Reintroducing the P-Yew
Nintendo’s flagship product still has that new console smell, and yet:
Nintendo (NTDOY) now faces the very real prospect of having an absolute flop on its hands. As Microsoft (MSFT) moved an estimated 281,000 Xbox 360 consoles in the U.S. in January to take the top spot for the 25th consecutive month, Gamasutra reports that Nintendo sold “well under” 100,000 Wii U consoles last month. The site estimates that sales may have fallen between 45,000 and 59,000 units in January, which could mark the worst month for a Nintendo console since before the original Wii launched.
Of course, sharp VodkaPundit readers — is there any other kind? — were aware of the Wii U’s potential stink-factor way back in October of 2011:
So what trick does Nintendo have up its sleeve for next year? It’s called Wii U. Rhymes, I think, with p-yew. It’s a console with cheap-looking iPad knockoffs for controllers. It has a touch screen! And lots of buttons! Two circle pads! A thumb pad! And a stylus!
Really? A stylus?
Everything that Wii was — simple, intuitive — Wii U looks to be something else. Do XBOX and PS3 controllers scare you, with their size and all those buttons? Wii U controllers are bigger and more buttony. Which screen do you look at — the one in your hands or the one on the wall? Why the hell do I need a stylus?
I just don’t get it. That controller is such a huge slab of a thing, my first reaction was, “My God, it’s full of stars.”
But it gets worse, as we (hah!) go back to BGR’s report:
Relief will likely not come anytime soon for Nintendo. New video game consoles take years to develop and typically remain on the market for the better part of a decade. What’s more, Nintendo has said it will not lower the Wii U’s retail price — the company is already selling the Wii U at a loss — so it remains unclear how Nintendo plans to reverse its current slump and bolster sales.
Oh, well. At least maybe now it won’t be long before you can play Mario Whatever on your iOS, Android, and Microsoft devices.
Actually, the system reviews I’m getting from those who’ve bought it say it’s the best current-next gen system on the market, and the new controller is one of the key reasons why. The Wii U is the best overall system for both Batman: Arkham City and Call of Duty: MW4, apparently.
It’s not the best anything if people won’t buy it.
There isn’t a “killer app” yet for the system. Once Nintendo has that, it’ll do really good. I mean, literally every person who has one that I know (more than ten people) love the system, and can’t think of getting current gen games for any other than that one.
Sales might pick up if the Xbox 720 has locked games.
Nintendo is selling far fewer brand-new Wii U consoles than Microsoft is selling end-of-life Xbox 360s.
Nintendo just incorrectly analyzed existing Wii owners. The original Wii sold really well because it was different and attracted casual gamers and people who otherwise wouldn’t buy PS or XBox. Anyone who has used or owned a Wii knows that the novelty wears off relatively quickly. Nintendo thought these people would be willing to upgrade to the Wii U. No. People who upgrade own PS3 and Xbox 360. Do you think the guy who goes into AT&T and buys a $10 flip phone is going to eagerly wait for and upgrade to the new Galaxy S or iPhone? The brand new Wii U can now run games in HD at essentially the same frame rate as the 6+ year old 360 and PS3. And storage as low as 8GB. 8GB storage on a next generation HD system. I find that hard to comprehend.
The new system should have been targeted for pure processing and graphics to try to win back that market share that they’ve lost. Instead, PS4 and the new XBox will be vastly superior and you’re left with a Wii U that hardcore gamers don’t want and casual gamers aren’t interested in since they still have their Wii that works just fine for them. Not to mention, the Wii U inexplicably still refuses to use conventional physical media. It won’t even play a CD. Right along with the exclusive games, the biggest selling point for the PS3 was and still is Blu-Ray and the ability to run Netflix/Hulu/Amazon Prime.
Once MS and Sony launch their systems, Nintendo is done. I should be happy. I would buy up Super Mario Word from SNES and Legend of Zelda A Link to the Past from the PS Store in a heartbeat.
Not that it changes anything you wrote re: Nintendo, but the latest I heard was that the PS4 will have the same hardware/horsepower as the PS3. The newness of the PS4 will be in online gaming ability and control of content avail on it.
That won’t make a damn bit of difference to Nintendo’s sinking ship but may offer Microsoft a huge opportunity.
I saw that quote. Last I heard, the rumor was that both the new XBox and PS4 are using almost identical hardware. It’s a big improvement, but not like PS2 to PS3 or anything that drastic. From the sound of it, I think Sony’s comment pertains more to the controllers, which are apparently a modified Dual Shock 3 with a little touch panel in addition to the joysticks along with the Move technology built into them.
Bought mine as a 1080p DLNA client for BD rips (back then the likes of Roku were up to 720p at their best) and as a BD player. Haven’t even tried the games for a year or so…
I’ve predicted it before, but just because it ain’t happened yet doesn’t mean it won’t happen:
Disney will buy Nintendo.
Disney isn’t in the habit of buying sinking ships. Typically they spend countless millions developing an in-house version of the new hotness, then can the project and fire everyone involved, who promptly go off to work for and/or form a company to run the new hotness, then after a few years of market dominance, Disney buys that company.
It’s the mouse way.
And with that said, they have zero interest in being on the hardware side of the gaming industry, or really even the software side to any great degree.
If I already have a games/entertainment machine in the form of an iOS, Android or WP8 device why do I need a WiiU?
Nintendo has exclusive IP BUT is that going to be enough to hold back the tide? Exclusive IP was not enough to save SEGA after all.
Or are we seeing the early stages of the next phase of entertainment.
Casual, social or light gaming done by your smartphone/tablet “weapon of choice” and PC/MAC/Tablet gaming for more complex simulation, FPS, MMO, RPG…
Both Sony and Microsoft should be very concerned about what the sales trend for the WiiU might be indicating esp with more “fundamental transformation” of the economy on it’s way.
It looks like Nintendo made the classic mistake. The money is not in the razor blade holder but in the razor blades, shaving soaps, and etc. They should have put their research into games first then find the cheapest hardware route that exceeded their competitors hardware and games.
If you could buy a game online and then trade it in online for a different one you might have something???
Those numbers are certainly disappointing, but, to offer some perspective, Wii U sales after 3 months are still superior to XBox 360 and PS3 sales during their first 3 months.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/33351