Thanks, Nintendo

Nintendo is a great little video game company. They manufacture the consoles with the lowest failure rate in the business (*this statement isn't very scientific. I don't have any concrete data to back this up, but only personal experience. I hear about hundreds of 360s and basically ANYTHING on Sony's product list either overheating or bursting into flame if you stare at it too long. There are NES systems still working to this day.......). They gave us some of the fondest memories during the most awkward period of our thirty-something lives: Zelda, Metroid, Mario Brothers, etc. They paved the way for gaming as we know it, and now I HATE them.

Ok, hate is too strong a word. I'm annoyed with them. There is a so called "parts shortage" when it comes to manufacturing their little golden child, the Wii. This rumor, smeared in with the over-hype division of the PR machine, has created a fervor among consumers, the Wii-fever. I get at least 3-4 calles per shift asking if we have a Wii, and the answer is always NO. It's impossible for a small, indy store like us to get them in new, so that leaves only the used market, and the only used Wiis that show up now are most likely stolen. And everyone uses the phrase "Nintendo Wii", as if some other competitor has accidently come up with the same name.

People, Nintendo is yanking your collective chains. I find it hard to believe that a company with enough video game industry experience to level Link up to a 20 heart life gauge and enough money to earn x99 free Mario lives is having trouble "meeting customer demand". Now the latest word is that the shortage will extend past the holiday. So now all the frustrated, store hopping parents will be taking their anger out on game store clerks, who collectively pay the price for Nindendo's sins. Wii calls are distracting and tie up the phone when I need to run credit cards. Besides, most stores will tell you they are sold out over the phone, becuase the next logical step in the process is "OH, hold one for me!!!!" which is a no win situation. If you say no, they have a meltdown. If you hold one, you are turning down the 10 people in the store who want one and are willing to pay right now, hoping that this caller will actually show up. Nintendo, stop this phoney drought and let your console sell itself once enough people get to actually come in contact with it.

Posted by:

- Postman