Wii-U thoughts so far

[Jamisonia]

They both have screens in their controller? (irony)

They're both made my Japanese companies?

[Balasubbie]

Also worth noting. Wii U sold fantastic until the new year when it launched to. As I recall it sold a little over 3 million units between launch and 2013. The problem was it dropped to selling basically nothing afterwards.

I may be wrong, but hasn't that been a Nintendo 'thing' for yonks? They power out the likes of a 1st party, A+ title, sales spike, and then dribble off to nothing once the buzz has come off. Obviously, as everyone knows already, this was fine in the NES/SNES era, as there was a stock of 3rd party support, but from the N64 onward, it's become an increasing problem gen-to-gen.

[Jamisonia]

Its worse this time around as even 1st party titles have ground to a halt, and have been fraught with delays. This is because Nintendo has admittedly had trouble with HD growing pains. We just have far less patience as its obvious Nintendo didn't really pay attention to anything the rest of the industry went through at the beginning of the last gen to avoid these pains.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

Its worse this time around as even 1st party titles have ground to a halt, and have been fraught with delays. This is because Nintendo has admittedly had trouble with HD growing pains. We just have far less patience as its obvious Nintendo didn't really pay attention to anything the rest of the industry went through at the beginning of the last gen to avoid these pains.

On the plus side, the quality of their games doesn't seem to be suffering. It's just causing them to not get them out on the schedule they were hoping to.

It's almost impossible to deny that Nintendo lives in its own little bubble gaming world. A lot of it is endearing. A lot of it is infuriating. It definitely gives Nintendo stuff its own unique personality for sure.

I don't really expect the Wii U to come out of its hole and start selling like mad. I wish it would, but, I don't expect it to.

Maybe next generation Nintendo will strike gold again. Who knows.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

Looks like Nintendo is admitting failure.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014- ... 9m-to-2-8m

Lets get the rumors started.

I reckon we'll see a soft relaunch and/or probably a new console by 2015.

[Flake]

This news is disappointing. I really do believe in the WiiU but it seems like Nintendo's mistakes from years ago are haunting them now.

I wish they hadn't chosen that name. If they'd given it a name that distinguished it from the Wii, they'd have done a much better job keeping the customers they picked up in the last few years.

[ZeroAX]

Looks like Nintendo is admitting failure.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014- ... 9m-to-2-8m

Lets get the rumors started.

I reckon we'll see a soft relaunch and/or probably a new console by 2015.

Why did the 3DS miss its target by such a huge margin though? If a new Pokemon game, and all that other quality software can't help it reach it, what will?

I guess Patcher is right, that many kids prefer to get ipods and ipads to play games instead of the 3DS. Mind you those games suck in comparison, but I guess no one can go against market change.

[Retrogamer0001]

Very surprised indeed - not sure what will happen, but if a big price drop occurs, say around $100 (bringing the console to around $180, ala the N64 back in the day) then I'll actually go out and buy one. I've purchased two 3DS consoles in the last four years, the original 3DS Zelda bundle and the new 3DSXL Zelda bundle, along with more than enough games, so I feel like I've supported that console every step of the way - to hear that it's not doing as well as forecast is surprising.

Nintendo seemingly assumed that the Wii fanbase would simply switch over to the new console without much of a hitch - apparently this was not the case. With such strong games still being released for the PS3 and 360 at the time (Tomb Raider, Bioshock Infinite, Last of Us, etc, etc,) and with the launch of the eighth generation consoles, it's not a huge shock that the Wii-U is struggling to find a fanbase, especially with the lack of third-party developers.

What builds a strong core of users for a console and actually makes it profitable? Selling software. Sony has proved this time and time again. If Nintendo doesn't ramp up on some seriously awesome exclusive titles and first-party blockbusters, then the future looks bleak indeed. In a twisted way for gamers, though, this is kind of interesting. Would Nintendo actually dump the Wii-U so soon and go in another direction? Will they release a new console after less than a year, similar to what Sega is notorious for doing in the 90s? It will definitely be interesting to see!

[isiolia]

I wish they hadn't chosen that name. If they'd given it a name that distinguished it from the Wii, they'd have done a much better job keeping the customers they picked up in the last few years.

I doubt it. Do the same people have problems telling when Apple comes out with a new iPhone or iPad?

I think the larger problem is that the concept just does not capture people's imaginations. Motion controls did. Even if they sucked most of the time, the idea was compelling for a lot of people.
A touchscreen in the controller isn't. It's not that there are no uses for it; rather, it's that they're so common now. Aside from the obvious iPad/Nexus/etc answer, there are touchscreens in a lot of consumer devices. Printers have them, hell, there are washing machines that have them.

[RCBH928]

do you think we will see a "Dreamcast" from Nintendo ?

This comparison has no basis in reality and needs to stop.

I meant will Nintendo release a new console, like Sega released a Dreamcast after the Saturn failed to sell well.

But since you bring this up, I think there are a lot of similarities .

1)Both consoles are under-powered compared to competitors
2)Both consoles launched earlier than competitors in aim to gain quick market share
3)Both consoles are trying something new (VMU/online-Tablet)
4)Both consoles got numerous accessories/controllers
5)Both consoles use propriety CDs
6)Both consoles carrying iconic mascots
7)Both aim at the multiplayer experience
8)Both are seeing disappointing sales

But surprisingly enough the Dreamcast's library is more interesting than the Wii U's even though its over a decade old, yet this is unfair since the Wii U's run is still not over and I believe at least SOME unique games are coming to it just like how the 64 had Goldeneye and Conker.

Also worth noting. Wii U sold fantastic until the new year when it launched to. As I recall it sold a little over 3 million units between launch and 2013. The problem was it dropped to selling basically nothing afterwards.

See , this is what gets me. See that 3 million number, thats probably all the Nintendo fanboys that will buy anything Nintendo. What gets me is that then they release something like Mario Kart and it sells 20 million something. I am really starting to doubt the numbers, I really doubt there are something like 10 million people out there that are willing to buy a console just to play Kart and Zelda but that is what the numbers are saying.


@ZeroAX

I agree with you on where the market is heading but I think there are 2 things I think you might not be right about.

1) You say that PC and Android is the future, I understand the PC but I doubt the Android part. From my online readings the Android tablet market is very very weak. As for the smartphone market reports are saying that developers make a lot less money on Android than they do on iOS. I think the Android phones are heavily hacked and many just get their stuff pirated . If you are implying that Android will move into many different devices like Ouya, TVs, hand-helds I see where you are going with that but the defragment model has failed in the past. You know as well I do making a game for the hand-held is very different than for the console.

I think its more likely to be a PC and iOS in the future. Btw , I play on my iOS devices and I see no reason why they cant play games just as good or better than say a PS Vita or a 3DS . In fact I think those games already exist and the only issue that remains is the physical buttons and many games can play just as good without them like World of Goo, Plants vs Zombies, Point and Click, and Limbo. There are even games out there that look like they are best controlled with a touch screen like The Room and Angry Birds.

2) I think you are correct about consoles turning into Linux boxes but it won't be Playstation and Nintendo branding I think it will be Playstation and Xbox branding. Sony and Microsoft are way bigger with a lot of leverage in film and music industry which Nintendo lacks. I think its a matter of time that Nintendo will turn into a software company like Sega then everyone can play Zelda and Mario on their iPhones and Xboxes.

@Retrogamer0001

Why was the N64 priced so low? It sold 2nd best in its generation plus they sold a good sum of software titles for the time . Goldeneye, Zelda, and wrestling games were all the rage. I also can be wrong but I think at that time it was cheaper to manufacture a cartridge based game over a CD based console.

@Isiolia

I agree with you. There is nothing that makes people wan to buy the Wii U. In fact if Nintendo was releasing the Wii now and Sega was selling the Wii U , I think more people will buy the Wii. I remember back in '06 where movement controlled your in games actions was very fascinating to people. I think it is still fascinating except that it has not been used well . I think motion controls are much more grabbing than something like Oculus Rift.