Hyrule Warriors Legends Secures Third Place in Japanese Charts, With Sales Below Wii U Predecessor

Awwwww, I'm a bit disappointed by the Hyrule Warriors sales - this deserves better!

@cfgk24 it's not surprising considering the performance on old 3ds models is kinda poor. it's a new 3ds only title in everything but a label that should say 'for new 3ds'.

Good. If Nintendo refuse to give Wii U owners access to the new content, I hope the game flops hard.

@RainbowGazelle I thought Nintendo was giving the new content to Wii U owners?
It's very bad form to wish a title to flop when all those lovely dev have put so much energy into it. And the game is huge for the money!

Not surprising. Not interested in paying 40$ DLC to play as skull kid.

A bit surprised by Hyrule Legends, but if I had the WiiU versionn, I wouldn't get the 3DS version either. Having said that, I was about to pick up the WiiU version here in NA when they announced the 3DS version. So now I'm holding out for the 3DS version.

@cfgk24

Yea but isn't this the exact same game as the Wii U version except with new characters (and likely a whole lot less enemies on screen at once) ?

@cfgk24 this game is a cash grab. It's great that they made it for 3ds owners but they screwed people who bought it on wii u. Portability and extra characters aren't enough incentives for wii u owners to buy both. One version shouldn't have more content especially when it's on the 3ds.

A bit Nintendo unrelated but, did Xbox One really sell just 52 consoles in Japan?? I know Xbox One isn't doing so well in Japan, but I didn't know it was doing that bad. I feel bad for the little guy.

@cfgk24 Wii U owners can get the characters, but ONLY if they buy the whole game again to get codes that come with the 3ds version. It's slap in the face of every fan who bought the Wii U version and bought the DLC, when the 3ds version has ALL the Wii U's base content + ALL DLC + Additional content, AND is retailing for a lower price than the Wii U base game is still retailing for.

I do think it's a shame that us Wii U owners can't access the new characters without the 3DS entry, but it's good that 3DS owners without a Wii U can try it. And with the game performing better on the New 3DS, this probably explains the slight jump in hardware sales.

Well, to be fair, it's a re-release, of course it's not going to sell as well as the wiiU version!

The wiiU version was an "omg! ZeldaXdynasty warriors?". This one does not have the same excitement factor.

That and I think people are more likely to buy digital on the 3ds than on wiiU, since the 3ds is mobile and it makes a lot of sense to be able to carry all games at once.

I want to get this as I have N3DSXL and have never played the Wii U one

@RainbowGazelle You get it through a download code that comes with the game. Thiugh I hope they'll release a season pass or a GOTY edition with all the DLC. I'm only getting the Wii U one once I know I can get all of the DLC, and I don't want legends. I'll probably just get the code from someone online.

@amiiboacid Exactly, you have to buy the whole game again!

@RainbowGazelle That is a shame - I didn't know that . . .however - I can't complain at the amount of content available in the original Wii U version - over a year on and I'm still playing it!
Ive also been playing Samurai Warriors 3 in my 3ds which is awesome but looking forward to the being able to play Hyrule warriorson the train/plane/boat.

@Thomas
Not to be too picky but
"...the home console's momentum does put it in danger of dropping back to four figure sales in the coming weeks."
Using momentum when sales are decreasing is kind of weird. Even if there is a small momentum, sales should rise.
Maybe cool-off or decline best describe the situation here.

@amiiboacid The problem with that is then the Wii U content becomes a $50 DLC. I for one would love the new content however I cannot justify spending $50 for a game I already own on the WIi U that runs like a piece of garbage and I don't want.

@IAmDeclanJay

Yup, the Xbox One is doing that badly. It's launch week was like 25k and then it just crashed. I think Microsoft was expecting it to do a lot better and to replace the poor Xbox 360 sales but it basically just took over what the 360 sales were.

I would be upset at the missing Wii U Hyrule Warriors content (and the locking of content behind a $50+ game), but after playing the main campaign and the original adventure mode for a bit, I went back to other games. It was fun, but it got repetitive fast without enough variety to hide it (look now I am smashing the same combos for this character skin). Where in something like Xenoblade Chronicles X or Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, there is a lot of repeating content but due to the mechanics it can completely change how you play (depending on weapons/skills and in the case of XCX there is a lot of varied activities to focus on)

@RainbowGazelle lol how old are you? Also that would be koie who made that decision

@faint Well whoever made the decision, it's still a horrible way to treat your fans.

@cfgk24 yep. Like when ppl were hoping SMT x FE to flop so atlus and Nintendo make a better crossover. The only thing that does and just make atlus not make another game for Nintendo.

@faint Regardless of who's decision it is. It is still a very stupid thing to do, force people to buy a poorly running game on their system to get some content. It could have been done much better. Personally, I am hoping for it to flop a bit because a flop, will kind of show the developers that they need to do better.

@Hinaru77
Well, it can do that but it can also force the developer to actually listen to what fans are wanting instead of giving them the middle finger and doing whatever they want. Even more so, if it did badly on Nintendo in Japan, it'll probably do the similar on other systems there as well. Developer's need to remember that it is their consumers that keep them employed.

Oh.. and the game did flop in Japan... it flopped big time, just so you know.

@RainbowGazelle this is what they do with every samurai warriors game.

@ikki5 like I said they do this all the time. They constantly revise games and put out a different full priced version with the Warriors series just like capcom does with street fighter. I remember when the added content was announced and everybody including you complained. I told you the (several months ago) it would run like crap because all of their portable titles run like crap and you didn't believe me. This isn't a new thing

@faint I don't remember disagreeing with you that would would not run like crap, I remember saying they'd probably do something to optimize it for it to run a little smoother but I did agree with you that the performance would be less... I just didn't expect it to be this bad to the point where you would be forced to buy the upgraded system.

In the end though, even if they do this all the time, it doesn't make it a smart decision and from the looks of it, it will really show with this.

Huh. Forgot about yakuza kiwami. Still excited about hyrule warriors though. Looking forward to the new characters. I respect it beating out Just cause though...

@IAmDeclanJay If I wore tinfoil hats I'd think MS was sending folks from a branch office to go buy systems. Just so they have something on the balance sheet. Although there isn't a big game draw (I am looking forward to Raiden though) to separate the one and the 4 and with the 4 having brand loyalty MS is going to struggle in Japan.

Wow SEGA, for just making ports of existing games, you sure know how to fool the consumers big time. Just look at those Yakuza games. Yakuza: Kiwami is just a remake of the first game. If SEGA simply ports their "good" games instead of making more "good" games, then SEGA is suffering even more than Nintendo. Atleast Nintendo makes new games every year. What does SEGA do besides milking the hell out of their glory days games?

I can never understand how SEGA manages to just ignore the western market and yet pretends like it does care about the western market. Everyone is praising SEGA for porting Valkyria Chronicles to the PS4 for the west. May I ask why? The game is out on PC. What makes it so tempting to just get it on PS4?

@RainbowGazelle Desiring a given game to flop, specially when a game for handheld (which are struggling very hard from mobile gaming) is downright evil.

I wish the developer all the luck the title deserves and that it finds the 3DS a platform worth pursuing with more games.

@faint: agree with you on the first comment...

3rd place is still better than this game deserves. Screwing over pre-existing owners out of significant extra content unless they buy another version of the game? The fact that the game operates at terrible performance just adds insult to injury.

@ikki5 it is not a smart decision but everyone is so surprised and outraged. I guess I'm tired of the hate train. It was clear this was going to happen months ago.

@maceng Momentum is the product of mass and velocity. It's a vector quantity, and thus can be negative. Personally I think its use in this article is appropriate.

I'm surprised anyway. I thought it would pull a Smash and do better than the WiiU, even though I was against this dualing game thing they keep doing.

So is it a given that the Wii U version will not get the 3DS extras unless they buy the 3DS version? I find that hard to believe. Why would a company leave money on the table? Sell the Wii U version. Sell the $19.99 season pass DLC. Sell the 3DS version with more. Sell the 3DS extras for Wii U. Does that logic not make sense?

And to be honest, even if somebody could show me a quote where they said the Wii U verison wasn't getting the DLC I still wouldn't believe it. Lego Hobbit never got the 3rd film as DLC. SSBU got a ton of DLC after they made it seem like it wouldn't. Mewtwo was free, then it went on sale. I bought Skylanders Super Chargers Racing on 3DS to get the amiibo and then the amiibo went on sale separatly after the holidays.

Either before E3 or at E3 they'll announce that it's sold separalty, depending on how well the 3DS version is selling. It's just like all those "pre-order" bonuses people get when they buy games, they are almost always on sale later.

I'll be back after E3 to admit if I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

@rjejr Mewtwo was only free if you paid an extra $45(CAD). Besides, didn't the direct talk about how you get the content by link the game or something?

Predictable. The WiiU version sold moderatly in Japan too then it became a million seller thanks to the west market.

@tjhiphop Nope, is not.
When used in a non-related physics term, it means conveys the meaning of success (short lived or not). As success and failure are opposite, so are momentum and decrements, or decline. That is according to Dictionary.com.

Wow, inferior port sells less than old game. Hold the press!

Looks like yet another cash grab from Nintendo anyway.

It deserves to top the charts as much as any other mid-range remaster in recent memory, i.e. not at all. Honestly, if Nintendo want to do ports to make some quick money that's fine, but utilise the Gamecube library. Please!!!

Not surprising given the original did not do well in Japan anyway - since it did do well in the West it will be interesting if the 3DS version repeats the pattern.

@JohnnyC this is koie not Nintendo. It was probably in their contract that they could do a portable version at a latter date to maximize profits

@ikki5 Good point about the $45CAD not quite being "free". Seemed that way for us as I got the game on Wii U and my kids got it on 3DS, which means we spent $140 for "free" Mewtwo.

But to the original point, I was pretty sure they said Mewtwo was only available if you bought both games but then later they sold it for either version, or both.

【Now Available】
Mewtwo
Date available: 04/28/2015
3DS $3.99
WiiU $3.99
3DS WiiU $4.99

http://www.smashbros.com/us/dlc/

So I am assume at some point they'll do the same for this. I could be wrong, but I wouldn't buy another copy of the game on the 3DS until at least after E3 if I really wanted those extras.

@Socar Ocarina of time, majoras mask, twilight princess..... 😁

@XCWarrior WiiU version is far superior, imho. It runs smooth and local coop is a blast (as for any musou on home consoles)

@arnoldlayne83 ARe you comparing this to a 3DS OG or a new 3DS? I have a new 3DS, and the framerate of those videos looks just fine. I don't care its its 30 or 60 FPS. Just as long as it doesn't lag.

@rjejr ha ha! I actually agree with you for once! Yay!

@cfgk24 For once?

@rjejr Lol

@rjejr
I ventured down to comments to say some of what you already said.

I'm looking forward to adding a couple of these characters one day when I feel like playing Hyrule Warriors again and I have to try Linkle. I really liked her gameplay video. I'm fully expecting to buy it one day without getting the 3DS game. I guess I'll start complaining once it becomes apparent that there will be no other way to get it.

Oh, by the way, I pulled the trigger on Tom Nook and KK Slider (individual). Wife and I loved those characters from when we played the Gamecube Animal Crossing back before we had kids. As soon as the kids saw it they spent a few hours loading up their games of Animal Crossing City Folk which they haven't played for years.

@rjejr
... so thanks for that $5 Tom Nook tip!

@Socar well hyrule warrior is also a remake of the wiiu version so whats the difference, and Sega ignoring the western market? Arent they releasing total warhammer this year?

@rjejr Yeah, I know they made Mewtwo buyable separate and I do hope they do it with this.

@aaronsullivan Oh you know you are more than welcome. Us playable toy collectors have got to stick together. Have I mentioned my oldest is getting braces next month? $2,800 could have bought a lot of amiibo. Orthodontist is putting us on a payment plan, which we should pay off just before my youngest's bar mitzvah. And then college... dun dun dun

@ikki5 Of course w/ the exchange rate you'll still probably have to pay $40CAD just for the DLC.

@rjejr I'd hope not... considering how the other 4 packs are still like $20ish.

That'l teach them! I heard all bad from the 3DS version: Locked save-file (if you resell, the person who buys can't delete the file. There is a update that solves this underway, but still...), bad framerate and lag on normal 3DS, weaker sound-quality on normal 3DS (and maybe also on New 3DS, compared to the original anyway).

@ikki5 So I guess you also want FE Fates to completely flop because the face touching feature was removed?

@Darknyht
I agree. It's just too repetitive and the DLCs do not offer enough new contents to me at least. The only one that adds new missions is the Master Quest DLC. But to me the added missions do not add much more entertainment value. I've played many Dynasty Warriors games (5,7,8) and Skyward Sword. I'd say any of the 4 offers more contents and variety compare to Hyrule Warriors. Actually the main reason I bought HW is that it offers the best Co-Op mode in both series. I don't like the split screen co-op in DW and no co-op is offered in most Zelda games. Contents wise, HW is quite lacking...in comparison. The story is also very weak, too. But that's a very common weakness among Warrior games.

20000 systems sold is a success.
10000 systems sold is a failure.
But the definition changes based on perspective.
In the light of 20000 systems sold, 10000 systems sold would be a failure.
In light of 0 systems sold, 10000 systems sold would be a success.
Yes, you're right @maceng, success and failure are as opposite as momentum and decline.
But if systems are still selling, the sales modicum cannot be directly changed to 'failure' when previously it was 'success'.
To decline, in any instance, is to fall. Falling has, in and of itself, a momentum.
You seem to hinge your perception on what you have read on dictionary.com, so let's simplify.
/________/________/__
This line represents the sales life of the Wii U. Note that along this line, there are 4 seperate peaks and 4 seperate declines.
Each peak and subsequent decline represents a pivotal period in the Wii U's lifespan in Japan.
3 holiday seasons and 3 peak purchasing times. After each decline, the market stabilizes before peaking yet again.
This is commonly referred to as 'sales momentum'. The decline, as you refer it, is the period at the end of a product's lifespan where a period of decline will no longer end with stability and stability will no longer end with a peak.
Should another peak occur after a time of stability (and inactivity is not the same as stability), then both the current decline, the mounting stability and the subesquent peak (it is a cyclical, yet unrounded cycle) are all merely part of the system's 'sales momentum.
The line in question is rather like a pendulum. The important thing to remember about a pendulum is that (as with sales) it is not when the pendulum is at its highest or lowest point that it shows us the true weight of its mechanism.
The Wii U shows itself as a failure through its averages, not its peaks and declines.

My GF is playing Hyrule warriors Legends on her Japanese 3ds ! It's awesome!

@aaronsullivan I know you already told me you didn't want it - or already ordered it I forget - but that $30 DI Marvel Battlegrudns set is now $19.99 at both Amazon and Best Buy. $10 for the figure, $10 for the game, not bad.

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B016LGYSRC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/disney-interactive-studios-disney-infinity-3-0-edition-marvel-battlegrounds-play-set/4847003.p?id=bb4847003&skuId=4847003