Discuss shortages and birthday's of PS3, Wii, DS, PSP!

[bandit]

Well, its a little past the 1 year birthday mark for the PlayStation 3 and Wii, as both launched a year ago in the US. The DS just went on 3 years since it launched in the US as well.

With the DS, PlayStation 3 PSP and Xbox360 being found easily in stores, what are your thoughts on the hard to find Wii? Its near impossible to find in the US. What about in other countries, are you feeling the same effect with shortages?

If the Wii is sold out and parents are unable to buy it for their kids, which system do you think parents will get next to fulfill the kids wishlist? (Divineo UK (http://www.divineo.co.uk/php/affstart.php?affcode=arboretum&prod=wii-wii) do have Nintendo Wii`s in stock)

Discuss your opinion on shortages and the upcoming holiday shopping. We want to know what you have to say!

[nuvalo]

Here at Spain, is very easy to find a Wii. I don't know why it is so hard to find in other countries.

I think that the second option will be XBox360, or a portable like PSP.

[argor]

Here in iceland is very easy to find a Wii.

[AngelicLiver]

Here in the UK our biggest video game retailer, GAME exclusively gets the largest consignments of Wii consoles. Other retailers have to make do with very slow monthly trickles of stock and it's causing havok on the highstreet where people urgently want to snap them up for the Christmas period.

As much as I dislike GAME, I give Wii hunters 2 pieces of advice.

A) Pre-order at GAME early.

B) Import NOW before stocks in Europe dwindle or they hike up the price for Christmas buyers.

I bought a Wii on launch day last year, it's been a slow year for games but Super Mario Galaxy made it up to me. That game is simply incredible and easily the best looking/playing game on Wii. I'm genuinely excited about what's round the corner for Nintendo.

[bandit]

Wow, its that easy to find in other countries?! Here in the US, stock is barely impossible to find. Walk into a store and all you'll see if boxes of PS3 and Xbox360. In NYC, where the Nintendo World Store is, you have people standing outside before the stores open EVERYDAY! They're camping out 1-3 hours before stores open for a system that was released a year ago!

There have been reports that stores in the US are only selling some of their received stocks of Wii and holding the rest for Black Friday or until near Xmas to drive customers and sales.

I was so close to picking up additional Wii's but just when I got to the register at Circuit City (one of the major electronics store) sold the last ones.

[Tikker]

my wii sits and collects dust

I think I'd trade it for a 360, or a DS + PSP ;)

[werpu]

do mail order from another EU country.
on mainland europe the Wii is rather easy to find, here in central europe most big electronics vendors usually have stacks of 20-30 wiis (Mediamarket/Saturn and others usually carry big staples of those)

I just wonder why the UK people have such a hard time while the rest of europe doesnt, probably most uk people still have not recognized that they live in the EU and dont have to shop within UK boundaries ;-)

[Veskgar]

my wii sits and collects dust

I think I'd trade it for a 360, or a DS + PSP ;)

Yeah, I'd have to say for parents, the DS Lite is the gift to get for kids aged 4 - 10 if Wii's are not available.

I've only seen a few PSP games keep kids' attention for any length of time. Those were Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters, Lego Star Wars II: Original Trilogy, and Ben 10: Protector of Earth.

Be warned though that the DS Lite has loads of junk overpriced shovelware titles aimed at kids and clueless parents. But I'd have to say that there are more amusing DS Lite games for kids than there are for PSP if you do your homework.

The PSP has always been targeted to a more mature audience anyway. The age demographic is getting younger as the PSP gets older and more improved with higher caliber games. And contrary to popular belief, the PSP has proven to be amazingly durable so kids won't be able to break it too easily if anyone is concerned about that.

[mikebeaver]

my wii sits and collects dust

I think I'd trade it for a 360, or a DS + PSP ;)

ILL TRADE YOU a DS and a PSP for a Wii mate :)

Mike..