Wii U situation... what is the answer?

[Mendon]

If the following article is accurate, then it shows a major problem with Nintendo. I mean, if Nintendo won't support and market 3rd party titles then why should 3rd party developers support Nintendo?

 

Cannot believe that with the lack of titles available for the Wii U at the time of the games release, Nintendo didn't get behind Need for Speed and see that it was released properly and didn't play a major role in helping market & advertise the title (and yes, EA shares some blame also).

 

http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/news/a556642/need-for-speed-most-wanted-developer-slams-nintendo-ea.html

[Atariboy]

Nintendo is saved, Super Mario Brothers 3 is going to be released on April 17th.

 

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/03/super_mario_bros_3_is_warping_to_north_american_virtual_consoles_on_april_17th

[Jinks]

At toys r us yesterday and a guy was asking about the wii u and seeing if he should buy it and wondered if its an add on as he already has a wii. I think almost every parent out there would buy them to replace the wii.. but they really dont want to buy a wii u wii fit wii etc. Its the name that probably cost them millions in sales... people are not going to research wth a U is they will just get a ps4 maybe not a xbone as who wants the 1st gen box as they make a more advanced 360.

He did buy the U though.. but you have to get to the stage of considering an expensive add on to possibly get educated by the game sales rep to learn differently.

[Atariboy]

The name was definitely a mistake. Nintendo let 100 million hardware units sold fool them into placing far too much value in a name that has only led to confusion rather than any benefit.

 

I personally think that Wii should've became a game brand on their new system solely for successors in their new motion based franchises that originated in the previous generation (Notably, Wii Fit and Wii Sports). Instead, they turned it into a detriment to their success.

Edited March 30, 2014 by Atariboy

[Bill Loguidice]

At toys r us yesterday and a guy was asking about the wii u and seeing if he should buy it and wondered if its an add on as he already has a wii. I think almost every parent out there would buy them to replace the wii.. but they really dont want to buy a wii u wii fit wii etc. Its the name that probably cost them millions in sales... people are not going to research wth a U is they will just get a ps4 maybe not a xbone as who wants the 1st gen box as they make a more advanced 360.

He did buy the U though.. but you have to get to the stage of considering an expensive add on to possibly get educated by the game sales rep to learn differently.

 

That's the thing. While the Wii reached a new type of audience, that audience treated the Wii like a fad. Something to play Wii Sports and maybe Wii Fit on until they got bored with it and it became neglected. Those people were never going to buy another console after the Wii unless it had a similar fad appeal. Nothing about the Wii U appeals to that same type of audience, which of course is just one of the many issues with the platform beyond just the poor naming, poor distinction from its predecessor, etc.

 

Also, it's not just "the name that cost them millions in sales," as you say. There are deeper issues that have retarded sales and will continue to retard sales.

[Jess Ragan]

Nintendo's just going to have to take it on chin in this console cycle, and right the sinking ship in the next. The company hasn't had a good relationship with third parties for fifteen years. It needs to find a way to correct this (without sabotaging its own software).

[Blazing Lazers]

They should've just called it the Super Wii. Then it would've sold like hotcakes. Come to think of it they still could re-name it the Super Wii...

[Atariboy]

That name still stinks, but I think it communicates better that this was a brand new system than a mere U did at the end of the name.

 

They should've called it the Nintendo One and made sure that content from throughout Nintendo's history was present on day 1. On the Virtual Console, that would've meant GB/GBC/GBA emulation, all their consoles through and including the GameCube, their 80's arcade catalog, and retain Wii compatibility (And toss them on the eShop as well).

 

And simultaneously release a 3DS Player for it that brought DS/3DS cartridge support to the system to complete the picture and provide further justification for their dual screen approach. It would also allow the Nintendo One to benefit from the success of the 3DS as 3DS owners seek a tv solution and would also increase the market for 3DS software and benefit that line since some don't want a handheld at all but still want access to that library.

 

Nintendo One, while hardly creative in light of what the competition went with, is simple, clearly different, and to the point that it's a one stop source to enjoy everything Nintendo, past and present.

Edited March 30, 2014 by Atariboy

[almightytodd]

I find myself agreeing with a lot that has been said here - the original Wii promoted a new kind of gaming that got people up off of the couch with the sports titles and Wii Fit; but it was treated like a fad and became unsustainable. I think that's true not just for the Wii, but also the genre of games that use something other than a controller with a bunch of buttons you push with your thumbs... ...has anyone played "Guitar Hero" lately?

 

In my opinion, one of the most significant features of the "U" - and perhaps the most underutilized, was the move from standard definition to HD. For game systems like XBox and Playstation, that extra detail was used to make their first-person shooters look increasingly more like this. Of course, the photo-realistic combat-zone genre has never been a big seller for the Wii. If Nintendo had come up with some kind of new and exciting use of the extra detail and screen real estate made available with an HD screen, that might have been the "hook" to attract new gamers or give a reason for those who went with Nintendo the first time around to come back for more. I don't know exactly what kind of innovation that would be; maybe split-screen two-player games that might have been done with two screens in the arcades back in the day, or maybe some kind of a resurrection of the concept used in that old PC game "Lemmings" - where you have a lot going on all over the screen and you need to try and pay attention to it all.

 

In any case, my family still uses the Wii we got back in 2008, before we had an HD TV, and we see no compelling reason to move on to the "U" now.

[atarian63]

seems like Wii U is selling better these days, beating xbox 360 handily at least (march 22nd VGChartz)

[Bill Loguidice]

seems like Wii U is selling better these days, beating xbox 360 handily at least (march 22nd VGChartz)

 

It might win a particular week, but I don't know if it would win the month. Certainly if you go by worldwide sales, it might eek it out, though, but VGChartz are rough estimates at best. Honestly, it shouldn't even be a question about beating the Xbox 360, PS3, or Wii at this point considering all of those platforms should have saturated sales by now (and we know that it struggles to and often fails to outsell the Xbox 360 and PS3 month-to-month).

[atarian63]

I would imagine it will win most weeks, the question remains what will the y do to increase it, I personally believe it's very far from gone. Nothing much for my ps4 right now, Xbone is slowing down. Wii U is my main machine of a modern type.

[moycon]

I personally believe it's very far from gone. Nothing much for my ps4 right now, Xbone is slowing down. Wii U is my main machine of a modern type.

Keep us posted. Your predictions are always both spot on and entertaining.

[Bill Loguidice]

I would imagine it will win most weeks, the question remains what will the y do to increase it, I personally believe it's very far from gone. Nothing much for my ps4 right now, Xbone is slowing down. Wii U is my main machine of a modern type.

 

We must be looking at different figures then... The PS4, Xbox One, and Wii U all seem to have the same momentum more or less as always. I don't expect any radical changes in any of their situations, i.e., PS4 and Xbox One selling well and the Wii U selling the same low numbers it typically sells. I imagine we'll see some blips on the Wii U once Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. hit, but neither of those will cause any lasting change in the numbers based on past major Wii U first party releases.

[Bill Loguidice]

I would imagine it will win most weeks, the question remains what will the y do to increase it, I personally believe it's very far from gone. Nothing much for my ps4 right now, Xbone is slowing down. Wii U is my main machine of a modern type.

 

We must be looking at different figures then... The PS4, Xbox One, and Wii U all seem to have the same momentum more or less as always. I don't expect any radical changes in any of their situations, i.e., PS4 and Xbox One sellin

[Jinks]

Looking at the games on wii u shopping they have tons of games now and shit loads of new ones coming. Mario kart 8. Ss bros. To name a few. The only excuse is poor advertising and a saturated gaming market. Because the line up blows ever other consoles line up away.

[Bill Loguidice]

Looking at the games on wii u shopping they have tons of games now and shit loads of new ones coming. Mario kart 8. Ss bros. To name a few. The only excuse is poor advertising and a saturated gaming market. Because the line up blows ever other consoles line up away.

 

Again, all that would be valid if the PS4 and Xbox One weren't continuing to sell well, so "saturated gaming market" doesn't hold up in light of the evidence. It's not just lack of advertising that's the issue for the Wii U. Nintendo should have done everything humanly possible to correct their lack of momentum before the shinier, more technologically forward looking consoles hit the market. Now it's too late to hope for anything but survival until the next Nintendo console releases. The whole point of the technological base for the Wii U being what it was was to make ports from Xbox 360, PS3, and PC easier. Now that developers are slowly starting to shift away from the Xbox 360, PS3, and lower spec PC base - and the Wii U has failed to give a reason to specifically support it - more and more titles are going the PS4, Xbox One, and PC route, not even bothering with the Wii U, which makes sense on several different levels. We already know Nintendo can't pump out more than three or four AAA first party titles a year, so any perceived library advantage arguably won't even be present by the time this year is out (not that it's making any difference now anyway). Hell, the PS4 is selling the best out of all three, and it has arguably the worst library of the three.

[cimerians]

This is pretty crazy actually. I remember when the SNES came out this is what I was playing in the first year:

 

F-Zero

Pilotwings

Gradius

SMW

Actraiser

Drakkhen

Final Fight

FFII

Madden Football

Populous

Super CV IV

Super GNG

 

Granted they were the dominant company for years although I was playing around with a Sega Genesis and most of my friends were too by that time.

 

Also, I dont think games took nearly as long to make.

 

That's why Sony and Nintendo are embracing indies so much, what Microsoft actually started on the 360.

 

Inide games will drive a lot of these new systems just like it is on Steam.

[SoulBlazer]

This is pretty crazy actually. I remember when the SNES came out this is what I was playing in the first year:

 

F-Zero

Pilotwings

Gradius

SMW

Actraiser

Drakkhen

Final Fight

FFII

Madden Football

Populous

Super CV IV

Super GNG

 

Granted they were the dominant company for years although I was playing around with a Sega Genesis and most of my friends were too by that time.

 

Also, I dont think games took nearly as long to make.

 

That's why Sony and Nintendo are embracing indies so much, what Microsoft actually started on the 360.

 

Inide games will drive a lot of these new systems just like it is on Steam.

But how many of those games were made by Nintendo vs third parties? Only 3 of those games were by Nintendo. And as Bill was saying, 3rd parties have pretty much deserted Nintendo.

[cimerians]

They have deserted but look at this, some of them (Ubi) will still support the PS3\360 for "several more years":

 

http://www.edge-online.com/news/ubisoft-will-continue-to-support-old-gen-consoles-for-years-to-come/

[+wood_jl]

They should've just called it the Super Wii. Then it would've sold like hotcakes. Come to think of it they still could re-name it the Super Wii...

What a great suggestion! Exactly! I was thinking "Wii 2" or whatever (**anything** but the meaningless "Wii U") but Super Wii would have been perfect, and would have been reflective of the NES-->SNES success. I'm thinking you should be in the marketing dept. of some firm, if you're not already. Super Wii, ineed! Bravo!

[atarian63]

 

We must be looking at different figures then... The PS4, Xbox One, and Wii U all seem to have the same momentum more or less as always. I don't expect any radical changes in any of their situations, i.e., PS4 and Xbox One sellin

xbone has about half the sales of ps4

[moycon]

xbone has about half the sales of ps4

 

PS4 sales - 6.6 million

Xbox One sales - 4 million

 

6.6 x .5 = 4

Spot on as usual!

 

Of course Bill didn't say that PS4 and Xbox One sales were even, but still spot on my friend.

 

 

 

PS4 and Xbox One selling well and the Wii U selling the same low numbers it typically sells.

 

Last week hardware sales.

 

PS4 - 220,000

XOne - 112,000

Wii U - 39,000

 

The week prior

 

PS4 132,000

XOne 155,000

Wii U 36,000

 

Bill I think you are way off, these figures clearly show the Wii U blowing the PS4 and the Xbox One out of the water.

 

I do agree "Super Wii" would have been a better choice than Wii U.

Honestly "Fred" would have been a better choice than Wii U.

[atarian63]

Here is something odd as well, wonder how wii u compared

http://www.vgchartz.com/article/251562/top-10-selling-wii-games-in-2013-just-dance-skylanders-mario-kart-wii/

[Austin]

But how many of those games were made by Nintendo vs third parties? Only 3 of those games were by Nintendo. And as Bill was saying, 3rd parties have pretty much deserted Nintendo.

 

Plenty of 3rd parties supported Nintendo at launch. The problem is, few third parties these days are willing to take a risk and make an exclusive for one specific platform. Most publishers want multi-platform releases in order to play it safe, and that's what Nintendo got, just like the other platforms did. You can't really compare the SNES/Genesis days with the market as it stands today.