Nintendo scales back Wii production significantly for the first time
Nintendo has been accused of many things in the past for its Wii production strategy. Many accused Nintendo of keeping Wii production low in order to keep demand high for years. The company did eventually ramp up production significantly. However, it seems like the company is now suddenly cutting back production only after a short ramp up period.
According to a report from Nikkei [via Kotaku], Nintendo is cutting back production of the highly popular Wii. According to the report the ramp down in production will impact the two Wii manufacturers significantly. Apparently, the two manufacturing companies are facing a drop in net profits of more than 50 percent, which is insanely massive.
It’s odd to think that the Nintendo Wii has been sustaining two manufacturing companies all these years. It seems like Nintendo is cutting back significantly in production, probably in anticipation of a dry Q1 next year.
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December 2nd, 2009
Maybe because the Wii HD is coming. Cross Fingers.
December 2nd, 2009
Google news.
CAD:
Keep wishing that. It might come true in your head.
December 2nd, 2009
No CAD, its been reported because its perceived as bad news for Nintendo and the Wii. Typical GBB (Gamer Blorge Bias)!
And yes Gamer Blorge you are biased. You run two articles in a row crowing about the massive sales of the ps3 (kiss kiss) and the 360 but funnily you don’t run one on how the Wii out sold both.
Ivan, why do you think Ninty will not produce an HD games system? I suppose you always said your beloved sony wouldn’t go down the motion control road, and guess what? You were wrong then too. Ha ha ha.
December 2nd, 2009
Andrews got a point, when was the last positive article about the Wii……….
I suppose it makes the xbots and PS3 fanboys that frequent this site feel a little better.
December 2nd, 2009
Andrew_DS:
You are insanely a dumb ass if you actually believe that shit.
The PLAYSTATION 3 deserves the whole website since we have mostly just PS3 and PSP plus PS2 owners here. Also no one cares must for the Xbox 360 is just a empty box waiting for add-on.
They still have not made a real game also Nintendo will make HD games when i can walk on water.
me_:
No one here has that garbage plus there’s no news for that toy is full of crappy useless mini games like Xbox Live Arcade.
December 2nd, 2009
Ivan_PSP
“PS3 deserves the whole website since we have mostly just PS3 and PSP plus PS2 owners here”
Ha ha ha ha.
Another of Ivan’s delusional fantasies.
Only in Ivan-land is the Wii “garbage”….”no one here has”.
Sorry Andrew but in Ivan-land you (like the Xbox owners here) are just invisible.
…….must be a bit like that 500gb SSD he got as standard fit in the Vaio he bought in June 09.
As an Xbox owner, but with 3 family members owning a Wii (verses my 1 Xbox & 0 PS3s) the constant and inevitable anti-Wii angle that’s always being pushed just amuses me.
It just seems to blinkered &, frankly, stupid.
December 2nd, 2009
@happy
Why do you even humor him?
December 2nd, 2009
HH
only comes here to counter every single post from Ivan…the only difference is that “at least” Ivan Talks game from time to time. Thanks god Ivan Ignores him, if not he would never shut up
December 2nd, 2009
The Wii is not a true gaming system. It’s just a stupid toy that appeals to people who don’t usually play games.
December 2nd, 2009
Nintendo won’t bother with an HD console. It would mean they would have to bump up their tech to be semi-current, which is obviously not Nintendo’s style. They are consistently about a decade behind.
My guess is that the Wii2 will be a barley noticeable step up from the Wii. Just like the Wii was basically a gamecube with motion controllers.
December 2nd, 2009
Andy
For a Wii friendly site, I would suggest Kotaku. It’s basically a bunch of delusional Wii-fan boys like yourself.
December 2nd, 2009
Those are odd news. I don´t know the reason for cutting back production. Perhaps they will change some important aspect after the olders systems have been sold? Those “changes” may or may not include HD.
@Twilight:
What makes a “true” gaming system?
December 2nd, 2009
ppl gotta understand the Wii wouldnt be where it is right if it wasnt for:
-its price
-motion-controls
without montion-controls the Wii is basically a Gamecube or a PS2, the only difference will be that 90% of Wii game are pure garbage.
I would buy another Wii if there were at least 10 games that I would like to play on it. so far there are 3 – Mario Bros, Mario Galaxy and Metroid.
in the end it all come down to the Wii being a waste of a system. the only two things the Wii has going for ti is Sales and Mario.
December 2nd, 2009
“What makes a “true†gaming system?”
One your grandma doesn’t buy.
December 2nd, 2009
““What makes a “true†gaming system?â€
one that for the most part…doesnt collect dust
December 2nd, 2009
What a load.
Sneer all you like but everyone I know with a Wii plays it, loves it and buys games for it.
It wasn’t my style but the refelx hostility from the PS3 gang (utterly incapable of coming to terms with the Wii’s massive success) is just absurd.
December 2nd, 2009
h**p://video.ign.com/dor/articles/855949/mega64/videos/mega64_prt_supermariointime_111709.html
December 2nd, 2009
@phranc
Have u seen grandma’s boy
December 2nd, 2009
Akaro,
I thought my statement was pretty self-explanatory. I consider the Xbox360, Ps3 and even Pc systems to be true gaming systems. They have an abundance of games that real gamers want to play as well as high definition graphics. The Wii is a gimmicky system with sub par graphics and no decent games going for it.
December 2nd, 2009
“@phranc
Have u seen grandma’s boy”
Of course. Great movie. That grandma could out play me!!!
Do you buy all your clothes in the Matrix.
December 2nd, 2009
It is not self explanatory, that´s why I´m asking.
It really all comes down to people having different definitions of gaming. Most humans play games and they have done that since ever. The difference is that [video]gamers play in a medium that have the chance to make games more complex in one sense and easier to play in the other.
For example: Has anyone played D&D? I can´t imagine anything more boring, but I love RPG´s nonetheless. Videogames let us play with a lot of complex rules without players having to set everything up and with story telling included.
People I know usually looked down at me when I was playing videogames, be it any Mario, FF, racing, fighting games, etc. “Still trying to get the highest score?” an uncle asked me while I was fighting my way through Fanatic´s Tower at Final Fantasy VI a few years ago. I relate much of the easier Wii games (Sports,Play, Resorts,etc) with the beginning of gaming. So watching them try a medium I love so much is like watching toddlers give their very first steps.
Where are newcomers going to start from after all? My girlfriend couldn´t play RE4 at all, she felt overwhelmed by the controls, “how do you do this without watching the controls?” she used to say. We get a couple of weeks into Umbrella Chronicles and then she became confident enough to try again. She is currently in Sadler´s Island (with the Uber-Beam weapon, she is not that good yet). While playing Castlevania: Order of Eclessia, she told me: “I think I understand why you like games  Bring in the mastercard ad, cause that was priceless for me.
In my opinion a gaming Systems is any system that lets you play games, from light hearthed simple fun to dark gritty ultra violent settings, from simple arcade like action to wonderful story telling.
I know I won´t convince anyone about anything, but that´s not why I read and discuss here. I´m here because I like to see as many points of view as possible and conflict is good after all.
December 2nd, 2009
Baranbe Jones : A Ninty fan boy I am but delusional I am not. I don’t really understand where you get that from? So I hate sony. Big deal. I have nothing against Microsoft. I have other games systems that the Wii. And I am not constantly saying how the year 20xx (fill in appropriate year eg 09, 08, 07 etc…) is going to be the year of the ps3! Now thats delusional. Always saying that motion controls is not going to catch on. Thats delusional too.
I was going to respond to more comments but lets be honest, if I go on too long no one will read it. But the real reason is that it was summed up by Happy with :
“the PS3 gang utterly incapable of coming to terms with the Wii’s massive success”
That and they are scared of anything new other than an incremental change to the graphics of their next playstation.
End of.
December 2nd, 2009
Akaro…the Wii is a gaming system, after all is kicking everybodys butt this gen.
but the system was not built for the regular gamers or hardcore gamers. it was built for a different audience and thats why the Wii DOES NOT offer enough for the hardcore gamers but yet it still entertain grandmas and kids.
December 2nd, 2009
Oh and Ivan : “They still have not made a real game also Nintendo will make HD games when i can walk on water.”
Jezus Christ limp dick, where do you get that from? Do you honestly think that Nintendo will NEVER make a HD games system or are you planning on walking on water some time in the next few years? They chose not to go HD this gen as it was still catch on technology. They took a different road to sony and MS. For them to ignore HD in the next Gen or 2 would be bad for them but HD is still a small % of what most people view of have.
December 2nd, 2009
@twilight.
I hear ya. I know plenty of people with the wii. I also know plenty of people that hardly play it. Oddly enough they’re the same people
Mt 13year old step brother has one (had it at launch cuz his mom spoils him). My girlfriend, my sister, my mother, and my friends mother. They also all have wii fit, and I’ve asked them all how much they use it. Very little to none at all are the answers I receive.
December 2nd, 2009
@Akaro
good post.
December 2nd, 2009
@Andrew
Ivan walking on water reminds me of that insult.
“Go take a long walk off a short pier”.
maybe he’ll listen….?
December 2nd, 2009
Andy,
“the PS3 gang utterly incapable of coming to terms with the Wii’s massive successâ€
In terms of sales perhaps, but the same could be said for the 360. Even more so, as the 360 had a year head start.
Sorry for the “delusional” comment. That was a bit below the belt. Happy fits that description much better than you.
December 2nd, 2009
Barnabe : Don’t worry about it bud, but thanks for the apology even though it wasn’t necessary.
I would describe myself more as a passionate idiot.
Phranctoast : I am going to take your advice and use that insult on Ivan but I will have to adjust it a bit to make him understand!
Here goes –
Ivan : You go and have ULTIMATE MUST HAVE long walks off a kiddie toy short pier that no one cares ha ha in dreams.
December 2nd, 2009
Akaro,
Good post. Believe it or not, I completely agree with you. A “good game” is strictly a matter of opinion.
The Wii had a pretty good line up at release with Mario and Zelda, but it seems like the software lineup just slumped over after a few short months and never bother to try to get back up.
My main issue with the Wii is that Nintendo has pretty much turned it’s back on it’s fans.
Gone are the days of new interesting Nintendo IPs. Instead we get the same old tried and true games, rebooted again and again. And they are great – no doubt about it – but a console should have more to it. Something new and exciting to define the consoles gen of games. I think the last new Nintendo console IP was Starfox 64.
Maybe Nintendo execs haven’t heard yet, but there’s this thing called the internet now. It’s actually very popular, and looks like it’s here to stay. Failing to acknowledge how the advent of the internet has changed the gaming landscape, is almost laughable.
3rd party games have come along way. The 360 and PS3 share these great releases, but since the Wii can’t handle them, the console gets left in the dust. 2009 saw Batman, RE5, SF IV, AC2, etc, etc – but none of which are even possible on the Wii.
The Wii has its place. If people are happy with it, then I’m happy for them. I came very close to buying one myself, but after looking at the consoles game releases, I’m very happy that I didn’t. I would have felt cheated by the anorexic game offering and by missing out on this gens great games.
Andy,
Sure I know the Wii sells tons, but as a gamer (not a stockholder) that has no reflection on the Wii’s success to me.
December 2nd, 2009
“Ivan : You go and have ULTIMATE MUST HAVE long walks off a kiddie toy short pier that no one cares ha ha in dreams.”
LMAO
December 2nd, 2009
Akara,
I understand where you are coming from. You see all systems as gaming systems which technically they are. I just do not consider the Wii system to be a system for hardcore gamers.
December 2nd, 2009
I can only game about two hours a day on weekdays. So perhaps that´s why I don´t feel the drought of games. Also my fanboyness gives me some kind of fortitude =P.
Funny, when I had the time I didn´t have the money, now that I have the money I do not have the time…
December 2nd, 2009
“the only two things the Wii has going for ti is Sales and Mario.”
“thats why the Wii DOES NOT offer enough for the hardcore gamers”
Owning one myself, I consider the main appeal to hardcore being able to legally purchase and enjoy the most games from gaming history on one home video game console. Not just from nintendo consoles, but five others as well, including the Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, Neo Geo, Commodore 64, and TG-16.
This wouldn’t appeal as much to the “hardcore” gamers here who just happened into gaming during the PS1/PS2 era, but for at least some older gamers like myself, the virtual console’s appeal is clear, the old games are just as “hardcore” as the new (if not more so), and we enjoy 360 and PS3 just as much. They should bring it down to $149 now or shortly though.
December 2nd, 2009
and charge less for those games too.
Some of the prices when comparing to the compilations you can buy are ridiculous.
December 2nd, 2009
If you just want one game instead of the 20+ included in a compilation, $5+ isn’t bad at all. They charge the same or more on PSN or XBL for the same or similar games.
December 2nd, 2009
Indeed, why would anyone buy Metal Slug 1 or 2 for VC when you can get the Anthologies? Same goes for Samurai Showdown and King of fighters.
December 2nd, 2009
“is clear, the old games are just as “hardcore†as the new (if not more so)”
I think it depends on your definition of ‘hardcore’ (which i don’t really like as a tag, but I am guilty of using it myself
)
Games from the C64/Atari era (that’s about as far back as i can claim to have played games
) really do nothing for me these days. I find that nostalgia can only take me (personally of course) so far before those old joystick & one button games wear out their welcome.
That said, I’ve purchased a few games from the store myself
. But even a ‘not so old’ classic such as LttP isn’t as great as it once was when I played it…
December 2nd, 2009
Carlb, you are talking about games like that Sega Collection that came out for PS3 and Xbox, right? In that case what you say could apply. Still, I love those compilations.
December 2nd, 2009
“Indeed, why would anyone buy Metal Slug 1 or 2 for VC when you can get the Anthologies? Same goes for Samurai Showdown and King of fighters.â€
Because Anthologies doesn’t use the classic controller so I can’t hook up my Wii Neo Geo controller I got from PlayAsia arhhhhhhhh!
Ops, did I just out myself as a Wii fanboy?
December 2nd, 2009
“Do you buy all your clothes in the Matrix.”
@phranc
lol, that guy was funny..
“How could he see me ?? “
December 3rd, 2009
OK, I’m new here but I am a wii owner so I need to be heard. Many say the wii is not a real gamer’s machine. I ask what kind of gamer would deny themselves the newest Nintendo console. The big N is the grand daddy of video games and it makes me sick to hear people ripping on it because it’s not HD. Seriously? I couldn’t imagine a generation going by without experienceing the newest Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Donkey Kong and whatever other franchises Nintendo has originated. Is there shovelware? Yes there is Virginia. As with every generation the most popular console attracts crap. (just like the PS2 did last gen.) If you want to point fingers at shovelware look to the developers shitting it out, not the console it’s on. By the way there are also tons of great games for the wii, they just don’t get any coverage here. (Did anyone notice Nintendo’s absence from the E3 coverage?) That being said I don’t think we come here for wii coverage but considering nintendo is a gaming icon it wouldn’t be unreasonable to see some decent stories on a “gaming” blog.
Sorry for the long post but also consider this:
Last Generation the best selling console of all time had the least powerful hardware and the least impressive graphics. (it did have DVD playback though)
December 3rd, 2009
I know I’m going to get ragged on as a “fan boy” but please be gentle.
December 3rd, 2009
“Is there shovelware? Yes there is Virginia.”
haha nice!
Good post by the way.
December 3rd, 2009
“Sorry for the long post but also consider this:
Last Generation the best selling console of all time had the least powerful hardware and the least impressive graphics. (it did have DVD playback though)”
@gamer_thumb
You forgot to add, least reliable too
December 3rd, 2009
difference last gen
Nintendo had Mario
Microsoft had Halo
Sony had everything else
PS2 had and STILL have the best gaming library of all time. and even though the Xbox had better graphics the difference between the two was minor.
Games like FF12, GoW2, SotC, RE4, R+C looked better than most Xbox games (except NG)
December 3rd, 2009
My wife just called, she won a Wii with a Gift certificate for 6 games from walmart through a Xmas raffle at work.
We have already decided to make use of the gift certificate, play around until christmas, then sell it all. What games would be recommended? Already plan on getting the New Mario Brothers, but need some help with the other 5, heh, as I am not very knowledgable of the games library.
December 3rd, 2009
-Metroid Prime Trilogy
-Zelda: Twilight Princess (if you didnt play for the GC)
-Mario Galaxy (if you liked Mario 64)
-Mario Bros (you already said it
-Bloom Blox
after that, you can basically get rid of it
December 3rd, 2009
Duh, how could I forget Zelda and Galaxy. Bloom Blox looks neat, that was the game developed somewhat by Steven Spielberg i think?
December 3rd, 2009
yeah
December 3rd, 2009
You might want to hold onto that wii for a while. Quarter 1 2010 releases:
Monster Hunter 3
Red Steel 2
No More Heros 2
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Metroid: Other M
Sin and Punishment 2
While you have your wii don’t forget to try these titles out:
Punch out
No More Heros
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Boy and his Blob
de Blob
Mad World
Conduit
Mario Kart
Smash Brothers Brawl
House of the dead: overkill
Dead Space Extraction
Of course the new Zelda should be coming out next year as well and don’t forget about the virtual console.
December 3rd, 2009
@gamer_thumb: Welcome! It would be nice to have another fellow Wii owner here. Hope you stay.
@Jofa: I agree with Roca´s list, you could also look for any of these:
- Dead Space Extraction
- Punch Out
- *No More Heroes
- Mad World
- Muramasa The Demon Blade
- Boom Blox Bash Party
- Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure
- Mario Kart Wii
* Coming to PS3?
Hope you have fun.
December 3rd, 2009
Whoops, Gamer_Thumb beat me to the punch. =P
December 3rd, 2009
Nah, I don’t care enough about a wii to hold on to it past its highest value season. Plus I want to spend the money on my computer
December 4th, 2009
“- Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure”
Great game.
December 4th, 2009
@me_: It certainly is. I bought it for my sis… ended grabing it for myself O_o. It´s as if they took Zelda and distilled the dungeon´s puzzles.
@Jofa: Hope you get Metroid Prime Trilogy, 3 games in 1 for free is a bargain. I wonder if you could sell it to me when you are done =D.
December 4th, 2009
I picked up new SMB, metroid prime trilogy, Galaxy, Bloom Blox, Z:TP, and Punch Out. After I got back from walmart, my wife and I decided to send it all to one of her younger cousins for christmas. It’s a poor hardworking family that hasn’t been able to afford a Wii since it came out, and their daughter has been crushed by it. She’s only 11, and has lots of friends with Wiis to borrow games from. None of the games are opened, so I am taking them back to get games she wants, heh, once her mom emails my wife the list.
December 4th, 2009
did the 3 ghosts of christmas gave you a visit or something?
December 4th, 2009
Man, what a wonderful thing to do! I salute you. =)
December 4th, 2009
My wife’s family is far away, and we don’t get a lot of opportunities to see them. Her cousin was one of her best friends growing up, and they have grown a bit apart with the distance, so we figured it will only cost shipping, as we didn’t pay for it. My computer can wait, heh, they will enjoy it far more than I would enjoy a new SSD in my rig.