Sold-out Wii, PS3 expected in stores by weekend

Retailers are confirming new shipments of the latest Sony and Nintendo video game consoles after fans were left empty-handed when the devices launched last week.

Future Shop stores have received a new shipment of Nintendo's Wii console and will continue receiving shipments every week, spokeswoman Christine Sommers told CBC News Online from her Vancouver office Thursday evening.

"For Sony, we're expecting to find out tomorrow," she said, referring to the PlayStation 3, adding that the company is keeping customers updated on developments by posting information on its website.

A Nintendo spokesman confirmed that Wii shipments are on track.

"We do have lots of additional production flowing into the marketplace this week," marketing manager Pierre-Paul Trepanier of Nintendo of Canada Ltd. told CBC News Online.

The company's new Wii console, with game play based on a controller that can be swung like a baseball bat or sword and reproduce the motion on the screen, sold out Nov. 19.

Shipments of Sony's new high-powered PlayStation 3 console have also arrived in Canada, according to a spokesman.

"The second shipment is here," said Matt Levitan, director of marketing and public relations for Sony Computer Entertainment Canada Inc.

"People should check back to stores" Thursday and Friday, he said. "We should be getting shipments every week."

Despite assurances from the console makers, Canadian online stores for electronics retailers Best Buy and Future Shop showed no availability for both models of the PS3 and the Wii on Thursday.

PlayStation 3 was not on Sony's Canadian online store, sonystyle.ca, in several checks on Thursday.

A spokesperson for Best Buy did not immediately return calls for comment.

Best Buy Canada Ltd. owns its namesake chain of electronics stores as well as Future Shop.