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]