Laurent Fischer: the Wii isn’t next-gen, it’s new-gen

And if it did, well, the Nintendo Wii already stomped them. In an interview with Laurent Fischer, Games Industry was able to extract Nintendo Europe‘s stand on the Wii’s supply shortage, the insatiable demand, the lack of competition and the first-party title delays. The Marketing Director was happy to announce that they are on track for the six million Wiis for March.

But they are daunted that even that number isn’t enough to satisfy even more demand coming in. In Japan and in the U.S., Nintendo’s revolutionary console is either available through pre-orders or from stores that have happened to withhold their Wii stocks from customers for a later date.

Can we expect Nintendo to step up their efforts in production? Fischer says they already are, but it takes time for them to increase capacity, pool resources available and bring up a larger shipment by the next production cycle. “Demand is growing on a weekly basis,” Fischer said. We could agree, until someone points at Europe.

Now while the PlayStation 3 has already made it to European shores, with some Xbox 360 lovin’ on the side, Nintendo Europe doesn’t seem jaded by the fact that they could have their hands tied with the market. Fischer decided that the Wii isn’t going head-to-head with the next-generation consoles. The Wii isn’t aimed at next generation, it’s aimed at the new generation of gamers. Fischer also added:

Whatever Sony and Microsoft does, it doesn’t change they way Nintendo works and the way we sell the product. The key point is that as long as you can deliver new and fresh gaming ideas the consumer will stay with you. Whatever the PlayStation 3’s success in Europe it won’t change the way we operate in the market. You’ve seen the sales figures in Japan and the US – we’re not on the shelves and still we’ve got higher sales figures.

Fischer is pointing out that they aren’t being arrogant about anything. They’re absolutely pleased that the PlayStation 3 is now in Europe. It’s just because the Nintendo Wii approached the market sideways, that now they realise that gaming might not be a exclusive social habit for hardcore gamers, but even non-gamers.

While the first-party titles aren’t lackluster by any degree, they are being released in disturbingly huge gaps. Fischer reassures the Wii gaming community that games developed by Nintendo have to be given the “thumbs up” by the Director himself before they even reach the shelf. Nintendo is headed by a dev legend, and you could expect no less than strict quality assurance from the guys who brought you Mario.

They have distributed dev kits to interested third parties, and they hope that during points in the title releases, third party titles would find their way in to keep the crowd appeased. Super Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime are coming out this year, while top secret Project-O should be available by 2008.

And if it did, well, the Nintendo Wii already stomped them. In an interview with Laurent Fischer, Games Industry was able to extract Nintendo Europe‘s stand on the Wii’s supply shortage, the insatiable demand, the lack of competition and the first-party title delays. The Marketing Director was happy to announce that they are on track for the six million Wiis for March.

But they are daunted that even that number isn’t enough to satisfy even more demand coming in. In Japan and in the U.S., Nintendo’s revolutionary console is either available through pre-orders or from stores that have happened to withhold their Wii stocks from customers for a later date.

Can we expect Nintendo to step up their efforts in production? Fischer says they already are, but it takes time for them to increase capacity, pool resources available and bring up a larger shipment by the next production cycle. “Demand is growing on a weekly basis,” Fischer said. We could agree, until someone points at Europe.

Now while the PlayStation 3 has already made it to European shores, with some Xbox 360 lovin’ on the side, Nintendo Europe doesn’t seem jaded by the fact that they could have their hands tied with the market. Fischer decided that the Wii isn’t going head-to-head with the next-generation consoles. The Wii isn’t aimed at next generation, it’s aimed at the new generation of gamers. Fischer also added:

Whatever Sony and Microsoft does, it doesn’t change they way Nintendo works and the way we sell the product. The key point is that as long as you can deliver new and fresh gaming ideas the consumer will stay with you. Whatever the PlayStation 3’s success in Europe it won’t change the way we operate in the market. You’ve seen the sales figures in Japan and the US – we’re not on the shelves and still we’ve got higher sales figures.

Fischer is pointing out that they aren’t being arrogant about anything. They’re absolutely pleased that the PlayStation 3 is now in Europe. It’s just because the Nintendo Wii approached the market sideways, that now they realise that gaming might not be a exclusive social habit for hardcore gamers, but even non-gamers.

While the first-party titles aren’t lackluster by any degree, they are being released in disturbingly huge gaps. Fischer reassures the Wii gaming community that games developed by Nintendo have to be given the “thumbs up” by the Director himself before they even reach the shelf. Nintendo is headed by a dev legend, and you could expect no less than strict quality assurance from the guys who brought you Mario.

They have distributed dev kits to interested third parties, and they hope that during points in the title releases, third party titles would find their way in to keep the crowd appeased. Super Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime are coming out this year, while top secret Project-O should be available by 2008.