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We’ve heard it over and over: demand for Nintendo’s Wii is outstripping supply, just as it has been for a year. Rose Lappin, the managing director of Nintendo Australia, has told AustralianIT that the Big N will start to produce more units next year, with numbers to be finalised at a global meeting in Japan in early 2008.

Speaking in regards to local retailers’ expectation of shortages, Lappin said, “I see it as very positive - the Wii is still selling as strongly as it is a year after it launched.” Next week, 20,000 units will be shipped to retailers, she continued, complementing the 20,000 already in trade, in an effort to satisfy Christmas demand.
40,000 consoles were also in the market following the console’s launch last December, which was a sell-out. The same’s expected this year, and Lappin said that following Christmas, more stock will be available in January, then at regular intervals from then.

EB Games managing director, Steve Wilson, said “We’re anticipating that we’ll run out. If it goes as hard as it should we should run out.” And Jason Williams, the national product manager for games and entertainment at Harvey Norman, said, “If people put off getting off their Nintendo gift until the last minute, it’s going to be very hard.”