CantGetAWii
WiiChat Member
The Wii will be easy to obtain by May, 2008
Currently, the Wii is still getting the royal treatment of being the console on every family’s list. While we do not expect this to change, we do expect it to die down a bit. At the current time, retailers are receiving small shipments of the Wii consoles pretty much weekly. If you are serious about getting your hands on one, you should have to wait no more than a week if you track retailer shipments. However, not everyone can do this, as a large majority of us have lives and must work to survive.
We predict that no later than April, you will begin to see the Wii system on store shelves on a regular basis. Production should catch up with demand and the little Wii that could will now be accessible to the general public.
Nintendo will release a new IP
With the success of Nintendo’s Wii taking the world by storm, it is only natural that the company continue in the footsteps of innovation. Since the launch of the console, Nintendo has released all but two of their major in house franchises, leaving the system no where to go. Our prediction is that Nintendo will release a new franchise, along the lines of Mario or Zelda, that will help carry the system through its remaining life span. This prediction is pretty much guaranteed as without something new, the system will surely face heavy scrutiny and possibly seek an early demise.
Third Parties will continue to produce crap for another year
It is no secret that third party developers have not been up to par on the Wii. It seems the console has become a dumping station for titles that look like they were designed by monkeys, literally. We expect this to continue through 2008 with only the occasional break through title, which as of late, is only being done by Capcom with their Resident Evil series. 2009 should be a stellar year for the system. With 2 years of practice under their belts, developers should have found a way to utilize the technology to produce some truly fun games again, as has always been relevant on Nintendo consoles.
No price drop until mid/late 2009
With sales running steady for nearly 18 months, we do not see a price drop on the system any time soon. In fact, we expect that the system will remain amongst the $250 price range until mid to late 2009, when Nintendo releases a new DS, as well as announces their next system.
Gamers will disappointed, grandma and grandpa will be thrilled.
This time around, Nintendo has not hidden the fact they are catering to a new group of gamers, referred to as ‘casual’. In doing so, Nintendo has began to phase out standard gaming to cater to this new market. While there are a small handful of games available that would please any gamer, we do not expect this to continue in the life of the Wii. Look for the system to become the Wal-Mart of gaming, allowing affordable games that the general public will find interesting, not necessarily gamers.
How long will it last?
We don’t forsee the Wii going away any time soon. It has certainly found a niche market and is taking it head on. However, without the help of major game releases over the next few years, who knows what will happen. We expect the Wii to stand tall well into 2011.
Source
