The Wii juggernaut continues to make its mark on the gaming world, with Nintendo Europe claiming that over 325,000 Wii units were sold in a scant two days. According to Mario and Friends, this makes the Wii the fastest selling home game console in history.
Nintendo Europe marketing director Laurent Fischer stated that the Wii "has become an overnight success in Europe with people of all ages rushing out to get their hands on the console. Even at this early stage it is clear that Wii is delivering on its promise to expand the gaming market, with a uniquely diverse audience all keen to experience the sensation for themselves."
With the Wii becoming such a strong success in Europe, matters associated with lack of available units were addressed by Fischer. "For those who were unable to buy Wii during the launch weekend, rest assured more stock is already on its way and we are doing everything possible to ensure that a steady supply of Wii units is shipped to stores across Europe throughout December and into 2007."
The numbers racked up by the Wii are making it increasingly clear as to the real clout the "not next-gen" next-gen console has with consumers. Amazingly enough, while Nintendo’s system is a clear hit, Microsoft and Sony continue to either ignore or fail to recognize that Nintendo is a serious threat to their market share. Whether this is a situation of having blinders on, or a real belief that Nintendo doesn’t stand a chance against the raw power of the PS3 or Xbox 360 still remains to be seen. But attitudes of complacence on the part of Sony and Microsoft may prove disasterous, considering Nintendo’s considerable success.
