PlanetFargo: Where the Wiis Are

April 20, 2007

The ongoing shortage of the Nintendo Wii console is no secret. I've blogged about it before. And now even the guys from Freakonomics are chiming in with some theories as to how the shortage is effecting the market. Nintendo, meanwhile, is being curiously silent about where the Wiis are.

But I think it's time to be honest with my readers. It's time to tell the truth.


After I scored the first six or seven, it became a habit. I just couldn't get enough. Wiis are easy to stack: Once they're out of the box, fifty, sixty of them can be piled up into a nice tidy column. I have them set to blink blue when I get a system message, so it's like a disco in here whenever there's a big update.


Are you also having trouble buying extra Wiimotes? Sorry, that's my fault too. I've got hundreds, and tens of thousands more waiting to be unpacked. I like to strap one Wiimote to each finger, playing two games of doubles tennis simultaneously on two TVs on opposite sites of the room all by myself. I don't do this out of greed but because I can. I have Wiis out the wazoo, and more coming in every day.

To date I only have 20,000 nunchuk controllers, which means that some of my friends will be out of luck if more than a stadium-full show up to play Raving Rabbids.

Did you know: A giant stack of Wii-motes is perfect for playing "Jenga?" Absolutely true.

The tough part is when the orphans come knocking on my door, seeking toys for needy children. I stroke my chin thoughtfully, then turn around to look at the Wiis piled up in my dining room and spilling out into the hallway. I turn slowly back to the children, peering into their needy, glistening eyes. Dozens of Wiimotes dangle from my neck and arms like tribal jewelry.

"Yeah, I'll see what I can do," I tell them, closing the door.

      -Fargo

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