IT WAS billed as the hi-tech solution to the couch-potato culture, but an almost complete sell-out of the fitness computer game Wii Fit is exercising the patience of thousands of people across the country.
The work-out video game has been shifting at a rate of 90 copies per minute and has racked up sales of more than £16m since it was launched late last month.
The clamour to get hold of the £70 game, which is based on aerobics and comes with an elec
tronic exercise mat, has meant supplies have been exhausted across much of the country.
It mirrors the huge demand for the Wii games console in the run-up to Christmas, which saw many children and parents miss out.
The package, which consists of an ultra-sensitive balancing board and a selection of fitness games, has been popular with female and male gamers.
The unprecedented demand for the Japanese games system and its products prompted Darren McKillop to set up Wii-consoles.co.uk, which sends out alerts when the games come into stock.
He said: "The demand for Wii Fit is such that it sold out on day one. I run a stock locator on my site, but there is virtually nothing available at the moment."
McKillop is concerned that retailers are attempting to cash in on the demand by only selling Wii Fit as part of more expensive 'bundle' packages
High street giants Tesco, Argos, Comet, John Lewis, HMV, Toys R Us and Gamestation are among those who have had trouble meeting demand for the games package.
The game is believed to have racked up sales of more than 660,000 in the UK.
The full article contains 288 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
