
In recent weeks there hasn't been much to tell about the UK game charts from a Nintendo perspective, with the usual suspects maintaining familiar positions, from 3DS games such as Animal Crossing: New Leaf hanging around near the top 20 to Super Mario 3D World residing in the lower-reaches of the top 40. This week's results, despite no notable new releases, bring disappointing news.
Unfortunately you need to go outside the top 30 in the all-format charts — the individual format results make worse reading — to find the first Nintendo-system exclusives, at which stage the standard names appear. First up is Pokémon X in 31st position, with Y following close behind in 32nd place. Rounding out Nintendo's presence we then have Animal Crossing: New Leaf in 35th position and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds in 36th, with all four of these titles dropping below last week's results. There's no Wii U presence this week, with Super Mario 3D World dropping out of the reckoning.
As mentioned before, the absence of big-hitting new releases points to a loss of sales momentum as opposed to being pushed down by new software, while other factors such as price reductions and multi-platform releases are also considerations. It paints a worrying picture for the current sales of Nintendo software in the UK, regardless.
Satoru Iwata typically provides a shareholder briefing for quarterly results that break down sales per region, so we'll have a greater understanding of how Nintendo's games and hardware are performing elsewhere; limited data can be interpreted as positive or negative for the U.S. — depending on individual perspective — while recent results in Japan are promising. The UK has been highlighted as an issue in the past, so we'll see whether it gets picked out as a concern at the end of January.
[source chart-track.co.uk]
Comments 49
Donkey Kong isn't going to change anything.
Nintendo Direct can't come soon enough.
UKians must own alot of 3DS systems with no games then
Dankey Kang(sorry but I had to) isn't a game changer. Instead I believe a culmination of DK, Bayonetta 2, X, SMT x FE, Mario effing Kart, Smash and such will make the WiiU shine. Not a single title.
While DK while be a friggin' awesome game that I personally probably will love to death, he doesn't really have star-factor outside of the Nintendo-crowd, does he? Sad to say I don't think he will change much - they should probably have gone for the one-two KO combo with 3d World and DK over christmas
The saddest part for me is Bravely Default. It hasn't been in the top 40 at all and normally you only need a thousand or so sales for the lowest positions, and has barely featured in the 3DS only chart. It was 7th on the 3DS chart in its first week, then dropped off for 4 weeks and came back in 9th this week.
@MAB please tell me that was sarcasm
Again, if Nintendo UK actually tried advertising, we may see different results.
@MAB
You could be right!!!
@Peach64
TIZ... SAD
@RainbowGazelle I feel it's also partially to do with how shops react to Wii U. For example, the supermarket Asda pretty much abandoned it from the start and GAME mostly shoves all the Nintendo stuff into a small corner to fill the rest of the store with PS and Xbox.
@RainbowGazelle Totally agree, what is wrong with them! I still see an ad for the PS4 ever other ad break, not so much Xbone but still, nothing for the Wii U and only the odd ad for the 3DS.
Hmm.... starting to regret getting my Wii U, given it a year and a month now and... I know Bay 2, MK8 etc are coming but I'm just not excited about those titles for some reason... *sigh, maybe I'm just getting bored/tired of Nintendo or gaming over all.
What is it with people worrying about games not selling well in one region only?
As long as its doing fine, then what gives?? Its not like its the only way for Nintendo to even survive at the very least when the software has to keep booming and all.....right?
@Peach64 No suprise there, the only rpgs that sell well over here are FF games mainly due to branding.
Almost all my ps2 rpgs were imports as they were impossible to find retail back then as no one stocked more that 2 copies or so.
Amazon has allievated that problem in modern times but still japanese games outside of a few big francises are rarley even stocked so have no real chance to chart for long.
There's no online FPS games on 3DS though so it might have something to do with that
@MAB
Once again... You could be right!!!
@WYLD-WOO DAMN STRAIGHT I'M RIZZO!
Your comments always make me smile.
Europe belongs to Sony. So as long we have ninty products its not bad.
I don't know the total number of Wii Us in the UK but I can't be the only person who isn't at all surprised that about 60k users can't keep a game in the charts for very long...?
I hope Nintendo are holding back their marketing til Mario Kart and haven't just given up on UK. Also, why haven't there been any sales figures for Wii U outside of Japan for about 3 months?
Because of the zombie snowmen...
Lots and lots of zombie snowmen outside Japan
For cripes sake people. This is right after Christmas. Sales always drop off after that time.
I think something has changed. In the closest game shop to me (Grainger Games) most of the time when I go in for a look people are looking at the Wii U games. (Annoying for me because it means I have to mess around getting past to see the 3DS stuff).
@MAB What do you call an Australian snowman?
@MAB
A puddle.........
The UK is dooooommmmmed.......wait I think I got something wrong there? What? Nintendo? No no no.....Nintendo can't be doomed......it must be the UK!
@WYLD-WOO WRONG!
A Sandman
I don't think Donkey Kong will make a dent to be honest.
I don`t think the UK Nintendeo market is doomed. It`s just a funny old market here in the UK. There is a massive market for second hand 3DS and DS games here. Hence the amount of console sales to games sales ratio. I really think one major released game could be played by many people by purchasing them from places like ebay. Games like Pokemon and Mario Kart that have long term play because of the on-line factors. However, the UK Nintendo marketing team needs a shake up and needs to make some big changes.
@MAB
Haha, so I am.....
"while recent results in Japan are promising"
Japan - also known as the country were neither the PS4 nor Xbox One have launched yet. Wii U better have had a good showing over the holidays there or the Wii U might really be doomed. Nintendo and the 3D Swill be ok regardless.
I think Mario Kart 8 might bright up in Europe. I just begging that it's better than wii version.
Is Nintendo doomed in the UK?.......................... possibly. You could perhaps put that down to their overpriced software.
The WiiU is however, without doubt, doomed worldwide. Get used to it.
@Doma Yap.
Tropical Freeze might sell good for a week but then it's back to 'declining Nintendo sales in the UK'.
@Doma And yet, somehow, it moves on. Just because you don't like doesn't mean it's doomed. Look at GC, PSP, etc.
Who cares about sales in the UK anyway. Nintendo's never done well in the UK...
@Nassov
I do!!!! It`s really getting boring hearing this same old comment everytime I read a Uk Nintendo sales based article. I don`t mean to be funny but I`m sure NIntendo care about sales in every Country. I care about Nintendo sales in the UK and I`m quite sure most UK Nintendo fans would too. Out of interest.. How do Nintendo do in the Netherlands?
Back to the old Wii U is doomed and UK does not care about Nintendo comments.
Well....the numbers are telling, clearly Nintendo isn't a viable console contender in the UK in most gamers eyes. Maybe Nintendo should start weeding out certain EU countries and focus on their larger demographics in EU.
@Peach64
The less Square-Enix we get, the better.
@sinalefa Has it ever gone away?
Eh, whatever. Making too much ado of sales. It sells what it sells. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. Now, shall we go play some games? Cause I've got some Super Mario 3D World and Zelda Link Between Worlds to finish up. And about 30 other Wii U and 3DS games I haven't started or finished. I gotta hurry up and get on it, cause DKC Tropical Freeze and Bravely Default will be here in a month!
I swear this pisses me off, Why can't Nintendo do something about this....Its like they think there OK. But there not...
@Peach64 My local Game store does not even sell Bravely Default, although they can order it in.
Of course they do sell the download version, but not everyone is willing to download a £40.00 game and risk that it is any good. If you don't like it you are stuck with it.
I finished Zelda last week, so what do I look forward to now? Not the new Mario Party that's for sure.
The UK has such a terrible taste in games...
@Melkaticox I know right… even though some of these games are far from their release, they aren't falling from any other country's charts. And, to be honest, judging by these results I don't think Donkey Kong will even be top 100. No one even likes it.
They simply don't market enough over here.
It shows that they don't care about the UK, and in turn the UK has shown they don't care about Nintendo.
When the Wii was released here for less than £200 I said that it would sell millions- it became an impulse buy. When the 3DS was released for £250 I said it wouldn't sell at all and it didn't- until the price drop. When the WiiU was released I said the same thing and look what we have. You have to understand that we pay the same in pounds as the US does in dollars- it's a hell of a lot. When the price drop goes to £200- which it will despite what Nintendo say then I can see the WiiU having an excellent year with its software line up.
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...