It’s a little ridiculous to think that almost three years after a console’s launch, it’s still damn near impossible to find one on store shelves. To this day, whenever I walk into my local game store, I always know when it is delivery day because there is always a line of at least a half-dozen people waiting on their turn to buy a Wii, hoping that this week there will finally be enough units. It doesn’t look like these lines will be shrinking anytime soon, however, as Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata believes supply shortages will continue at least through yet another holiday season.

"We are really intending to increase the shipments to the US, especially compared to last year. However, I can’t give you a 100 percent commitment [that you’ll be able to find a Wii this holiday season]. What I can commit myself to is that Nintendo is going to do its best to supply as many Wii hardware units as possible in order to meet demand there."

The company is promising to up monthly manufacturing numbers from 1.8 million Wiis to 2.4 million, but that likely still won’t be enough to stem the tide of consumers desperately trying to snatch up the device for their living room. And of course we would be remiss if we didn’t question the idea that Nintendo is holding back from producing more consoles in order to maintain a manufactured scarcity, thus ensuring no one waits to buy a Wii like they would an Xbox 360 or PS3. Sure, it’s just a conspiracy theory, but conspiracy theories are sometimes fun.

At any rate, you may be out of luck if you ask RoboSanta, Kwanzaabot, or the Hanukkah Zombie (or whatever other Futurama gift-giving deity you pray to) for a new Wii. Instead you’ll likely have to settle for Triominoes or poorly painted toy soldiers.

- Via GamesIndustry.biz