Topic: The Wii "issue".

[Pugnate]

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=9114

[scottws]

That's amazing, and I can attest to it.  I searched for months for a Wii before I finally found one, and I bought the last one at the store 10 minutes after they opened (they got them in that morning).  To this day, I have never once seen a Wii box on a shelf, unlike the PS3 which is piled up everywhere.

[iPPi]

Yea it's still difficult to find one at times.  If you're persistent, you can get one in about a week or two.

I got mine last Friday--when I called the store up in the morning they said that they had about 5.  When I got there about an hour later they only had 2 left.

[shock]

So I guess we know who is winning the console war.

[idolminds]

If you go out on a Sunday you can find them. Last Sunday I went out, not early...like 2-4pm and saw Wiis on shelves at a couple stores.

[Ghandi]

I've seen a few around here but not often. I still want one but you guys kind of talked me out of it, probably for the better. I think that I may get a Gamecube instead. They are pretty cheap.

[Cobra951]

The sad thing is that no one can really tell why.  There are at least 2 variables, the cost and the new control scheme.  Expectation from the name brand would be a third, but that has not helped Nintendo in the recent past.  My feeling is that the relatively low cost to buy into the name brand is most of the picture, with the control scheme being an extra perk to drive awareness.  Even if cost is not as important as I think, no one can pretend anymore that the mass market is ready to pay PC prices for consoles.  It's not happening.

Edit:  I saw a stack of Wiis at Best Buy when I picked up Eternal Sonata.  Now I'm thinking I should have bought a couple and saved them up for ebay come December.

[TheOtherBelmont]

The sad thing is that no one can really tell why.  There are at least 2 variables, the cost and the new control scheme.  Expectation from the name brand would be a third, but that has not helped Nintendo in the recent past.  My feeling is that the relatively low cost to buy into the name brand is most of the picture, with the control scheme being an extra perk to drive awareness.  Even if cost is not as important as I think, no one can pretend anymore that the mass market is ready to pay PC prices for consoles.  It's not happening.

Edit:  I saw a stack of Wiis at Best Buy when I picked up Eternal Sonata.  Now I'm thinking I should have bought a couple and saved them up for ebay come December.

When I worked at the electronics department at Wal-Mart, a large majority of the people that asked for them, didn't know jack shit about them, they just wanted it because it was cheapest, newest console for their kids.  Even the kids don't know what it is that they want, I would ask them what game they wanted and they had no idea about any of the games, nor did the adults.  Part of it is the cost, but some of it is that its just the new and popular thing that people are buying so they have to have it too.  It even went as far as when some people were buying it and asking questions while purchasing it, they looked at me like I was crazy when I described the control scheme to them, so they didn't even know about the unique controls.

[Quemaqua]

It's the new iPod.  Nobody has a fucking clue why they bought one other than the fact that everyone else they know did.

[Cobra951]

That's a chicken-and-egg question.  Is the unmerited popularity a snowball effect of the low cost to get a Wii, or did the Wii expectations create a frenzy which then led to real reasons for it (i.e., sellout everywhere means it must be hot, so everyone goes crazy to get one too)?  Belmont's story suggests the former.

[scottws]

Um it's fun to play?  I don't know.

[Dragonlor]

Ehh I see a downfall for the Wii at this moment in time.  Its fun for when you have say 4 or more people.  But when it comes down to playing by yourself it lacks the games to make it interesting.  True you have some good titles but there's only a few.

[idolminds]

Hopefully nintendo and others realize that and get some quality singleplayer games out there.

[Quemaqua]

The Gamecube had comparatively few triple-A titles as well, keep in mind, and a substantially smaller library than the other systems.  I think the Wii's got a somewhat lackluster start in that area but could very easily focus a little more on fixing the problem and still keep their huge lead.  They could also totally fuck it up, sure, but I think a little more time might be all they need.  If they're smart, anyway, and don't want to throw away the opportunity that's opened up for them.

[idolminds]

The thing is with the Gamecube it didn't sell as well as the PS2 or Xbox, so it sort of made sense that devs wouldn't totally focus on releasing games on it.

Obviously Wii sales means this is a whole different ball game. You'd be stupid not to release Wii games now. We just have to see if devs get past the whole "make a minigame collection!" phase.

[Dragonlor]

Ah yes the minigame issue.  Nintendo is indeed focusing to much on the gimics of the system instead of having full content games releasing.  Honestly I would love to see some cell shaded anime style RPGs come out for the Wii.  True you have Super Smash Brothers Brawl and Mario galaxy.  Yet still thats only a few good title releases.

[gpw11]

That's the thing - people are buying them like hotcakes, nintendo is raking in somewhere around $50 (maybe more) on each console sold, plus whatever on each additional controller, and there's very little on the horizon.  I don't know if they need to change their focus.  The console isn't built around SP games, and I have a feeling that even with the massive installed base SP games might not sell nearly as well as they would on the 360/psp.  The thing was a smashing success out the door, it's been about a year, and there's very little indication that anyone is willing to take the risk to focus on more traditional console games on it.  I'm still fully convinced it's not really competing with the other consoles at all.  Except this time for Nintendo it's intentional.

[scottws]

I'm still fully convinced it's not really competing with the other consoles at all.  Except this time for Nintendo it's intentional.

I've been saying this since forever.