Console Shortage Far From Over?

I’m not sure whether it’s becoming fashionable to not have any stock or if the world has just gone nuts over consoles, but it seems that the console shortage is going to last. I drove around to a few stores tonight, looking for a Wii (yes, I don’t have a Wii), and I was universally laughed at. I decided to stop by an EB Games and see if they were taking orders, but sadly, I was denied. So, when can we expect some relief from the console drought? Not for a few months yet.

According to this Reuters article, the lack of consoles could easily linger into the middle of next year. Paul-Jon McNealy, analyst with American Technology Research, noted that Sony may reach its target of shipping 1 million consoles by year end by counting consoles that are in warehousing or in transit. This could translate from between 600 and 800 thousand units in actual retail. He predicts that these shortages could easily last into June of ’07 due to the European launch of the PS3.

The Nintendo Wii comes out a touch better, but don’t expect to see them on shelves any time soon. Even though the Wii is reaching the stores in greater numbers, the general consensus is that the Wii won’t be readily available until March of next year. I’m still out there looking for a Wii, so if you see one, think of me and weep.

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