contrast, Sony will only bring a few hundred thousand PlayStation 3 consoles to the states by the end of the year, according to various estimates. eBay bidders are putting $700 and $900 bids on the $499 and $599 consoles. (Some buyers are listing minimum bids of $1,000 or more, but these auctions have attracted few punters.)

Last year, Microsoft found itself short of Xbox 360 consoles. Rumors of new waves of supply would cause lines to form at certain retailers. Some Web sites reported that using specific code words with in-store sales reps could get them to bring out a console from the stock room.

Supply, though, improved after that and Microsoft says that, by December, a cumulative 10 million Xbox 360s will have shipped. Microsoft, though, is still having trouble gaining traction in Japan.

94 Comments

  • neogeon

    Posted Nov 26, 2006 10:23 pm PT

    serves those people selling systems on eBay right, buying out systems to force people into paying $1000 for a $600 system is a really dick thing to do and I'm glad that most people aren't getting more than a couple bucks out of it if anything at all. On another note, go Wii! make more systems so i can get my freakin hands on one already!

  • _Sam_

    Posted Nov 26, 2006 2:27 pm PT

    That's great. This will help Nintendo a lot

  • Laki-Magi

    Posted Nov 22, 2006 6:33 pm PT

    cjcr_alexandru:
    "Nintendo has hit the jackpot with Wii. The numbers speak for themselves: 733,675 Wiis sold so far." Do you have a source for that? Because if that is true, that is seriously exciting! I think it's clear that Wii will get a nice early lead because there are more to go around. Playstation 3 may be in danger if Wii continues to grow in numbers and production can't keep up.

  • bminns

    Posted Nov 22, 2006 5:34 pm PT

    i want a wii!

  • LosDaddie

    Posted Nov 22, 2006 9:45 am PT

    Great news!

    I expect all of these Wiis to sell out immediately.

    Go, Wii60!!

  • anamnawshad

    Posted Nov 22, 2006 9:12 am PT

    Sweet!

  • cjcr_alexandru

    Posted Nov 22, 2006 6:05 am PT

    Nintendo has hit the jackpot with Wii. The numbers speak for themselves: 733,675 Wiis sold so far.

  • TryMe01

    Posted Nov 22, 2006 5:37 am PT

    "That's 2 millions disappointments. Want a Wii experience without the wait, hold your TV remote infront of you, arms stretched out for a few minutes. Let me know when your arms get tired."

    i think boredom will set in before the arms get tired, which will be soo true for the ps3 and xbox 360 (sorry, i had to do that due to a stupid remark)

  • Animal91X

    Posted Nov 22, 2006 3:18 am PT

    Well done Wii, that's the way to destroys $ONY and the P$3 !!!

  • sydertoon

    Posted Nov 22, 2006 12:02 am PT

    I think Nintendo's got this one in the bag. So what if the graphics are of GC quality, it's always been about the game play and not the graphics. The game play for Nintendo Wii is innovative and, even thought PS3 and XBox 360 has nice graphics and all the bells and whistles people have come to expect from the both of them, but the console wars isn't going to be won with fancy graphics alone, it's the game play, and the Wii has proven that so far. If Nintendo keeps their promise, and keeps pumping out the consoles and fix some the bugs that are few and far between, then Nintendo may reclaim the throne.

  • StarStuck

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 10:05 pm PT

    "two million would be unneeded...thats too many"

    Still sold out here =/
    No such thing as too many in my opinion, the more they can dish out the better.

  • Valen_Ca

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 8:36 pm PT

    lithus
    That's 2 millions disappointments. Want a Wii experience without the wait, hold your TV remote infront of you, arms stretched out for a few minutes. Let me know when your arms get tired.

    Not very actually, since launch I have put in over 15 hours of gaming time and the only time my arms ever got tired was when I started to really get into Wii sports, even after that all you would have to do is sit down and use more subtle gestures.

  • Miracle_Air

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 8:02 pm PT

    Lithus, please save your illogical statements for someplace else. Its not our fault you don't like the Wii.

  • bigcrusha

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 7:33 pm PT

    This is the wii generation!!

  • lithus

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 7:11 pm PT

    That's 2 millions disappointments. Want a Wii experience without the wait, hold your TV remote infront of you, arms stretched out for a few minutes. Let me know when your arms get tired.

  • chicken008

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 6:59 pm PT

    Awesome, I haven't gotten Wii yet. I purchased Zelda though.

  • Nintendus

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 5:10 pm PT

    "Most of you act like Nintendo has done something remarkable. I played the Wii, and it's basically a Gamecube with the New style controller. Period. I appreciate Nintendo like you all but lets not kid ourselves here. Repackaging and selling their old hardware is something they are good at. Gameboy and DS are perfect examples of that. "

    And yet it is more impressive that GameCube was, you make no sense.

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 5:10 pm PT

    two million would be unneeded...thats too many

  • TryMe01

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 5:05 pm PT

    this replicates the excitment and demand shown at the last official E3, too bad other regions have to wait until December...

  • abu123

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 4:45 pm PT

    What do you think is the Wii really the best system vote at

    http://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=25164974

  • Oni

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 4:42 pm PT

    Most of you act like Nintendo has done something remarkable. I played the Wii, and it's basically a Gamecube with the New style controller. Period. I appreciate Nintendo like you all but lets not kid ourselves here. Repackaging and selling their old hardware is something they are good at. Gameboy and DS are perfect examples of that.

  • hemakm3

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 4:21 pm PT

    Good job Nintendo

  • WPack911

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 3:52 pm PT

    Nintendo has done a masterful job launching the Wii, and what else would you expect from the true master of gaming?

  • HyruleanLink

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 3:52 pm PT

    I hope I'm one of the 4 million Wii owners by the end of the year.

  • DS_fan_atic

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 3:51 pm PT

    Nintendo knows what their doing, thats why

  • icym

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 3:17 pm PT

    Nintendo pulled it off right by concentrating on what it does best... video games to your home. Now, lets hope they keep reaping the rewards!

  • hlawlink

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 3:11 pm PT

    internationaal:
    "I just CAN NOT believe what all fan boys are writing here.

    1M Wii's by early december (a week and a half now) and 2M by the end of the year... makes me wonder how many they actually had for a launch which IS strictly speaking just in 1 continent (asia and europe follow 2 and 3 weeks later, 1M for US in a month, so they can have 500K for Asia/Europe launch initial numbers which means they had 500-600K for US launch!!!)"

    Uhhh, no, just no. Nintendo said 4 million Wiis worldwide by the end of the year right? That is still way more than what Sony will have for their so -called worldwide launch.

  • PiMacleod_basic

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:51 pm PT

    .....how about this one?

    I bought the Wii, and Red Steel..... yet I'm still playing Wii Sports MORE. It's not that Red Steel is bad...cause it's not. it's that Wii Sports is so FUN, especially when you get a bunch of friends over every day.

    Then again, I live with a friend and we have people over all the time, so i guess maybe that's why I'm loving Wii Sports a lot right now.

  • ozzy225

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:48 pm PT

    that's good for nintendo. i wonder how many PS3's will be available by year's end. sony only had a mere 400,000 systems!

  • pencilpusher69

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:34 pm PT

    Loving my Wii!

  • Slammer612

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:18 pm PT

    Internationaal:

    G4 mentioned that they sold over 600,000 Wiis on Sunday, so yes they did do much better then PS3 in sales

  • ultimate_zero

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:04 pm PT

    I want the PS3!!!

  • MiDiD24

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:00 pm PT

    I got one on Sunday. It is simply amazing, the most fun I have had playing games in a while. I suggest it for everyone. I got Zelda and Trama Center, both are at worst very fun, and at best, awsome. Do yourselves a favor and buy a Wii

  • T_Rex2000222

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 12:51 pm PT

    I want my Wii! mom is thinking we will be able to get one by Christmas i think we wont with how popular it is

  • diablobasher

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 12:51 pm PT

    Wii!

  • fartsimpson

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 12:44 pm PT

    "Reggie tells Reuters that 1 million Wiis will [SHIP] in the US by early December" I should think.

  • TintedChimes

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 12:40 pm PT

    more baby, more!

  • gamer_girl15

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 12:38 pm PT

    Good to know!

  • Chainblast

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 12:27 pm PT

    "I just CAN NOT believe what all fan boys are writing here."

    It's cannot.

    "Also, a launch is done in small numbers because you want a return on investment as soon as possible. So you don't want to wait until you've got millions of units in your warehouse!"

    Generally speaking, launch numbers are usually low because console makers want to have a steady supply over the holiday's (the most lucrative season for electronic sales). Pushing all your consoles out the door on day one may sound like a great idea but if the manufacture cannot supply retailers with new shipments on a timely basis people will begin to forget about the product and turn their attention elsewhere. Thus, by withholding units at launch the manufacture can provide weekly shipments (regardless of how small they are) while continuing interest in their product.

  • hscream13

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 12:17 pm PT

    good news for nintendo

  • BlazetheDragon

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 12:10 pm PT

    In its quarterly financial statement call, GameStop revealed some surprising attach rate numbers for the PS3 and Wii. Sony's latest console saw a low attach rate of 1.5 games per console sold, with Madden NFL 07 and Resistance: Fall of Man the best-selling titles. Wii saw a "surprisingly good" attach rate of 3.0 games per system sold. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Red Steel were the top sellers at GameStop and EB Games.

    GameStop executives believe the low attach rate for PS3 is do to the "large percentage of PS3s resold at a huge premium." It is believed that once the PS3 is in the hands of "real gamers," PS3 titles should see a growth in attach rate. http://ps3.ign.com/articles/747/747098p1.html GO WII GO

  • DasLaMar

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 12:05 pm PT

    Yeah Red Steel is ok not as bad as people say (IGN, Gamespot) it just takes some time to get the controls down. For me it was about 20 minutes.
    other than that Wii60 is the wave of the future. Now all we need it a Dead or Alive game with Master Chief and Mario as unlockable Characters.

  • snakenamedjoe

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 12:03 pm PT

    "DasLaMar
    Thats systems shipped to the U.S. not sold in the U.S. so getting over excited. "

    Right. Now go down to the store and buy one.

    Oh, yeah. You can't. They sold out.

    Why did you even take the time to say this?

  • barnettgs

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 12:02 pm PT

    2 millions Wii is possible especially with 700,000 Wii sold.

    http://nexgenwars.com/

  • GameDemon88

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 11:58 am PT

    the Wii is crazy wii sports is so much fun even with the funny graphics i play it as much as i play my zelda game. i this boxing in wii sports is the best because u can block and dodge punches which makes ur movments funnier.

  • DasLaMar

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 11:48 am PT

    Thats systems shipped to the U.S. not sold in the U.S. so getting over excited.

  • BlazetheDragon

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 11:46 am PT

    Microsoft clearly knows it's onto a good thing with Blue Dragon in Japan. After a lacklustre year for the console in the territory so far, the hype train is now grinding into motion for one of the biggest and - potentially - most important releases for 360 in the East. Microsoft is doing everything in its power to ensure Japanese gamers are frothing at the mouth with anticipation for Blue Dragon With a special Blue Dragon pre-order bundle already released - which immediately sold out in Japanese stores. http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/746/746805p1.html

  • LancerVI

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 11:46 am PT

    I haven't got my Wii yet. I want one.

    YOu guys that have them......how do you like em??

    Lancer VI

  • aashkii

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 11:45 am PT

    Is it me or am I the only one here that doesn't own a Wii? And I was thiiiiiis close to getting one too (click on the chozo to your left to hear the rest of the story).

  • gamewang

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 11:43 am PT

    i just want one!!!

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