Mark Androvich
23:00 (BST)
15/04/2008
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WiiFit can cause new demand boom, says analyst
WiiFit is still over a month away from its US launch, but a games industry analyst is already predicting that the title can cause a new boom in demand for the console which is still in short supply.
Nintendo has announced that the game will be released in North America on May 19 at a price of USD 89.99. The game has already sold over 1.4 million copies in Japan since it launched there last December.
"This device is not aimed at hardcore gamers, but is instead intended for more casual (and out-of-shape) consumers," said Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter.
"We believe that Nintendo of America intends to support the Wii Fit launch with the biggest marketing campaign in its history, and believe that the increased buzz will drive increased demand for the already difficult to find Wii hardware."
Pachter has raised his estimate of fiscal year 2009 revenue from JPY 1,450 billion (USD 14.25 million / GBP 7.26 million) to JPN 1,700 billion (USD 16.7 million / GBP 8.52 million) to reflect higher software sales - although he is maintaining his EPS estimate due to a lower exchange rate.
Nintendo is set to report its Q4 2008 results on April 24.
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