Report: Nintendo To Pull TV Ads Following Wii Shortages

According to a new report, Nintendo of Japan is planning on withdrawing forthcoming television advertisements following continued mass supply shortages of the Wii, as it raises yearly worldwide shipping estimates to 17.5 million. The Times Online report quotes a spokesman for the company saying continued demand "has been unprecedented and higher than Nintendo could ever have anticipated." As such, the spokesman says the company will be "looking at moving some advertising on some products into early 2008" as it wants to "act responsibly." The Times report also notes that Nintendo now says it will ship 17.5 million units of the console worldwide this year, up from prior estimates of 14 million noted in Screen Digest research. As of this October, the Wii found itself back on top of U.S. hardware sales with some 519,000 consoles sold, as Wii Fit raises weekly console sales in Japan.