Report: Plans to boost Wii production delayed

DigiTimes reports that component shortages are keeping Nintendo from ramping up supply of latest console until 2008.

Roughly nine months after Nintendo first released the Wii, the console is still regularly sold out both online and at brick-and-mortar stores. Back in May, Nintendo CEO and president Satoru Iwata apologized for the shortages, blaming them on production bottlenecks. Later that month, Lazard Capital Markets analyst Colin Sebastian told investors the company might not be able to address its supply problem until 2008.

An article from Taiwan IT site DigiTimes today lends credence to Sebastian's analysis, reporting that tight supplies of some components have pushed back the manufacturers plans to expand Wii production. The article cites unnamed Taiwan-based component makers as saying that supplies of the console are likely to remain tight until next year.

"Nintendo has no revisions to announce to its most recent shipment forecasts at this time," a Nintendo representative told GameSpot.

In April, the company projected that it would sell 14 million Wii systems for the fiscal year that began April 1, 2007.

212 Comments

  • packernation31

    Posted Aug 21, 2007 1:06 pm PT

    That's a huge projection

  • Phazevariance

    Posted Aug 21, 2007 12:11 pm PT

    Crazy, now where are the graphically amazing games at?

  • MasterAsh42

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 10:42 pm PT

    Ouch. . .As long as Mario and friends give enough reason to own one, people are willing to wait on a Wii.

    Just lucky I nabbed mine when I did. If I didn't make a crack overheard by a store employee about PS3's ready supply back in March, I wouldn't have one now.

    "Oh, you want a Wii? We just got three in today."

  • lamprey263

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 10:24 pm PT

    well, more people shooting each other while they wait in line for a Wii will certainly help Nintendo's image during the holiday season

  • minos30

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 7:51 pm PT

    I just played the Wii yesterday. I'm a hardcore gamer and I could actually play alongside my sister, girlfriend and a cousin they definitely sick at games but I had a lot of fun playing tennis 2 on 2. but i don't know if there is enough depth to keep me hooked...

  • morrow4

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 5:16 pm PT

    omg i want one

  • darkzerogamer

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 4:01 pm PT

    They just want to have two good Holiday seasons under its belt before they start opening up the flood gates so that people can buy one whenever.

  • willripyouanew1

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 3:54 pm PT

    14 mill...prff at this production rate I doubt it.

  • DuaneDog

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 3:50 pm PT

    The Wii certainly has carved out a solid market segment and continues to sell well. Honestly I would have owned one a long time ago if I could have just gone out and bought one. Unfortunately it just doesn't look like the Wii has the horespower to draw the big gun 3rd party over to making it a primary development platform. Seriously it looks like the PC/Xbox360 unified architecture is drawing so many career programmers and development effort it's hard to ignore. Once again Nintendo has led in innovation but when we see the game attach rates for the 360 compared to the Wii it will likely be as if the 360 has three times the installed base. Wii for all the hardware sales is just not moving the software from my perspective. Gamers need to be thankful for Nintendo and I think it will generate innovation in future next-gen consoles produced by Sony and MS.

  • PIKA740

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 12:23 pm PT

    Where can get on in Ottawa , Canada?

  • edhc44

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 12:22 pm PT

    @ Disciple_Gamer

    Don't be lame. The Wii is a far greater success than Nintendo or anyone even dreamed to expect. If any company had a somewhat sleeper hit like this, they'd have the same issues.

    PS: Considering this is an actual problem and not marketing ploy.

  • Disciple_Gamer

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 12:16 pm PT

    This has gots to be the most depressing news of the day. It seems like nintendo was not expecting a great success with the wii

  • champhf

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 11:48 am PT

    ok this is called a merketing strategy you keep just the right amount coming out and hold out until the holiday season. in my opinion this is intentional and a great strategy by nintendo.

  • flynsk

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 11:07 am PT

    The Wii promotes activity all around. Not only do you move while playing the games, you have to get off your lazy a$$ just to find one. ( I got mine yesterday, about a week after I started looking) Wii FTW!

  • edhc44

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 8:25 am PT

    "Imagine the shortages once SSBB and SMG come out..."

    Now you have brought an interesting point. I mean, these games are supposedly system sellers, but how can they sell more systems if they're not increasing production and the system is already sorta sold out before their realise? Man, I intended to get one after SSBB is out, but I might have to rethink that, it is gonna be madness! Us (the so-called "real gamers", "hardcore gamers" and so on) who haven't bought one yet will create riots over the console! Damn you, gamer grannies! (Just kidding)

  • kamiboy

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 3:25 am PT

    How cool would it be if the component that is causing the shortage till 2008 is actually teh strap? Like they had to make it from a special composite material so retards can't break it with their wild arm flailing. That would be frigging awesome.

  • lee_asid

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 3:20 am PT

    well well well nintendo is doing an awesome job ryt now by selling a lot of wiis but for how long will this last???? honestly wii is a great, entertaining innovative machine however hardcore gamers will probably not touch it....if only the wii was as powerful as its rivals namely xb360 and ps3 and retaining its innovation and price then this generaTION will no doubt belongs to nintendo!!!! hahaha

  • mattcake

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 2:44 am PT

    While theyre waiting to manufacture some more consoles, they could always spend the time making some more decent games - wii sports is still the most technically impressive game which doesnt say much for anything else thats come out really...

  • KingKoop

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 2:26 am PT

    Makes me glad I've already got mine although there's no real shortage in Scotland anymore I often see them on shelves now.

  • MichaeltheCM

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 12:41 am PT

    one word: FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!

  • R3V3N4N7

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 11:10 pm PT

    The Wii is cool but it looses it's initial wow factor very fast. it suffers from the same problem the PS3 does. That is there are not many games for it.

  • OU_Munky

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 10:59 pm PT

    Somehow, Target in my town has a bunch of Wii, the only place in salt lake, and now i'm even more glad that I scored one the other day, yay! FYI for anyone that lives in the salt lake valley - super target at south towne has some still.

    duh, we all know mormons have no idea what teh word "fun" means...

  • ThaT-Masta

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 10:46 pm PT

    When to shortages are over with, it'll be selling like hot cakes.

  • SuperbGamer

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 9:56 pm PT

    I can't even imagine at least 15 consoles on a shelf in a store retailer ..though the Wii's rarity helps it rack up some sales. It's a good thing I already got one .

  • YearoftheSnake5

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 8:49 pm PT

    Even with shortages, that system is racking up huge sales numbers.

  • TheVinster

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 8:46 pm PT

    Wii is having a shortage, and I'm all out of toilet paper. (Don't take that the wrong way, it's not an insult.)

  • Contelis

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 8:45 pm PT

    I got mine back in january I think. I feel kinda bad for people that have been waiting a long time trying to find one. My cousin was dying for one to play with his 7 year old son. I let him borrow mine for a month. That was a loooong month! hehe. I sure hope they get to pumping these things out soon. The more wiis in people's hands, the more companies will develop for it.

  • Supernova_86

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 8:45 pm PT

    Imagine the shortages once SSBB and SMG come out... along with a few RPGs....

  • coolcool23

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 8:17 pm PT

    Can you say, "corporate ineptitude"? At this point, even this excuse is starting to get lame.

  • Unprintable

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 8:15 pm PT

    "I don't get why the Wii is still selling as well as it is. I stood in line for one on the release date, but thus far Zelda is really the only blockbuster title worth owning. I haven't whipped that sucker out since Twilight Princess' credits rolled. Thankfully Nintendo is bringing out the big guns in the next couple of months (Prime 3, Galaxy, and SSBB to name a few). Finally I'll be glad I bought a Wii for the first time in about 8 months. Nintendo needs to work on their catering of the hardcore, and the blockbusters they've planned are definitely a big step for them."

    Maybe it's doing well BECAUSE they aren't catering to the hardcore. There must be something to be said when the most hardcore machine is doing the worst.

  • geardawg

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 7:57 pm PT

    Wii would like to see a a production boost.

    No Wii for Mii!

  • Deadlocked4Life

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 7:37 pm PT

    I don't get why the Wii is still selling as well as it is. I stood in line for one on the release date, but thus far Zelda is really the only blockbuster title worth owning. I haven't whipped that sucker out since Twilight Princess' credits rolled. Thankfully Nintendo is bringing out the big guns in the next couple of months (Prime 3, Galaxy, and SSBB to name a few). Finally I'll be glad I bought a Wii for the first time in about 8 months. Nintendo needs to work on their catering of the hardcore, and the blockbusters they've planned are definitely a big step for them.

  • shaneras

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 7:20 pm PT

    to ringbling
    I live in Pleasant Grove and I looked in Salt Lake and I couldnt find one...
    but i got one in Spanish Fork instead

  • guppieface posted Aug 19, 2007 6:11 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    guppieface

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 6:11 pm PT (hide)

    WII GAMES ARE WIIK

  • Solid-CELL

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 5:52 pm PT

    Almost a year after the Wii's launch...it still has shortages

    I think we all know the real reason to this myth

  • V-Nine

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 5:21 pm PT

    Why does it seem like Nintendo isnt interested it solidifying their succes. Its like they want to be 1up'd and surpassed. They need as large a user base as they can get, what in the heck are they doing?

  • niket527

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 4:34 pm PT

    nintendo is str8 up lyin, they are intentionally shipping out less. it keeps demand up and they save even more money on not producing as much. those b******

  • bgres077

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 3:23 pm PT

    Oh well, I already have mine.

  • kbaily

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 3:13 pm PT

    Wii just broke 10 million so despite what any critic says, it's still selling. Check it out at nexgenwars.com

  • dbowlin17 posted Aug 19, 2007 3:02 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    dbowlin17

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 3:02 pm PT (hide)

    wii sucks so who cares?

  • ringbling

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 2:51 pm PT

    Somehow, Target in my town has a bunch of Wii, the only place in salt lake, and now i'm even more glad that I scored one the other day, yay! FYI for anyone that lives in the salt lake valley - super target at south towne has some still.

  • GrimGravy

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 2:34 pm PT

    that is crazy 2008 glad i got mine day one now they just need to give me more games besides i don't know cooking mama

  • MultimediaJay posted Aug 19, 2007 2:21 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    MultimediaJay

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 2:21 pm PT (hide)

    I don't believe a word of this. It wasn't that long ago that this site posted an article where some exec thought Nintendo was artificially limiting supply to keep the hype going after sales goals were met. Considering how burnt out most of their internal mascots and franchises are, this kind of mind-meddling and PR chess doesn't surprise me at all.

    Nintendo needs to quit the head games, or we'll start seeing the Wii getting like the PSP after Wii Sports games and their spinoffs start to get old to the people who play them.

  • gatsbythepig

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 1:04 pm PT

    Luckily, I already have one.

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 12:34 pm PT

    Shortage of consoles, shortage of games...

    Coming up a bit short aren't we Nintendo?

  • Dark_Nexus3367

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 11:30 am PT

    Wow a lot of comments have been made since I was out.Some of you make a lot of sense,but others need to research a little better and stop putting down other consoles to justify your purchase.I think I'll keep this one short and to the point,so i'll just reply to the individuals:
    @kavadias1981:
    Very true indeed.There a lot of 3rd-party titles in the works,but not many of them look to be that great YET,and others are fun,but not system sellers.I mean Boogie was hyped for it's originality and Pokemon for its 'online' play.Boogie was indeed very original,but was poorly executed as a game.Pokemon Battle Revolution on the Wii had such a lack of content unless you had the DS games and the online play was absolutely dreadful.Companies can release a large amount of games,but it can be seen as many of them being the same or not being good.

    @GabuEx:
    I see you mention VG chartz.While I don't doubt that Nintendo is catching up to MS and the 360,I hardly believe VG has the resources to get sales numbers from EVERY retailer in EVERY part of the world.Their credibility on sales numbers is bad,and the only sales number that can be considered are those released by the companies themselves.Also,I stopped caring about VG chartz after I noticed that their list of the 100 greatest games of all time was 85%+ Nintendo games.I know there were some great games from Nintendo,but to say Half-Life 1 & 2 and the original Unreal as being lower ranked then games like Zelda or Mario All-Stars,which is merely a compilation of their other top Mario games.So yeah,I don't trust them,especially when they show that the 360 and Wii have the EXACT same sales numbers,which I hardly believe is true as one would certainly have more than the other.

    @ugotplayed64:
    Dissing the PS3 does not make you or the Wii look better.Sure the ps3 doesn't have titles out now,except for Resistance and Motorstorm,just like the Wii has Rayman,Zelda,and Super Paper Mario among others.I can safely say that if you compare this year's line-up between the two,the Wii has Mario Galaxy,Nights(Maybe),and Smash Bros. Brawl and the PS3 has a much bigger and better line-up.With titles like Heavenly Sword,Uncharted Drakes Fortune,Infamous,Call Of Duty 4(Also on 360),Little Big Planet,Ratchet and Clank Future,and others that I can't remember to name,the line-up for both systems looks good,but PS3 looks to outshine Nintendo this year,as does the 360 with its amazing line-up as well.Also I think it's kind of sad when a tech demo is one of the systems best games .That said,Wii sports is fun,Zelda can be found on the gamecube as a much better experience,and Super Paper Mario added the new 3-D switch,but nothing else was really new.Not trying to offend anyone,but just figured I would reply with some calm and mature answers to you guys.Hmm maybe my post wasn't as short as I thought it would be,oh well,it feels good to get my points across

    EDIT:Sorry I mentioned the same games as Skull Kid or replied the same as others before me,but I didn't see the new posts till after I entered mine in .Once again I'm terribly sorry for the long post and repetition,was an honest mistake

  • taurus702b

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 11:16 am PT

    Good thing I have mine now. I went to Wal-mart and I assumed they didn't have any because they weren't any on shelf but then I asked and they have them statched behind the counter. But they [Nintendo] should crack up production a bit to get more sales.

  • 66Skullkid99

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 11:15 am PT

    I think that, by now, the best console is the 360. I mean, Wii has got Zelda TP, Wario Ware and RE 4, and PS3 has got Virtua Fighter 5, Resistence and NG Sigma as their great exclusives, 360 has got Gears, Forza 2, GRAW 2, Perfect Dark Zero, Dead or Alive 4, Kameo, Viva Piñata and Lost Planet...
    You guys can't just say that Wii doesn't stands much playing. For stoping playing Wii for MONTHS and playing 360, you must have bad games, such as Far Cry: Vengance or Pokémon BR. This does not occur when you play great games like WarioWare or SSX Blur, thought. Not making the 360 look whorse than the Wii, I have almost stopped to live normal life just for playing Gears and Piñata day and night on...
    And I really don't see a reason to pay 500 dollars for a PS3 until now besides my expectative for MGS4, FF XIII and Little Big Planet, sigh. The PS3 HOME is not a experience I can't get form Second Life (and for free), and I can have Oblivion, GTA IV and Unreal III in my 360. But really is just a matter of time for the Wii to pass the 360. As Next Gen Wars.com shows, 3 months ago 360 had 9 million sales when Wii had 6 million, and now 360 has got 11 million and Wii has got 10. I mean, the Wii grown the double than the 360 in this short period of time (Wii's 4 million sales versus 360's 2 million), even with the demand being greater than the production. And, in fact, if there where more factories producing Wiis, this number would only be bigger.

  • YUNGlink

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 11:09 am PT

    A bad holiday for Nintendo? Are you nuts?!?!? I've already bought SSBB and can't wait for it to come out, and as for Super Mario Galaxy, I want that too! Those will be the games played for a decade, I mean I still play SSBM every single day!

  • carddude

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 9:35 am PT

    I'm just waiting for Mp3!

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