Monday means various things, such as a feeling of dread in the pit of one's stomach, the European Nintendo Download update and also — for those that like retail sales information — the UK all-format software charts.
This week's results from UKIE once again reflect the different fortunes for the increasingly established 3DS and the Wii U, which still awaits an anticipated bump in the Holiday sales. The star for the 3DS is Animal Crossing: New Leaf, once again, which maintains its position in 5th place with a 9% drop on last weeks sales, which is reasonable compared to the fall-off endured by some other titles. Other 3DS exclusives in the top 40 are Luigi's Mansion 2 in 21st and Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Bros. in 24th place, while LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins and evergreen Mario Kart 7 cling on in 36th and 38th places, respectively.
There is some disappointing news, once again, for Pikmin 3; it's continued its slide down the charts to 37th place, which strongly suggests that this'll be the title's last week in the top 40. After a strong start it's been a fairly rapid slide down the rankings, once again reflecting the perils of a lower install base, while the 3DS provides ample proof that momentum is possible for Nintendo games once a platform becomes more established.
The Wii U is still in its early days, of course, with a lot of exclusives coming over the course of the year; perhaps this time next year games on the home console will enjoy similar momentum to those on 3DS.
[source ukie.info]
Comments 27
Retail sales for pikmin 3 are officially over 200k now, which is great performance for a title so early in a consoles lifecycle - and with a lower install base at that.
I wonder how much digital copies were sold? I don't think nintendo will ever share that information with us, making the coming years increasingly murky to predict sequels or businesses when it comes to games. I kind of like it.
i really hate it when articles like this dont have a chart.
yes i know i can click on the source...and im doing that right now!
This again doesn't seem relevant. More interesting is individually per platform where Pikmin stands. The fact that on its own it beats other multiplatform games is amazing in and of itself, but, it's just not the whole picture.
well, considering how the Wii U isn't that popular in the UK and the number of systems isn't that high compared to the 3DS and such.... this is kind of expected.
Maybe Pikmin 3 doesn't have staying power b/c it hasn't established itself as a franchise well enough since it's been 10 years since Pikmin 2? I know NPC games came out over the past 5 years but nothing new. Maybe if Nintendo had released a handheld Pikmin game on the DS it would have increased it's visibility? (I would have been po'd it wasn't on Wii but it might have increased market awareness.)
I love Pikmin - best part of Nintendo Land - but they aren't Mario or Sonic. I still think it sold well enough it's 1st week though that the rest doesn't matter. Pent up demand was filled.
Pikmin 3 has done well to be fair... bodes well for the more revered future Nintendo titles.
It shows even a good game can't sale wiiu consoles. But then again, very little advertisement to mainstream people, only to people following wiiu. U can't sale what people do t know or know enough about. Im sorry u can have the best widget on the planet but it will not sale itself.
Lets look at the advertising on UK TV here. I still see weekly the advert for Animal Crossing on the 3DS on the mainstream channels but more so on the kids satellite channels.
I can't remember seeing Pikmin 3 advert for Wii U other than in the first week of its release and then I only saw it once.
Several TV shows for the Kids are Sponsored by 'PlayStation Vita' or other platforms + Software and these are repeated on every advert break, start and finish of a program. It is no wonder the Wii U software comes and goes so quickly. Wii U - Wii Who??
I find it funny to read people comments now, before the release of pickmin and during the first week everyone was talking how it would be a big saler and sale consoles. Now its about well for a small user base its doing well... you people never admit anything. Wiiu has a huge up hill battle, and now games coming out without online play. Just means more people not buying wiiu. Sorry... its not there... hopefully next year, but I. Don't see it with the nintendo release and their lack of advertisements.
@kevinaa Totally agree with you and I'm a Wii U and 3DS owner.
Without a big concertive effort to push the Wii U through advertising then the Wii U will be obsolete before Christmas.
I have just read the great Wonderful 101 review and yet I know (and so do all you readers) that without a proper advertising campaign this will not sell more than a few tens of thousand copies, and no one will purchase a Wii U just to play it.
The sad thing is I don't see Nintendo boosting their advertising campaign for the Wii U and with my hand on heart I believe the Nintendo decision makers have already written the Wii U off as a loss leader and are looking toward the next generation Nintendo console rather than try everything that they can to reinvigorate the Wii U attractiveness to the gamer yet to make the purchase.
I know that in the future I wont be purchasing the next gen Nintendo console on day of release like I have done so far. Next time i will wait at least 6 months for fear of having another sideboard ornament that should have been a game console!
Still no news how Pikmin 3 is selling in North America?
Pikmin 3 is WAY more niche than most of their other franchises. I mean, this is for all intents and purposes a real time strategy game. Combine that with a low install base and you're seeing these poor numbers.
On the other hand, the Wii U has plenty of room to grow. I just got mine and when my friends saw it in action they were blown away. I think people are going to be converted, slowly but surely, by the power of the Game Pad.
It's a real shame Wii U won't be getting GTA V, though. And I'm definitely worried about the third-party outlook for the system. On the other hand, Zelda.
Not surprised, as others have stated, I never really thought Pikmin 3 had much "staying power."
@Mytoemytoe I completely agree with you.
The non-gaming crowd (the precise demographic that Nintendo tries to appeal to) have no idea that Wii U even exists, let alone be aware of the unique features that make Wii U special. When I brought it over to a friend's barbecue, everyone there was completely in love with it in seconds.... even though the only game I brought along was Game & Wario!
I think Nintendo just needs to increase its advertising efforts and help educate the public about the Wii U and what makes it special. Higher console sales = more 3rd party support = even more console sales = winning cycle for all!
Pikmin 3 GOTY
@Cohort
I don't know why but every time I see your avatar it looks like a seahorse when scrolling reasonably fast. Like a Horsea or a Seadra from Pokémon.
Best game I've played in a long time better than the last of us and Bioshock infinite to me. I've never played the previous Pikmin titles so I was blown away nor have I played a console rts that works as well as this game. I don't see this being a system seller but I do see it being picked up with other titles this holiday. It's a great step for Nintendo.
Pikmin 3 is Amazing... having a total Blast with the game... started playing Bingo Battle yesterday and that was Awesome and addictive. Hopefully more people will give this Great Game a chance as it will not disappoint , a true Gem. This is my first Pikmin game... and I can now say I am a Huge fan Think You Miyamoto
@Dark_Link ... I am very interested in that to... I hope it is doing well and starting to help Sell some Wii U Systems!!!!!
Check out this awesome Pikmin 3 live action movie trailer! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZLQEcVq6Hw
@kevinaa its not mario/zelda. Pikmin 3 is a niche game for a very small community. Its not surprising.
@kevinaa its not mario/zelda. Pikmin 3 is a niche game for a very small community. Its not surprising.
I do not know what happens in other countries, but here in Italy in August, the shops are closed and people go to the sea.
How do you talk about declining sales in this period?
Do you really believe that people think in August to buy a video game?
Look forward to September, when the people will return home and turn on the console again .....
Not many people are aware of Pikmin 3's existence. If I go on Amazon.co.uk's Video Games page right now, there is no acknowledgement of the existence of either Pikmin 3, or even The Wonderful 101! They need to start advertising! The Xbox One has ads plastered all over the site.
i don't know pikman. There is no demo and thus i will not buy it, regardless how raving peoples comments on the game are.
@GearsOfWarU Well Pikmin was the number one game in the USA for August 10th with 114,828 and the Wii U in North America during that same time was 17,962, Not a bad boost in sales, basically Nintendo needs to keep the games coming and the Wii U will start picking up momentum.
http://www.vgchartz.com/
Awesome News just as I expected !!!!!!!!!!!! Let's Go Nintendo Wii U : )
Tap here to load 27 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...