Yeah, the US economy sucks and the dollar is weak. As gamers (and poor people) we don't like to hear about that. It makes regularly purchasing $60 videogames with a clear conscience a bit more difficult. If you're anything like me, you try to pretend that you don't know about it. Ignorance is bliss, right?
Our buddy Michael Pachter brings it back up, though. The Wedbush Morgan analyst says that its really the weak dollar, and not production problems or component shortages, that is causing the Wii hardware shortage. Surprised?
Pachter says that Nintendo stands to gain more by selling the console in other countries, like Europe. In other words, the profit for Nintendo is worse when our dollars get changed into their yen. He goes on to say that supply levels in Europe are starting to normalize after being sent an excess. Perhaps Nintendo will send more our way when we can pony up a bit more cash. It sounds harsh, but can you blame them?
Pachter thinks that the Wii will become more plentiful in the US later in the year, according to The Dallas News.
America, high five on being second-class!
[Thanks, JR]
Dale North is Destructoid's Editor-In-Chief, a founding editor, and specialist in Japanese gaming. An accomplished musician, Dale was reporting from Japan during the earthquakes of 2011. Luckily, he got the fuck out alive and is home in America now with his wife and beloved corgi, Einstein. Dale is also a co-founder of Destructoid's sister anime site
Japanator. Likes Corgis, Sega Saturn, PSP, iPhone, Photographic tools.
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Contest:
4:59 PM on 03.31.2008
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We're not dealing with cutting edge technology with high failure rates, folks. They should have no trouble cranking these out like nobody's business.
Yes, perpaps...
However, I still think companies deserve their money and if they are losing money in a market, they should raise the price. If they are unwilling to do so, then they need to suck it up and deal with it.
Long live Europe! Hurrah!
Seriously though, this isn't an excuse. Nintendo need to fix up.
This puzzle piece don't fit.
Agreed SHENANIGANS
Do you guys mass produce these pictures in an assembly line and hope some of them will be relevant one day?
It would make sense, but I just don't see any evidence for it. What is a "normal" level of demand for a product that's perpetually sold out, anyway?
Now if sales drop in Europe before they drop in the States, of course Nintendo would divert more consoles to the US. Why wouldn't they? A smaller profit is better than no profit.
Do you guys mass produce these pictures in an assembly line and hope some of them will be relevant one day?
>=(
"Oh them americans, we don't need their stinky dollar, we have enough with Yen & Euro"
WHAT.
179.99 GBP = 35,670.70 JPY
It doesnt make sense to send a console to sit on a shelf for a couple of months when you can turn it into cash in North America. I think this is crap.
Ha, just kidding. Visiting Europe was hard because I knew for every Euro I spent, I lose even more in American.
250 Euros = 394.65 U.S. dollars
I think the real situation is that Nintendo REALLY wishes they had charged $300 for the thing.
Can't speak for any other countries, but there are plenty of wiis in stock here. Most places have signs saying "we have wiis" or some shit, so they must still be selling pretty good, but there seems to be plenty of supply.