Wii Production Exceeds Expectations 2 Mil Already Completed?

[Ben-Nice]

With such high production why didn't they set the launch date earlier?

http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/05/wii-production-exceeding-expectations/

Briefing.com reports (subscription only) that, according to UBS, 2 million Wii consoles were completed in Q3 (July-September) to support Nintendo's upcoming Q406 global console launch, beginning November 19th in North America. In addition, "at least 7 mln and potentially as high as 9 mln more units are in the build plan for 4Q06." The report continues, "this production ramp handily exeeds [sic] a publicly announced tgt for 6 mln units to ship by yearend"; however, Nintendo had previously announced plans to ship 6 million units by the end of their fiscal year (ending March 31, 2007) and only 4 million by the end of the calendar year. The language appears to indicate the possibility of building, if not shipping, as many as 11 million Wii consoles by the end of the calendar year!

 

[Bobbler]

Wouldn't surprise me... nothing in the Wii should be even remotely difficult to manufacture for a competent production company (fab/assembly/etc.).

Good news though, I suppose. They just need to get smash brothers out so I'd have a reason to buy one!

 

[Shifty Geezer]

With such high production why didn't they set the launch date earlier?

Probably to set a world-record first-day sales figure

 

[StefanS]

If that is indeed true, then it is good news: No big shortages at launch, etc.

 

[djdev]

I'm not woried about the hardware. It's the software that troubles me. Outside of Red Steel, Zelda, and Excite Truck, and Madden, most of the games are just run of the mill ports and are probably better on other consoles.

 

[darkblu]

If that is indeed true, then it is good news: No big shortages at launch, etc.

yeah, i was getting a bit worried about getting mine (and a friend's) unit on launch day. now i'm not anymore. wii boxing, here i come : )

ps: any firm info on the launch lineup?

 

[StefanS]

ps: any firm info on the launch lineup?

Don't know how firm this is, but here it is anyway: IGN's release list

 

[StefanS]

I'm not woried about the hardware. It's the software that troubles me. Outside of Red Steel, Zelda, and Excite Truck, and Madden, most of the games are just run of the mill ports and are probably better on other consoles.

Among the launch titles Rayman Raving Rabbids, Super Moneky Ball: Banana Blitz, Elebits and Trauma Center are noteworthy titles as well.

 

[Guden Oden]

It's the software that troubles me. Outside of Red Steel, Zelda, and Excite Truck, and Madden, most of the games are just run of the mill ports and are probably better on other consoles.

Hum, well, those are just the LAUNCH titles, more stuff will arrive soon afterwards, and keep coming. And even for launch, there's that squad-based 3rd-person military game whatsitscalled, mario striker (which looks real cool even for a football game; a genre I traditionally hate with a vengeance only trumped by my feelings of ill-will towards golf games), and mario galaxy of course, metroid prime and so on.

Good software isn't going to be lacking on the Wii, that I'm sure of. Nintendo themselves are sure to have a huge line of titles stringed up for release, and even 3rd parties are looking genuinely interested. If Wii looks to be even somewhat of the smashing success that is the DS, they're going to be falling over each other to release games for it!

 

[fulcizombie]

How many 3rd party DS games have been huge successes thus far???

 

[darkblu]

Don't know how firm this is, but here it is anyway: IGN's release list

thanks.

so it's gonna be RRR, wii sports, RS, either Excite T or Monster4x4 (most likely the former), and Zelda for me at launch. the TTP will be my second attempt at zelda ever, after i could not get into WW.

 

[Rolf N]

<...> that squad-based 3rd-person military game whatsitscalled <...>

Battalion Wars?

 

[gokickrocks]

i think it would be a smarter move for nintendo to coincide with the ps3 release date of nov. 17, that way when all the dissapointed people with money in their hands that were waiting hours to grab a ps3, but couldnt, can buy a wii the same day

 

[avaya]

i think it would be a smarter move for nintendo to coincide with the ps3 release date of nov. 17, that way when all the dissapointed people with money in their hands that were waiting hours to grab a ps3, but couldnt, can buy a wii the same day

Hardcore gamers plus eBay freedom loving capitalists are not going to suddenly choose a Wii after missing out on a PS3 on launch day. There is a world of difference there. They will scour the streets, shops, alleys for systems. I expect violence/organised crime.

 

[nintenho]

How many 3rd party DS games have been huge successes thus far???

I think Castlevania and Megaman were very good and sold/are selling well.

but that doesn't matter. Wii is different because it's strength is in the playability, not the portabillity, of it's games.

 

[Corwin_B]

How many 3rd party DS games have been huge successes thus far???

What does this have to do with Wii production ? Anyway, I'll take the bait. In the West, not many (on top of my head Spiderman 2, Castlevania, Sonic and DBZ did pretty well). In JP, there are quite a number of successful 3rd party games, including Tamagotchi (>1M units), Children of Mana (around 300K), Dragon Quest Slime (300K also), DBZ, Phoenix Wright... And of course the recently released FF3, which already sold over 750K and, while hampered by card shortages and the "Pokemans" craze, shows some strong legs. 3rd party were mostly caught unprepared by the raging success of the DS, and are only starting to show some strong support (Square Enix included). In a similar way, I'd say many developers were surprised by the strong showing of Wii at E3, and they are currently rushing half-assed ports with shoehorned Wiimote controls, and it shows. If Wii sells well, I suspect more competent teams with larger budgets will be assigned to Wii games, with better results (both visually and control-wise).