First time poster (sorry). But I really believe in what I think are fundamental core concepts at Nintendo (a device that serves as a hearth around which family and friend gather for FUN). My family: two adults and two children ages 8 and 11, turn to our Nintendo Wii almost nightly for our entertainment. The Wii is second only to Netflix in our living room (followed distantly by DirectTV), when we relax and spend time together. We entertain guests weekly, and, again, 4-player and party games are the focus.

We want the Wii U to succeed. Santa will be delivering a new Wii U to the family this year, regardless of the doomsayers because the hardware improvements and backward compatibility make it a no brainer for a household with considerable investment in family friendly Wii software.

But, okay, I think Nintendo could do better in promoting and developing the incredible potential of their property. So . . . . where do you think Nintendo should turn their attentions to make the Wii U the most successful console ever? Please stay positive and constructive. I have a few naïve ideas:

1) License Logitech Harmony codes--seriously most of us have way too may remotes and, "Look!" We have an Uber cool remote tablet from Nintendo in our living room.
2) Asymmetric gameplay--get serious about it! Dungeons & Dragons? Most tabletop RPGs use a GM/player paradigm. I love traditional pen-and-paper RPGs but a power-on and go experience among multiple participants would be a game-changer.
3) Get closer to Disney. Can you imagine the impact on console sales if Disney/Pixar released a Zelda/Mario/Donkey Kong/Pokemon epic? It is all about the marketing. And the Disney properties are such a nice fit for Nintendo, I can't believe that the Imaginers don't already look at Nintendo for all the possibilities.
4) MMOs: Warcraft, Eve, DDO, etc., so many menus sucking up screen real estate. The Gamepad is perfect for these kinds of games. A TV to play on, a game pad dealing with game logistics. Why aren't these properties being exploited?

Scratching the surface of ideas while my family calls me for "quality time." Still, the system (and Nintendo) is staggering with unique possibilities. What would you propose?

Welcome to NL! While I do think some of those are good ideas, I doubt Nintendo would try any of them. Though a Nintendo movie would be nice, despite the fact that it probably would be terrible if past history has taught us anything...

MMORPGS which are already made would never work on the Wii U. It would destroy the balance of the actual game (especially things like raids, for example, in WoW). And balance is already something which causes many problems in game anyway. However, I would love to see an MMORPG type game on a home console. The Wii U would be perfect for one with the dual screen. It could actually be amazing, and it does surprise me that a proper attempt hasn't already been made. Nintendo could make an epic one.

The Wii U will never be the most successful console ever. Ever. But that doesn't matter. It doesn't need to be. What it does need is good games - which is what we're getting in the coming months. My primary concern is what next? After 2013, we have few games in development, so in 2014 we are likely to see dry periods again in software like we saw in the middle of this year. Nintendo need to be tackling that. They need to be expanding the VC faster than they are - it would really help. Especially for gaming fans who are looking for a nostalgia trip.

Getting closer to Disney? Why? Disney already has a good relationship with Nintendo. Disney aren't afraid of partnerships to release console exclusives (as we've seen with games like Kinect Disneyland Adventures for the 360 and Disney Magic Castle: My Happy Life for the 3DS). Nintendo should be making more of an effort to release games from the Disney franchise if they want. I think that Disney would support it (and they seem to have doen in the past). Really though, Nintendo needs to be supporting third party developers as a whole. Begging them to release on the Wii U - hell, even paying for it if needed. If anything, 3rd party support could be the key to the U's success. Yes, we have a strong 1st party set-up, sure. I agree. However, the Wii U doesn't have a big of a gimmick as the original Wii had - and it also doesn't have its price. Unless you are a fan of a particular Nintendo franchise, then there isn't much to convince people to buy a Wii U, over, say, an Xbone or PS4.

Sorry. Just fishing for positive, constructive ideas from people that likely have a more rounded perspective.

Sorry. Just fishing for positive, constructive ideas from people that likely have a more rounded perspective.

I'd say my post was both positive and constructive. I pointed out what Nintendo has done well (strong first party line up) and where they need to improve - I have a "rounded" opinion, like you claim you wanted. I'm sorry that you're fishing for people who agree with everything you've said though - but if that is the case, then perhaps a discussion forum is the wrong place to vent your ideas.

Heh I know one's gonna say it at some point but...games that aren't tied to the console.
At some point like it or not your console's gonna break and your downloaded content that you paid tens or hundreds of dollars for'll be gone. Plz Fix it.
More third-party support. Hello? Game pad? no brainer.
Better advertising. When's the last time you saw a wiiU commercial..... exactly. Games like Wind Waker and the Wonderful...101! especially with it's recent price drop has not been tv advertised ONCE.
The rest is probably up to Nintendo.

Coggit,
I don't think I had any particular opinion directed at you. I am sorry if you were mistakenly offended. I do think if you say there isn't any particular reason to buy a Wii U over a PS4 or Xbox One, aside from already developed Nintendo franchises, it doesn't advance a proposed discussion of making the Wii U greater.

Honestly what Nintendo needs to do is have better advertising. The more systems that they can sell and get out to people the more third parties will want to bring games to the Wii U. Also perhaps a new IP. Mario, Zelda and Metroid are all great but its time for a new IP.

But yeah the first and foremost better advertising.

Does anybody remember the big full-page ads Nintendo would publish in magazines for Kid Icarus, Punch-Out, Zelda? Pretty effective at the time. Different avenues today. Where should the marketing be directed now?

The Wii U won't be the most succesful console ever, it'll be lucky if it even manages to outsell the Game Cube

They needed software first before they can start advertising. However this holiday season they do need to buckle down on securing different forms of advertising. Keep in mind that commercials are NOT the end-all advertising. Demos at retailers will be a great start (especially for Super Mario 3D World).

Well, since you're arguing that a console's success is reliant on luck, perhaps we could say the same about the PS2.

Good call.

Good ideas. The D&D is the best idea. They can release a bundle with dice and everything. The DM uses the game pad. The players either have wii remotes or don't, depending on what they choose. The story takes place on TV. It's such a beautiful idea that ... why don't they do it i have no idea what's going on with them sometimes.

_{Please refrain from posting images with profanity or other things against our rules. -Lz}

Nintendo should run more advertisements, And (I know it's to late now) but they should of changed the name of the console, So People/Retailers don't confuse the Wii and Wii U. And more First-party games at launch.

I would say that Wii U's lack of success is not because of poor marketing alone. There's some simple things Nintendo has fully ignored like, achievements / trophies on other platforms. (Even flash games have them!) Yes, some of you might say you don't care them at all in games, but I would argue that about 80% of people do like them & it also dictates mainly the choice of platform they play on. (Some buy even the crappiest games to just complete the "chievos" in them.)

Nintendo needs to be very careful in the future because some don't even accept them anymore as an option. I fear the day is coming soon when Nintendo - on the home console space - is gonna have hard time to keep itself relevant.

Nintendo shouldn't focus on making the Wii U the most successful console ever. Instead, it should look at the missteps of the Wii U and learn from them, making their next system a better machine.

Just look at the PS3 and its many missteps, followed by the PS4, which seems to rectify all the problems of the previous system, be it the more western developer-friendly approach, the concave triggers, or the easy-to-develop-for nature of the system.

Nintendo need to advertise more,ads during the X factor ,Downton Abbey and the soaps are need to get more people interested.
As good as Dave is,there aren't millions of people tuning in,

Only two things will get the Wii U selling.

1. Advertising

2. And great games with lots of mainstream appeal to boot.

Your ideas would help, but advertising the console during actually popular TV shows would help more. As will the likes of Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros 4.

Nintendo shouldn't follow what the other consoles have (such as achievements, or quantity over quality). They need advertising, but not for the system. Advertise the games and features. Advertise the Indie games, or the free online multiplayer, or the fact the Wii U can play all of your Wii games. These are key things the other systems can't do or are over looking. In a way, that will be the best advertising for the system. That is my idea.