Both Microsoft and Sony have reported that their respective motion controllers (Kinect and Move) are suffering from shortage issues, but Wedbush Morgan analyst, Michael Pachter, doesn't seem to believe that those shortages are real.
When asked if he believes that the shortage issues are just a marketing ploy to stimulate demand, Pachter's answers was direct: "Yes, I think both companies would very much like for consumers to believe that their devices are highly sought after and difficult to obtain. That usually works to spur demand."
"Sony shipped 2.5 million units in the U.S. and Europe, and their sales are nowhere near that level, so I'm not sure how they can reconcile the fact that units shipped far exceed units sold."
Pachter then accused Microsoft of similar doings, but praised them for doing it better: "I do think that Microsoft is managing supply a bit better, and keeping standalone Kinect supply tight to make sure that there is a steady supply through Christmas. They have shipped a lot of console bundles, to ensure that the eBay price doesn't get above $300 for the standalone unit, but supply of the standalone remains tight."
