News has emerged that a fire broke out at an unnamed Wii U system assembly factory in Japan, with just a little over a month until the console's release across North America, Europe and Japan. An analyst for the Australian bank Macquarie, in Tokyo, subsequently downgraded Wii U’s shipping forecast of 8.3 million units to 7.3 million as a result of the incident. He also mentioned on Twitter that he expected Nintendo to revise its revenue forecast on 24th October.
In a statement given to CVG, Nintendo denied that there would be any delay in the production of Wii U consoles:
As of now, we see no impacts on our Wii U console production scheme.
Postponing Wii U production would have been deeply upsetting for Nintendo, and we're glad everything is on track for its release next month. We'd also like to spare a thought for the well-being of those who may have been in the factory at the time the fire broke out.
[source computerandvideogames.com]
Comments 36
Wow 7.3 million units and there are some SOLD out
Time to pick up the pace NoA! Start helping NoJ make more Wii U's!!!!
...And watch they end up delaying anyway. >.>
@NintyFan Mario brought the F.L.U.D.D and saved the day...
I bet it was just some guy who irresponcibly training his pokemon to use Flamethrower.
I wish to imagine a Nintendo factory to be very similar to Willy Wonka's only instead of a river of chocolate its a river of coins.
Harmo Knight. They're sold out in the US. Nowhere else to the best of my recollection.
@WhiteKnight Good enough for me
Maybe it was Ash Training his Charizard hes not the best pokemon for Ash
Nintendo is like, "hey no biggie we aren't even making consoles anyway."
Bump up the demand!
@HarmoKnight That's nice. I'm glad you're happy that you're wrong.
@WhiteKnight Perhaps the only region with a restricted supply is North America. Last I heard it was about 50 units a store.
There are rumours going around that Japan will have reduced shipments but right now they're just rumours. Haven't heard of any supply restriction in the other regions yet so that could explain why there aren't any other regions selling out.
Probably just trying to artificially increase demand in NA for the holiday season.
@ThePillowGolem Oh absolutely. It's absolutely impossible to predict how many consoles Nintendo will sell this year with the Wii U.
It may well sell out globally. That would be surprising, but not outside of the realm of possibility.
@WhiteKnight Wrong? How is it wrong to be happy that WiiUs are sold out in America? The only thing I'm not happy about is that I was 10 minutes late to preorder, but that's ok since I'm more interested in my 3DS
@ThePillowGolem
>Probably just trying to artificially increase demand in NA for the holiday season.
Not probably. Reggie himself admitted to doing this.
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/09/reggie_promises_steady_stream_of_wii_u_consoles
@HarmoKnight - read back your first post. You seemed to think that the entire lot - 7.3 million units of Wii U - had been "sold out."
That is incorrect. Amazingly enough, there are other nations in the world. These other nations are getting Wii Us shipped to them as well - so some of that 7.3 million is not actually getting sent to America.
And aside from America I've yet to see a report that the Wii U had sold out anywhere else.
So, no, you're wrong to think that Nintendo has "sold 7.3 million Wii Us." That is incredibly unlikely at this stage.
Imagine how funny it would be if the Wii U wasn't being "advertised" with false demand, but it was actually selling out by the millions? That'd be funny.
Anyway, I agree with Gamesake. If there isn't anything that causes Nintendo to slow the Wii U process, the Wii U will outsell Vita (worldwide, I'd imagine) by Christmas.
@WhiteKnight: Japan's starting to sell out too from what I hear
@ThePillowGolem: Yeah, well do the math. 50 per store is how many in total?
Nintendo Life is SO CLASSY!
this analyst MARCQUERIE should make sure his facts are wright,as this could now damage NINTENDO,they dont care about NINTENDO,anyway i hope everybody at the factory is ok.
@WhiteKnight you know me of course I think there are more countries then the US You honestly have to correct ME on that oh ritch that fact there are 7.5 million READY before launch is amazing! I edited my first post so you can "get" what I meant
50 per WHAT stores exactly? The closest GameStop to me is getting 13 and it isn't even located out in BFE.
Wow 7.3 million forecast for shipping! Has Nintendo made such a forecast? I would expect them to ship 4-5 million by the end of March (End of fiscal year for Japan) based on past system launches but if that 7.3 - 8.3 million number is correct that would be an unprecedented start!
I know CVG says the factory was in Japan, but I think the fires were at factories in China, not Japan. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. Here's a link to an article I found searching Google News:
http://www.securityinfowatch.com/news/10782066/japanese-companies-become-protest-targets-in-china
Actually some manufacturing is done in China. Big surprise, eh?
Probably 99.9% of it (wild guess). I'm saying I think the CVG article is wrong (and therefore indirectly the Nintendo Life article). Sorry if I wasn't clear.
Alright guys, who altered the trajectory?
don't look at me I didn't start this one, the only fire I started was a long time ago, a really long time ago when I was about 12 I sat our garbage can on fire ...
inside our house. But I am really happy the Wii U is doing so good.
Thank god no Wii Us were put in danger, I'm not sure I could've gone to sleep tonight knowing that those little dream boxes were harmed. You can replace sweatshop workers, but not Wii U consoles.
@blinder2 Yeah. Hopefully the fire wasn't bad for the workers.
Good to know.
What you all need to remember is that that 8.3m forecast is divided across six different models of the console. There are three regions each with two different versions and the balance of those may not be perfectly 'in tune' with demand. If each model of the console was built in equal proportion then that is just under 1.4m consoles available of the model available to you which isn't that many in the grand scheme of things really.
Oh and I too hope that no one got hurt.
Analysts.
Rumour has it that it's an elaborate scam by Michael Pachter - the real inspiration behind Bowser - to prove his prediction correct.
First, light a candle in a factory somewhere in a country/region near a Nintendo plant.
Second, let the internet do the rest... candle story becomes "firestorm raging throughout southern China!!!"
Third, speculation given an air of authenticity by having a Pachter mole working in Macquarie Bank, who's credentials on the matter aren't mentioned beyond 'analyst'.
@Arakine for some reason your one-liner just reminded me of the Arrested Development character, Tobias Funke, and his contraction of his job title of Analyst-Therapist
A fire in a factory is Foxconn solidarity.
No, they just picked up a couple of burnt Wii-Us, rubbed some black soot on them, and sold them as deluxe models
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