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[moondance]

Analysts: PlayStation 3, Wii Shortages Will Last for Months

Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Reuters

LOS ANGELES — Shoppers are standing in lines to snap up Sony Corp's (SNE) PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s Wii video game consoles as they become available, and some analysts do not expect shortages to ease until March or later.

Shoppers are finding lots of PlayStation 2s and Microsoft (MSFT) Xbox 360s, expected to do well as substitutes for the newest machines that are in short supply.

One employee at a Target (TGT) store said the retailer issues a memo a couple of days in advance of Wii and PS3 shipments and passes the information on to shoppers, who sometimes stand in line to secure their booty.

As he spoke, shoppers snapped up PlayStation Portables and Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL) iPods.

American Technology Research analyst Paul-Jon McNealy said that since Sony shipment numbers include units in transit or in warehouses, the company's target of 1 million could translate to 600,000 to 800,000 units at retail by year-end.

McNealy said investors and game makers tempered their forecasts for the PS3s since initial numbers fell short. He added that the PS3 will likely remain scarce through the June quarter.

"They have to launch in Europe, and they're stretched," said McNealy.

Wii shortages could ease in the March quarter, he said.

Workers at a dozen Southern California stores, including Best Buy (BBY), GameStop (GME) and Target outlets, said PS3 shipments were small and sporadic this shopping season, ranging from as few as 1 or 2 to 25, and that shoppers snapped up consoles as they arrived.

"We get 1 or 2 every week to week and a half," said a weary Los Angeles GameStop employee.

Nintendo's Wii was selling out fast but reaching stores in greater numbers than the PS3, store clerks said.

The $250 Wii, known for its motion-sensitive controller that can be swung like a tennis racquet or a sword, and the high-end $600 PS3 both launched in the United States in mid-November and took on the year-old Microsoft Xbox 360 in the new-generation video-game-console battle.

Sony's PS2, which has sold more than 106 million units globally, is expected to be a top seller this season.

Toys "R" Us said its 587 U.S. stores expected more than 6,000 PS3s, thousands of Wiis and over 30,000 Microsoft Corp. Xbox 360s in the week leading up to Christmas.

"PS3 will likely remain scarce through June" WTF? Euro launch delayed?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,238922,00.html

 

[DarienA]

First there is a PS3 shortage, then there are PS3's languishing on shelves(GAF says so!), now there is a PS3 shortage again.

<throws hands up> I don't know what to believe!!!!!

 

[Wario64]

How is PS3 shortage lasting for months when some people on the Internet are finding them on shelves easily

 

[davepoobond]

JUNE????

i'm calling bs.

goddammit my avatar isn't working again

 

[Y2Kev]

Do not believe that.

 

[moondance]

First there is a PS3 shortage, then there are PS3's languishing on shelves(GAF says so!), now there is a PS3 shortage again.

<throws hands up> I don't know what to believe!!!!!

I know, I'm confused????

 

[Sweedishrodeo]

i was at target this morning at 5 am. guy came out at 6am and told us there were no wiis or ps3s. the crowd rioted briefely and i left.

 

[Crackerman16]

Another analyst's stupid predictions. When will this non-sense stop?

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

Oh man. I hope people in BLANK don't read this because I really want to be able to pick up a BLANK at BLANK tomorrow morning.

*fear*

 

[Wario64]

Oh, it's a FoxNews analist. Nothing to see here.

 

[D.Cowboys]

Another analyst's stupid predictions. When will this non-sense stop?

ftw

 

[Liquid]

the holiday craze is done with. this is premature.

 

[dante786]

I walked into Best Buy 5 days ago and found a pile of PS3's, awfully tempting, but I can't bring myself to spend that much on a PS3 yet, maybe in a few months. I find it hard to believe these systems will be in short supply for months when theyre both being produced in spades. By this time next month I'm thinking both will be relatively easy to find.

 

[Rhindle]

The article is actually several days old.

It was published before th GAF determination that there is a glut of PS3s collecting dust on store shelves.

 

[JdFoX187]

Playstation 3s are selling for about retail or a little more on eBay. I don't think there is really that big of a shortage of them. Wiis, on the other hand, are in serious demand and are sold out everywhere around here.

 

[rs7k]

One employee at a Target (TGT) store said the retailer issues a memo a couple of days in advance of Wii and PS3 shipments and passes the information on to shoppers, who sometimes stand in line to secure their booty.

LOL, secure their booty. English isn't my first language, but I've never heard of booty being used like that.

Anyways, I don't believe the shortage will last as long as they think, simply because demand won't be as high after the holidays. Maybe I'm wrong about the Wii, but we'll see.

 

[RumFore]

What I dont get is the Wii and DS Lite shortages. Nintendo caused alot kids not to have merry Christmas by severely undershipping.

 

[davepoobond]

LOL, secure their booty. English isn't my first language, but I've never heard of booty being used like that.

Anyways, I don't believe the shortage will last as long as they think, simply because demand won't be as high after the holidays. Maybe I'm wrong about the Wii, but we'll see.

booty is something that a stereotypical pirate would use as slang for "treasure"

 

[Crackerman16]

Oh, it's a FoxNews analist. Nothing to see here.

It took 10 posts for a Fox-bash comment. More than I expected...

 

[BrodiemanTTR]

How many times can one person use the phrase "snap up"? God damn. Dude needs to snap up a thesaurus.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

Playstation 3s are selling for about retail or a little more on eBay. I don't think there is really that big of a shortage of them. Wiis, on the other hand, are in serious demand and are sold out everywhere around here.

SHUT UP!!!

If anyone in BLANK reads that there's no way I'll get one at BLANK tomorrow!! JESUS.

 

[Private Hoffman]

It's not a FoxNews analyst. Haven't some of you heard of PJ McNealy before? It says in the article he's with American Technology Research.

 

[davepoobond]

SHUT UP!!!

If anyone in BLANK reads that there's no way I'll get one at BLANK tomorrow!! JESUS.

BLANK?

BenjaminBirdie
Languishes
in an
Analyst's
New
Kreation

?

 

[sonycowboy]

How is PS3 shortage lasting for months when some people on the Internet are finding them on shelves easily

How indeed.

Perhaps some industrious GAF'ers can provide photographic evidence in this indeterminate situation? With a little sign saying "See GAF'ers" . There's a stack of PS3's yay high at Best Buy being ignored like a junior GAFer on prom night.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

BLANK?

BenjaminBirdie
Languishes
in an
Analyst's
New
Kreation

?

Nah. I just don't want anyone suckling at the retail teat I've got the tentative drop on.

 

[GhaleonEB]

It's not a FoxNews analyst. Haven't some of you heard of PJ McNealy before? It says in the article he's with American Technology Research.

Also, it's a Reuters article (tagged at the top of the Fox page). It ran a week or so ago; had a thread on GAF that I'm can't seem to find.

Edit: Here we go, it's from the 22nd.

http://today.reuters.com/news/artic...K430163_RTRUKOC_0_US-VIDEOGAMES-SHORTAGES.xml

Normally I'm all for shooting the messenger when it comes to Fox, but in this case they are just running a wire story (four days late).

PS3 sells great. All Xbots360: "noooooooooooO"

a rather random troll in this thread. :lol

 

[TheIkariWarrior]

I don't expect Wii or PS3 to be in plentify supply until mid to late spring (May-June).

 

[Aisenherz]

PS3 sells great. All Xbots360: "noooooooooooO"

 

[Ace 8095]

In my process of calling Wal-Mart everyday in my quest to find a Wii, I have been told on two different occasions that they had no Wii's but had some PS3's.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

PS3 sells great. All Xbots360: "noooooooooooO"

Link to "Xbots360" Reaction?

 

[speculawyer]

Shortage until June? Personally, I think his is wrong unless the PS3 is a big hit in Europe.

But if he is right, this is sure good news for Sony in that demand seems to be high . . . I just don't know if he is right.

 

[DarienA]

Shortage until June? Personally, I think his is wrong unless the PS3 is a big hit in Europe.

But if he is right, this is sure good news for Sony in that demand seems to be high . . . I just don't know if he is right.

You were drawn to this thread like a moth to a f'n flame.

 

[Slurpy]

Based on my anecdotal evidence, although theyre both extremely tough to find, PS3 are more easily found than wiis. Ive ran across sitting units on several occasions, yet never once a wii.

 

[davepoobond]

Link to "Xbots360" Reaction?

http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/12486/Capcom-Plans-to-Release-Six-Xbox-360-Games-in-2007/


that should probably work.

It has been rumored that Devil May Cry 4 will only remain as a time exclusive for the PlayStation 3, landing soon after on the Xbox 360.

 

[speculawyer]

How many times can one person use the phrase "snap up"? God damn. Dude needs to snap up a thesaurus.

:lol

 

[Crackerman16]

You were drawn to this thread like a moth to a f'n flame.

LOL... at least he toned it down a bit here, with the PS3 doom and gloom bit he usually spews.

 

[moondance]

Also, it's a Reuters article (tagged at the top of the Fox page). It ran a week or so ago; had a thread on GAF that I'm can't seem to find.

Edit: Here we go, it's from the 22nd.

http://today.reuters.com/news/artic...K430163_RTRUKOC_0_US-VIDEOGAMES-SHORTAGES.xml

So if the original dateline is the 22nd, isn't this after Sony came out and stated they had solved their original manufacturing woes and were off to the races? Why would an article like this appear after Sony PR stating the opposite. Just wondering if we can debunk the article or is there some validity to it...hmmmmm.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/12486/Capcom-Plans-to-Release-Six-Xbox-360-Games-in-2007/


that should probably work.

I'd hardly call that citeable.

 

[GhaleonEB]

So if the original dateline is the 22nd, isn't this after Sony came out and stated they had solved their original manufacturing woes and were off to the races? Why would an article like this appear after Sony PR stating the opposite. Just wondering if we can debunk the article or is there some validity to it...hmmmmm.

I'm going out on a limb here, but maybe that's because Sony's PR hasn't exactly been spot-on recently and people have learned not to take their word verbatim.

I'd hardly call that citeable.

It's pretty funny, actually. Not only is it not in this thread (or forum, for that matter) but it's on an entirely different topic.

 

[davepoobond]

I'd hardly call that citeable.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

It's pretty funny, actually. Not only is it not in this thread (or forum, for that matter) but it's on an entirely different topic.

Not surprising.

 

[Branduil]

December NPD should be interesting. Is the current demand for PS3s so low that they are already not selling out right away?

 

[GhaleonEB]

December NPD should be interesting. Is the current demand for PS3s so low that they are already not selling out right away?

I think it's a mistake to take GAF's anecdotal evidence even remotely seriously. December will be interesting from the Wii/PS3 perspective of, how many did they get out there?

I actually think January NPD will be more interesting from a supply/demand situation, and for judging future sales.

 

[Branduil]

I think it's a mistake to take GAF's anecdotal evidence even remotely seriously. December will be interesting from the Wii/PS3 perspective of, how many did they get out there?

I actually think January NPD will be more interesting from a supply/demand situation, and for judging future sales.

Unless tha analysts are right, in which case we'll have to wait even longer.

 

[LJ11]

December NPD should be interesting. Is the current demand for PS3s so low that they are already not selling out right away?

We really won't know the true story until this "shortage" is totally out of the picture. Unitl then people will say Sony sold what they shipped.

 

[nextgeneration]

I think it's a mistake to take GAF's anecdotal evidence even remotely seriously. December will be interesting from the Wii/PS3 perspective of, how many did they get out there?

I actually think January NPD will be more interesting from a supply/demand situation, and for judging future sales.

Yes, I can't wait to see the figures for ps3/wii, as I want to see which manufacturer shipped the most units in December. I'm also very curious to see once Sony and Nintendo have enough supply where supply outstrips demand, how the big 3 will all do collectively - 360, ps3, wii. Good times ahead.

 

[soundwave05]

You're not going to see concrete sales trends until spring/summer 2007 when it comes to the Wii or PS3 I think.

Jan. NPD is pointless in the overall scheme of things, and Feburary isn't much better. March/April/May is when things start to get cooking.

One thing I think just about anyone can agree on is Nintendo undershipped this Christmas. I think they could have sold 1.5 million in December in North America alone, but probably only got to about half that.

 

[GhaleonEB]

You're not going to see concrete sales trends until spring/summer 2007 when it comes to the Wii or PS3 I think.

Jan. NPD is pointless in the overall scheme of things, and Feburary isn't much better. March/April/May is when things start to get cooking.

I keep thinking of January 2002 sales. The Cube had a great launch with over 1.2m sold in Nov/Dec. January it crashed to 61k. So I'm interested in whether the Wii will keep up good momentum after the holidays.

 

[soundwave05]

I'd guess the Wii will do better than the GC for Jan 2007 simply because there's lots of people who couldn't get a Wii during Christmas who may pick one up in January if Nintendo can ship them.

The GameCube ... pretty much everyone who wanted one got one for Christmas 2001. The Wii certainly should do better than 61k (lol) for January, provided Nintendo even ships that.

 

[Mark Gonzales]

I keep thinking of January 2002 sales. The Cube had a great launch with over 1.2m sold in Nov/Dec. January it crashed to 61k. So I'm interested in whether the Wii will keep up good momentum after the holidays.

Probably not.