Nintendo cranks out 2.4 million Wiis a month

DSi releases in Japan next week, as UK gamers are hit with extortionate prices from importers

Nintendo is currently manufacturing 2.4 million Wii consoles a month in order to try to meet the spike in demand around Christmas, according to Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aime.

Fils-Aime told the LA Times: "Nintendo has continually raised the production levels of the Wii hardware…We're now producing 2.4 million units a month worldwide. Last year, we made 1.6 million a month. So we've made a 33 per cent increase."

"One of our competitors projects they will sell 10 million consoles worldwide this year. For us, that's three months of production. We're producing an unprecedented level of hardware to try to meet demand."

Meeting demand for Wii Fit stock is Nintendo's most current, pressing problem with Fils Aime admitting that currently "only about three in 10 stores will have Wii Fit in stock."

"We are dramatically increasing shipments of Wii Fit. We've sold somewhere around three million units. The demand has been so brisk that it has been difficult to catch up."

UK shopping centre tour

Meanwhile, Nintendo UK reveals its plans for its forthcoming pre-Xmas shopping centre tour, with the focus on three key titles - Animal Crossing, Wii Music and Professor Layton.

You can see more on the Nintendo DS Christmas Tour and the Wii Christmas Tour tours at your local shopping mall at some point over the next couple of months as the pre-Xmas consumer frenzy grinds into gear yet again.

Credit crunch? What credit crunch? Nintendo shrugs and just carries on making those Wiis…

Over in Japan, the stores are getting ready for the launch of the Nintendo DSi next week. If you have £190, you might even want to order one in on import...