Gaming Nintendo Confirms Wii U Has Flopped, Slashes Sales Forecast By ~70%

[osirisjem]

The Wii U may not be doing well right now, and it will be in the same category as the N64 and Gamecube, but I think in the end it will turn out profitable.

It's like you didn't read anything in this thread !
#NotGoingToHappen

 

[VMM]

I still think Nintendo, minus the virtual boy most likely, has made profit on every video game system. The N64 and the Gamecube included.

The Wii U may not be doing well right now, and it will be in the same category as the N64 and Gamecube, but I think in the end it will turn out profitable.

What makes you think WiiU will be turning out profitable?
Although 3DS is selling really fine, Nintendo's expectation is to end in red this year.
Third party support is lacking on WiiU and even major Nintendo IPs fail to do much difference in WiiU current state.
There is nothing indicating that WiiU situation will get any better.

 

[laudern]

I never thought I'd say this, but dammn the gamecube had such great 3rd party support with a constant flow of 1st party titles....

I guess everything is relative...

 

[pwsincd]

I think you might have a biased samples, I mean why would you have a dull Wii U displaying things on your massive plasma tellie?

Yeah i think so too , i usually stand in inches of grime and shite in these places .. A wiiu would look outta place along side their ps3/4/xbox / tablets n smart phones littering the place. So i guess were sayin wiiu owners are at least hard working class of ppl

 

[RodrigoDavy]

This discussion got stupid like 36 pages ago

 

[DunnoBro]

Didn't 3DS start out slow too?

It just needs games, which we'll be getting this year. Smash in time for holiday season is gonna be pretty big.

 

[Foxi4]

Didn't 3DS start out slow too?

It's been almost a year and a half now, the system was released in 2012. Other than a couple first-party titles, there still isn't anything noteworthy on the horizon except Watch_Dogs, and that's worrying.

 

[Bladexdsl]

don't you get tired of carrying this site foxi?!

 

[DunnoBro]

It's been almost a year and a half now, the system was released in 2012. Other than a couple first-party titles, there still isn't anything noteworthy on the horizon except Watch_Dogs, and that's worrying.

The 3DS took about a year or so to get revved up too. Aside from KI:U it took until FE:A's release to give me anything that made me not regret buying my system early.

I agree though, with nothing notable coming out soon, the wii u won't have a boom of success soon. But it doesn't need to be soon, either.

Kart, and smash are likely to be released this year, and if Zelda comes out too you can bet they'll start gaining traction.

Will it win the console war like it's predecessor did? Probably not, but i highly doubt it will end up a flop once it starts getting actual support.

What makes you think WiiU will be turning out profitable?
Although 3DS is selling really fine, Nintendo's expectation is to end in red this year.
Third party support is lacking on WiiU and even major Nintendo IPs fail to do much difference in WiiU current state.
There is nothing indicating that WiiU situation will get any better.

What major IP is even available on wii u at the moment?

 

[Foxi4]

The 3DS took about a year or so to get revved up too. Aside from KI:U it took until FE:A's release to give me anything that made me not regret buying my system early. I agree though, with nothing notable coming out soon, the wii u won't have a boom of success soon. But it doesn't need to be soon, either. Kart, and smash are likely to be released this year, and if Zelda comes out too you can bet they'll start gaining traction. Will it win the console war like it's predecessor did? Probably not, but i highly doubt it will end up a flop once it starts getting actual support.

Oh, it won't "flop" like the Virtual Boy did, but the "success" will be rather moderate if all it'll have to offer will be first-party titles. I'm expecting Gamecube levels of popularity.

 

[Gahars]

The 3DS took about a year or so to get revved up too.

Actually it was closer to 6 months, right about when Nintendo implemented the price cut, iirc. That gave it some much needed momentum, and the handheld built upon that with a steady release of titles (first and third party).

The 3DS started slow but worked its way up to a run. The Wii U's sales, on the other hand, are like a fat man at a marathon - a few momentary bursts followed by panting and wheezing.

The problem with the "It just needs X to gain some traction!" is that people have been making that claim since the system's beginning. First it was Pikmin, then Zelda, then Mario, then Donkey Kong. Once is an accident, two's a coincidence, three's a trend, and four is salt in the wound. I'm sure some holdouts will be purchasing Wii U's for Mario Kart and Smash Bros. and some other titles later on, but I just don't think that's going to carry over into actual sales momentum.

At best, the Wii U's probably going to end up somewhere around N64 or Gamecube levels. Pretty bad, but hey, at least they have their handheld division to pick up the slack.

 

[DunnoBro]

You really can't compare pikmin or a WW remake to smash or mario kart though. They were silly to make those claims, but refuting any future claims of success based on a new game because of this, and ignore any type of objective analysis of said game and it's fanabase, is equally silly.

3DS also still had poor sales at the 6-month mark. I'm assuming you're considering Super Mario 3d Land and Zelda OOT? Those helped sales to be sure, but not much more than the games you mentioned for wii u did.

I'm not really familiar with the timeframes and release dates of 3DS games, but I'm pretty sure mid-2012 was when the 3DS really started picking up steam with the heavy hitters. 2013 it felt like there was a major release almost every month. (FE:A, Animal Crossing, Luigi's Mansion 2, Pokemon, etc)

I just remember i'm hearing a lot of the same things I heard about 3DS that I am with Wii U, and i regret believing them that time, I plan on being more skeptical this time around.

I personally don't own a Wii U, and don't plan on buying one anytime soon. But I can definitely see it coming back if things go like they did with 3ds, especially around holiday season.

Smash, mario kart, zelda (a real zelda) and X all concentrated around holiday season/spring 2015 would definitely deliver the type of feeling I had in 2013 with 3DS. Pikmin 3 and a WW remake are totally incomparable to these IPs in terms of success. (Except maybe X)

Though I will admit, the monopoly 3DS had probably magnified the effect of those games to do more than those wii u games might. And I also believe n64/gamecube success is the most likely result. But considering how the other two consoles are also hurting for games, there's a large gap to fill and the first to fill it will probably win the war. Nintendo can still fill it.

 

[Foxi4]

I don't think the claims were silly in any shape or form. Mario, Zelda, Smash and Mario Kart didn't save the N64, didn't save the Gamecube and they won't save the Wii U. To reach the masses the system needs overall support, not a first-party CPR treatment.

 

[DunnoBro]

I don't think the claims were silly in any shape or form. Mario, Zelda, Smash and Mario Kart didn't save the N64, didn't save the Gamecube and they won't save the Wii U. To reach the masses the system needs overall support, not a first-party CPR treatment.

That's exactly what happened to 3DS before it finally took off though. All of its major hitters were first-party until what, 2013?

Also, a little confused: You don't think claims that pikmin 3 and a WW remake alone would save the Wii U were silly? Which claims?

 

[Foxi4]

That's exactly what happened to 3DS before it finally took off though. All of its major hitters were first-party until what, 2013?

Except that's not how it went down. The system was price-reduced from $249.99 to $169.99 (32% off, $80 is a big deal), late 2011/early 2012 brought games like Resident Evil: Revelations, Tales of the Abyss, Sonic Generations, Metal Gear Solid 3D, Rhythm Thief etc., it was a rainbow bombshell the 3DS needed. No such bombshell is headed the Wii U's way from what I'm seeing.

Also, a little confused: You don't think claims that pikmin 3 and a WW remake alone would save the Wii U were silly? Which claims?

Of course they were silly. One software house is unable to carry an entire system, there's only so many games they can release.

 

[DunnoBro]

Except that's not how it went down. The system was price-reduced from $249.99 to $169.99 (32% off, $80 is a big deal), late 2011/early 2012 brought games like Resident Evil: Revelations, Tales of the Abyss, Sonic Generations, Metal Gear Solid 3D, Rhythm Thief etc., it was a rainbow bombshell the 3DS needed. No such bombshell is headed the Wii U's way from what I'm seeing.
Of course they were silly. One software house is unable to carry an entire system, there's only so many games they can release.

The Wii U can get a price slash too. I can easily see a slash or smash bros bundle this holiday season.

And those games you listed aren't outperforming the Wii U's current lineup by much at all.

Several, like MG:3D and rhythm thief haven't even broken some Wii U third party sales. Are you sure you're not completely exaggerating the effect of those games on 3Ds?

Even on the 3Ds, the most successful games are mostly 1st-party. I agree third-party is important, but i think you're giving 1st too little credit and 3rd too much.

Of course they were silly. One software house is unable to carry an entire system, there's only so many games they can release.

Then what was this in reference to?

I don't think the claims were silly in any shape or form.

 

[Foxi4]

The Wii U can get a price slash too. I can easily see a slash or smash bros bundle this holiday season. And those games you listed aren't outperforming the Wii U's current lineup by much at all. Several, like MG:3D and rhythm thief haven't even broken some Wii U third party sales. Are you sure you're not completely exaggerating the effect of those games on 3Ds?

Not really, no. It's not about the sales, it's about support. When a customer sees that a given system is getting new games at regular intervals, confidence in that system rises. It doesn't matter if you're interested in action games like Metal Gear Solid or RPG's like Tales, what matters is that "the system suddenly got cheaper and it's getting games".

Then what was this in reference to?

You said that Gahars's claims that the system won't magically do better because Smash and Mario Kart are coming are silly. I said that they're not - the system won't magically get better, it's just two games that appeal to a narrow audience.

 

[DunnoBro]

Not really, no. It's not about the sales, it's about support. When a customer sees that a given system is getting new games at regular intervals, confidence in that system rises. It doesn't matter if you're interested in action games like Metal Gear Solid or RPG's like Tales, what matters is that "the system suddenly got cheaper and it's getting games".

The Wii U is still getting games though at consistent intervals, nothing too different or inferior to those games mentioned. So it seems like you're mostly advocating a price cut, which i can agree with. That's when i bought my own 3ds, in fact.

You said that Gahars's claims that the system won't magically do better because Smash and Mario Kart are coming are silly. I said that they're not - the system won't magically get better, it's just two games that appeal to a narrow audience.

I didn't say those specific claims were silly, but rather the reasoning for them.

 

[Foxi4]

The Wii U is still getting games though at consistent intervals, nothing too different or inferior to those games mentioned. So it seems like you're mostly advocating a price cut, which i can agree with. That's when i bought my own 3ds, in fact.

Games like what? So far all I'm seeing is the Wii U missing out on most multiplatform titles, getting just the handful of Ubisoft ones. Where's GTA V? Where are all the multiplatform releases from the PS3 and the Xbox 360? The Wii U's getting the scraps.

I didn't say those specific claims were silly, but rather the reasoning for them.

Fair enough.

 

[DunnoBro]

Games like what? So far all I'm seeing is the Wii U missing out on most multiplatform titles, getting just the handful of Ubisoft ones. Where's GTA V? Where are all the multiplatform releases from the PS3 and the Xbox 360? The Wii U's getting the scraps.

Disney infinity, skylanders, Sonic all-stars and lost world seem to be doing well, about as well as those games you mentioned for 3ds anyway. (Though certainly not things to make me want a wii u personally)

I don't really see how not having GTA V and other big multiplat releases is a huge issue. It certainly didn't hurt the Wii, and i definitely wouldn't decide to buy a WiiU if it suddenly got GTA V, as those kinds of games will just be plain better on the stronger consoles.