As we reported yesterday, Wii U will launch in time for Christmas, with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealing to investors the company has learnt from the 3DS launch.
Iwata told investors:
For the launch of new hardware, it is, of course, regarded as a sort of requisite not to miss the critical year-end sales season. The company is aiming to firmly complete the development of the entire system and prepare sufficient software so that the Wii U will be at its best at the time of the launch. Needless to say, we have learned a bitter lesson from the launch of the Nintendo 3DS.
3DS was widely criticised for launching without a digital download store and its lack of high-profile Nintendo franchises like Zelda and Mario, with Iwata repeatedly stating the company will not make the same mistakes again.
Sadly Iwata gave away no further details about Wii U software, leaving us waiting until E3 for our glimpse at the final machine and its games.
[source nintendo.co.jp]
Comments (35)
I hope I'm not the only one whom thought that it meant the console would go downhill after launch. The title seems a little misleading, at least to me anyways.
I wonder what kind of software they're preparing for launch if they want it to have a great launch.
Star Fox ;D
I can't wait for more information on this console. It seems promising.
I think Nintendo will be much less reliant on 3rd parties for the system's launch; they made that mistake with the 3DS and will be sure to supply a slew first-party games for the Wii U. Backwards compatibility means anyone without a Wii can still enjoy the classics such as NSMBW, Skyward Sword, the Galaxies, etc. That saved the 3DS launch for me and actually made it the best console launch I've ever experienced; backwards compatibility.
Okay... I hope the games aren't rushed and have lower quality just because of the necessity to have a flagship though.
I hope so bruddah
New Super Mario Bros + Launch = Done Deal
Also make sure the console is actually online ready for third parties.
They better have learned their lesson. I do want something new to play though , yea the Franchise Games aren't in question. Of course you need those on launch i mean they have different variety in that department to go with. But the other new titles are what im looking for this time around. Something new to get hooked on.
I wasnt interested in wiiU when they were planning to release it so close to 3DS release but its suprising what a difference moving it a few months makes. I am quite happy, providing price is right, to buy it around the end of the year / christmas and I expect im not the only one who felt like it was being released to early.
Those extra few months will also buy it more time to build up the launch software lineup and work out any kinks.
Thank God...the 3DS Launch was pukeworthy.
Pikmin 3 or Super Mario Bros 4 at launch
Lies.
Utter lies.
it needs both very good first and 3rd party support- the 3ds 3rd party launch games for the exception of 1 or 2 were quite poor. i'm predicting darksiders to be one of those games on launch day, as well as hopefully a mario game to name.
@scrafty You trolling on all Wii u articles aren't you lol
I think as long as Wii U has it's online infastructure and eShop ready, as well as a mainline Mario game, the launch should be a successful one. At the same time I realize sub par system launches aren't exclusive to the 3DS, as most systems released in the last decade have had the same problem. If Wii U can actually manage to launch with a good variety of high caliber software, it would be a first for any system in a long while. Last one I can remember was the Dreamcast, which had probably the most incredible launch ever.
When will it be at its worst? I want to avoid during those times. Thank you.
This better mean Pikmin 3 as a launch title as well as Tekken and Batman Arkham city. A shop, that includes some good Wii uware and Gamecube games in the Virtual Console section. And no major updates I'n the first 3 months (We get really impatient when you give us practically nothing from the start, and I hope Nintendo learned that with the 3DS)
I can't wait to get a WiiU. Hopefully it'll get a namechange till then though. Sounds kind of cheap IMO.
But I bet Nintendo's E3 showing is gonna be one hell of a show. I really can't wait to see stuff like the interface, all the stuff the controller can do etc. etc.
Pikmin 3 and some type of Advance Wars online strategy game w/ built in videoconferencing/Skype whatever they'll call it which allows you to micromanage in your hand but watch all the action in glorious HD on a big screen.
That was...poorly worded. Starting out great but then never being that great again is just bad, not to mention impossible if the console is even slightly successful. Surely he just meant "The Wii U will have the best launch" or something along those lines.
Still wary from the 3DS launch; majorly regret buying before the price drop. Sorry, I won't be in line for one of these for another year.
Star Fox + F Zero + Pikmin 3 at launch = <3
@bahooney Right there with you.
Also I think a Mario title will be ready at launch.
It´s about time after two generations without a Mario title at launch.
I´m hoping for a 3d world Mario and not NSMB but that´s most likely. We have seen a demo already.
Launch it with a Mario game, and it will sell. That's a fact.
Launch it with a coupon for a free lunch. You can't go wrong launching with lunches!
@rafaelluik
I have a strange feeling some titles will have their deadlines cut and rushed out the door. This is why Super Mario 3D Land was an appetizer compared to Mario Galaxy and Mario Kart 7 was a massive downgrade from Mario Kart Wii. Lets just hope they mean what they say about "learning their lesson" from the 3DS and actually release games that are worth buying.
Is it just me, or does the Wii U screen look smaller than I remember from E3?
Y'all can expect Pikmin 3 at launch.
I seriously hope we'll see Pikmin 3 at E3. Looking forward to it!
See the problem is for that they need a new F-zero.
Either Nintendo blows my friggin' mind at launch or no sale for me.
Has Nintendo really learned it's lesson? There are effectively 8/9 months until any pre-christmas launch would have to take place and the Wii U has no confirmed specs, hardware, name, features, software, and on and on and on. Unless Nintendo have been lying to us so far... I think there may be a big dissapointment on the cards.
-On his knees- Please Miyamoto, please let there be a solid launch line-up!
I'm thinking he means that whatever software they announce at this year's E3 concerning the Wii U will be ready to use when the launch date finally arrives. They don't want to announce a bunch of things you can do it with it and then when it comes out, you had to wait a month or two (look at the what happened when the 3DS launched.) It's a smart move and hopefully they learned their lessons from the 3DS launch as well as some of the mishaps concerning the Wii.
Pikmin 3 and a Mario or Zelda to get the ball rolling. Then a few months later release a new Star Fox and a brand new LP to give all of us plenty of time to spend with our Wii U
Being a Nintendo old boy (playing since the 80's), my dream launch would be a Mario game, starfox, pilot wings, f zero and a remake of super castlevania!
Wii U looks more hardcore than I'm used to, don't plan to get any of the launch titles right now, but I am still getting it day one. Just release a Mario or Zelda or even Star Fox to come out then, Ninty, and all my regrets will be gone.
Tap here to load 35 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...