When asked by The Times whether it would be a good idea to buy the DSi early for Christmas, Nintendo UK exec David Yarnton replied:

I always advise people to buy early. One of the things that people don't seem to understand is that factories are producing constantly; they don't peak and trough. So we're producing product all the time, but then everyone wants it all at the one end of the year. It's just so hard to try and keep up.

So if you want Nintendo hardware this holiday season, start shopping EIGHT MONTHS EARLY.

Interview with David Yarnton, General Manager of Nintendo UK [Times Online Pocket Gamer]

It’s simply not true, Nintendo has never lost its passion for core gamers. Nintendo would like to bring smiles to as many different faces as possible and produce games which appeal to mainstream and gaming audiences worldwide.

We have never neglected core gamers. We still have developers working on popular core gaming franchises but we need longer to complete these games, approximately two to three years.

These games aren’t ready to launch — but are being worked on by all development teams.

So everyone take a chill pill!

Nintendo: ‘We’ve never neglected core gamers’ [MCVUK] [Pic]

In terms of Nintendo's business, we feel that Wii and Nintendo DS already represent great value for money. This combined with out focus on market expansion and bringing people of all ages to our products through making them smile and helping to enrich their lives means that we currently see no need to drop the price on either of our formats this year... As retailers continue to try and maintain footfall and secure share in the current difficult economic climate, this Christmas should see some interesting and very competitive retailer-led promotions.

No price drops from Nintendo, but retail enticements. Happy Holidays everyone!

Nintendo confirms no price drops for Xmas [Videogamer]

It's important to know that we're not ignoring the hardcore gamer. They're still very important to us... And Christmas alone we have already catered on the Wii with Metroid Prime 3 and Super Mario Galaxy, and on DS with the Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.

Talking to Eurogamer TV, Nintendo UK's jolly ogre president David Yarnton took time out from pouring stout over his bangers 'n' mash to make sure that everyone who wanted a Wii knew that an apocalypse of bloodshed awaited you on opening day.

Stating that "20 million [consoles] wouldn't be enough", Yarnton concluded that shortages were a foregone conclusion. The implication? If you haven't already managed to pre-order, you will have to crack open a few skulls and feast on the goo inside to get a Wii on launch day. This, as all African Witch Doctors know, allows you to absorb their power.

Of course, it'll only be a couple... your stomach will explode and leak a brainy sludge all down your burst abdomen if you try to follow that strategy for the PS3 launch day. Florian Eckhardt

Yarnton promises 'biggest ever launch' for Wii [Eurogamer]

Just in case there was still a hope fleeting through that last ounce of grey matter that Nintendo UK's David Yarnton was drunkenly ranting over a pint about the Wii not being region-free, you can officially dash it.

According to Nintendo of America — the same guys who told Wired last week that region-free Wii was a certainty — comes an official correction.

"Wii will be region encoded by territory."

Which I'm sure is excellent news for all the people who pre-ordered an Asiatic Wii via Lik Sang seconds after Perrin Kaplan randomly blurted out a complete lie. Florian Eckhardt

And that MCV story on the Wii date and price has already been debunked. Or proven full of bunk. Whichever you prefer.

Nintendo UK boss David Yarnton has told GamesIndustry.biz that reports the Wii will retail for GBP 149 and will be in shops shortly before November 24 are "definitely not right".

The claims, which appeared in an article by trade publication MCV, are "only speculation, and definitely not fact," according to Yarnton.

"They're not far off, but they're definitely not right," he told GI.biz.

So as you were, kiddies. Go out and fly a kite or tell a girl you love her or something. Florian Eckhardt

Nintendo UK boss refutes reports of Wii price point and date [Games Industry]

I'd love to dig up some old Phil Harrison comments and say 'hang on a second - six months ago when we launched our controller you said one thing, and now why are you doing this?' I don't know what their decision making process is but I think if you look back, any innovation that has come in gameplay has come from us.

Historically we're always developing new things. We know Sony have had a lot of issues with their rumble feature and they've had to withdraw it - because they didn't innovate, they copied. With Nintendo, I'm trying to think of anything we've copied... but I can't.

Oh, I'm sure our readers can. And maybe they can answer another question for me: what are the historical problems with the PS2's rumble feature that Yarnton is jabbering about? The lack of rumble in the PS3 controller is another strike against it, as far as I'm concern: however meager, I appreciate tactility in my video games. - Florian Eckhardt

Yarnton slams copycat Sony [MCV]

So says Nintendo UK bossman David Yarnton. It's totally meaningless, and Nintendo created it from zero, so drop the tinkle references he adds. Haters, he continues, are "juvenile."

"I could say lots of words in a sentence that people giggle about and then carry on, but it doesn't necessarily mean that there's anything wrong with the words," he continued. "Look, we think it's a bit of fun as well - it's fine, people can have a bit of a laugh. It's part of what we're doing; what we're in is the business of creating entertainment for people to have fun. It's seemed to create quite a bit of that just in the name!"

David Yarnton: fun personified.

More Here [Eurogamer] Image from British Gaming