Reuters is reporting that Nintendo Japan’s share price has hit an all-time high yesterday, and all on the back of anticipated success of the Wii.

As the Tokyo stock exchange closed yesterday Nintendo’s share price was 26,750 yen (nearly £119!) after reaching an absolute pinnacle of 26,770 yen earlier in the day. Putting that into a more tangible context, Nintendo’s shares have literally blown up this year, soaring 88% since January.

Sony execs must be jumping out of windows at all of this, especially as their shares have slipped backwards in the same period (and again yesterday). It certainly demonstrates the importance of having plentiful stock available for potential customers to actually buy at launch – The PS3 launched in Japan with just over 80,000 units, whereas Nintendo has earmarked 400,000 Wii’s for Japan launch with more stock to follow soon after. The still immensely popular DS Lite will be in very bountiful supply too.

So that’s a bit of good news for Nintendo’s shareholders. Now all Nintendo has to do is sell like the wind and ensure that the Wii’s novelty lasts way beyond the honeymoon period. No pressure then...