Reggie Speaks.

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  Reggie on Halo 3 and Wii supply and successor

Nintendo’s American president, Reggie Fils-Aime, has gone on the record to declare that Nintendo won’t be able to meet the demand of its Wii console this holiday season, insisting that “The issue is not a lack of production.” He’s also spoken again about the longevity of the console following harsh comments from Microsoft reported earlier this week.

First, Fils-Aime was asked about the buzz surrounding Microsoft’s Halo 3, and said, “Will they sell a lot of software? Certainly. Will [Halo 3] sell hardware? I think it’s an open question. Why? Because I think that the Halo 3 consumer already has the hardware, because they’re playing Bioshock and Crackdown and a variety of games that are, in the end, quite similar: first-person shooter experience, multiplayer capable online. Tell me what’s new?”  (Which was niceley pointed out by one of our posters earlier this month)

So, does that mean Fils-Aime feels Nintendo has to counter Halo 3? “No,” the name-taker sternly and simply responded. “I am fortunate to have a series of [games] that are all going to drive substantial sales for me and are all targeted to different parts of the consumer mix.”

Ever since launching Wii late last year, Nintendo has been plagued by shortages stopping it from meeting demand across all corners of the world. Asked how many the company could be selling, Fils-Aime said, “We don’t know. What I can tell you is that typically, our inventory is lasting a day … I don’t think we will know when supply crosses with demand till after the holiday season.

“The issue is not a lack of production,” Fils-Aime insisted. “The issue is we went in with a curve that was aggressive, but the demand has been substantially more than that. And the ability to ramp up production and to sustain it is not a switch that you flick on. We’re working very hard to make sure that consumers are satisfied this holiday, but I can’t guarantee that we’re going to meet demand. As a matter of fact, I can tell you on the record we won’t.”

If anyone wants more consoles in the supply chain, it’s Fils-Aime though. “Believe me, I’m constantly pushing for more capacity and more volume,” he stated.

Asked about the longevity of Wii following the comments of Microsoft’s Neil Thompson, Fils-Aime said, “The best way to answer that question is that in our view, we’re just getting started … We’re looking at our business and constantly looking for … how do we continue driving the business forward? And I believe because of that relentless pursuit for more, that this platform is going to be vibrant for quite some time.”

And finally, Fils-Aime said that Nintendo is – as per usual – at work on the successor to its latest console. “You know, our hardware group, literally as soon as the system’s out the door, they’re already thinking about what’s next. That’s true for any of our platforms.”



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  • Matt

    All I can say is that if I see another Nintendo Home console that isn’t just an equivalent to the DS Lite, but an entirely new console within 3 years… I’m never buying a Nintendo system again.

  • http://www.xanga.com/relaxing_roth Roth

    Super Wii! Wii2! WiiHD! \:D/
    Straight-forward responses from Mr. Fils-Aime, solid!

    // Roth

  • http://wiinintendo.net/index.php?s=MJ MJ

    Note: BioShock should not be named in the same sentence as Halo. BioShock is so much more than a FPS experience. It’s an experience.

  • Beximus

    yeah metroid 3 is not quite an FPS either but it gets lumped with that also.

    it happens to the best of games.

  • Capell

    yea nintendo might have some ideas but there should never compaire themselves with the gunises at bungiee. halo 3 it one of the best games ever created. i have metroid 3 and its not even funn. nintendo could never make a FPS that is even half as good as any halo game

  • flamingsquirrel

    Crackdown is third person too. Like GTA, sorta…
    Anyway, I need to have a few words with Reggie, I mean, he said
    “that this platform is going to be vibrant for quite some time.”
    Yeah, SURE. It’s not vibrant now =/ What, Zelda and Metroid? Yes, Brawl and Galaxy are on the way, sure, but I still see more AAA titles on 360 with more coming on the way. After this year, you have what? Mario Kart, Wiifit… and…. NOTHING. Mabey Disaster: Day of Crisis, and BWII. but I mean, there are like NO games worth even looking at that aren’t first party on Wii, and even then, there aren’t that many great first party games.

    Basically, Reggie, make some good sofware already. And Gimmie my September surprise. Ya got 2 days

  • flamingsquirrel

    @ Capell
    Your wrong there.
    See, Halo 1 had good single player. Halo 2 had mediocre single player, and AWESOME online play, Halo 3 had mediocre single player, and AWESOME online play.

    Metroid is about single player, NOT online play. Hence NO multiplayer.

  • pawnblue

    I can see Halo 3, Bioshock and Gears as AAA. The rest of the big games have been ported, right? But if Halo 3 didn’t make you want to buy a 360, what will?

    The 360 needs a price cut. The 100 million PS2 gamers have aren’t willing to pay $350 to see slightly improved graphics for sequels. Those guys are buying Wiis.

  • Hologram

    Oh, come on flamingsquirrel, there are quite a few good third party games on the way and we must remember that the WII IS IN IT’S FIRST YEAR! I don’t know how many times I’ve said this. Third party publishers wrote off the Wii as a gimmick and didn’t make a ton of games on it. Now, they’re being proven wrong and are making new games. These new games are going to take some time to make. Therefore, we aren’t going to see a lot of great third party games until at least ’08.

    Also, what did X360 have before Gears of War last year? Nearly nothing. For roughly a year, the 360 had very little in terms of great software. The Wii in one year will have at least four great games (Zelda, Mario, Metroid, and Brawl). Then toss in Fire Emblem, Mario Kart, BWII, and Disaster. We also have the “new Zelda” that was mentioned sometime back. There’s five first-party games.

    You want third-party? Zack & Wiki, Medal of Honor Heroes 2, NiGHTS, No More Heroes, Umbrella Chronicles, and maybe Red Steel 2 (hopefully they can fix the flaws), Endless Ocean (could be great, could be horrible), Blast Works: Build, Fuse & Destroy (looks like a fun quirky game) and Raving Rabbids 2 (should be a good party game). There’s nine interesting third-party games.

    Now, look me straight in the… text box and tell me that none of those games look any good. Then look at me and tell me that if one got all those games, they wouldn’t have enough good gaming to play well into ’08.

    The Wii has great games coming THIS YEAR. It’s still the first year of the console’s life (a console that got shafted by third-parties at first) and it is looking absolutely great with some great games coming. Imagine what will come in ’08 when the games that have had even more development time start coming out. Microsoft has a huge fight on its hands if it wants to win this generation’s console war. The problem is that no one will open their eyes to see it.

  • Max

    Hologram I am once again amazed at your post.

    Very well thought out.

  • InfDaMarvel

    Heroes 2 should be the online shooter Wii owner have been waiting for.

  • InfDaMarvel

    Srry for the double post but I also want to add that Nintendo….is just stupid. Notice how you see a lot of commercials and promotions for big hits like Halo 3 and Gears of War. But Damn Nintendo releases Metriod Prime 3 and you see what? Cause Ill tell you right now I didnt see shit. They need to sta

  • InfDaMarvel

    rt….hypeing there games in order for people to start noticeing their games but 3rd party games as well….yea Im sorry triple post…Some how I keep hitting enter before Im done.

  • Will

    While I would agree that maybe Nintendo could do a lot better in the advertising department, some are forgetting these games are selling themselves and are selling very, very well. Have any of the naysayers even looked at a game sales report. Games with virtually no advertising are some of the fastest selling titles this year alone. Stop taking the success of Nintendo out of context and realize this has been a fantastic first year. The games, well with the success of this year and likely the success that will come with the big titles before Christmas, Nintendo should be a shoe in for tons of new support because they will have the greatest gaming audience. Its simple economics. There are plenty of games under development for 2008 so I completely don’t understand people saying that there is nothing after this year. You’ll be too busy come December playing Galaxy to notice any gap of time to the next big title. Plus that’s a long ways off to be thinking no games are on the horizon. Come November we should hear all the new game announcements for 2009.

    I think its terrible news though that they STILL won’t meet demand this quarter. This could hurt Nintendo when MS finally drops the price of the 360 for the holidays, which will happen.

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  • kevbo

    THIS IS STILL THE FIRST YEAR PEOPLE…
    If any of you remember other consoles first years you can easily tell this is the best for any console. The Xbox had like 4 good games the first year and that was for the whole year. The Wii already has atleast 10 phenomenal games already with another 10 (atleast) coming in THE FIRST YEAR. I don’t care what anyone says, that is spectacular. I haven’t doubted Nintendo yet and they haven’t let me down yet so relax and BUST OUT THEM SHADES BABY!!!

  • kevbo

    Sorry for the double post…
    Anyone who thinks Halo 3 is the best game they ever played means they have only played Halo 1 and 2. Bioshock beats all Halos in every aspect except for multiplayer because Bioshock doesn’t have any multiplayer. Halo 3′s story is a joke so all it has going for it is multiplayer which is okay. Could use some more balancing and less sniper rifle blah blah..