Analyst: Nintendo of America "Forgot Marketing 101" For Wii U

He's not saying anything any of us haven't said, but he's on the money.

Agreed.

He bears his title well. _{But I got there first.}

As long as they don't forget The Wonderful 101.

I think that the Wii U still has the ability to beat at least one of the consoles, if not both. Check out my blog to read why: http://www.ign.com/blogs/gaby_gabito/2013/04/23/buy-wii-u-now-or-wait-for-ps4-2

Pretty acurate really, hope Sony and Microsoft get the same media pressures if they struggle at first!!!
Agree about nin-land too, didn't impress me much....shame it didn't have a couple more mini games and show off the graphics ability of the Wii u more =(

They forgot games too. The console has been out 6 months and they dont have one game that I would classify as a must have.

Nintendo is getting a nice serving of that humble pie right now. Hopefully they learn from these mistakes.

@gaby_gabito Interesting topic. Although I looked at some comments and many of them seemed pretty ignorant. Most of them didn't acknowledge that the Wii U will have a year head-start and have great games on it. Playstation got a head-start, and look what that did to them. I don't like going on IGN since there are a lot of uninformed hardcore fanboys.

Advertise Pikmin 3 and Wonderful 101 and something just might happen.

With the slow game launches like Reggie said, nothing was gonna help the Wii U.

Their release strategy blew up with their own delays and the third party delays/cancellations. Nintendo is so used to delaying its titles that I think sometimes it's not a big deal to them. Well this time it was.

@MANIAC911: Technically speaking, the software variety of a console can also be considered an influential market factor (if not in the conventional sense). When done right, most games demonstrate the demographic and differentiation of their respective console to consumers and developers alike.

The Wii U has done neither of those things - that's why it's struggling. It hasn't established one single identity for itself and focused on it. Nintendo's trying to hard to reclaim the core audience it lost with the Wii while trying to salvage as much as it gained in the same generation; it's not working.

All of us have been saying the same thing. It seems as though they are trying not to sell systems and despite this effort to not sell, 3.5 million still ended up in homes.

@HeatBombastic I'm sure many of those didn't even read the first and second paragraphs. If so, they wouldn't have made those comments. Sadly, many people just aren't open to new ideas. They close themselves to what they are already comfortable with and they already know what they're going to say before doing their own research.

The guy has a point, they have their own underdog story in their backyard. The 3DS struggled out of the gate but once the AAA games hit, the system flew off the shelves. This fall will be HUGE for Wii U!!! Pikmin 3, Wonderful 101, Wind Waker HD, Mario Kart plus whatever other surprises they have in store at E3. It will turn around and I wouldn't be surprised to see a $50 price drop as well.

It's interesting the Gamecube is known for being a failurel, but has one of the best library of games. I expect the Wii U will pick up once the heavy hitters start coming out.

I will wait patiently for the time when Wii U starts flying of the shelves, and Nintendo start flooding it with games. That box is lovely, and deserves every kind of good and stable sales like the 3DS. Many of us know that.

WiiU Nintendo will start selling when you give a move to issue high caliber as Smash Bros and Mario Kart to increase sales, for sure in a few months you will see in the Nintendo Direct support for this Nintendo console.

These guys get paid for this?

Yeah, nintendo did a horrendous job with marketing, no doubt.
I think things will pick-up when games start to stream in and the price comes down a little. A great marketing campaign could also help in a big way. Nobody knows the thing exists, and if they do they don't know what it is.

Nintendo needs to market with more self awareness...poke fun at themselves, acknowledge the perception of the company from western gamers and make a meme out of it. Its very simple...hire me and i'll fix this right up for ya. Reggie and Iwata gimme a call.

@Rawk_Hawk
Gamecube was amazing, so was the Wii. The Wii U will turn out great, i have no doubt.

Anyone else noticed how whenever Nintendo post results and don't meet targets these analysts are all over them to point out how they fail. Yet Vita has been sluggish from the start and these analysts have never once made a peep. They are so keen to note how smart phones are destroying Nintendo yet they have never made that spin towards Vita.

Nintendo forgot Marketing 101 because they were too focused on the Wonderful 101.

Usually, I dont like bad commentary about Nintendo, but this one I actually have to agree to. They really need better marketing and not just aim for the kids.

I think for Nintendo to turn things around with the floating gamers who have yet to make up there minds what console to go with they will need an new ip like wii sports to pull them in, and find a way to market it a lot better than they have been when the big games start being released

@GameLord08
I completely agree with the console having no identity. Iwata addressed that yesterday so hopefully they take the necessary steps to turn this thing around. The first step is admitting that there's a problem.

@Sentinator
Let's not do the "Hey, look at them too" thing. Both are struggling.

What's a Wii U? I have never heard of it.

I watched with interest around the time Wii U was released, and to say NoA's attempt to promote the new Mothership sucked would be giving them too much credit. Ads were lackluster, and did nothing to explain Wii U features!

I'm not in the US so I can't comment on that but otherwise, yes.

So are people actually buying this new controller for the very outdated Wii? Why would they? (Just the average dude giving an opinion)

So are people actually buying this new controller for the very outdated Wii? Why would they? (Just the average dude giving an opinion)

@gaby_gabito Your about on the money there but would also add, with Curent trends on 360, Ps3 towards Day 1 dlc, and edging towards Micro-transactions, it might also be worth a wait n see approach on both Ps4, Kinectbox to actually see how aggressively this trend is going to be pushed.

They need to advertise like crazy. Since when have they had good commercials or advertisements that the regular public will see? How can anyone even know it exists if they won't correctly advertise? They need to convince people that this is a system that they can't live with out and currently its looking like the other way around.

metroid u will rise wiiu! and games like kingdom hearts and zelda.. and give that april update..

@Ryno I think it's an app for the iPad that does something with the Wii like play games or something...

I don't agree and to prove it look at all video game companies. The universal decline is a result of the economy, plain and simple. Wii U is a luxury that people want, but can't afford.

Glad to hear an analyst besides Pachter. I do not understand how Pachter can blame Iwata and praise Reggie and NoA. I really only see Nintendo Direct messages from oversees and hardly any other advertising. When I do see ads they are targeting young kids exclusively and not the major game buying demographic who is older.

@Dogpigfish
I completely disagree. People are spending $300+ on phones and tablets. Sony and M$ have consoles coming out that have a high demand as well.

You can't just blame everything on the economy.
Nintendo needs to release games and give people a reason to buy the console.

They have at least a year long head start over the others, a free pass in which to make the Wii U THE must have console. Instead they came storming out the gate with the aggression of a silent fart...

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is the only game that makes me feel like I'm missing out by not having a Wii U. I love Monster Hunter and Nintendo but I'm not buying a new console for one game.

Wasn't there a theory that Nintendo was deliberately holding back on the marketing side of things until the new update came out?

Nintendo makes billions of dollars from consoles and games. A bunch of people that hover around gaming websites do not

Whoa! This is news to me!

Marketing 101 has been missing. Who was in charge of commercializing the Wii U? Whoever that is might need to take basic college course for marketing again.

@Dreamcaster-X - one big difference between 3DS and WiiU, 3DS had basically no competition in Vita, WiiU will be facing PS4 and Kinectbox.

At this point I'm just considering this year Wii U's "beta" year. XD

Another thing though. Why does everyone consider the Gamecube a failure when no one says the same about the Xbox? The PS2 trounced them both completely, but the Xbox barely sold more than the Gamecube did. Gaming really exploded this last generation, so 25mil seems like a modest success to me if anything.

@Burning_Spear
mate the wii u update has gone live, am in europe, an i went to system settings, an then to update an clicked it, an now the new data is down loading iam told its live in usa too

Nintendo will be fine. they'll never get the Madden/FSP gamer. those kind of games sell a lot but Nintendo never really had those people and they don't really need them. Nintendo needs to market to kids like always and keep up with the amazing 1st party IPs, those are a given. bring back the JRPG fans, forget about Final Fantasy, it's garbage. Bring over the Tales series, localize great Japanese and bring them to the North America, not just Europe. that niche market, included with Nintendo's base fans should be enough.

from everything I'm reading the Xbox 720 is basically DOA, fans absolutely hate "always online" requirement and a lot of people aren't going to like having to pay $240 a year for online servies when they are only paying $45 now.

the PS4 seems like a repackaging for the PS3, some devs are sayings the "PS4 specs are in the neighborhood of low-end CPU, with a low- to mid-range GPU side." so it isn't going to be the juggernaught the PS3 was. it's rumored to launch at $429, which is a lot more than the Wii U. nothing really innovative about it. same repackaging of the same tried and true titles. it's not like they reinvent themselves like Nintendo. no backwards compatability.

I think the Sony and especially Mircosoft will have major problems in the next gen. I think they're gamers will probably just stay at home and play what they have for awhile. the industry always wants to close the casket on Nintendo but it always pulls through just fine. just look at what they said about the Wii

Wii U can be cheaper than 360 and PS3 depending on what you want in the bundle and how well or badly you shop. It could even be half the price of Sony and MS new consoles (even if once again both are playing innovation catch up with Nintendo and adding poor ripoffs to their new consoles).

Doom and Gloom. ANALYSTS don't necessarily know a lot about things; even the things they are reporting about. Facts may be skewed, and questions ballooning from "events" create their news... Because the analyst is ALWAYS an all knowing being.

The main problem with phone games is the interface and the fact that its on a phone which is under constant distraction, whether its battery life or something else. Its good for a few second destresser but thats it.

Nothing really new but hey Nintendo where are all the good games that people will want to go out a buy a Wii U ? That is the biggest problem.

Im waiting for the Wonderful 101 and Deus Ex and money XD.
Besides Bayonetta 2, and pikmin 3 and they're jrpgs in the pipleine they have to show people they dont just have mario and zelda.

Come on Nintendo.. Bring us more games!

I do not know what happens in other countries, but here in Italy there is a crisis.
Spend almost a third of their salary for a console is heavy ....

@MANIAC911
I know man. That is why I brought it up. I just think that these analysts should start looking at every fence. Wii U has shown signs of life when Monster Hunter and Lego City came out so the interest is there. It just needs more games. And I agree more advertising is a must. The only adverts I have seen on Wii U are Lego City adverts which happened rarely.

It's true! But being a year early they haven't much cared about competition yet and it sucks!! Best console to date worst marketing ever!

I remember being burnt down countless times saying the iphone and later the ipad were eating into nintendo's main market.

Oh well, now everybody can be hopeful again as consumers will learn about quality of dedicated experiences, and nintendo has it for them.

here's the thing, the wii U is not a flop as all those silly people say, it's just the fact that there's no games out for it yet. they had the same problem with the 3ds and everyone thought that would flop, but it's going strong because good games FINALLY CAME OUT. just wait till smash 4, yoshi's yarn, etc.

Wonderful 101 and pikmin are again little kid games for the most part. Sure anyone can play them, but they are not something a teenager or adult would say, "WOW or COOL!" and want to show off to a friend.

They said Wii U was going to focus on gamers!

All of the 3rd party companies that make games for gamers are giving up on the Wii U already and focusing on other consoles.

Come on Nintendo...........

Also while 3DS is doing good, more and more kids even age 4 are getting ipads and any kid above 10 uses tablets and phones for gaming.

Nintendo has to focus on what people want and get with the times already.

They actually could've done considerably better, without spending any dime more on marketing.

By only producing and shipping 95% Premium models, and only 5% Basic models, or ditching the Basic entirely.

Many have been ready to wait for their retailer to receive more Premium bundles, instead of opting for the Basic, and many consumers that have had a hard time deciding which to get has led them to just not buy the system at all yet.

The new AND the staying Nintendo audience has NOT appreciated having to make this decision. The old Nintendo audience are still shaking their heads in disbelief over the decision to keep the name "Wii."

I hope all of it hits home, and they finally advertise it.

@GamerJunkie Pikmin isn't exactly a little kid game, it takes a lot of strategy. I'm sure many little kids would find the series incredibly frustrating.
And pod you are right about them making too many 'regular versions'. To be frank, I have not, besides the demo version I had seen at Best buy, seen a White Wii U. They weren't even selling it at launch, and though they were all sold out, there were only 15. Maybe if there were more, the sales would have been better.

more title + discounted Wii U price

Its funny to me how these kinds of experts will tell you that cartoons and primetime sitcoms are catered to and enjoyed by completely different markets, and then go on to argue that idevices and nintendo cater to the exact same demographics.

I agree that nintendo been completely on every front possible for almost two years now, but lets not pretend that any segment of nintendos business is in competition with any segment of apples. It makes us all look stupid.

Gamers are gamers. Screen tappers are screen tappers.

Nintendos in trouble because theyve treated their products massive sales as forgone conclusions. No company in its right mind is going to launch a console and proclaim the following year the year of their handheld. No company in their right mind is going to surrender its press conference in the worlds most hyped trade show, that millions of buyers anticipate, so they can demo product that, after ms and sony announcements, will seem low rent by comparison.

The industry as a whole gets excited about the next wave of future bs. Thats the way it always has been. Mark my words, NOTHING nintendo displays will live up to the promises that sony and ms make. Fair or not, the next gen status quo that nintendos bringing to the table will be torn apart as 'more of the same' while an entire industry is creaming its pants over what theyre thinking the "real" new hardware is going to be bringing to them come christmas.

But, no. By all means, believe that ANOTHER nintendo direct, that again no one will see but us, is going to fix everything.

brucelebnd

the PS4 seems like a repackaging for the PS3, some devs are sayings the "PS4 specs are in the neighborhood of low-end CPU, with a low- to mid-range GPU side." so it isn't going to be the juggernaught the PS3 was.

God knows what you've been reading, Nvidia? the same manufacture that a said a console could out perform a PC, as you have direct access to the consoles CPU. I'll post some links from some of the top dev's in the world to tell you what exactly what it is, a beast which kills the PS3 in every way possible. The PS4 uses AMD APU, CPU/GPU is built on the same die.