Nintendo has been criticized in the past for nor properly managing their supply chain. The Wii was famously sold out for well over a year after it was released. Nintendo couldn’t simply manufacture enough consoles, and ultimately lost out on the extra revenue and profits they could have made. But this won’t happen with the Wii U, Nintendo’s Reggie Fils-Aime has assured consumers.
Speaking to Forbes, Reggie said that Nintendo has learned its lessons not just with the launch of the Wii, but with the DS and the 3DS as well. The DS was also sold out for a long time after it was released, and the 3DS had serious pricing issues, which led to Nintendo slashing the price just months after release. This in return led to a loss on every 3DS console sold, which contributed to the first ever financial loss for Nintendo as a public company.
When it comes to price, Nintendo certainly seems to have learned the lessons from the 3DS launch. Yesterday we heard Reggie say that they believe the Wii U is priced correctly and that there won’t be any Wii U price cut for years to come. The console will launch in two SKUs, a $299 Basic model, and a $349 Deluxe model.
The supply chain is another important aspect of a successful console launch. And it has already come to the attention of the press, since the Wii U has already sold out across the world. This lead many to wonder if there would be enough consoles at launch for those who didn’t pre-order. According to analysts, Nintendo could manufacture up to 1.5 million Wii U consoles per month.
Reggie also commented on the original Wii, saying Nintendo will continue selling it after the Wii U comes out, especially in emerging markets like South America.
