Demand complicates future planning, says Fils-Aime

via Games Industry


Nintendo of America's president Reggie Fils-Aime says that the demand for the Wii and DS is complicating the company's future business planning.

"All of that becomes a much tougher exercise until we have supply and demand curves that intersect," he told Reuters.

Nintendo sold 1.5 million DS handhelds in November, and some retailers are concerned about inventory during the holiday season.

As for the Wii, Nintendo hasn't been able to meet demand since last year's launch, leading some retailers to bundle the consoles with games and accessories for a higher price - a practice Nintendo wants to discourage.

"Retailers have already been given feedback that we are not big fans of that. We think it masks some of the price advantage we have versus our competition and, frankly, the consumer should decide what they want," Nintendo of America's president said.

When asked if the company would threaten such retailers with fewer Wii shipments, Fils-Aime said only that retailers did not need to be reminded of the strength Nintendo has right now.

The company said it is finding it difficult to plan for upcoming games without being able to accurately forecast the number of Wiis that will be sold in the coming months.

"We at Nintendo America are focused on getting to the point when any consumer can walk into any of our retailers and find a Wii. Then we can plan, on an ongoing basis, the rest of the business," Fils-Aime said.