Wii U Stock Shortages Likely

Nintendo have confirmed that sales of the new Wii U console are high and that stock shortages are likely after launch. Regular deliveries to retailers are promised in the run up to Christmas to help ease any potential problems.

Nintendo's President, Satoru Iwata, advised that many retailers have already sold out of their initial allotments and quoted GameStop in the U.S. as having a massive 250,000 waiting list. Apparently production of the console only commenced in the Summer meaning that the late start to manufacturing will be the main driver of the stock shortages as opposed to exceptionally high consumer demand. The level of shortages will largely depend on how quickly production can be ramped up at the manufacturers and suppliers in the run up to the respective launch dates in the United States, Europe and Japan.

The company hopes to sell over 5 million units from launch and admitted that it will initially be selling the console at a loss in an attempt to get a foothold in the next generation video games console market. Profits can subsequently be obtained through sales of games and accessories although this can take time to filter through. Microsoft has confirmed it is already working on a successor to the Xbox 360 and Sony is thought to be doing likewise.

Wii U Stock Shortages Likely

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