Wii shortage before Christmas?

Last Modified: 15 Nov 2007
By: Channel 4 News

Nintendo warns that its best-selling Wii games console could be in short supply over the festive period.

Supplies of the Nintendo Wii, currently the UK's best-selling games console, could be in short supply over the Christmas period.

The manufacturers' warning came amid reports that high-street shops are already having difficulty meeting demand.

In a statement, the company said: "Nintendo are now in a position in which seasonality demand trends are being broken... Due to this phenomenon it is possible that the demand for Wii hardware may outstrip supply."

'It is possible that the demand for Wii hardware may outstrip supply.'
Nintendo statement

A spokeswoman for retailer Woolworths said the consoles were selling out as soon as new stock arrived. "Our advice to customers trying to get hold of the consoles is to keep an eye on www.woolworths.co.uk," she said.

And computer game outlet Game confirmed it was having difficulty meeting customer demand. Its spokeswoman admitted that "it's possible that demand will outstrip supplies on some products".

The Nintendo Wii was launched in the UK last year. The company says that 17.5 million Wii consoles will be shipped globally in the year to the end of March 2008 - 3.5 million more than initially planned.