Wii shortages "unfortunate"

Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo in the US, has hit back at claims that shortages of the Wii console may have been artificially created in order to generate marketing hype, GamesIndustry.biz reports.

In an interview with MSNBC Fils-Aime stated: "In absolute terms, it is highly, highly unfortunate that consumers cannot find a Wii to purchase.

"And anyone who suggests that a shortage is good for business really doesn't understand business. We want the consumer to walk into any retail establishment and find the product. And that's what we're working tirelessly to make happen."

The comments come following continued supply problems for the console globally, and echo his previous statement on the subject.

Fils-Aime, who was awarded Marketer of the Year by Brandweek earlier in the year, also went on to discuss the DS and how Nintendo sees it developing in the future.

"Our goal is certainly to have the DS be the dominant handheld device forever. And as we create new software and new content, that is absolutely our intent."

And when asked whether Nintendo was still out to cater to hardcore gamers, Fils-Aime was quick to put forward the company's all-inclusive policy.

"The answer to those fans is Super Mario Galaxy, which on every major gaming publication is receiving near-perfect scores.

"We have games that satisfy the core, but in our view, that is but a small part of the total gaming market. There are more than twice as many consumers that used to game, but don’t game today. We need to make sure that we include them in the mix as well."

Nintendo's stock price has performed strongly in the past year, and currently sits at USD 613.12.