Mass Market Price And Mario Kart 8 Will Reverse The Wii U's Fortunes, Say UK Retailers

I think I actually agree.

They also need to get their donkey in gear on Virtual Console and cross platform play on these titles. If you tell the world they can play any Nintendo published game on Wii U and 3DS since the NES, they will come. Get other publishers on board like they did on Wii, so have Master System, Megadrive, Saturn games as well.
_{Please watch the profanity — TBD}

I agree Mario kart 8 is the last chance for the Wii U. Possibly release a $250/£200 bundle to entice the casual crowd.

The 3ds will eat up the Wii U sales of smash bros. what a shame

Have Nintendo not stated publicly they have a 'secret project' in the works that would 're-define gaming' of this gen!!??
Otherwise......I think mk8 is last chance saloon to get the public's attention. Zelda and ssb are fan service and if you dont like rpgs then 2014 looks bleak except for indies!

At the rate things are going, I may abandon Nintendo before the game even gets here. I think their last chance came and went.

Yeah that's what I see coming here as well.....Wonder how Mario Kart 8 will do?

I actually agree, the two things holding me back are price and not being able to play gc games on it, so when one of those two are fixed I'll be able to convince the rest of my household to pitch in for a wiiu

@ULTRA-64 Thats what I've been waiting on them announcing.They say a while back that they have an amazing idea but won't release any details until its ready so no one can copy it.There was even an article about here if I remember correctly?I might be wrong but I'm sure they also said they would tell us more about it nearer Xmas?Ah well!

Retailers said Nintendo where right to launch the Premium WiiU at £300 in the UK.

I thought a MK bundle last Christmas would have been huge, but there's still a risk it will do nothing. The GameCube had Mario Kart and Smash Bros too.

@JogurtTheYogurt great point on the 3ds eating up ssb sales, I'd never thought of that. That will kill off any ideas of that game as a system seller as it will be spread across two systems!!

I say forget about physical disc sales! Go with an awesome eStore, sell games at a decent price (no more than 20$ off the current disc price), and offer "flash" sales occasionally! I think that will be the way of the future... IMHO.

trust me Nintendo know what there doing there is a plan

Mario Kart 8, Zelda U, Smash Bros U, GC Virtual Console, price cut and software price. Nintendo has to realize that you can't sell several-years-old games at $60.

@ULTRA-64 Except there are plenty of people who are "saying" they will get a Wii U specifically for SSB when it comes out. They could be blowin smoke though, saying something doesn't mean they'll actually do it. I do agree though, the 3DS could potentially eat up a lot of SSB Wii U Sales. Anyone who already owns a Wii U will probably buy it for that system though. I don't see why anyone would choose it over 3DS, aside from portability..

Yeah I think a $50 price cut combined with Mario Kart 8 would help a lot. Mario Kart 8 is the biggest Wii U game this year.

Every time an 'anonymous source' says something negative about Nintendo, people on here dismiss it as a lie. So since 'anonymous sources' are now saying positive things about Nintendo, they too must be lying.

I doubt that games can even save this thing now. The bad taste the Wii U is leaving is now being overshadowed by Nintendo's snails pace at catching up to their competitors with regards to cross platform play and online strength.

@JogurtTheYogurt

You could argue Mario Kart 7 o the 3ds will do the same thing to MK8. Hopefully not.

I'd say SSB but MK sells more and the new SSB is coming to 3DS as well. And Sakurai isn't going to make the 3DS version suck for the sake of Wii U.

I am pleased MK8 isn't being rushed but Nintendo should have known better than to let it take this long. Mario Kart will definitely get families and casuals on board if they actually advertise it like they did for MK Wii. Maybe upgrade the Redknapp family to the Beckhams this time

@Peach64 Smash Bros was a relatively obscure game when it came out with the gamecube so it never really gave any kind of sales boost and Double Dash was one of the few games that actually sold some Gamecubes.

200€ wii U bundle with NSMB U + NSLB U & Nintendo land, mario kart 8 for the family market, SSB for Nintendo fans, bayoneta 2 & Metroid for more hardcore audiance and you have system seller my friend.

Didn't work for the Gamecube. Don't see why it will work here.

3ds sales of ssb will not hurt the wiiU because the 3ds-version of ssb will come out after the wiiU version. the producers already said it a few months ago i think.

A price reduction would definetly solve the problem for me. The Wii U costs about 715 dollars in Brazil.

I know so many people who them self's who know people that are waiting for MK8 before they will buy a Wii U , this game will spark massive interest , Mkwii sold 35Million + on the wii it has a massive fan base , Now all Nintendo is gotta do is give us a release date NOW and let news spread like Wild fire

Just advertise it! For god's sake!

If they decide to cut the price again, at such an early stage, then that would be positive for the buyer. On the other hand, however, that would mean to me that Nintendo would primarily rely on the price cut to get them through tough times, and therefore be an indication that they have no real intent in putting effort to come up with and develop exciting, new, fresh, unique, perhaps even risky content anymore.

@Mrclaycoat

Sounds to me retailers are suggesting to chase the casual crowd again, and if that's the case, do the casuals care about online on par with the PS4 and X1? Do they care about cross buy? I don't think so.

@PokeTune

MKWii sold bucket loads compared to DD. It may perk the interest in some of that market that was lost during this first year.

MK8 and Smash is the WiiUs only hope. Unless they have some huge exclusives up their sleeves.

They need to fix the AI / Rubberbanding in Mario Kart for me to have any interest in it whatsoever.

(I think if you go for the choice of the vehicle with the highest max speed and rubbish for everything else when you first start playing you shouldn't be able to do at all well with it.)

Learning the tracks is no real advantage. (First time I ever played local multiplayer with it never tried it at all before tried the motion controls and won because of a bullet bill (I was miles behind)).

It decimates my enjoyment when the game is like they seem to want to make it. (Still play 150cc Rainbow Road VS - PAL Cartridge forced to 60hz so faster than normal occasionally).

I am not seriously into racing games.

(I would rather lose if I deserve to as well then get a cheap win.)

Really like 60fps All Stars Racing Transformed / Fzero GX.

I thought UK retailers stopped carrying the Wii U, seems like a lost cause in the UK no matter what games or price cuts might be coming? Though I do agree MK8 will sell some consoles. And it feels like a price cut is coming.

Having $99 red Wii Mini's w/ MK Wii included isnt helping Wii U sales. I really don't get the Wii Mini being brought out in the US this past holiday at all. The Wii U would play MK Wii. With online.

Q2 would be a perfect time for a $249 price cut MK8 bundle.

Nintendo's stupid eshop policy of locking games to systems is what made me leave them a few years ago. That and an iPad with hundreds of readily available excellent games like The Walking dead. However I have been tempted back by a second hand wiiu and a 2ds. It took me all day to port my VC/Wiiware titles across which was ridiculous and nearly made me take the thing back but in the end it comes down to games. Other than Heavy Rain and The Last of Us on PS3 I haven't played a game that has given me the same amount of joy as Lego City Undercover, Mario 3D world and Pikmin 3 in the last few years. I also picked up Rayman legends and ZombiU cheap and both are excellent. I stupidly got sucked back into the eshop in the hope they will someday allow me to play my own games on my ds and wii. NES remix is a blast and I couldn't resist Earthnound. Over on Kotaku there is so much negativity for Nintendo and the Wii U but this year I'm going to get Wind Waker, bayonetta 2, Mario Kart, Smash Bros, Donkey Kong and Metroid. I'm also very interested in the DC/Scribblenauts crossover. I don't know about anyone else but i wouldn't trade those titles for a dozen call of duties, ea generic sporties or even GTA5. (I know- I think I'm the only gamner who finds it intensely dull.)

I'm a mii user. They better not bring SAME mii' voices from mk7 version. What were they thinking!? Honestly, their voices piece thus my helpless eardrums! Muting every time I play mk7.
Relevantly, in Mario Kart Wii, the most time I played is online. Most of my friends are still playing wii version; online, waiting for mk8.

What saved 3DS? Price cut and games. Only the same can save Wii U, but the question is can they do it? What are real production costs of Wii U? Many Wii U games sell under 10 euro now, some go for 5 !!! (AC3, Tekken Tag, Ninja Gaiden, Zombie U, Darksiders, Batman, Spiderman, Mass Effect, Rayman, NBA 2k13, Nintendo Land, Your Shape Fitness bla bla bla)
That means developers don't make any money from their games... You can not keep console alive if it is sold under production costs and games sell for 10 euro!

@arronishere - but the supermarkets have stopped stocking it.

That's what I was thinking of. Do you think they would restock it over 1 game and a price cut or has that ship flown? I still think Amazon not carrying it hurts sales in the US. Not enough to make up the entire 6.2m shortfall, but some.

Dropping the Gamepad is the last hope of the Wii U. If that doesn't work, then nothing will.

I cannot wait for the next Nintendo Direct! I bet they will show everything they have in development so they can gain people's interests. Also a launch date for Mario Kart 8 is a must (my bet is between mid March and mid April).
A price cut to 199 pounds/euros/dollars would be nice too, though

@Mahe
But if they drop the Gamepad, you won't be able to access the eShop or do a bunch of other crap they deemed necessary to force you to do by using the Gamepad.

But seriously, the PS3 is $199 now. The Wii U needs to be at or below that price. Mario Kart 8 and Smash Bros., and a $199 console just might be the shot in the arm the Wii U desperately needs.

People have been saying that the Wii U is going to end up like the Gamecube. I don't believe the Gamecube failed.

Mario Kart 8, a system seller without a doubt... Better don't screw it this time Marketing Nintendo Team, SERIOUSLY!!! If they made a huge advertisement campaign of this game, tons of different MK8 commercial on TV, plus a nice Wii U + MK8 bundle... Wii U would be back on track in no time and more than ready to receive the other big titles such as Smash, Bayo 2 and beyond.

I can't wait for Mario kart 8 .
Donkey kong next month will be a great game too it's looking amazing hopefully will get 94% review that will help sell wii u's then mario kart would be the cherry on top of the cake.
hopefully Bayonetta 2 will be a big hitter as well then smash bros to top it all off.

How likely is this to happen? I'm considering buying a WiiU now since the price has dropped to €225 for the premium bundle and MarioU+Luigi DLC is €35 in my local shop. Can't see a better offer than that unless it drops to €200

@Snivy102 It failed, terribly. It failed for Nintendo, it failed for many of its owners, and it failed to provide a fun games platform.

Read this article: http://www.dromble.com/2014/01/07/dolphin-tale-story-of-gamecube/

'Five years later, Miyamoto expressed his thoughts on the GameCube, and considered it a very sad time when the general public ignored Nintendo’s software.

“This is a job where you have a plan and you polish it endlessly while getting help from others. If Nintendo’s games fail to stand out as games that aren’t made that way proliferate, then it shows that the creation process is for nothing, which made me very sad,” said Miyamoto. “That was especially obvious during the GameCube era; Nintendo titles were hardly even discussed by the [non-gaming] general public back then.”'

Now, with the Wii U, that situation is happening again. Nintendo and Miyamoto will be sad again if the course is not turned.

@arronishere no, not that one....although it looks interesting! A 1st party one.....

No. Mario Kart 8 will help, but it will not all of a sudden sell millions of Wii Us. The casual audience is gone. They use smartphones and tablets now to play games. Whats left is the core gamers, whom Nintendo alienated with its Wii messaging and by refusing to cater to 3rd parties. Core gamers that are my friends won't buy a Wii U until Smash Bros hits, if they do at all. Core gamers want PS4s now, because they have great 1st and 3rd party offerings from all types of genres and developers. They are not interested in paying $300 for a console that pretty much just plays Mario games and those gimmicky Wii Sports/Fit games they hated on the Wii.

Its not that core gamers dont like Nintendo games, it's just that they will not buy a console just to play them and nothing else. Until Nintendo home consoles have 3rd party games, they will continue to place last compared to its competition.

@bizcuthammer That is bull. The Wii audience is not gone, the Wii U just does not cater to them. It has a rehashed Wii Sports with ridiculous online prices and day passes, poor-quality games like Nintendoland and Game & Wario, a rehashed Wii Fit U which has less new content than Wii Fit Plus 4 years ago, and it comes with a ridiculous, cumbersome Gamepad that nobody wants to use, which drives up the price and makes the console less convenient to use.

The Wii U is just one poor decision after another, and it's barely worthy of the "Wii" name.

Mario Kart 8 and a price cut would surely help, but there's still too many people who don't understand what the Wii U is. I learned this first hand the other day when a friend of my wife thought the Wii U was an attachment for the Wii meant to compete with 360's Kinect. On top of that, I still never see television commercials for Wii U, so how are people supposed know any differently? YouTube commercials are nice, but television is where it matters.

I love Wii U and MK8 will help...but they're not gonna be flying off shelves...

@Spuratis Why not get both? Wii U for local multi and better graphics, and 3ds for portablility, and other stages.

@Mahe Dropping the gamepad is the worst idea anyone has had on this topic. Without the gamepad the Wii U offers nothing new and simply becomes a less powerful version of the PS4 and Xbone with far fewer games.

Mario kart 8 is their last chance. O but if that fails there is smash bros, and if that doesn't work Zelda, of course if none of those work a new metroid game could do it, or starfox, Maybe one of its other IPs, or a new one those are nintendos only chances, unless people figure out how good the games already on the wii u are.

Well if they mean £199.99 with Mario Kart 8 bundled then I think that would be a very good deal.

If they mean £199.99 without a bundled game then I'm really not convinced that figure is going to be low enough for most people who haven't bought a Wii U yet to give a crap.

£149.99 for the console without a game on the other hand would make a lot of people look twice.

Personally, I'd love to see a £149.99 bundle with a free download code for a digital title of the users choosing, from any of the big first party titles available for the console. That however is just my ideal scenario because I got my SNES with Super Mario World and two controllers for £149.99 back in the day and for whatever reason I just don't like the idea of paying more for the Wii U now.

I'd possibly consider £199.99 for the console with the code for a free digital download game, a full proper title as opposed to some eShop game, but anything higher than that simply wouldn't interest me.

@Kirk 150 seems too low to me though 200 with a digital copy may work, they need to avoid devaluing the console too much. Are you factoring in inflation when talking about the Snes?

Isn't Mario Kart Nintendo's biggest franchise? If Mario Kart doesn't boost sales, then nothing will.

One game won't do it, unless the Gamepad is absolutely revolutionary in its use. Nintendo has serious problems now. They have an installed user base getting sick of the Wii U. And that is very bad for them long term.

It needs fairy sprinkles!

Yes, I really hope my GOTY helps!

@Jazzer94

Nope, I'm not factoring in inflation in the slightest but I got my SNES for £150 with Super Mario World and two controllers back in the day and I'd just love to see the Wii U at £150 with the single GamePad and a code for a full download game. £199.99 is a bit more realistic for the bundle but obviously I'm just saying/suggesting what I would personally love to see.

I think if there is heavy marketing and a bundle perhaps for Mario Kart 8, there could be a major comeback. Also Super Smash would surely help. But my fear is the 3ds version will have a cannibalistic effect on the Wii U version. I hope Nintendo releases the Wii U version maybe like 3-5 months prior to the 3ds version to entice people to get the Wii U version.

@linktothepichu I'm just saying that if people who own the Wii U were to choose one over the other, they'd probably go with SSB Wii U. Maybe not though, who am I to guess what others will do. I own a 3DS and a Wii U, but I'll probably only pick up the Wii U version, at least that's how I feel right now. That could change.

@JogurtTheYogurt

I have been thinking about this as well and I think it's one of Nintendo's biggest mistakes. They need Smash to be a Wii U exclusive. Damnit Nintendo!

I doubt anything short of a massive re-branding, price drop (should cost less than a PS3, considering its offerings/capabilities.) and gamepad removal will do much to change the system's fortunes.

3D World and Wii Fit were supposed to be the best chance of reversing its failure, but that didn't work. MK8 will have the exact same effect.

Were they around when Mario Kart Double Dash dropped for the $99 Gamecube?

@Peach64 "The GameCube had Mario Kart and Smash Bros too."

THANK YOU. I keep telling everyone this. And the Gamecube was $99!!

@LUIGITORNADO I would have to argue that casual gamers tend to play smart phone/tablet games which are very cheap and can be played on all their devices with a single purchase. Casual gamers can be turned off very quickly and hearing from a fellow peer regarding this type of archaic method and a fairly consistent under performance online could hurt potential sales. And of course hardcore gamers aren't interested since Bayonetta 2 was announced well over a year ago with no release date yet so interest in that title is waning and no promotion of X doesn't help either.

@ROBLOGNICK I totally agree. I've been saying this for months. Get the virtual console running with n64, gamecube, Saturn, dreamcast, etc and things will start turning around. There's a lot of people who want to pay these older girls but don't want to pay rediculous prices for old games and systems from collectors. They also need to seriously get with capcom about updating the resident evil games and releasing them on wii u as timed exclusives, then get them out to other consoles after. I would say normal exclusives but with the small market share wii u has, just no way capcom would do that.

@Kirk Any inflation is more than wiped out by the fact that they are not having to make expensive cartridges. Them trying to sell the system at £300 is not far off the type of increase that Tobacco has had. (And things like making ASIC's has got cheaper over time).
I think another issue is instead of having to put in lots of effort to stop it crashing (Giving time to work on the levels) as soon as it stops crashing it is released as is.

@ROBLOGNICK How about a "netflix" like service where you could play all these great classics? I feel like that would be a huge hit!

i bought it the day it came out...and it did cost around 300£ money is not the issue..as PS4 gets sold for 500£ here!
i must say.... games, games and games... and of course awareness of what it can do... people still think the wii u is only/just a kids toy.

While I am going to purchase Mario Kart 8, I really don't think Mario Kart 8 is going to "save" the Wii U. The Wii U's issue is both hardware and it's target toward the casual audience that doesn't care about home consoles anymore.

@Peach64 Mario Kart has reached a much, much bigger audience since then though on the DS, Wii and 3DS who are extremely likely to be interested in the Wii U version. Sales figures for Mario Kart Wii don't lie.

I'm not saying Mario Kart 8 will be the saviour of the Wii U at all, but the general public are much more aware of the IP now than they were 10-15 years ago when Playstation was still far and away the dominant brand.

I don't think Mario Kart 8 will really save the Wii U. What the Wii U needs is something more fresh and unique than "generic sequel #45", which is what they've been doing for several of their biggest franchises. If the games aren't very interesting, there's not much reason to buy them, especially for Nintendo consoles since they typically pride themselves on innovation. The Wii U will probably be stuck in this slump until they either make a new IP or do something unique with an existing one (for instance, if they were to build an existing IP around a new setting or gameplay mechanic) that would use the Gamepad in interesting ways that add something to the gameplay.

Make good on all your pre launch promises and release a game that justifies the existence of the game pad! SSB, MK8, and the new Dk certainly don't!

They really need to allow a second player to use the gamepad screen, ala Nintendoland. If not even Nintendo can do this, then what is the point of having the gamepad to begin with? This is its best feature, they need to make use of it.

Also, bundling a premium console with MK8 for £190 is a surefire way to spark consumer interest, short of renaming it to "Nintendo U".

I dunno what to think, but one thing Iar do know is that when nintendo look dead, they get back up.

They are like a zombie, just look at N64, one of the best consoles ever created

I can't believe that people expect the price to Lower to 200$. Maybe 250$

A $250 WiiU bundle with Mario Kart 8 would certainly convince me to buy.

Uhhh what about Smash Bros? And the new HD Zelda and maybe Metroid? Granted Mariokart is one of the top three franchises for Nintendo but it won't make or break them.

They need to target men of a certain age with family. Look play games with kids. Wife watching tv play off screen. Dosent take up the living room & is used by all.

It couldn't hurt because the alternative would be the death of them if you think logically about it. If they take the hit for a year or two and sell the system at a moderate loss and it moves millions of systems which in turn will sell multi-million more games they'd be in good standing. The alternative crazy speak online lately of mobile phone games, IOS/Android and the rest would just be nails in the coffin. 3DS proved an attractive price gets lots of buys which in turn makes for a lot more software and that system is more directly in competition with tablet games than a console.

I wouldn't go as far as saying that "Mario Kart 8 is the Wii U's last chance," but if that game doesn't boost sales respectably, then this system truly is in bigger trouble than I thought.

Still, I'm amazed that some analysts have recently been calling for Nintendo to give up on Wii U entirely. This is a Nintendo system that:

A) Just saw its best month of sales
B) Hasn't had a Donkey Kong game yet
C) Hasn't had a Mario Kart game yet
D) Hasn't had a Super Smash Bros. game yet
E) Hasn't had a Metroid game yet
F) Hasn't had an original Zelda game yet

I mean, the Wii U is a great system with a handful of very entertaining games. But considering all the games that HAVEN'T come out for it yet, you can't really blame people for waiting to buy one. The way I see it, this system is just getting started.

One game will not save the wii u but then again I don't believe that it's too late. As long as Nintendo can give us a new metroid prime, zelda, and star fox, wiiu will be alright. A new hd fire emblem could also spurr sales after the popularity of awakening.
They need to get more 3rd parties working on their franchises.
Reggie promised no sales drought this year, but we have heard nothing new for wii u. They have to show us what they are working on and stop being so secretive.

@MrGuinea Speaking of HD Zelda that is the only game at least 3 or 4 of my friends who don't really play games any more want. When it comes out they will get it day one at RRP with the console from the high street. (That is the only thing they are still bothered about and not about portable versions either). No way they will get even 10 games though. (They have no interest in Mario Kart of Smash Bros whatsoever). Not sure whether it is representative or not but it is the only game that fits into the "system seller" category people seem to go on about often.

A Mario Kart 8 bundle at Under £200 is the worst thing that can happen for existing Wii u owners.

Nintendo will price Mario Kart 8 at £50 to make the bundle more attractive. A Wii u and Mario Kart 8 and maybe even a Mario hat for just £200.

I would not pay £50 for Mario Kart 8 on principle and I don't think others would either.

So although a few more Wii u will be sold, I guess Mario Kart 8 will struggle sales wise.

@Tony_342 not for those who have had the Wii u from day one.

I agree with MK8 generating tons of hardware sales, but I think the price isn't really a problem. It's already the cheapest out of the three current-generation consoles.
I just hope the universe pulls through and makes X generate unprecedented hardware sales.

@Tony_342

A) That "best month of sales" was the first post-launch December, when game consoles enjoy a massive Christmas/holiday boost in sales, and it still sold worse than the Gamecube in a comparable period - and terribly compared to the original Wii, of course.
B) Donkey Kong Country doesn't use the Gamepad for anything meaningful. Why does the system come with the Gamepad?
C) Mario Kart 8 doesn't use the Gamepad for anything meaningful. Why does the system come with the Gamepad?
D) Super Smash Bros. doesn't use the Gamepad for anything meaningful. Why does the system come with the Gamepad?
E) There is no Metroid announced and may never be.
F) Skyward Sword was the worst selling 3D console Zelda. Then Wind Waker HD became the worst selling game or remake of the whole series. Zelda Wii U would have to be much better than Skyward Sword or Wind Waker HD to reverse the Zelda decline and to sell consoles.

@Fazermint It's competing with the 360/PS3.

I personally feel it's already AT a mass market price, consumers just have a bad perception of value with the Wii U... Having said that, I think it's OBVIOUS Mario Kart 8 will boost sales, lol

@Mahe If a Metroid game isn't announced for Wii U, it'd be an utter crime against humanity. That's actually a franchise that CAN use the Gamepad in a meaningful way.

@zool I've had the Wii U from day one, and as I said, I feel that the system is only just getting started. My point is, there are a lot more big games to look forward to than there are big games that are already out. I think the Wii U still has a future.

@Mahe My point was simply that Nintendo shouldn't give up on Wii U. I'm aware that sales aren't what they should be, but a system that sells nearly 500,000 units in a month (even if that month is December) shouldn't be "given up on." Especially considering that those sales came in a month when two brand new competing systems had just come out. Positive growth, however small, is something on which momentum can be built.

Also, whether or not those games I mentioned make any meaningful use of the GamePad is a different discussion (and you definitely have a point). Metroid not being announced isn't my point. Skyward Sword not selling nearly as well as it should have (it was an absolutely fantastic game) isn't my point. The point I was making is simply this: The Wii U is a Nintendo system. People buy Nintendo systems to play Nintendo games. Nintendo has a lot of great franchises, and MOST of those franchises haven't seen installments on Wii U yet. So, I don't think Nintendo should give up on Wii U before they've given it everything they've got.

But I do agree with your point that there should be more games that make creative, innovative use of the GamePad. Either that, or make it an optional accessory and drop the price of the system. They could make some changes to the firmware (and how it uses the GamePad) and sell the GamePads separately. There are a lot of options they could explore, but like I said, that's a different discussion.

I agree a 250 price tag in the states plus Mario Kart 8 at the same time would blow systems off the shelf

299 is just too high in the us

@Tony_342 yes, but games to be released this year have been made or are near completion. Nintendo has to commit to putting more money into more games for next year or continue to invest in games being developed for 2015 and beyond.

Without third party games the Wii u will struggle.

@arronishere yeah but it was out from the start and sold steadily, I specifically remember Mk giving the cube a boost, obviously it wasn't enough to dent ps2 but it saved embarrassment which mk8 will if its marketed as well as the Wii one. I know Wii U can only really get GameCube numbers now but it needs MK and Smash to do well

@rmeyer It's true man. It's gotta be $250. We Americans are all about value. And we're a little cheap lol.

of course nintendo has something up there sleeves, there are still lots of nintendo 1st party titles that they havent even used yet like metroid,star fox kirby, pokemon, yoshi, marth, golden sun,f zero,kid icarus, and more as long as they express the power in the wii u and not do that side scrolling style they'll be able to stick in the game for a long wial. they started early maby thats why they've been waiting to use these titles for when it has to compete with the other consoles. im sure they have realized that they will be in the race a lot longer so why sprint in the beginning.nintedno is like a dragon that will not go down without a fight and a roar you will feel its wrath before its console dies!

@zool That's true, although I'm not really sure what your point is. If you think Nintendo hasn't already done that, then I don't know what to tell you. For every game that we know about, I'm sure they've got 10 more in development (or planning phase) that won't see release for years. Just because they haven't announced a game that will come out in August 2015, doesn't mean that they don't have a game in development that will come out in August 2015.

If your point is that they have to make those investments NOW, without knowing whether they will pay off (depending on the state of Wii U), that's true too. Nintendo considered the GameCube a failure and they continued to support it with fantastic games for years, so I don't think fans have anything to worry about with Wii U. If you're talking more from a business standpoint, Nintendo can always make simpler, more cost-effective games to offset potential losses or even turn them into respectable profits. They also, can always cancel games or just scale back their designs for games that are already in development if it comes to that - if they see that there's no way they'll be able to make their money back. The safe thing to do is to make those investments now (which, of course, they've already done) and just play to their best options as they arise.

It's been a long, long time since any Nintendo system has enjoyed strong third-party support. The Wii had some decent third-party support, yes, but mostly it was just cheap shovelware. Let's be honest here, at this point in time, people haven't been buying Nintendo systems for third-party games for many years. I don't think Nintendo's lack of third-party support is going to change anytime soon. That's unfortunate, because things would definitely go more smoothly if they had other games to fill in the gaps between first-party releases. But those third-party games aren't the reason why people buy Nintendo systems, and I don't think they ever have been or ever will be.

Sorry if I missed the point of your post.

Ughh, so tired of hearing about "Wii U's problems"... we've been discussing it every day for an entire year now. Whatever. It can flop or match the Wii's success, it really doesn't matter. Either way, we won't get much AAA games, and either way we'll still get full 1st party support. So either way, it doesn't make a difference.

But man, are people obsessed with talking about it. I never see any negativity, not any at all, about the Vita, which is sitting in the exact same boat as the Wii U. Vita- 7 million sold in 2 years. Wii U- 5.3 million sold in 1 year. Yet only one of those consoles takes heat 24/7. Seems like sales really DON'T matter to people, unless of course it's Nintendo. Because, well, people just like to speak negatively about Nintendo. If sales are the tool they can use, then that's what they'll use. And then they get all of US talking about it too...

@Mahe
Why should they force the full usage of Game Pad where it's not necessarily needed? It's not a gimmick, it simply has a lot of options for the developers.

why are people thinking that one game will save the wiiu i hope nintendo does not think like this if there going to save the wiiu there going to have to bring all of there franchises to wiiu to save the it from the barrage of games thats coming too ps4 and the xbox one this year.

Instead of a race to the lowest price for the Wii U, how about a different approach for the Wii U.
The Wii U Gamers Edition. A redesigned Wii U, that includes;
1. Full GCN capability (4 x Controller, 2 x Memory Card, + dedicated GCN silicon), an upgraded Slot loading drive to accept the smaller GCN disks, refine the menu front end to be able to directly launch GCN or Wii Disk games without having to load backwards compatibility mode first, and make all Wii/GCN games able to be played off screen via the Wii U Controller (emulate a GCN controller / Wii Classic Controller Pro).
2. Redesign the Wii U Controller Pro to have a Headphone/Mic socket and basic motion sensing (3DS styles), and make this controller able to control all the Wii U menus including eShop. (A wireless Headset wouldn’t hurt either Nintendo)
3. Add a “Nintendo” removable/upgradeable HDD to store all your games on.
This will be at least $100USD more expensive and NOT get the casual crowed, but man how many Nintendo fanboys (and Girls) would get on board for a comprehensive Nintendo experience!
My 2 cents

@WaveBoy Your fanboy is showing.

The secret killer app is Mario Paintball U. This is the first of a much needed new FPS IP, can easily be marketed to both casual and core and demonstrates the unique benefits of the gamepad - Video/Voice/Gyro functionality, in massive online worlds and locally, provides a genuine split-screen experience. Imagine Peach hosing Mario down in a rain of pink balls before being taken out by Bowser’s red turtle bazooka in a DK’s Jungle themed stage! One can dream…

I have my copy paid for. Just have to wait. :-/

@Mahe Your talk about the "Zelda decline" is far too simplistic to be taken seriously. Yes, Skyward Sword was the worst selling 3D Zelda until Wind Waker HD, but that doesn't mean that this pattern will continue. Skyward Sword alienated people because of the motion controls and the Wii Motion+ requirement. It's one thing to buy a new 50$ Zelda game, another to have to but it and an additional peripheral that one might use only for a single game. I don't personally feel that way, but many of my friends did. Also, Wind Waker HD is a remake that was released on a poorly selling system. Obviously, because it's a remake (especially because it's one that doesn't offer anything substantially new from the original except for updated visuals) it will sell less than a brand new game, and additionally the install base is a bit pitiful, compared to that of the Wii.
If you take a look at Link Between Worlds, sales have been phenomenal. There is still widespread interest in Zelda as a series. It is relevant, and it will continue to be relevant in the future. Skyward Sword and WW:HD 'failed' for specific reasons, not because Zelda as a whole is on a decline. When Nintendo eventually releases Zelda Wii U, a whole new 3D Zelda game that will most likely avoid motion controls (and be playable on the gamepad), I predict that sales will absolutely soar. Chances are that it will do far better than Skyward Sword or WW:HD, because almost certainly won't include the mitigating factors that prevented those games from doing as well as they could have.

At £199 and with MK8 included I would move from 'will get the WiiU eventually' to 'Gotta have it!!'

Its always so amusing to see all the marketing, analystic, retail experts whenever there's a "Wii U need this..".

You guys really are funny, "A $100 price drop, bundle it with 2 games, and i'll buy it". Why are you even here? To comment with your irrelevant opinion of how the professionals and the actual people in charge should do their jobs?

Because you're all always right and know more that Iwata himself.

Gamepad killer app still MIA going into 2014.

I just want to know what's going on. Anyone else sick of waiting for Nintendo to reveal its plans for 2014. Geez, get on with it will ya!

I agree. When Nintendo releases all those games, Nintendo Wii U will rise !!

It should MK sells like something that I can't currently think about right now.

Sounds about right. For the amount of games the system gets it's not worth the price. Xbox360 and PS3 are still way better value for money.

@Mrclaycoat Someone suggested just that in an article that I fail to recall the location of. I think it's an excellent idea as well.

Nintendo is so stubborn that they wont change either way. People know exactly what the wii u is... They arnt as stupid as nintendo thinks.

@JaxonH Actually friend, the Vita came out in 2012 (at least in NA and EU)....the same year as the Wii U. So technically it's only months ahead of the Wii U and it still sold a bit more. Also, (speculating here) the reason I believe the Wii U is catching more slack is because it's suppose to be Nintendo's next big console versus a handheld by Sony. Nintendo's newest console is struggling at best to stay relevant in society. I get tired of hearing about the Wii U's doom and gloom articles everywhere as well. It's just hard to ignore how badly it's doing right now.

I agree with the dude at the end of the article who chose not to be anonymous. It's Nintendo's business, I'll just watch what happens and play the games.

People are just suggesting what they want to see on the store shelves. If it were plausible to say "they should give it out for free", we'd be reading that in the comments.

"There is only one real last chance for Wii U and it is Mario Kart 8. "

No single game will solve the sales trouble. Make a MK8 bundle and drop the price further will help, but it won't make Wii U's fly off the shelf. But this is the UK we are talking about, Nintendo's consoles get treated like an Xbox in Japan does.

@LDXD The point is that it came out on the same year. Regardless of how close to a year it is. Feb to November is months....not a year. I do agree that they both deserve more sales.

@JaxonH if you want negativity for vita, Michael patcher hear you out. Just see it on Push Square...

But yeah as vita is my loved platform, after reading that, I can understand how these constant wii u bad news leaving bad taste for many people

@element187 Nintendo in the UK is not like the 360 in Japan. NIntendo games do get into the chart. Up until recently Nintendo stuff also held its value very very well also.

(Wii U stuff is starting to drop like the 3rd party multiplatforms on other systems. e.g a new copy of SM3DW Retail is at about the same price as a used copy of NSMB2 already (Which is not much different from the online price for a new copy))

The UK is also in the same region as France which the only place Iwata was happy about when he made that statement.

The 360 in Japan is only used for Cave shmups Nintendo is not in that position.

I think the best way for Nintendo to avoid Smash 3DS eating up Smash Wii U is to release Smash Wii U in late November or so (close to holiday season) and then release Smash 3DS in January.

to answer the question at the end of the article bluntly, yes.
$200, or $250 deluxe machine bundled with MK8 will move a lot of units, possibly myself included.
Personally as a zelda fanatic I'm waiting on more info about Zelda U, since the games on Wii U I've seen so far look good and i'd buy them if i owned a system, they aren't enough to make me buy the system. Smash looks like a high res brawl to me, Mario 3d world wasn't the mario game i really was expecting or necessarily wanting, DKCTF looks good but the 2d platforming market is becoming fairly saturated again, there's a lot out there, and i haven't even finished DKCR on my Wii yet.
MK8 looks great and who doesn't love MK? visuals look good, and the updates to the game look cool, especially since Ive never played MK7 so the flying/underwater/magnetic stuff is all new to me. If Zelda U looks really good, and MK8 delivers on it's expectations, that would be enough for me to give in and buy a Wii U, but $300 is still too high for me. I'd also need a drop to $200 w/ Nintendoland, or maybe $250 if it was bundled with MK8, Smash, or Zelda.
If they remained at $300, i'd be too tempted to pick one up on ebay for less, which doesn't help Nintendo at all, and I'd want to give Nintendo my money.

I think they should give away the console with MK8 and 50$. Then the install base would be so great that we would get plenty of software.

-_-;

On a serious note, though, local multiplayer in Smash for WiiU will likely be much more convenient than for 3DS, because every player would need his or her own 3DS. So for those who are mostly interested in playing it local getting it for WiiU would be the preferable option.

@Rafie

Well, actually it launched December 17, 2011 in Japan and Asia, then North America and Europe followed in February. 11 months, close enough. Point I was making is that the Vita is doing no better, yet the difference in media attention and negativity is worlds apart. Your point is well taken- I do understand the home console is considered a mainstay for Sony and MS, but conversely, the home console has never been Nintendo's mainstay. Their handhelds have always fared much better (usually sell twice as much any given generation).

The whole point I was making is that nobody really cares about sales- sales are boring, as is all the other financial mumbo jumbo. The only time sales are focused on is when used as ammo for fanatical insults and remarks. Fanboys can't really knock the console's merit without getting into a debate (because it really is a great console and most people realize that), so they use the low sales numbers as a means to degrade the system, even though low sales doesn't hinder anyone's actual enjoyment of the console.

The fact that Vita gets a pass while Wii U is being persecuted on a 24 hour basis, just goes to show that fanatical anti-gamers (they're the opposite of everything we believe in as gamers- we love and enjoy gaming and consoles which provide that to us, while they hate and insult anything that stands as a threat to their preferred choice) are hypocrites. They talk low sales numbers all day long about Nintendo's Wii U, but not any other gaming device that's doing just as poorly. They talk high sales numbers all day long about their preferred console of choice, but not any other console that happens to be selling better, such as 3DS.

The point I was making was not a jab at the Vita (you know as well as anyone I'm a strong Vita supporter, I don't need to tell you that)- I was just using it as an example to expose the hypocrisy of those who ridicule the Wii U day and night, as if they're getting paid commission on every person they influence to disregard Nintendo.

@divinelite

Yeah I read that article- Patcher's a real piece of work isn't he lol... It's not the low sales projections- no one could reasonable hate his statements over that. It's the off-hand comments he makes. He said "I don't get it" in reference to the Wii U, as if a second screen is somehow hard to understand. Then he said "I don't get it" in reference to the Vita/PS4 connectivity. That guy is either trying to go against the grain, or he is very simple minded. Human beings have a great deal of intelligence and ingenuity. A two screen mechanic is NOT beyond mankind's comprehension.

I don't want constant negativity surrounding Vita, I just DON'T want it surrounding the Wii U, or any console for that matter. We are gamers. This is supposed to be a passion of interest for us. How can one look us in the eyes and tell us they're all about gaming, then insult an entire brand of consoles in the same breath? If you're passionate about gaming, you should be intrigued and interested in ALL platforms which can deliver the experience to you. Even if you have a distinct preference, there is no reason to go out of your way to hate, insult, condescend, and minimize any particular platform.

If I like reading, I may have favorite authors, and I may have some I don't prefer. But I wouldn't go on reading sites and insult the fans of certain authors, and throw insults at them and their beloved authors. "James Patterson sucks- only kids read his books. But me, I read MATURE books, unlike all you kiddies. James Patterson is a dead author. His new book isn't selling, and he's gonna be flipping burgers by the end of the year! Blah blah blah" It would be ridiculous...

@drumsandperc92

Personally, I don't need a game to sell me on buying a system. To tell you the truth, there isn't a game in the world that I'd spend hundreds of dollars just to play. I buy consoles regardless of what games are on them, because, well, I'm a gamer. I play video games- that's what I do. And without the latest consoles, I'm gonna be missing out on all the latest and greatest. I didn't need a certain game to sell me on buying a Wii U. I knew for a fact there would be mountains of games I love that come to the system over the course of this gen, so I bought one. Now that I've paid the price of entry, I can enjoy the games I want as they come along.

Same with PS4, Vita and 3DS. Didn't buy any of those due to a specific game I wanted. I knew each of those systems would have an incredible amount of games I like over the course of the following 6 to 8 years. Price doesn't bother me either. You can wait years to save $50, but think about all the years of gaming enjoyment you're losing out on just to save that fifty dollar bill.

Idk, that's just me. I don't think twice about buying consoles. It's what I do. If I'm gonna continue gaming, I'm gonna want the latest consoles- I can't recall a single Nintendo console (or Sony or MS for that matter) that wasn't worth owning. And I'd rather pay an extra $50 and have them right away, then sacrifice years of gaming for a few dollars in my pocket.

@JaxonH i do agree with you, to an extent. Since N64 (which is when I started buying my own systems) I've always owned two consoles every generation, in order to reap the rewards of playing every game i wanted to play. The 'mountains' as you called it. N64/Ps1, Gcube/Xbox, X360/Wii, Ps4 now, and soon, Wii U. But, as you may or may not be able to appreciate depending on your financial circumstances, I do have to think before dropping $300-$500 on a new console, plus extra $$ on controllers and games.
Consoles are an investment, which I think is your point.
My point in my original comment, is that the Wii U currently does not have any games that I really want to play that I can't wait for. Games that I really want to play are currently on X360 and Ps4, and there is a tremendous lineup of software slated for 2014 for Ps4, which will most likely be too many games for me to spend money on alone, so I am going to have to pick and choose out of those. Do you see what I'm getting at?
I'm a gamer & I love games. I own a system to play games. The Wii U doesn't have any games that I'm desperate to play. When I eventually buy a Wii U, it will be when there is a game that I really, really want to play. Then I will have the benefit of owning the system and being able to go through it's back catalogue to play games I missed, such as Super Mario 3D world, DKCTF, Wind Waker HD, Pikmin 3, etc. But those right now are not giving me that "must have" itch. Not the games, and not the system alone.
If you have the financial means to be able to drop hundreds on every system that comes out all the time, and buy every game you could want to play, good for you. Games aren't that high on my priority list, they come in as a secondary hobby. Life, work, and other things come first for me, often leaving not nearly as much money for games as I'd like.
And to your last remark about sacrificing years of gaming, once you own the system, you can get any games that peak your interest that you missed before you owned the system. So there is no sacrifice. It's just about timing.
I have limited funds, so I chose PS4 when it came out because it had the lineup of games that I wanted to play immediately, and not wait for. I can wait for what's on Wii U right now. When there is something on Wii U that I can't wait for, and the price is right, and I've got the money put aside, that's when I'll spring for it.

@drumsandperc92

I hear you, totally.

The reason I say sacrifice, is because I never get around to the backlog. Once I buy a console, I have a hard enough time keeping up with the new games coming out, even though I mean to play previous releases with all good intentions.

I hear you though. Me, I'm a pretty big fan of Nintendo's games, although I must admit I'm also a huge fan of the Sony platform as well (as evidenced by Vita and PS4 purchases day one, just like my Nintendo consoles). I haven't really seen any PS4 games I want that are currently out, although I did pre order that Tomb Raider (never played it yet), as well as Infamous Second Son and Metal Gear Solid 5. I suck at MGS, but my recent conquest of Splinter Cell Blacklist on Wii U has restored my faith in my stealth/sneaking abilities, so I'ma give it one more go before abandoning the games completely. Later in the year I'll be grabbing Witcher 3, and if it releases in 2014, Final Fantasy 15.

As for Wii U games, I enjoyed Pikmin 3 way more than I should have. Idk what it is about that game, but it was extremely fun. Probably because it's just so different than any other game out there, right down to the Gamepad/Wiimote hybrid control scheme. Wonderful 101 was a solid game through and through, and Windwaker HD was amazing. Even though I owned the Cube, and to this day own the original WW, I never actually played it. So it was like a brand new Zelda for me. Super Mario 3D World, to me, was every ounce as good as people said it was. A fine game indeed- I'm sure you'll love it whenever you do finally play it. My favorite Wii U game thus far however, would have to be Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. That game.... Idk, it's one of the funnest games I've ever played in my life. It's a true masterpiece, it really is.

But my number one, my numero uno- my most anticipated release of 2014, is Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze. That game.... wow. Needless to say I loved the original trilogy, but I thought Returns was every bit as good as the SNES classics, if not better. Naturally, I'm more than excited for this new DKC game. I'll say this- after Febrary 21, I can die a happy man.

@JaxonH I did say that the Vita came out in Feb for EU and NA territories. Still not quite a year, but I hear where you're going with this. I don't quite understand your statement about Nintendo's consoles not being their mainstay. That just isn't true my friend. They have always sold well with their consoles. The DS was the handheld that really started making a huge dent within the handheld world....which wasn't too long ago. Before that Nintendo has been relying on their home consoles. The sales were great for each console.

Now you're most certainly right...sales mean diddly squat! The Dreamcast didn't sell well, but it was a phenomenal console. The Wii U is a phenomenal console that no dev wants to touch because I truly feel that they don't know what to do with the gamepad. Either that or laziness.The business aspect is also key here.

The Vita getting a pass is not true. The gaming community rags on the Vita all the time. They see the Vita and Wii U as equal failures. Kotaku, NeoGaf, VGchartz and others have plenty of forums that can back the claims. I really do think the reason why Nintendo is getting it worse is because they have an actual home console that's doing bad. You don't hear anyone mention the 3DS. It's blowing everyone out the water right now. Sony's PS3 and PS4 are doing exceptional, so their handheld struggling doesn't seem to matter. Now had the PS3 ended up like Wii U is right now....no doubt you would have heard nothing but bad news for Sony. Heck, I'll take it a step further and say that Sony would get it way worse than Nintendo. It's because Sony's home consoles are doing well that the Vita isn't really news. Still the Vita is about 2 million more in life sales with the Wii U. Whether slightly good or bad. No news is just as bad as bad news to be honest. That's where the Vita is. Nintendo handhelds have reached a point where they can compete on the console level, where this time Nintendo's new console is barely scratching the surface of SALES. Not hardware or software. This is where the misconception is. The Wii U is capable. I just think Nintendo dropped the ball with advertising it and such.

I know you're a Vita supporter. Hell you're a gamer. One of the few on here I like to converse with here. I know you were making a point. I'm just as disappointed in the media as everyone else here is. I just don't own one console, so I don't get as passionate about it as most do here. If the same thing was happening to Sony and/or Microsoft, my feelings would be exactly the same. Still, I hate to see a giant like Nintendo being ignored like the Wii was their first system. Nintendo is the good guys you want to root for and hope nothing but the best for. This is temporary (the hate it's getting). Nintendo will pull through. All they have to do is make the Wii U more enticing and start putting the quality software out that they do....AND ADVERTISE! LOL

@Rafie

Well said. And I must have overlooked you saying the release date.

For the record though, there has never been a single Nintendo console that outsold the respective handheld. The original Gameboy line shipped around 120 million units (GameBoy and GameBoy Color). Compare that to the NES with only 60 million, and the Super NES with around 50 million. The Gameboy Advance line sold over 80 million, compared to the Gamecube with only 21 million. The DS family sold over 150 million, compared to the Wii with only 100 million. The 3DS has shipped over 40 million, compared to the Wii U with just over 5 million.

@JaxonH welcome to Nintendo "fans". Where double standards are the norm.

Your point about the vita is interesting. There isn't much talk about it. But if Nintendo 3DS was still flopping it would be front page news along with the Wii U..... It's certainly hypocritical. The difference is Sony won't show off all of their muscle behind saving the Vita (read:: push out a lot of software)... Nintendo on the other hand is going to flood the Wii U with first/second party software over the next several years like they did with the 3DS..

Truth is, no single game will "save" the Wii U... A steady flow of top notch software will as the price gradually lowers

@element187

cough...cough...[spits out drink]...

Sorry, the abundance of common sense in your post caught me offguard. I'm not used to that much rational thought at once

They need a marketing blitz for these new games... if consumers could realize that the wii u exists, that it has great games, and is cheaper than the playstation and xbox, that would help a lot.

I've got Mario Kart 8 on pre-order. I'll be getting it tomorrow. Other than it being a great game to play with my kids, you can get the download codes for Pikman 3, Windwaker HD, Super Mario Bros. U and some other game that a lot of people could care less about it. I'm getting Pikman 3 because I have Mario Bros. U and I just played Windwaker about 2 years ago. It's too soon and I don't see a whole lot of difference. SSB is definately next.