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European units primarily use the [[Pan European Game Information|PEGI]] rating system,<ref name="par_pegi">{{cite news|url= http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=10948|title=Revolution To Feature Parental Controls|publisher=[[Nintendo World Report]]|date=November 16, 2005 |accessdate=September 25, 2008}}</ref> while North American units use the [[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]] rating system.<ref name="par_esrb">{{cite press release|url=http://www.nintendo.com/newsarticle?articleid=z5UnNGZpQKWULzG0z8R501PA5IHoNPr2|title=Nintendo Announces Play Control System For Next Hardware|publisher= Nintendo|date=November 16, 2005|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070213012428/http://www.nintendo.com/newsarticle?articleid=z5UnNGZpQKWULzG0z8R501PA5IHoNPr2|archivedate=February 13, 2007}}</ref> The Wii supports the rating systems of many countries, including [[Computer Entertainment Rating Organization|CERO]] in Japan, the [[Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle|USK]] in Germany, the [[Pan European Game Information|PEGI]] and [[British Board of Film Classification|BBFC]] in the United Kingdom, the [[Australian Classification Board|ACB]] in Australia and the [[Office of Film and Literature Classification (New Zealand)|OFLC]] in New Zealand. Homebrew developers have reverse-engineered the function which Nintendo uses to recover lost parental-control passwords, creating a simple script to obtain parental-control reset codes.<ref>{{cite web|author=marcan |url=http://hackmii.com/2008/05/parental-controls/ |title=Parental Controls |publisher=HackmMii.com |date=May 15, 2008 |accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref>
European units primarily use the [[Pan European Game Information|PEGI]] rating system,<ref name="par_pegi">{{cite news|url= http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=10948|title=Revolution To Feature Parental Controls|publisher=[[Nintendo World Report]]|date=November 16, 2005 |accessdate=September 25, 2008}}</ref> while North American units use the [[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]] rating system.<ref name="par_esrb">{{cite press release|url=http://www.nintendo.com/newsarticle?articleid=z5UnNGZpQKWULzG0z8R501PA5IHoNPr2|title=Nintendo Announces Play Control System For Next Hardware|publisher= Nintendo|date=November 16, 2005|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070213012428/http://www.nintendo.com/newsarticle?articleid=z5UnNGZpQKWULzG0z8R501PA5IHoNPr2|archivedate=February 13, 2007}}</ref> The Wii supports the rating systems of many countries, including [[Computer Entertainment Rating Organization|CERO]] in Japan, the [[Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle|USK]] in Germany, the [[Pan European Game Information|PEGI]] and [[British Board of Film Classification|BBFC]] in the United Kingdom, the [[Australian Classification Board|ACB]] in Australia and the [[Office of Film and Literature Classification (New Zealand)|OFLC]] in New Zealand. Homebrew developers have reverse-engineered the function which Nintendo uses to recover lost parental-control passwords, creating a simple script to obtain parental-control reset codes.<ref>{{cite web|author=marcan |url=http://hackmii.com/2008/05/parental-controls/ |title=Parental Controls |publisher=HackmMii.com |date=May 15, 2008 |accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref>
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==Reception==
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The Wii has received mixed reviews. The system was well received after its exhibition at [[E3 2006]]. At the event, Nintendo's console won the [[Game Critics Awards]] for Best of Show and Best Hardware.<ref name="E3 Awards">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamecriticsawards.com/2006winners.html|title=2006 Winners|accessdate=August 13, 2006|work=Game Critics Awards}}</ref> In the December 2006 issue of ''[[Popular Science]]'', the console was named a Grand Award Winner in home entertainment.<ref name="pop-sci-nov06-80">{{Cite journal|title=Best of What's New 2006 - Home Entertainment|journal=[[Popular Science]]|volume=269|issue=6|date=December 2006|pages= 80}}</ref> [[Spike (TV channel)|Spike TV]]'s Video Games Award cited the Wii's breakthrough technology.<ref name="Spike TV Award">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6162929.html|title=Oblivion nabs Spike TV top honors|accessdate=March 10, 2007|publisher=GameSpot|first=Tim|last=Surette|date=December 9, 2006}}</ref> [[GameSpot]] chose the console as having the best hardware in its "Best and Worst 2006" awards.<ref name="Gamespot Award">{{cite web|url= http://www.gamespot.com/special_features/bestof2006/achievement/index.html?page=21|title=GameSpot Best Games and Worst Games of 2006|accessdate=March 10, 2007|publisher=GameSpot}}</ref> The system was also chosen as one of ''[[PCWorld (magazine)|PC World]]'' magazine's 20 Most Innovative Products of the Year.<ref name="PC World Award">{{cite web|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/128176-2/the_20_most_innovative_products_of_the_year.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080118042456/http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,128176-page,2-c,electronics/article.html|archivedate=January 18, 2008|title=The 20 Most Innovative Products of the Year| accessdate=March 10, 2007|publisher=''[[PCWorld (magazine)|PC World]]''|date=December 27, 2006}}</ref> The console received a Golden Joystick for Innovation of the Year 2007 at the [[Golden Joystick Award]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcvuk.com/news/28700/Gears-of-War-swoops-Golden-Joysticks|title=Gears of War scoops Golden Joysticks|first=Ben|last=Parfitt|publisher=mcvuk.com|date=October 26, 2007| accessdate=October 31, 2007}}</ref> In the category of Engineering & Technology for Creation and Implementation of Video Games and Platforms, Nintendo was awarded an Emmy Award for Game Controller Innovation by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.<ref>[http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/tech_2k7_winners.html Winners of 59th Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards]. January 8, 2008. Retrieved on January 14, 2008</ref> In 2009, [[IGN]] named the Wii the 10th greatest console of all time (out of 25).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/top-25-consoles/10.html |title=Nintendo Wii is number 10 |publisher=IGN |accessdate=November 11, 2010}}</ref>
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The Wii's success caught third-party developers by surprise, leading to apologies for the quality of their early games. In an interview with German news magazine ''[[Der Spiegel]]'', [[Ubisoft]]'s Yves Guillemot and Alain Corre admitted that they made a mistake in rushing out their launch titles, promising to take future projects more seriously.<ref>{{cite web|last=GΓΆrig|first=Carsten|publisher=Der Spiegel|title=Spieler verzweifelt gesucht|date=May 30, 2007|url= http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/spielzeug/0,1518,485385,00.html|language=German|accessdate=June 18, 2007}}</ref> [[Take-Two Interactive]], which released few games for the [[Nintendo GameCube]], changed its stance towards Nintendo by placing a higher priority on the Wii.<ref>{{cite web|last=Seff|first=Micah|publisher=IGN|title=Take-Two Grows Hungry for Wii|date=April 10, 2007|url= http://wii.ign.com/articles/779/779642p1.html|accessdate=June 18, 2007}}</ref>
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At the same time, criticism of the Wii Remote and Wii hardware specifications has surfaced. Former GameSpot editor and Giantbomb.com founder [[Jeff Gerstmann]] stated that the controller's speaker produces low-quality sound,<ref name="Tinny Speaker">{{cite web|last= Gerstmann|first=Jeff|date=November 17, 2006|url=http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/thelegendofzelda/review.html|title=The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|accessdate=March 7, 2007 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070303150330/http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/thelegendofzelda/review.html <!-- add web archive if available --> |archivedate = March 3, 2007}}</ref> while [[Factor 5]] President Julian Eggebrecht criticized the hardware audio as substandard for a console of its generation.<ref name="Rock You">{{cite web|last= Radd| first=David|title=Wii Won't Rock You|date=November 17, 2006|publisher=GameDaily.biz|accessdate=January 31, 2007|url= http://wayback.archive.org/web/20071211233003/http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/features/opinion-wii-wont-rock-you/69717/?biz=1}}</ref> UK-based developer [[Crytek UK|Free Radical Design]] stated that the Wii hardware lacks the power necessary to run the software it scheduled for release on other seventh-generation consoles.<ref name="Free Radical">{{cite web|url=http://www.frd.co.uk/faq.php?id=3#faq_3|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071214224330/http://www.frd.co.uk/faq.php?id=3#faq_3|archivedate=December 14, 2007|title=Free Radical Design FAQ}} frd.co.uk. Retrieved March 8, 2007.</ref> Online connectivity of the Wii was also criticized; [[Matt Casamassina]] of [[IGN]] compared it to the "entirely unintuitive" service provided for the [[Nintendo DS]].<ref>Casamassina, Matt (January 24, 2007). [http://wii.ign.com/mail/2007-01-24.html N-Query]. [[IGN]]. Retrieved January 27, 2007.</ref>
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Game designer and ''[[The Sims]]'' creator [[Will Wright (game designer)|Will Wright]] shared his thoughts on the Wii in the context of the current console generation: "The only next gen system I've seen is the Wii β the PS3 and the Xbox 360 feel like better versions of the last, but pretty much the same game with incremental improvement. But the Wii feels like a major jump β not that the graphics are more powerful, but that it hits a completely different demographic."<ref name="wii_next_gen">{{cite news| publisher=Guardian Unlimited|date=October 26, 2007|title=Q&A: Will Wright, creator of the Sims|author=Johnson, Bobbie|url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/oct/26/willwright|accessdate=September 25, 2008 | location=London}}</ref>
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The Wii is seen as more physically demanding than other game consoles.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB116441076273232312-3nPirhZn20_L2P7m_ROtFUkh6yA_20071124.html|title=A Wii Workout: When Videogames Hurt|first= Jamin|last=Warren|date=November 25, 2006|publisher=Wall Street Journal|accessdate=January 16, 2008}}</ref>
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Some Wii players have experienced a form of [[tennis elbow]], known as "Wiiitis".<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN0616721120070606|title=If it's not tennis elbow, it may be "Wiiitis"|date= June 6, 2007|publisher=Reuters|accessdate=March 27, 2008}}</ref> A study published in the ''[[BMJ|British Medical Journal]]'' stated that Wii players use more energy than they do playing sedentary computer games. While this energy increase may be beneficial to weight management, it was not an adequate replacement for regular exercise.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7155342.stm|title=Wii players need to exercise too|publisher=[[BBC News Online]]|date=December 21, 2007|accessdate= September 25, 2008}}</ref> A case study published in the American Physical Therapy Association's journal, ''Physical Therapy'', focused on use of the Wii for rehabilitation in a teenager with [[cerebral palsy]]. It is believed to be the first published research demonstrating physical-therapy benefits from use of the gaming system. Researchers say the system complements traditional techniques.<ref>[http://newswise.com/articles/view/544616/ Research Shows Rehabilitation Benefits of Using Nintendo Wii] Newswise. Retrieved September 28, 2008.</ref> In May 2010 the [[American Heart Association]] (AHA) endorsed the Wii to encourage [[Sedentary lifestyle|sedentary people]] to take the first step toward fitness. The AHA heart icon covers the console and two of its more-active games, [[Wii Fit Plus]] and [[Wii Sports Resort]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://thedailynewsonline.com/lifestyles/features/article_27fe3fe5-44c0-54e0-b832-774f692c78b4.html|title=Heart group backs Wii video game console in obesity campaign |author=Joel Schectman |agency=Associated Press |date=May 17, 2010 |newspaper=The Daily News (N.Y.) |accessdate=December 28, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.activeplaynow.com/ |title=American Heart Association and Nintendo of America Online Information Center |publisher=Activeplaynow.com |date=January 20, 2010 |accessdate=November 11, 2010}}</ref>
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By 2008, two years after the Wii's release,<ref name=IwataAsksWiiU1>{{cite web|title=Iwata Asks: E3 2011 Special Edition|url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/news/iwata/iwata_asks_special_edition_wii_u_43781_43761.html|page=1|accessdate=June 9, 2011|quote='''Iwata''': I've been looking back at my calendar right before this interview, and I noticed that it's been just about three years since we started having meetings about this.}}</ref> Nintendo acknowledged several limitations and challenges with the system (such as the perception that the system catered primarily to a "[[Casual game|casual]]" audience<ref name=IwataAsksWiiU2>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/news/iwata/iwata_asks_special_edition_wii_u_43781_43761.html|title=Iwata Asks: E3 2011 Special Edition|page=7|accessdate=June 9, 2011|quote='''Iwata''': The other things is, shortly after the Wii console was released, people in the gaming media and game enthusiasts started recognizing the Wii as a casual machine aimed toward families, and placed game consoles by Microsoft and Sony in a very similar light with each other, saying these are machines aimed towards those who passionately play games. [...] It was a categorization between games that were aimed towards core, and casual.}}</ref> and was unpopular among "[[Core gamer|core]]" gamers).<ref name=IwataAsksWiiU3>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/news/iwata/iwata_asks_special_edition_wii_u_43781_43761.html|title=Iwata Asks: E3 2011 Special Edition|page=7|accessdate=June 9, 2011|quote='''Iwata''': On the other hand, I certainly do not think that Wii was able to cater to every gamer's needs, so that's also something I wanted to resolve. [...] The keyword for our presentation at this year's E3 is "Deeper and Wider". With Wii U, I would like to offer this proposal with that concept.}}</ref> Game designer [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] admitted that the lack of support for [[high definition television|high definition]] video output on the Wii and its limited network infrastructure also contributed to the system being regarded separately from its competitors' systems, the [[Xbox 360]] and [[PlayStation 3]].<ref name=IwataAsksWiiU4>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/news/iwata/iwata_asks_special_edition_wii_u_43781_43761.html|title=Iwata Asks: E3 2011 Special Edition|page=7|accessdate=June 9, 2011|quote='''Miyamoto''': But one of the key reasons that such things as the core and the casuals exist today is that we decided not to adopt HD on the Wii console. Of course, besides that there are things like issues with the controller and the challenges that it brings, network functionalities and many other things, but I think HD was the biggest factor that everyone was able to clearly understand the difference.}}</ref>
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An executive for Frontline Studios stated that major publishers were wary of releasing exclusive titles for the Wii, due to the perception that third-party companies were not strongly supported by consumers.<ref name="Wary Publishers">{{cite web|last= Martin|first=Matt|title=Publishers wary of creating Nintendo titles, says Wii developer|date=January 24, 2007|publisher=[[Eurogamer|GamesIndustry.biz]]|accessdate=January 27, 2007|url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/publishers-wary-of-creating-nintendo-titles-says-wii-developer|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071211030359/http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=22368| archivedate=December 11, 2007 }}</ref> In his [[blog]], [[1UP.com]] editor Jeremy Parish stated that Nintendo was the biggest disappointment for him in 2007. Commenting on the lack of quality third-party support, he stated that "the Wii landscape is bleak. Worse than it was on N64. Worse than on GameCube...the resulting third-party content is overwhelmingly bargain-bin trash."<ref name="JeremyParish2007">{{cite web|last=Parish|first=Jeremy |title=-3 in 2007|publisher=[[1UP.com]] blog|url=http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=8601568&publicUserId=5379721|date=January 29, 2008|accessdate=September 25, 2008}}</ref> ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'' and ''Forbes'' noted that the Wii had few successful third-party titles compared to its rivals (due, in part, to its weaker hardware). Third-party developers often skipped the Wii instead of making games for all three consoles simultaneously ("blockbusters like the ''[[Call of Duty]]'' franchise either never arrive on Nintendo hardware or show up in neutered form"). ''Forbes'' observed that of the most successful games of 2011 (''[[The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim]], [[Mass Effect 3]], [[Portal 2]], [[L.A. Noire]], [[Battlefield 3]], [[Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3]]''), although all were released for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, only ''Modern Warfare 3'' received a Wii version which was also the least positively received port of the game. The lack of third-party games may be exacerbated in the future, as Nintendo faces the "dilemma of having fallen out of sync with its rivals in the console cycle"; Microsoft and Sony would design their consoles to be more powerful than the [[Wii U]]. Strong third-party titles are seen as a key sign of a gaming console's health.<ref name="theglobeandmail">{{cite news| url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/video-games/controller-freak/whats-wrong-with-nintendo/article2219854/ | location=Toronto | work=The Globe and Mail | title=What's wrong with Nintendo? | date=October 31, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2012/04/26/nintendo-reports-461-2m-in-losses-is-selling-3ds-below-cost/ | title=Nintendo Reports $461.2M in Losses | work=Forbes | first=Paul | last=Tassi | date=April 26, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2012/05/10/sony-posts-record-losses-as-playstation-sales-drop/ | title=Cardiac Arrests At Sony, Nintendo As Consoles Show Their Age | work=Forbes | first=Paul | last=Tassi}}</ref>
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''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', in suggesting why Nintendo posted a record loss of $926 million for the initial six months of its 2011β2012 fiscal year, blamed the Wii's design for being "short-sighted". The Wii initially enjoyed phenomenal success because it was inexpensive (due to its being less sophisticated than its competitors) and introduced a "gaming gimmick". However, this approach meant that the Wii's hardware soon became outdated and could not keep up long-term (in contrast to more-advanced rivals such as Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, which are expected to continue doing well in 2012β2013) "as both user desires and surrounding technologies evolved" later in the [[History of video game consoles (seventh generation)|generation]]. Furthermore, price cuts and the introduction of motion-sensor controllers for the Xbox 360 and PS3 nullified advantages once held by the Wii. ''The Globe'' suggested that there were other reasons for Nintendo's poor financial performance, including a strong yen and a tepid reception to the [[Nintendo 3DS]] handheld as mobile gaming becomes popular on smartphones and tablets (such as the [[iPad]]).<ref name="theglobeandmail" />
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=== {{anchor|System Sales}}Sales === <!-- see [[WP:MSH]] about section names -->
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{{main|Wii sales}}
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{{As of|2014|12|31|df=US}}, the Wii has sold 101.44 million consoles worldwide.<ref name="nintendosales"/>
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Since its launch, monthly sales numbers of the console have generally been higher than its competitors around the globe. According to the [[NPD Group]], the Wii sold more units in the United States than the [[Xbox 360]] and [[PlayStation 3]] combined in the first half of 2007.<ref name="wiisalesUSA">{{cite web|url=http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2007/07/first-half-of-console-sales-for-2007-nintendo-the-big-winner-ps3-dead-last.ars|archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20070915005040/http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070724-first-half-of-console-sales-for-2007-nintendo-the-big-winner-ps3-dead-last.html |archivedate=September 15, 2007|date= July 24, 2007|first=Ben|last=Kuchera|title= Nintendo the big winner, PS3 dead last for the first half of 2007|publisher=Ars Technica| accessdate= July 31, 2007}}</ref> This lead is even larger in the Japanese market, where it currently leads in total sales (having outsold both consoles by factors of 2:1<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.next-gen.biz/news/xbox-360-trumps-ps3-japan|title=Xbox 360 Trumps PS3 in Japan|publisher=''Edge'' online|date=November 9, 2007|accessdate= November 27, 2007}}</ref> to 6:1<ref name="wiisalesJapan">{{cite web|url=http://wii.qj.net/Media-Create-sales-stats-July-9-15-Nintendo-continues-domination/pg/49/aid/98118|date=July 21, 2007|author= Nicolo S.|title=Media Create sales stats (July 9β15): Nintendo continues domination|publisher=qj.net|accessdate= August 1, 2007|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/20090211065100/http://wii.qj.net/Media-Create-sales-stats-July-9-15-Nintendo-continues-domination/pg/49/aid/98118|archivedate=February 11, 2009}}</ref> nearly every week from its launch to November 2007).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=176131| title=PS3 tops Wii in Japan... AGAIN|publisher=[[ComputerAndVideoGames.com]]|first=Mike|last=Jackson|date=November 22, 2007|accessdate= September 25, 2008}}</ref> In Australia the Wii broke the record set by the [[Xbox 360]] and became the fastest-selling game console in Australian history.<ref name="wiibreaksxbox360record">{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/games/wii-breaks-xbox-sales-record/2006/12/14/1165685799546.html|date=December 14, 2006|first=Asher|last=Moses|publisher=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|title=Wii breaks Xbox 360 sales record|accessdate=August 30, 2007}}</ref>
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On September 12, 2007, the ''[[Financial Times]]'' reported that the Wii had surpassed the Xbox 360 (released a year earlier) and had become market leader in home-console sales for the current generation, based on sales figures from [[Enterbrain]], NPD Group and [[GfK]]. This was the first time a Nintendo console led its generation in sales since the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]].<ref name="wiileads">{{cite web|title=Nintendo Wii Outsells All Other Game Consoles|publisher=Ziff Davis|work=PC World|date=September 12, 2007|url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2182666,00.asp|accessdate=September 21, 2012}}</ref>
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On July 11, 2007, Nintendo warned that the Wii would remain in short supply throughout that calendar year.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://money.cnn.com/2007/07/11/news/companies/wii/index.htm|publisher=CNN|date=July 11, 2007|title=Christmas morn without a Wii? |accessdate=October 23, 2008}}</ref> In December, [[Reggie Fils-Aime]] revealed that Nintendo was producing approximately 1.8 million Wii consoles each month.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abcnews.go.com/Technology/GadgetGuide/story?id=4001054&page=1 |date=December 18, 2007|title=Can't Find a Wii? Take a Rain Check|first=Ashley|last=Phililps|publisher=ABC News|accessdate=October 23, 2008}}</ref> Some UK stores still had a shortage of consoles as of March 2007,<ref name="UKWii Shortage March">{{cite web|url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/770/770565p1.html |title=UK Wiis "Like Gold Dust"|date=March 6, 2007|accessdate=April 18, 2007|publisher=IGN|first=Rob|last=Burman}}</ref> demand still outpaced supply in the United States as of June 2007,<ref name = "USWii Shortage June">{{cite web|url=http://www.komonews.com/news/tech/8252247.html|title=Demand for Wii still outpaces supply|date=June 29, 2007|accessdate=July 1, 2007|publisher=komo-tv}}</ref> and the console was "selling out almost as quickly as it hits retail shelves" in Canada as of April 2008.<ref name="CanadaNPD"/><ref name="CanadaNPD2"/> In October 2008 Nintendo announced that between October and December the Wii would have its North American supplies increased considerably from 2007 levels,<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.nintendo.ca/cgi-bin/usersite/display_info.cgi?lang=en&pageNum=9&id=1955846|title=Nintendo's holiday 2008: Wii Speak Channel, Club Nintendo, more surprises |publisher=Nintendo |date=October 2, 2008|accessdate=October 23, 2008}}</ref> while producing 2.4 million Wii units a month worldwide (compared to 1.6 million per month in 2007).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.latimes.com/2008/oct/27/business/fi-nintendo27| title=Nintendo moves right along |first=Alex|last= Pham| publisher = [[Los Angeles Times]]|date= October 27, 2008|accessdate=December 7, 2008}}</ref>
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In the United States the Wii sold 10.9 million units by July 1, 2008, making it the leader in current-generation home console sales according to the NPD Group (and surpassing the Xbox 360).<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.gamespot.com/news/6194691.html |title=NPD: PS3 sales spike on MGS4|first=Tom|last=Magrino|date=July 17, 2008|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|accessdate=November 22, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.next-gen.biz/news/npd-wii-overtakes-360-us | title=NPD: Wii Overtakes 360 in US|first=Joe|last=Keiser|publisher= ''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]''|date=July 17, 2008|accessdate=November 22, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/techchron/detail?blogid=19&entry_id=28286 |title = E3: Nintendo Wii pulls ahead of Xbox 360 in console sales|first=Ryan|last=Kim| publisher=San Francisco Chronicle|date=July 17, 2008|accessdate=November 22, 2008}}</ref>
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In Japan the Wii surpassed the number of [[Nintendo GameCube]] units sold by January 2008;<ref name=Japan2007>{{cite web|url= http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=16914|title=Wii Sports Named Best Selling Game Of 2007 In Japan| last = Jenkins| first=David|date=January 11, 2008|publisher=[[Gamasutra]]|accessdate=February 2, 2008}}</ref> it sold 7,526,821 units as of December 28, 2008, according to Enterbrain.<ref name=Japan2008>{{cite web|url= http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/1221045_1124.html |script-title=ja:2008εΉ΄ε½ε
γ²γΌγ εΈε ΄θ¦ζ¨‘γ―η΄5826ε1000δΈεοΌγ¨γ³γΏγΌγγ¬γ€γ³θͺΏγΉοΌ|work=[[Famitsu]]|publisher=[[Enterbrain]]|language=Japanese|date=January 5, 2009|accessdate=January 15, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/5123288/last-year-japanese-game-market-experienced-shrinkage|title=Last Year, Japanese Game Market Experienced Shrinkage|first=Brian|last=Ashcraft|publisher=Kotaku|date= January 5, 2009|accessdate=January 15, 2009}}</ref> According to the NPD Group the Wii surpassed the Xbox 360 to become the best-selling "next-generation" home video-game console in Canada (with 813,000 units sold by April 1, 2008), and was the best-selling home console for 13 of the previous 17 months.<ref name="CanadaNPD">{{cite press release|url= http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2008/17/c6749.html|title=Wii surpasses all other next generation consoles in lifetime sales|accessdate=April 24, 2008|date= April 17, 2008|publisher=[[Nintendo]]}}</ref><ref name="CanadaNPD2">{{cite news|url= http://wayback.archive.org/web/20080522144621/http://evergeek.thestar.com/news/2996.aspx|title= NPD reports Nintendo Wii tops Canadian sales charts|date=April 22, 2008|work=Evergeek Media|publisher=[[Toronto Star]]|accessdate= August 2, 2008}}</ref> According to the NPD Group the Wii had sold a total of 1,060,000 units in Canada as of August 1, 2008, making it the first current-generation home console to surpass the million-unit mark in that country. In the United Kingdom the Wii leads in current-generation home-console sales with 4.9 million units sold {{as of|2009| 1|3|mdy|lc=y}}, according to GfK [[Chart-Track]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/console-installed-base-reaches-22m-in-uk|title= Console installed base reaches 22m in UK|first=Matt|last=Martin|work=[[Eurogamer|GamesIndustry.biz]]|publisher=[[Eurogamer]]|date=January 13, 2009| accessdate=January 15, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcvuk.com/news/31902/Nintendo-rules-official-UK-hardware-figures | title= Nintendo rules official UK hardware figures|first=Tim|last=Ingham|date=September 30, 2008|publisher=[[Market for Home Computing and Video Games]]|accessdate= October 2, 2008}}</ref> On March 25, 2009 at the [[Game Developers Conference]], [[Satoru Iwata]] said that worldwide shipments of Wii had reached 50 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6206693.html?tag=recent_news;title;1|title=Nintendo's GDC conference|date=March 25, 2009|accessdate=March 25, 2009|first=Tor|last= Thorsen| publisher =[[GameSpot]]}}</ref>
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While Microsoft and Sony have experienced losses producing their consoles in the hopes of making a long-term profit on software sales, Nintendo reportedly has optimized production costs to obtain a significant profit margin with each Wii unit sold.<ref name="wiisalesprofit">{{cite web|url= http://seekingalpha.com/article/34357-game-console-wars-ii-nintendo-shaves-off-profits-leaving-competition-scruffy|date=May 3, 2007|author=Roger Ehrenberg|title=Game Console Wars II: Nintendo Shaves Off Profits, Leaving Competition Scruffy|publisher=seekingalpha.com| accessdate=June 10, 2007}}</ref> On September 17, 2007 the ''Financial Times'' reported that the direct profit per Wii sold may vary, from $13 in Japan to $49 in the United States and $79 in Europe.<ref name="wiiunitsprofit">{{cite web|url= http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/features/report-nintendo-makes-about-49-per-wii-sold-in-us/70921/?biz=1|date=September 17, 2007|first=James|last=Brightman|title=Report: Nintendo Makes About $49 Per Wii Sold in U.S| publisher=gamingdaily.BIZ|accessdate=September 18, 2007|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/20100815075610/http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/features/report-nintendo-makes-about-49-per-wii-sold-in-us/70921/?biz=1|archivedate=August 15, 2010}}</ref> On December 2, 2008, [[Forbes]] reported that Nintendo made a $6 operating profit per Wii unit sold.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6201833.html|title=Report: Nintendo banks $6 on each Wii sold|first=Tom|last=Magrino|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|date=December 2, 2008|accessdate=December 7, 2008|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/20100815075610/http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/features/report-nintendo-makes-about-49-per-wii-sold-in-us/70921/?biz=1|archivedate=August 15, 2010}}</ref>
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On September 23, 2009, Nintendo announced its first price reductions for the console.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/release/2009/090924.html |title= γγ₯γΌγΉγͺγͺγΌγΉοΌ2009εΉ΄9ζ24ζ₯ | publisher =Nintendo.co.jp |accessdate=November 11, 2010}}</ref> Nintendo sold more than three million Wii consoles in the U.S. in December 2009 (setting a regional record for the month and ending nine months of declining sales), due to the price cut and software releases such as ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''.<ref>{{cite web| author= Pavel Alpeyev| date= January 5, 2010| title= Nintendo Shares Rise After Record Wii Sales in U.S| publisher=[[Bloomberg Businessweek|BusinessWeek]]|url= http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-05/nintendo-shares-rise-after-record-wii-sales-in-u-s-update2-.html|accessdate =January 5, 2010|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/20100110004944/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-05/nintendo-shares-rise-after-record-wii-sales-in-u-s-update2-.html|archivedate=January 10, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| author= Kiyoshi Takenaka| date= January 5, 2010| title= Nintendo Wii posts record U.S. sales in Dec| publisher=Reuters|url= http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTOE6040A420100105|accessdate =February 27, 2010}}</ref> On January 31, 2010 the Wii became the best-selling home video-game console produced by Nintendo, with sales of over 67 million units (surpassing those of the original [[Nintendo Entertainment System]]).<ref name="wii sells 67 million">{{cite web |title=DS sells 125 million worldwide, Wii up to 67 million |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/28/ds-sells-125-million-worldwide-wii-up-to-67-million/ |publisher=Joystiq |date=January 28, 2010 |accessdate=January 28, 2010}}</ref> Nintendo reported that on Black Friday 2011 over 500,000 Wii consoles were sold, making it the most successful Black Friday in company history.<ref name=post>{{cite news |title=Nintendo Wii has biggest-ever Black Friday, new Zelda game sets sales record |work=Boy Genius Report |date=December 1, 2011 |url=http://www.bgr.com/2011/12/01/nintendo-wii-has-biggest-ever-black-friday-new-zelda-game-sets-sales-record/ }}</ref>
==Other models==
==Other models==