Nintendo: Yes, we know about the Wii shortages

This afternoon, I was able to get a quote from a Nintendo official about the continued Wii shortages.

You'd figure that after the widespread shortages of the console in the 2006 and 2007 holiday shopping season, Nintendo would flood the market with Wiis. Not so. While production has increased, it's still very apparent that demand is outstripping supply. Wii hoarding is also quite apparent, judging by Amazon.com's Wii purchase policy and the $100 markups by Amazon's partner companies.

I wrote about the shortages last year, after I attempted to get one for my own family:

"So you want to buy a Wii this holiday shopping season? Good luck!"

I wasn't able to get one last Christmas, but a friend got one for me in the spring of this year after spotting them on sale at the local Walmart. Interestingly, the biggest fans aren't my kids -- they're my thirty-something friends. One evening over the summer I had four of them playing Wii Sports and Wii Play until after midnight ... I practically had to kick them out of the house!