Biggest Console Launch Ever - One Million Wiis Sold
The biggest console launch in history sees Nintendo's share price drop.
Wii launch - a fantastic success for Nintendo and for gamers. Shareholders think differently though.
With 400,000 Wiis reportedly sold since the launch in Japan on December 2nd, and 600,000 Wiis sold in the USA since November 27th, what we have here are one-million Wiis in the hands of gamers - and the most successful console launch in history.
While gamers are obviously voting with their wallets when it comes to the Wii, Nintendo's share price on its home index (the Nikkei) fell by just over one percent. However, it has to fall a great deal further than that to dent the 91% rise it has seen this year (outshining a 4% decline for Sony) due to good DS sales and, of course, the pre-launch clamour for Wii.
According to finance journal, Bloomberg, “Nintendo, based in Kyoto, said it delivered 400,000 Wii consoles to retailers in Japan for the opening day and has produced 1 million units to replenish stores, such as Yodobashi, that sell out of the game. The company on Nov. 27 said it sold more than 600,000 Wii consoles in the Americas during the product's first eight days.”
Although everybody and their dog is posting headlines stating that the Wii sold out on day one, both respected finance organs, Forbes and Bloomberg, are being more circumspect.
The former states, “Nintendo lost 290 yen or 1.1 percent at 26,890 (on the Japanese Nikkei index) after the launch here (in Japan) Saturday of its Wii next-generation game consoles, during which buyers snapped up all 400,000 that were put on the market, dealers said.”
The latter, “Nintendo Co.'s Wii video-game console sold out at some Japanese electronics retailers today…”
As you can see, no firm figures are available – so let’s be careful out there!
The PlayStation 3 meanwhile has sold around 360,000 units worldwide to date.
Over in the third camp, Xbox 360 is nudging the 8-million mark worldwide, so it will be interesting to see if Microsoft can reach Peter Moore’s stated aim of 10-million units sold by the end of the year. The 360 benefited from the sales impetus generated in the US by Wii and PS3 launching within days of each other: sales of the Microsoft box on the same weekend beat individual sales of Sony and Nintendo's offerings.
If you haven’t done so already, you can read SPOnG’s on-the-spot coverage of this last weekend’s Wii launch in Japan to get the best feel of what is arguably the biggest videogaming ‘event’ of the year.
While gamers are obviously voting with their wallets when it comes to the Wii, Nintendo's share price on its home index (the Nikkei) fell by just over one percent. However, it has to fall a great deal further than that to dent the 91% rise it has seen this year (outshining a 4% decline for Sony) due to good DS sales and, of course, the pre-launch clamour for Wii.
According to finance journal, Bloomberg, “Nintendo, based in Kyoto, said it delivered 400,000 Wii consoles to retailers in Japan for the opening day and has produced 1 million units to replenish stores, such as Yodobashi, that sell out of the game. The company on Nov. 27 said it sold more than 600,000 Wii consoles in the Americas during the product's first eight days.”
Although everybody and their dog is posting headlines stating that the Wii sold out on day one, both respected finance organs, Forbes and Bloomberg, are being more circumspect.
The former states, “Nintendo lost 290 yen or 1.1 percent at 26,890 (on the Japanese Nikkei index) after the launch here (in Japan) Saturday of its Wii next-generation game consoles, during which buyers snapped up all 400,000 that were put on the market, dealers said.”
The latter, “Nintendo Co.'s Wii video-game console sold out at some Japanese electronics retailers today…”
As you can see, no firm figures are available – so let’s be careful out there!
The PlayStation 3 meanwhile has sold around 360,000 units worldwide to date.
Over in the third camp, Xbox 360 is nudging the 8-million mark worldwide, so it will be interesting to see if Microsoft can reach Peter Moore’s stated aim of 10-million units sold by the end of the year. The 360 benefited from the sales impetus generated in the US by Wii and PS3 launching within days of each other: sales of the Microsoft box on the same weekend beat individual sales of Sony and Nintendo's offerings.
If you haven’t done so already, you can read SPOnG’s on-the-spot coverage of this last weekend’s Wii launch in Japan to get the best feel of what is arguably the biggest videogaming ‘event’ of the year.
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