The console giant has told MCV that retailers have reported that they are receiving more requests for the system than ever.

“Many retailers are reporting some instances of higher demand for Wii in the New Year than they had experienced for launch last year as word of mouth and interest in Wii continues to spread and grow,” a Nintendo spokesperson told MCV.

Although a free stock situation looks to be some time off, MCV has contacted retailers who have said that they largely understand the situation.

Joint managing director of CHIPS Don McCabe told MCV: “Although we’ve had Wii stock delivered in fair numbers and pretty consistently, we could have done with more – but so could have everybody. That said, Nintendo and Koch have obviously given us as much as we can and we have no complaints.

“Over Christmas, we had Nintendo fans knocking on doors and windows in the morning to see if we had Wiis in.”

"We're making constant and multiple deliveries to retailers across the UK to cope with the unprecedented demand for Wii highlighted by its record breaking UK launch,” added Nintendo’s spokesperson.

This morning, Nintendo raised its full year profits forecast by 20 per cent off the back of impressive Wii and DS sales. Targets for the amount of Wii games it expects to sell globally have been raised from 17 million to 21 million, whilst the firm is aiming to sell six million Wii hardware units by the end of the financial year.