Nintendo of America president and CEO Reggie Fils-Aime says that the company will likely meet consumer demand for Wii hardware this holiday season but will fall short with its supply for exercise software
Wii Fit.
"I think we've got a good shot at meeting [Wii] demand during the holidays," says Fils-Aime,
according to a report from financial site Forbes. Nintendo has struggled to keep its system on shelves in North America since the Wii launched exactly two years ago, despite increased production and lack of any price cuts.
"With
Wii Fit, I know we'll fall short," Fils-Aime continued. "That's a product we have consumers lining up for each morning outside of our Nintendo World store [in New York City]."
In the U.S. alone, the
Wii Fit is the fifth top-selling title of the year with 2.8 million sold since debuting last May. The $90 software, which comes bundled with Nintendo's Balance Board controller, is the top-selling title of 2008 according to revenue, generating an estimated $250 million in sales.
Fils-Aime also said that most third-party publishers still don't understand the Wii audience, suggesting that many studios aren't bringing over their best titles from other platforms.
"I will be able to say our licensees 'get it' when their very best content is on our platform," says the president and CEO. "And with very few exceptions today, that's not the case."
According to Fils-Aime, Wii owners want to see more games that perform well on rival systems, like the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, brought to the Wii.