We're now well and truly into a fresh generation of home consoles, with Nintendo's 2012 Wii U release now joined by the late 2013 arrivals of PS4 and Xbox One. The previous Wii / PS3 / Xbox 360 era brought impressive sales all around, though a continually evolving market and changes in how we buy and play games mean that this time around we could see some different results. One research firm that endeavours to produce realistic projections on what's to come for the three systems is International Data Corporation (IDC), and it's given some advance details of its upcoming report — Worldwide Video Game and Entertainment Console Hardware and Packaged Software 2014-2018 Forecast — to Games Industry.biz.
It should perhaps come as no surprise, with current results in mind, that Sony's PS4 is tipped by IDC to be on top when we come into 2016, though the research firm predicts that Kinect will be unbundled from Xbox One and that the move will drive Microsoft's system to lead in North America. As for Wii U, the report will predict "the equivalent of a $50 price cut worldwide in late 2014 or early 2015" for the system, but that this won't bring it up to a par with overall sales of its Microsoft and Sony competitors.
In wider trends the firm predicts that sales of physical retail games will drop by around 45% in the first six years of this console generation in comparison to the last. On the flipside IDC anticipates that download digital products will help to compensate for that loss of revenue.
Given current trends, more than 50 percent of total game and direct app/service spending across all consoles will come through digital channels by 2019 (just over the edge of our forecast window). Microsoft and Sony will get there faster than Nintendo; the projection mixes all game/service spending on big 3 OEM platforms.
If digital games and related online console revenue streams are included in the picture... the outlook for eighth generation consoles improves substantially. The inclusion of digital console game spending, subscription revenue and other content/service/app purchases billed through online eighth generation console stores pushes total revenue up to within a few percent of the seventh gen total through the first six years of availability. Rising digital revenue is forecast to nearly offset the fall in disc-based revenue.
It's certainly a case of "time will tell", of course, but let us know what you think of these projections and the potential rise of download content in the comments below.
[source gamesindustry.biz]
Comments 164
Next time Nintendo....don't gimp your systems.
So do I buy a MK8 WiiU in June for $330 and get a free extra game? Or do I wait to get a $50 price drop that may or may not happen down the road?
I say it's time to buy a WiiU now!
@sketchturner Only if you either have a PS4/XB1/great PC first....
I highly doubt that nearly half of retail sales will be downloads unless a discount is given.
@sketchturner Exactly the logic I used when I preordered the MK8 Bundle on Sunday. (I have a pretty decent PC).
I hope this really teaches Nintendo a lesson. I wish they would make more Mature rated games instead of everything being family orientated.
@memoryman3
We can live in hope...
Alright.... okay....? All the systems need a price cut if you ask me.
@Gingadreadman What's so family orientated with a game like Wonderful 101?
@memoryman3 It would be quite difficult to play MK8 on those systems, since that was what @sketchturner wanted.
Both X1 and PS4 are expected to have price drops by 2015 so this makes sense. Uninteresting news though...
@jariw Well that game is an exception. But most of the games they release are all family orientated.
I'll be optimistic and say Nintendo will sell 20 million Wii Us this gen.
Two years since it's launch and I'm still the only person in my locale who owns or even knows what a Wii U is. Sad.....
@Gingadreadman
The entire industry is dominated by more mature games. If you want more mature games, look no further than any of the 8 other platforms that provide them. Nintendo is the ONE platform that provides alternative games- something DIFFERENT than the uber gritty, violent "mature" titles. PS3, PS4, 360, X1, Vita, PC, Mac, Steam... all these platforms you can get "mature" titles. Why would you want the ONE platform that offers something different to do exactly what everyone else is doing?
Nintendo doesn't need mature games. You just need a different console, if that's what you like. Nintendo is alternative gaming- it's for the small slice of gamers that actually like to play games based on fun rather than having an M on the box.
@bezerker99
I know what you mean im the only one i know with the system...
sadly mariokart 8 release won't entice any of my friends to buy the system either...
im hoping the release a new hybrid system and new handheld in 2016 the wii u only should have a 4 year shelf life... they need 3rd party and big time marketing...
I don't think the Wii U price needs to be cut! fine as it is! and is cheaper than PS4/XBONE
@Gingadreadman I don't think this has anything to do with "maturity" or M-rated games. Frankly, does the market really need a third company doing the same kind of games as Microsoft and Sony?
The 3DS is a success, and was the best-selling system worldwide last year, which proves Nintendo's franchises still have a lot of appeal to costumers around the globe. The problem with the Wii U is mainly one of perception. Nintendo dropped the ball hard on pretty much every aspect of the marketing, including the console's name and a failure to sell the gamepad from the right angle.
Also, note how the Wii U actually had a mighty fine start, only to see its momentum all but vanish thanks to a prolonged game drought.
@JaxonH Yea and well I'm part of that small slice that enjoy's those alternative games. I'm just saying a few more Mature games on the Wii U wouldn't be such a bad thing. I enjoy them on occasion but I wouldn't go out and buy an XB1 or PS4 just to play them. My brother has an XB1 and frankly I just don't like it.
Next round, learn from the SNES. Make a powerful system that appeals to everyone. Make it feature packed with neat extras. Even the small mistakes made in the past. The Wii would have made for a great DVD player.
Make the next system sell on games instead of gimmicks. The Wii U may have fared better leaving the Wii Legacy mode that now holds the system behind.
You have great games for sure that appeal to fans of Nintendo. Perhaps it's time to bring back the mass appeal the SNES once had along with cutting edge technology for it's time.
A true "Revolution" console that looks forward in power with all the bonuses of the Nintendo Exclusives that can't be had anywhere else. Bring on 4K rendering ability, BD playback while focusing on bringing the very best back to the company that re-ignited the video game industry.
While you can't have it all this time around, focus on bringing more mainstream titles to the Wii U. Games that sell systems! Bring back Metroid! Bring back EA if you need to bribe them. They may be hated by many but it can't be denied that the four games EA ported are still some of the best looking on the system.
Bring back the Nintendo we once knew as a bold company in the 16 bit battle where the SNES held up well into the release of the original PlayStation.
Most of all, bring back Starfox on the Wii U that rivals the awesome N64 game years ago. Fast paced hard core shooting of everything. Make it beautiful! Make it sound like no other! Make it awesome!
Finally, make a Zelda title that looks as good as the tech demo of the Wii U. Make the most of what you have and keep the quality factor high.
No shortcuts or random fetch quests like Wind Waker on GameCube. An epic Zelda universe is needed. So many ways to turn but stay on track and don't let down us Nintendo gamers who grew up with a NES but make games appealing for those who may never have considered a Wii U as a gamers system.
Everyone here is taking my comment in the wrong way. Maybe I worded it wrong. -.-
Wii U has a much better library than the PS4 or XB1 so I'd say any time is a good time to pick one up with MK8 just around the corner.
My PS4 has about 3 fun games on the system worth buying (Infamous, AC4, MGS) and Destiny is the only thing coming out soon that really screams next gen. Watch Dogs could be a hit but so far the game looks average imo.
Nintendo on the other hand has Zelda, 2 Mario games, W101, DK, Pikmin, and now MK8. All fun games imo. Plus the virtual console, lacking as it is, still blows away the digital games playable on PS4 or XB1.
I honestly can't recommend someone buy a PS4 or XB1 when it comes to games, but the Wii U gets my recommendation for sure.
"System predicted to stay behind PS4 and Xbox One in generation sales"
...That ship sailed a long time ago, it's not even worth mentioning anymore.
@Guitardude7 I actually agree my comment just came across the wrong way.
As much as I like the Wii U please don't skimp on power. When the Wii U came out Nintendo said oh we aren't interested in saying how powerful the system is.
On the next system please have 4 handheld ports and wireless. BTW, I'm not interested in holding a screen while playing. It's getting old.
@afro_insomniac At least PS4 is getting Watch Dogs in MAY!
@ungibbed I agree with most stuff you wrote, especially with having the SNES as a guideline. However, don't fool yourself: Metroid and Star Fox were never system sellers.
@ungibbed
Here's How I See It, PS4 Is Going To Be The Best Selling Console This Generation And It Will Be A Close Second Between Wii U And The XboxOne, With The Wii U Winning Between The Two Because Of First Party Games Like Mario Kart 8, Smash Bros U, Zelda U And A New Metroid...Thoughts???
If they do get a price cut then I hope for a ambassador program
No arguments with me on the digital games front since I move to downloads 85% (my living quarters thank me). The 15% comes in only when the game's is way cheaper physically or it's a collectors/ limited edition.
As for the price cut, ironically it can be down to $199 or less with a free game or two and still people will say it cost too much.
@Takerkaneanite6 Xbox One.......
GTA, COD, FIFA, ELDER SCROLLS, DESTINY, MINECRAFT, BATTLEFIELD, DISNEY INFINTITY, FINAL FANTASY, KINGDOM HEARTS etc.
Wii U ....... COD, LEGO, SKYLANDERS, SHOVELWARE, DISNEY INFINITY, HYRULE WARRIOR.
@memoryman3 I think you meant Shovel Knight, not Shovel Ware.
@memoryman3 so do you just wait around all day so you can bash on threads? I've been seeing you a lot the past two weeks. All bashing.
@memoryman3 Note I Said FIRST PARTY, Not THIRD PARTY
@Guitardude7 Wii U bad sales.... is due to bad library diversity compared to Microsoft and Sony. Plus bad hardware.
@Takerkaneanite6 Third party matters much more than first party, that's the truth.
@Gingadreadman Nothing was wrong with your comment. As you can see, it's just the over-sensitive fanboys that object to it.
@memoryman3 First Party Games Are What People Buy Nintendo Consoles In The First Place
I think with SSB, MK8, and the New Zelda (Unamed Hyrule) will create the numbers the Wii U Needs. It's a well designed system that is lacking in the marketing aspect. The licensing focus that Nintendo has chosen to pursue on its toys and marketing isn't striking the iron where it should. Overall with the upcoming library of games and indie participation it will drum up some business growth.
@Doma Thank you!
@Takerkaneanite6 WHICH IS WHY THE WII U IS FALING!
That's kind of the thing with gaming these days: Consoles need a few years to pick up. I'm fine with my Wii U, and most of the games that are now on PS4 and Xbox One right now can easily go into my PC for cheap.
Wii U + PC Master Race.
@memoryman3 I love how you neglect other third party titles like Rayman Legends/Wonderful101/Assassin's Creed IV/Bayonetta II/etc.
Even though most of those are multiplatform, they're still on the Wii U.
@memoryman3 Please Explain How First Party Is Killing The Wii U???
Thanks to memoryman3's trolling. This is now another website to avoid the comments sections for.
@Subaru Future titles.
Every site has their fair share of trolls.
@Nik-Davies Yay. {:/
@Takerkaneanite6 Cannabilizes sales of other franchises causing others to drop support meaning less games and less sales.
Oh right, that was definitely the problem of every other system Nintendo made
@memoryman3 Bayonetta II/Watch Dogs/Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem/etc are all future 3rd party titles.
@Nik-Davies In Fairness, Every Site Has At Least ONE Troll On It, This Troll Doesn't Bother Me, His Reasons Are Irrational Anyway. Also, I Like The Wii U, That's All That Bothers Me
@Unca_Lz Errr.......
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-03-16-ea-sees-wii-as-ps2-a-legacy-console
@memoryman3 Without First Party Games, Thrid Party Games Aren't Really Important
I believe Nintendo can do this. Mario Kart 8 is a HUGE franchise. Just believe guys!
@Takerkaneanite6 Explain PS4 sales.
@memoryman3 Hype.
@memoryman3
Not true. The Wii U has a pretty diverse library. From stealth to horror, FPS to action adventure, 2D platformer to cart racer, 3D platformer to minigame collection, racer to action beat-em-up, open world to RPG, fighters to Monster Hunter (own genre).
Those are all genres of Wii U games on my shelf right this very moment.
Now I look at my PS4 games on my shelf. Um, FPS, 3rd person shooter, 3rd person shooter, stunt game. That's it. Diverse? Uh, sure. If you say so.
And 3rd party might be more important to YOU, but not to most actual Nintendo fans (you know, fans of Nintendo who buy Nintendo for Nintendo). I like 3rd party- that's what I have a PS4 for, but they da** sure aint more important than Nintendo platform exclusives. At least not to me.
Nobody buys AAA on Wii U. NOBODY WANTS those games on Wii U. If they did, they'd have more than 100k in sales. That's why Nintendo consoles haven't had 3rd party support in 2 decades. But NOW you want to fuss about it? Anyone and everyone who wants 3rd party games will buy a 3rd party console (PS4, X1). Nintendo is not for that. It's for the OTHER kinds of games.
You don't like them as much as 3rd party? That's fine. But please don't troll the Nintendo fansite telling us that our favorite company's console sucks because it doesn't have games like Playstation or Xbox. We actually like Nintendo's games more. That's why we're, ya know, Nintendo fans. Doesn't mean we don't necessarily like other games, but that's why we own other consoles. I wouldn't go to Pushsquare and tell them how much I hate my PS4 because it doesn't have DKC and Mario Kart on it.
Wii U's troubles have nothing to do with 3rd party games. They could port every AAA game in existence to Wii U and sales would barely increase. Why? Cause that's never been the appeal of Nintendo consoles. Wii U's troubles has much more to do with lack of advertising and a kid culture of "M-rated games are cool" than anything else. Gamers account for like 5% of sales. The other 95% comes from the uninformed masses who don't pay attention to what multiplats are on what console. Which is why that never has been the issue.
As for PS4 sales- blind hype. Let's not forget who buys most consoles- minors. And as we all know, minors have hive mind written all over them. When something is "cool", everyone follows the leader. And right now, PS4 is cool. As are gritty M-rated games. That's all there is to it. And let's also not forget that PS4 has only sold 7 million units. That's only a million more than Wii U. Yeah, it's good. Yeah, the console is doing well. But let's not pretend the console just surpassed 100 million or something.
My respect for this company shot up tremendously when I read the words "eighth generation."
@JaxonH -Walking around with a clipboard- Would you like to apply to the Wii U + PC Master Race?
@memoryman3 it had sales before games. (the ps4) the sale came from promises and hype.
The problem isnt the lack of games. Its poor marketing. Nintendo can still sell a lot of WiiUs. I'm not sure even they believe they can. One thing is certain: Mario Kart 8 will sell systems,I've been watching the progress on Amazons best sellers list.
@JaxonH Well Nintendo just can't surivive without having mass appeal, which means they must compete directly with Sony and Microsoft if they want to survive.....
Before you say GameCube, it had mini-DVD's and still had more third party support than Wii U.
Wii only sold well because it had a cool gimmick, not because of Nintendo games. See Wii Sports 60 million sales....
I'm going to bookmark this page for 2 years time so I can refer to the lineups again (Nintendo will probably have a new console )
@memoryman3 Hype From Fans And Advertising
@ungibbed 4K is not worth it until the TV's are a sane price. Not sure even it can be done well without making it awful on anything else either. (Not sure if it is past the point where there ceases to be a need for anti aliasing.) Being realistic if Nintendo cannot be bothered allowing 60fps on the 3DS when the 3D Slider is off I cannot imagine them putting the effort in to make things work well for both people with a 4K TV and everybody else.
@JaxonH Don't waste your time arguing on forums, you'll never win. I would say you are wrong about 1 thing though, casuals (minors or not) are the ones that buy the most consoles, this is why advertising is so important, "gamers" are constantly on the net actively looking for the next console or game so advertising is not as important as it is for the masses.
But who really cares, we're here for the games not the stats or the fan boy wars .
"Pity those who cannot partake of the pleasures you find enjoyment in, their lives are poorer for it."
@memoryman3 can you go somewhere else and talk about the things you like?
@memoryman3
You say Gamecube had more 3rd party support but it was all garbage. It really was. How many 3rd party multiplats did Gamecube have that was actually top notch and worth buying? Hardly any.
And Wii U has that same garbage shovelware support. LEGO games, Transformers, Spiderman, all that crap is on Wii U as well. But nobody cares because it's all trash.
I think Wii U has already surpassed the Gamecube in terms of how many worthy multiplats it's received. Wii U got alot of top-shelf ports. Like, GotY contenders such as Mass Effect and Batman Arkham. Gamecube never got that kind of stuff. Just Invisimals and Simpsons crap.
Now, there were about 10-15 good 3rd party exclusives on Gamecube, but Wii U will certainly have that by the time this gen is over. Games like Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Lego City Undercover, ZombiU, Sonic Boom (even Lost World was popular and sold well), Bayonetta 2, etc.
And N64 had even less than that. In fact, I know for a fact Wii U has surpassed N64 in terms of how many meaningful, top-shelf multiplats it's received.
And for the record, everything that doesn't fit the cookie cutter isn't a gimmick. The Wiimote was not a gimmick. This gets really aggravating. Call now and we'll send you TWO cans of silly string! is a gimmick. Pre order and receive costume DLC, is a gimmick. A motion controller is not a gimmick. It's a motion controller. It's a controller that uses motion. It's a controller that allows for input via motion (and buttons and joystick as well).
Seems like anything that doesn't fit the mold nowadays has that cheap "gimmick" insult leveled against it. Oh, this is different? It's a gimmick. No, it's just different. Gimmick is as stated above. Pre order DLC. Limited edition red case for Mario Kart. That kind of stuff. But the Wiimote, like the gamepad, is just a controller that utilizes other means of input. Nothing "gimmick" about that. A gimmick is a PLOY. The Wiimote was not a ploy- it was the system's actual controller. And a da** fine one at that. Many (including myself) prefer the advantage offered by Wiimote/Nunchuk as opposed to twin analogues. You don't have to like it, but the "gimmick" insult doesn't make sense.
And I seriously doubt we'll have a new console in 2 years. That would destroy Nintendo as a business and customers would never trust buying hardware from them again. You can think what you want, but in 2 years when you still see Wii U games being announced and no end in sight, don't be surprised.
Wii U does not need a price cut. Or maybe I should say it can't, as of the current price the Wii U is barely making any profit. Nintendo may be giving sweet promotions here and there (MK8 promotion is OP), but a price cut is definitely not going to happen.
At $299 the Wii U is already a freaking bargain. If people are not getting a Wii U at $299, they won't get it $249. FACT.
@Emblem
Well said my friend. And you're right. This site is for those of us who ENJOY Nintendo for everything it is. If others don't find enjoyment, well, like you said sucks to be them. All I know is I enjoy my Wii U and my 3DS. Sorry if others don't, but it ain't gonna stop me from playing these great games every day or from being excited about every announcement Nintendo makes. What can I say? I love Nintendo's hardware and games!
@memoryman3 Wii Sports sold 80 millions because it was bundled with Wii, not because it was the only thing people wanted to play.
Just look at the link below, before talking such non-sense. Nintendo has 20+ games among the top 40 best-selling games, 7 of them were on Wii and 6 on DS - and I'm NOT counting some multi-plats like COD.. Even GTA V has yet to reach MK Wii in sales.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_video_games
@JaxonH
"You say Gamecube had more 3rd party support but it was all garbage. It really was."
Oh for gods sake...
The Rogue Squadron series, Splinter Cell, Time Splitters, Tony Hawk, Viewtiful Joe, Resident Evil, tons of excellent sports games, etc. There were dozens upon dozens of good to excellent third party titles across all genres on the GameCube.
@JaxonH Great arguments as always, Jaxon. When you stated that one of the bad multi-platform games for Gamecube was the Simpsons, did you refer to Simpsons Hit and Run? Because I personally really enjoyed that game. It was part of my childhood. I really don't mind if you didn't like it. To me, it really depends on the age you play a game.
I'm actually going to post a comment I made back in June towards a guy who dislikes the Smash Bros. series. It's the best example I can think of.
His comment:
"I can totally understand his frustration as it relates to Smash Bros. To me, that series is a mess. Any serious game designer is an artist in my mind...Therefore, a series like Smash does just that to his art: smashes and mashes it into a jumbled mess. I do not enjoy the series for the same reason I wouldn't enjoy seeing a movie installment where the Avengers defended the Shire in Middle Earth and ate falafels with the Ninja Turtles at the end. It's a mess and fans don't view what he does as his personal art contribution. There are heart strings attached there, I'm sure."
My reply:
"Everyone has different points of view, and I respect that. I understand there are people like you who simply do not enjoy the series. But bare in mind that these fans have nostalgic memories of when they played either the original Smash Bros. or Melee. The Gamecube has been my first game console I ever owned when I was 9 years old, with Super Smash Bros. Melee being my first game.
Maybe you wouldn't have the same point of view as we do, simply because you probably didn't grow up with the series. I personally didn't find anything very interesting about Super Mario 64. Why? Because I never played it during my childhood, already having been used to 3D games because I stepped into console gaming in 2002, when the Gamecube just came out.
So please be aware of the great memories the Super Smash Bros. series has brought into our childhood."
Let's see if Mario Kart and Smash Bros. lights a fire before we write this machine off, shall we?
And no, once again Titanfall would not be a system seller for the Wii U; nor would GTA V - I don't get why people think these things. Too many people seem to think gaming consoles will continue as they have for twenty years; that just isn't the case.
I would say the Wii U does have a fairly good selection of different games, currently I am running a PS3 and Wii U at home and will likely get a PS4 when it picks up and has more games I am interested in and they release a slim version which is always gonna be better than the original as has been with the ps1, 2 and 3.
Anyway, Wii U is my favourite platform at the moment, mainly due to the screen, and for people who say the games arent varied enough here is my current collection:
Assassins Creed 3, Assassins Creed 4, Batman Arkham City, Deus Ex, Donkey Kong Country, Game & Wario, Injustice Gods Among Us, Lego City Undercover, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, New Super Luigi, New Super Mario Bros U, Nintendo Land, Pikmin 3, Resident Evil Revelations, Scribblenauts Unlimited, Splinter Cell Blacklist, Zelda Windwaker, Wii Party U, Wonderful 101 and Zombi U.
How people can say it has no games is beyond me...
@memoryman3 you really hate the wiiu huh and if you do hate it why are you here then?
@JaxonH The Gamecube had loads of 3rd party exclusives (Or it was the original version or a very high quality port). Most of what I actually still play on the Gamecube is by 3rd parties.
Rogue Squadron 2
F-Zero GX (Sega made it so I will include it)
Billy Hatcher & The Giant Egg (2D Platformer that really is great)
Viewtiful Joe 1 & 2
Sonic Adventure 2 Battle (The modern versions are really glitchy dunno about the Dreamcast but the Gamecube version is perfect).
Ikaruga (Admittedly the later versions are really good unlike lots of things but the Gamecube version is the first released outside Japan and as good as it needs to be).
Capcom vs SNK 2 EO - (Excluding the Gamecube controller issue its a great version).
Gauntlet - Dark Legacy (Great fun in Co-op).
Crazy Taxi (Proper Soundtrack unlike later ports - Probably the only time the advertising makes sense in a Game it is empty without it)
Skies of Arcadia - Legends
Soul Calibur II
Super Monkey Ball 2
3rd party games that I really like but probably aren't as good
Alien Hominid (Only Run n gun which is one of my favourite genres)
Hudson Selection 2/3/4 (JPN import)
Simpsons - Hit and Run (Just because of how funny it spoofs GTA 3).
Midway Arcade Treasures
Sega Soccer Slam
Virtua Striker 3
3rd party games other people liked
Resident Evil 4
I am not sure I enjoy Nintendo for everything it is but there is nobody else making any of the two things I like - Traditional Console games and Arcade games. (Not so much Arcade Style games because they have the difficulty totally nerfed in the process or miss the point entirely).
(I have just preorder and paid for a Wii U for what it is worth just because with the free game it will work out about the same even with the next price drop so I might as well. If I end up getting a suitable £500 extra TV I don't really need and don't want for any other purpose I might feel different about it in a bit but for the moment I am fine with it).
@KennyPowers
I didn't mean to imply there were NO good multiplats. Of course there were some. But all in all, not many. I mean, the Splinter Cell on Gamecube wasn't near as good as Blacklist, nor nearly as high production value. There were some good ones, sure, but most were mediocre, not great.
But I should note- I hardly consider Tony Hawk or ANY sports game to be considered a good multiplat. Most people who game for a hobby and are into multiple genres live by the motto "Sports games suck" lol, as do I. Now, I DO like some sports games, but not the realistic ones with a year attached. I like Nintendo sports games like Wii Sports Club, Mario Strikers and Mario Golf World Tour, and I used to love Mutant League Football as a kid, but yeah I hate realistic sports games. There's a reason they have zero value to game collectors. If you like em, that's cool. I don't mean to say you shouldn't. You should play whatever you enjoy.
@JaxonH Have you owned a GameCube before? It had amazing 3rd Party support, especially compared to the Wii and Wii U.
@unrandomsam
I must stress the fact I was referring to multiplats. Like I said above, Gamecube had about 15 good, solid 3rd party exclusives. I stand by that.
@NavySpheal
Day one. And even to this day I own one. Full Gamecube collection on my shelf. And the 3rd party multiplats did NOT impress me.
And I'm sorry, but I really have to disagree. Wii U has had more meaningful, top-shelf multiplats in its first year than Wii had it's entire lifespan. You didn't see games like Darksiders 2, Assassin's Creed and Mass Effect on Wii. You got the mid-tier multiplats on Wii and Gamecube, but Wii U actually got the AAA. And imo, the Wii had better multiplats than Gamecube.
Most of my Gamecube collection consists of 1st party. However, there are some 3rd party games I deemed purchase-worthy, such as Baten Katos Origins and EWatLO, Tales of Symphonia, Skies of Arcadia, MGS Twin Snakes, Beyond Good & Evil, RE4, Ikaruga, Super Monkey Ball 1 & 2, Mega Man and MMX Collections, and Sonic Collection. That's about it. Viewtiful Joe I haven't got around to buying yet as well as a few RE games, but for the most part I own everything worth owning imo.
@faint No he can't we always need someone who just hate on something for no reason apparently for him is nintendo he needs to bash, In a nintendo website which it makes it so crazy.
Eheh, perfect article for a good trollfest in the post section. Came in expecting it, not disappointed.
I agree with the 45% drop in physical sales. I am one of those 45% that only buys digital so I don't have to lug around all those game cards just to play on the go. It's more convienient to boot the 3ds up and get to playin' instead of nsmb2 then take the card out switch to another game rinse and repeat..sorry but nintendo releases so many good games it's easier to keep up with them if they are on your big ol trusty sd card.
@midnafanboy
I think some people don't like to see Nintendo fans enjoying themselves. So they lay out a rational (to them anyways) argument stating why we shouldn't logically be enjoying ourselves. Nintendo doesn't have full 3rd party support, how can we like the Wii U? Nintendo doesn't use the gamepad in every game, how can we enjoy the Wii U? Nintendo doesn't have the most powerful system, so how can we have fun playing the Wii U? Nintendo's console isn't selling, so how can we enjoy the Wii U knowing it's not popular? They lay out these arguments to logically explain why no one should enjoy, like or prefer the Wii U.
What they fail to realize, is that FUN ISN'T LOGICAL. It's an emotion you experience. And last I checked, 3rd party games don't have a monopoly on fun- you don't need multiplats to enjoy the Wii U. You don't need some crazy use for the gamepad in every game to enjoy the Wii U. You don't need 1.2 teraflops processing power to have fun playing the Wii U. And you certainly don't need to own a popular console in order for it to provide fun. All you need is fun games. And the Wii U has fun games. No logical argument can negate that fact. And if you have more fun with DKC, Mario, Pikmin and Monster Hunter than you do with a full spread of M-rated titles, what more is there to say?
@JaxonH Wow your comment was an interesting read and your totally right with everything you said .You sir are one of those people who actually care about games i respect you for that.
@JaxonH You deserve a cookie. Seriously, I'm a person who play games because they're "FUN"m not because they are hip and cool. I play ALL genres of games from Kirby Triple Deluxe to GTA V. As of now the Wii U is the most FUN console with the smallest price tag. As I said in my other post, people nowadays are hating the Wii U because it is the "cool" and "swag" thing to do.
I will most definitely get a PS4 down the road for Bandai exclusives, but I'm pretty sure the Wii U will be my primary console once Nintendo release analog triggers....
at the prices nintendo charges for digital downloads, good luck to them.
New cutting edge idea let's make controversial guesses about (enter subject here) and put it on the internet and watch the clicks (money) pile up.
@JaxonH I am not bothered about any of the multiplat games (Excluding the Capcom/Sega GC/original Xbox/Dreamcast ports that were basically what I wanted other than Nintendo games - Great from start to finish - easy to start - very hard to master) but including the Ubisoft ones that are just as bad if not worse than the rest. (Possibly excluding South Park which I haven't bought yet).
I just hope Tropical Freeze and Sonic Lost World last a decent amount of time. (I think the rest that I want I can measure in days). As long as I am not at the point where I don't think I could reasonably get any better it will be fine.
I would say I like all genres but I think I don't any more. I don't like RPG/FPS hybrids or Platformers that are like Rayman or most Metroidvania's. (La Mulana being an exception along with Megaman ZX advent - And I think the DS Castlevania's are just ok) or modern JRPG's where there is no option other than grinding or using a guide. (Where there is hand holding start to finish and the story is awful).
@rumple88:
Heh, as long as they put up the advertising and put up more of them retail WiiU games before this gen ends it shouldn't matter much.
Oh no! Memoyman3 and JonRedcorn/KenbyPowers have arrived to remind us to burn our Nintendo systems because they are bored and have nothing better to do then repeat the same, tired, immature, fanboyish, Nintendoom. Weird how they rarely show up on positive threads or threads of general interest to Nintendo fans, almost like they aren't even gamers.
Oh my god, the PS4 is selling well! How can that be...I hate the PS4!!!...oh no wait...I don't hate any consoles. I like all consoles and lots of different games.
Am I allowed to like more then one console? Must I choose a side? That seems really stupid, I'm a grown-@$$ man...I have loved various consoles and platforms for years.
Man, I just don't get it anymore. What is their goal at this point? Just to mildly irritate people by being repetitive and childish?
Huh...Oh well...Happy gaming, whatever platform and genre you may like!
@Action51 I still see the entrance of Sony into the console market as the point where the life and soul gradually started to drain out of it slowly at first but getting worse and worse. (Could be compared to the spread of fascism across Europe during the first parts of World War 2). The PS1 was the appeasement phase. PS2 Was everything up to Britain entering the War. The Wii was the United States entering but somehow they lost (Maybe a parallel universe or something).
A price drop would help, the Wii U is still the most expensive Nintendo console, well, besides the R.O.B NES bundle. All of them were under $250 until the Wii, so I think that price expectation is still there.
It won't mean much though without better marketing and more games of course, and fixing issues like the lack of a fully functional account system.
@Unrandomsam
I think you must be remembering things differently then. The industry's problems aren't due to Sony entering the market. They aren't even Microsoft's fault either. You can thank greedy 3rd-party publishers and investors though.
So basically, they're saying that they predict Nintendo shooting themselves in the foot in the future. The thing need advertisement, not another price cut. These people obviously don't know Nintendo's position.
The Wii U does not need a Price cut. Its fine as it is.
Home consoles tend to be more expensive then Portable Consoles.anyways.
I'm not picky when it comes to buying Retail or Digital.
It just depends on the price, Like when there's a Sale.
If its cheaper on Digital, I buy it there, Same would go for Retail.
I have bought a few games digitally because of sales.
Of course Kid Icarus: Uprising was a exception. Because i couldn't find any retail copies.
I will probably Never own a Wii-U its just too expensive for me these days. There is also nothing that really reaches out and grabs me that I want to play. All I play anymore is pretty Much RPG's. Maybe the next Xenoblade game or if they announce Zelda at E3 I might get more excited. More than likely this Gen is all 3DS for me which isn't so bad.
The most important factor is that there's just no games on Wii-U which interest me
I bought a 3Ds with Street Fighter 2 and thought this a return to the good old days, Nintendo need to return to those good old days. Nintendo need some thing that some one can show a friend or relative and they go off & buy a system, it's got that wow factor. I think they had that with the Wii but not so much the Wii-U. I'm afraid bringing out the latest Zelda or Mario game isn't really gonna help they might need a fresh new franchise some thing that people will sit up and take notice of. Back in 1993 I bought a snes to play games like Mario World, F-Zero and Mario Kart, Christmas 2013 I got Super Mario 3D World, don't get me wrong it nice to play these games on the new gen consoles but the Big N needs some thing fast..... a price drop is not necessarily the answer. Shame.
What I meant was I'm still playing Mario World and Mario Land titled games 20 years after playing the originals, there was a time I heard people booking a week off work to play the latest Mario or Zelda game! nowadays I don't hear it so much.
@memoryman3
Unless you love mediocre indie games or year-late ports PS4 is utterly useless right now and that's from a big PlayStation guy who bought a PS4 day one. The lineup for 2014 is a complete and total joke. Xbox One isn't much better. Obviously things will improve but at this rate it won't be until 2016 when either the PS4 or Xbox One are worth owning. I'd have no problem recommending @sketchturner or anybody else interested in all the new systems to get a Wii U this year, particularly that Mario Kart 8 bundle and wait for the other two consoles to actually start getting games worth something.
@Action51
Who was talking about the PS4?
My lone post on this issue was that the GameCube had many good third party titles. No negativity at all. Yet you go off on a tangent complaining about something that was never even discussed in this thread. I mean seriously, reread your post on here.
@Pj1
What Wii U needed was better advertising and a better year-one lineup. It ended strong with Super Mario 3D World, which is easily better than any of the garbage currently on Sony's or MS' console, but it was too little too late. In addition to poor advertising, the system wasn't explained properly, third party support still isn't there and it's a console that's a bit more expensive that past Nintendo ones, which I do think had an impact. Throughout 2013 the question was why buy a Wii U for $350 or $300 when you could get a PS3 or Xbox 360 for a similar, or lower price, with much better libraries, still more new games on the way from third parties and graphics that aren't too far behind Wii U? If Nintendo was going to charge what it did, it needed to also have better hardware in its machine and it should've been trying to lock up at least timed exclusives on some big third party franchises that are proven sellers and there needed to be more first party games. 3DS is Nintendo's bread and butter but I look at the year it had and can only imagine how much better Wii U would've looked had it been the system getting Fire Emblem Awakening and Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon instead. After the rough start, Nintendo did everything it could to make 3DS a success. With the Wii U, it waited too long to react and now, barring some majory unforeseen events, it looks like it's too late to turn things around. The PS4 has already eclipsed the Wii U in sales and the Xbox One is outpacing Wii U and neither of those consoles have anything close to a good library yet. It's interesting times for Nintendo. I think Wii U will probably be a distant third by the time we hit 2016 and with it hitting the 4-year mark that November, Nintendo will probably be ready to start talking about its next system. But, while it's more than likely too late for Wii U to comeback and 'win' this gen. It can still be successful. Nintendo needs to get to work now though.
@Gingadreadman Keep in mind that they have fatal frame, the Fire Emblem X Shin Megami game, Tropical Freeze and many more that are hardcore enough. Hell even Smash is Hardcore.
I do expect digital sales to increase dramatically in the next few years, but I think it might take a little longer for them to surpass retail sales by a significant amount. Nintendo already said another price cut probably wouldn't help the Wii U, so I don't see that happening. Due to the sheer difference in audience size between Nintendo and Sony/Microsoft, I do expect the latter two to outsell the Wii U throughout the generation, but I do think that the Wii U has a chance of posting some reasonable numbers by the time the next console generation comes around, providing Nintendo plays its cards right.
I'll purchase one if it drops to $250 and SSB4 is good. $300 is obviously too much. The market has spoken.
@Gingadreadman
Zelda, Metroid, and Fire Emblem are family oriented?
@Pj1
Shoot... Just cause you don't hear it doesn't mean it ain't still happening! I scheduled vacation for DKC Tropical Freeze on Feb 21st this year just so I could binge with a 3 day weekend. I also have vacation scheduled for Monday, June 2 (the weekend Mario Kart 8 releases). Idk, maybe you just aren't talking to the right people or something, because I take off work for every major Nintendo release. I'm also scheduling off work for the Smash Bros Invitational at BestBuy. Believe me, there are many of us doing that kind of stuff. Even moreso now than ever.
I can see digital sales rising. Personally I already buy plenty of games on Steam for PC, Google Play store for my various Android devices, and PSN for my Sony devices. I usually only buy physical nowadays if there's a nice collector's bonus included or if its for a Nintendo console. The lack of an account system has stopped me from embracing the digital market on Nintendo consoles.
Nintendo, you're about 8 years behind at this point and that number is only going to rise if you don't finish your systems soon.
@AVahne
Many a gamer fails to realize the difference between family FRIENDLY and family ORIENTED> most Nintendo games are family FRIENDLY. Only the minigame collections are truly family oriented, because the rest, despite popular marketing assumptions, are predicated on single player affairs.
And here's the thing. People say that as if being fam-friendly hinders the experience. As if it makes it a "lesser" game. All a game has to do to be family friendly is not have offensive material. Ya know- profanity, nudity, blood and gore. Offensive material isn't what makes a game fun, but people say it like it's a BAD thing to be family-friendly, as if it makes a split of difference in the quality of enjoyment you will experience. I have just as much fun with fam-friendly games like DKC Tropical Freeze, Pikmin 3 and Wonderful 101 as I do with Tomb Raider, Infamous and MGSV. And I know for a FACT they're more 'hardcore' (that's what everyone's raving about nowadays, right?). It takes a real gamer to beat DKC or W101. Even on EASY mode W101 is harder than most games. That's some hardcore stuff man...
But, if people absolutely have to quench their "mature" thirst, we've got Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. Only the best video game ever made in the history of video games. Don't doubt it either. We've also got Ninja Gaiden 3, we've got ZombiU, we've got Resident Evil Revelations, and Deus Ex. We've got Darksiders 2, and Tekken Tag 2. Or better yet how bout some of them 3rd party multiplats everyone talks about. Batman Arkham City. Batman Arkham Origins. Or Call of Duty BO2. Call of Duty Ghosts. No? Well how bout some Assassin's Creed 3 or Assassin's Creed 4. Not your thing? How bought some Mass Effect 3- the game fills you in and make choices for the first 2, so you're brought up to speed. And it's like $11 on Amazon. Heck, you could even go with some Sniper Elite v2 or some Injustice. Perhaps some Splinter Cell Blacklist would satisfy your thirst.
Idk man. Games are just games to me. Doesn't matter how many curse words it does or doesn't have. Doesn't matter how mature the content is. Doesn't matter if there's violence or sex. All that matters to me is, "Is it fun?"
When I saw the post count, I knew this thread would be interesting to say the least. So many butthurt folks from both sides (Nintendo and non-Nintendo fans)! Funny though that non-Nintendo fans would be on this site where Nintendo is glorified from it's fans. There's only a few objective ones here that isn't completely bias for Nintendo.
I for one enjoy Nintendo games. Which is why I have all of my Nintendo systems to date. However, I'm not going to bash or downplay the others because Nintendo isn't doing so hot in the sales race. The console (Wii U) is a great one. MK8 will definitely be my game for the summer. No other game from any platform will take precedence. Hehehe Yes I'm biased for that game.
The Wii U is already at a cheap price.
If you're being a cheapskate and are waiting for a "price cut" to buy a Wii U, you have no business buying and playing video games.
@Action51 all this mad in 1 comment is rare. Rarer than meeting somebody who owns a wii u.
I don't think anyone's arguing that YOU shouldn't have a wii u. If you love nintendo regardless of quality, you'll buy one. If you think they're going to sell a ton of units, you're crazy. I'm hoping for nintendo just to break even at this point. I kind of agree with the head buried in the sand in the sense that there are always people here who protect nintendo. If you love nintendo, you'll be worried for them because their bottom line is hurting because the wii u is failing, regardless of how good or bad you think it is. Nintendo doesn't revolve around the few million who will always buy their products, it's the general gaming population in addition to the casual/family audience. I care about nintendo, so I will admit they are doing something wrong.
@Action51
Honestly, I think the individuals that only come on this site to remind everyone why they should hate the Wii U are either intentionally trolling, or, something's just wrong with them. If they're intentionally trolling, they do a pretty fine job I must say. But unless a person has no social life I can think of plenty of funner ways to spend my time than troll Nintendo fans. Like, play my Wii U!
Two other possibilities. One is ignorance. Meaning they're judging the system by what they read on the internet and what their M-rated gaming friends tell them they should like. And of course we all know the internet's popular opinion of Nintendo and the Wii U. So if they borrow their opinions from articles they read and their peers, that could explain it. The other possibility is jealousy. Some people can't afford every great console, and because of pride would rather convince others they hate the system and THAT'S why they don't own one rather than admit they are interested and do want one, but can't afford it. Or are underage and haven't saved up enough allowance.
Either way, I'm to the point of just ignoring it completely. As someone pointed out to me earlier, you can't win. You can't talk sense into them. These people are DETERMINED to hate the Wii U, and not just that, but condescend and even insult anyone who doesn't hate it like they do.
I own a Wii U, PS4, 3DS, and a PSVITA as well I'd like to add I have NO interest in the Xbox one to me the Xbone seems like the worst of the systems that are out currently and way overpriced . At the moment The Wii U gets the most play in our household I think Wii U has a way better library of titles currently available and I agree the PS4 is a hype train to me it's SAD how many people are missing out on a great system because of a follow the leader mentality . Wii U is an awesome system I keep reading there is not enough M rated titles on Wii U, really.., Darksiders, Assassins Creed 3 and 4, Splenter Cell, Call of Duty Black OPS, Resident Evil, Deus Ex, Sniper Elite, Walking Dead, Fist of the North Star, Ninja Gaiden 3, Zombi U, Mass Effect 3, Knytt Underground and COD Ghost are all M rated games .
@2Sang
I don't think anyone here thinks Nintendo is perfect. Honestly, do you think there is a single person on this site that has NO complaints? We all do! I'd love to see NNID no longer tied to the hardware. I'd love to see voice chat on a system level. I'd love to see some of my fave franchises return. I'd love to see plenty of things. But, just because Nintendo isn't perfect, doesn't mean we have to sit and complain about them 24/7 and it doesn't mean we can't fully enjoy their products.
No company is perfect. Sony doesn't have online social integration like Miiverse. Sony doesn't have backward compatibility. Sony doesn't transfer digital games from last gen system. Sony doesn't have multiple controller options standard on most games. The PS4 menu layout is inconvenient as it gets...There are plenty of things I would change about my PS4. But that doesn't stop me from enjoying it. It doesn't stop me from loving the system. Neither do Nintendo's faults stop me from loving and enjoying the Wii U. Sometimes people want the pendulum to swing too far the other way. Just because someone doesn't actively complain all the time, doesn't mean they don't have complaints. It's just that they understand a system doesn't have to be perfect to enjoy it.
As for Nintendo's bottom line. Of course anyone who cares about Nintendo is going to wish them well in sales. As do I. Yes, it's troubling to see a company I care about struggle with the Wii U. BUT, Idk if you've heard the Serenity Prayer before: God grant me the serentity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE> there is nothing we can do about Nintendo's poor sales. I wish them well, but it's out of my control. And I'm not going to let their sales numbers affect my enjoyment of their games. Ya, it sucks, but it is what it is. They'll pull through. And if they don't, well, stuff happens I guess.
So again, it's not that anyone here thinks Nintendo is perfect, it's just that we don't want to spend all our free time complaining about imperfections that are always going to exist (because no one is perfect, no company is perfect, and no console is perfect, and never will be either). We'd rather spend our time enjoying ourselves than perpetually complaining about things we have no control over to change. We understand that a console is purely for entertainment. And we understand that DESPITE Nintendo not being perfect, there is still plenty of entertainment to be had. We understand that DESPITE Wii U not selling that well, it's still fun to play. The games are just as fun no matter how many people own the console.
No one thinks Wii U is perfect or Nintendo for that matter. It's just that, we understand that perfection isn't a prerequisite to enjoyment.
@JaxonH - I agree completely.
@JaxonH Oh you need to read more forum posts, then. There are quite a number of people who obviously blindly follow nintendo. I'll admit there's quite a number who do the exact opposite, but those people are easier to identify as not being serious.
This is all going nowhere. Nintendo has plans, so were best off watching the outcome instead of bashing in advance (though we still should complain at times).
But a price cut can only hurt them right now. I mean, the WiiU's price tag obviously isn't the issue here - it's the lacking appeal. And Nintendo is on their way to correct this around E3.
But what I really hope for is that these useless forecasters/market researchers finally go bankrupt. All they do is spread uninformed nonsense and polarize fanbases - and that's nothing we need, or anyone else, for that matter
@JaxonH - I agree pretty much. If you think you can change their minds, you are mistaken. These are bored fans of other consoles/manufacturers who have taken it upon themselves to mount a foolish crusade against Nintendo.
Think about their primary operating procedure: They are posting on a website dedicated to video game news for a console they don't like, and insist everyone has to hate the system as much as they do...what?
But here's the saddest part: The moment you point out how annoying or silly they are being, they turn into delicate victims, and you become "delusional".
...Such fragile egos all of a sudden.
Think about this phenomenon, and apply it to any other industry web-site and it exposes just how silly these little guys are: Imagine these guys throwing the same tantrums over Coca-Cola on a Pepsi related website, or Disney vs Dreamworks, or trashing Adidas endlessly on a Nike fansite...
it takes a special breed for sure.
In all honesty if Nintendo aren't going to support the Wii U then why should anyone else.
Why do I say that Nintendo don't support the Wii U:
1) 3 months between DKC: TF and MK8 would be fine if there was third party retail support to mitigate this
2) They said they learnt their lesson from the 3ds with the software draught... they haven't (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/129287/Iwata_Bitter_lesson_learned_from_slow_3DS_launch.php)
3) Wii U is all about the core that's why we've had to wait 2 years for their first online competitive game (Wii U sports doesn't count if I'm in Europe and can't play against someone in NA) - http://nintendoeverything.com/reggie-on-attracting-core-gamers-to-wii-u-third-party-games-supply-chain-nintendo-power-and-more/
And before people start saying I hate the Wii U or Nintendo, I only have a Wii U and 3DS. I want Nintendo to do well for my own sake.... I WANT STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT 3 ON THE WII U!!! But we all that's not going to happen with the direction Nintendo are taking with the Wii U at the moment
@taffy finally an intelligent converse has joined the brawl. You speak truth.
@2Sang - I hope you are being ironic, because nobody could be that great at proving my point so quickly by acting exactly as predicted otherwise.
...seriously?
@sketchturner I really don't know what they are talking about since a free wii remote and a game is worth more than $110, bringing the price down to $220 when compared to the $300 that we used to pay.
@Action51 no this is just more of a general comment about you on the site. You're one of the people who will never criticize nintendo no matter what they do.
PS: I can sense your mad from my keyboard. You can't handle that nitnendo isn't perfect. At least @JaxonH is willing to admit there's trouble. I'm not asking anyone to say the wii u is a pii u, but for Reggie's sake if you think the wii u is doing just fine, you're living in a bubble bobble.
Safest predictions ever made! People keep saying it doesn't need a price cut, but it clearly does. It it over priced? Not at all, but it's not selling at all and they have to find that price point where the market feels it's too good to turn down
Unfortunately, that price keeps going lower. When it came out, a lot of people would have gone for it had it matched Wii's launch price of £180, but now it has the aura of a flopped console so people will be more hesitant. It doesn't help that there's only 3 to 4 great games a year, as that makes it quite easy to wait a couple of years and then catch up pretty quickly.
@2Sang - You are making this very personal.
I've criticized aspects of Nintendo before, but I can assume you aren't reading and scouring through every single post I've ever made (which would be creepy), or you are just trying way too hard to get a reaction out of me.
Sorry...I think you mistake anger for annoyance. I don't hate the mosquito buzzing around my ears, because it's a mosquito and it doesn't know better. That doesn't mean it isn't annoying and distracting.
There's no more I can say to you on this topic. If you want to make this all about me and get personal, have at it. I'm not interested enough in what's being said, I just find the phenomenon fascinating.
Good luck and I hope you enjoy gaming, I know I do...whatever platform I may be playing on!
If xbox one sales eventually surpass wii u, then come to me with your statistics until then the wii u is ahead of xbox one sales
Oh boy, poor Wii U. It was dead on arrival once Pikmin 3 got delayed and Rayman became multiplat. Also the lack of Minecraft and good marketing also contributed to this failure of a console.
@Peach64 I disagree the Wii U should not get a price cut, the Wii U is already at a good price and a good value. I remember when the GameCube's price got cut down to $99 it didn't help much for sales.
What the Wii U needs is must have games, strong third party support, and a better marketing campaign. Even a redesign of the Wii U might help the systems negative image.
It looks like we all agree that Wii U marketing is strange, and Nintendo should do more to make it attractive, it will never be bestseller without "must have games", as you said, and if games won't make it, price cut is last option that could improve sales. Sad but true.
@Lord_KOLZ
Animal Crossing: New Leaf's sales would beg to differ. As would the 3DS as a whole. Its not Nintendo's IP thats the problem either, they sold fine up until now. People want Nintendo's IP, the hardware, not so much.
@Meaty-cheeky
It needs those too, arguably much more so, but a price drop would help. Dropping it to $100 would be extreme, not even the PS3 super slim is that cheap, but like I said before most of their consoles have always been less than it is now. The 3DS had that problem too, being too much for a handheld to most people. Sitting in-between the next-gen and last-gen consoles is putting the Wii U in a sticky situation. It doesn't have the power nor does it have the big library either.
I'm thinking Nintendo has already beat Microsoft and Sony in digital sales. That's just my gut feeling, based on that I read people are downloading alot of games on Wii U.
I'm not sure about the price cut, but honestly, these articles just make me think that everyone is giving Nintendo the benefit of the doubt.
@Peach64
It depends on what you mean by catching up. Wii U still has more games, which is now a problem for PS4 and Xbox One. Wii U has also sold more games per unit, but one side of the story continues to be told.
I'm not convinced Wii U is a total failure, considering there are still aspects it excels at. Nintendo is probably still making more than Sony is on PS4, so I don't see the problem, even if the sales numbers are lower.
@thomasbw84 Just to let you know that Nintendo has posted its Year-End financial results on their website.
If Nintendo can maintain enough third party support and show off enough new first party games (beyond those already announced) I think they could keep ahead of the Xbox One at least until the end of this year.
The Wii U is perfectly good hardware and games like MK8 show off how good the graphics can be. Sure it might not be as good as could be achieved on PS4, but there's nothing can be done about that now.
In my opinion the struggles of the Wii U are slightly baffling, and I feel that there must be a huge side to the story that Nintendo haven't revealed.
The Wii U was first shown in 2011, but it felt like when it was released it wasn't ready. How come? The huge day one update got it a lot of bad press and I was shocked the update didn't come preloaded months later when I got my Wind Waker console.
Also the system has had a couple of other major updates- like adding gamepad support to display Wii games- how was this not a day one feature??
What's the story with the lacklustre virtual console? We expected added Gamecube and dreamcast, but instead haven't even got what the Wii had. GBA and DS are cool additions, but even they have taken 18 months to start introducing.
Not even the Dreamcast saw such a quick decline in third party support, and this one really baffles me. Why did so many devs turn against the Wii U in early 2013? Wasn't there anything Nintendo could do to entice them to stay?
Personally I don't think the name confusion and the 8gb white version vs 32gb black version would have stopped many system sales as a lot of people point to. It doesnt affect sales of mobiles and other technology which come in all kinda of configurations with all manner of odd choices for names. The general lack of marketing however can be blamed.
Nintendo have said they didn't know HD games would take as long to create so that is why there have been delays. How is it possible they didn't know this? Did they not see or at least consult with any game makers over the previous generation?
I also think Nintendo made (and are still making) a huge mistake when it comes to announcing games. For months they only showed/spoke about the games from the launch period - didn't they realise that to a lot of people buying a console is a long term investment and to entice people you have to show games that are coming out in the long term? I don't want to assume there'll be a new Metroid- I want to know. even if its just through a teaser.
The delays meant things like pikmin, Wii Fit U and DKCTF did come out long after they were first shown, but if they were delayed what did they originally envision was coming out in those periods when they were actually released?
In the past nintendo have got big name games on their machines through deals, but not on Wii U. How come? Goldeneye, Star Wars Rogue Squadron, Resident Evil series, Metal Gear Twin Snakes are examples that come to mind of games that wouldn't have appeared on Nintendo machines unless they made deals with their copyright holders. Did Nintendo just assume after the success of the Wii that big names would come without the need for deals?
The gamepad. It's cool for miiverse and off tv play, but there's really no excuse for the lack of content that justifies it. Nintendo first tried the idea with the GBA/GC link up and that wasn't a huge success. Other than having your own private screen for pacman/chase me games what good is it? The tension of managing to look at both screens at once in Zombi U sum up its main problem: human eyes can't easily look at two places at the same time. The second screen is expensive and still isn't justified through adding to gameplay. How can Nintendo not have had great ideas for their main selling point?
I love Nintendo games more than any others and just find the whole Wii U situation frustrating and confusing. Personally Im happy with the Nintendo exclusives (though a few third party games here and there would be welcome) The annoying thing is unless the system over all is a success it will just mean a shorter lifespan and less of those Nintendo exclusives in the long run.
There's almost no chance of Wii U staying ahead if the Xbone for long. In 17 months they've shipped 6.17 million Wii Us, compared to MS shipping 5 million Xbones in 5 months. Heck, in the last 12 months they've only shipped 2.7 million Wii Us. Worse, Nintendo is only predicting they'll sell 3.6 million Wii Us in the next 12 months, which does not sound like a company that's got a ton of new games to announce
@JaxonH Nice one dude, I agree completely. I feel dirty when I play on my 360. I feel happy when I play on my 3DS or Wii U. Nintendo's system isn't for every gamer, even thought that's how they tried to position the Wii U this gen. That means success will always be fleeting. And that doesn't mean Nintendo sucks. It just means that if you want to complain and moan about everything they do or do not do, you need to move onto a system that aligns with with the kind of content and features you want. Because you are not going to get everything you want from Nintendo.
@memoryman3 XB1 and PS4 do not have a library to be diverse with. Have this conversation a year from now.
@JaxonH Again, well said.
I don't know maybe people who sit around and play games in every free moment of their lives could get bored of the Wii U, but I can't see how I could have another console. Heck if I could card the Gamepad to work I probably wouldn't play on my iPad anymore!
"Gamers" - sorry, I just don't get 'em.
@Takerkaneanite6 Could You Please Not Write Like This. It's incredibly annoying to read.
Most of the analysis here and elsewhere is wrong. Power is not the issue, they simply had no clear vision.
The unceremonious killing off of Wii services like forecast channel and check mii out channel essentially severs what little connection Wii had to the Wii U. BC is fine and good, but if you're a consumer concerned about services, you're not served at all.
@Ninhau The Xbone has HIGHER prices for download games than for physicals.
@unrandomsam SSB and LBW beg to differ. Full 60fps. Maybe you don't know, but the framerate is decided by how graphicly intensive a game is. It's not like Nintendo said: Nah, we don't want 60fps.
@123akis If the price is 'fine' how is it not selling. Seriously, I had hoped they'd make a mariokart bundle for 249.
@JohnRedcorn - still trying to provoke and get a reaction from me? Bored?
I'm really not that interesting.
@Blue-Thunder To say that there isn't any good games on the PS4 is foolhardy. I have one and there are plenty of good games. Whether or not they appeal to you is another question. However, the Wii U definitely has better and more fun games than PS4 and XB1 right now. Then again it did get a year head start to acquire the library it has now. Still, I won't argue any notion about who has "funner" games. That would be purely subjective to the taste of the individual. I just will have to disagree that the PS4 doesn't have good games, because it does.
@Blue-Thunder - Remember that Sony spent a small fortune on advertising too. I think between this fall and winter I may have that Lou Reed "Perfect Day" song stuck in my head forever.
Now Sony is still selling these consoles at a loss, so I think they plan on a long term strategy. They may be banking on their subscription online services and licensing fees from annualized franchises like Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed to make back their money over time.
Fortunately for Sony, they've gotten off to a better start with PS4 sales then with PS3 or Vita, so it will probably work out pretty well for them.
you can talk about this all you want, Nintendo s main issue is today's culture, they just don't get it! they don't understand the Internet, they don't know how to use it to their advantage, they don't understand today's marketing, United states has always been where Nintendo sold best, and now look at it? you get console wars on tv (south park, Big Bang etc..) and Wii U's name doesn't come up! or when it does it gets discarded just that second with a witty joke, the little kids you talk about don't like a console without big franchises like COD or GTA, how idiot can you be if you think a console can pick up in sales without them? they're everywhere, in TV, in the net, in magazines. I'm sorry but if you think Nintendo has a chance to go without these huge multi million franchises, well you're simply wrong. just the new destiny alone is set to cost 500mil, think of all the marketing it will have.
and then there are teenagers who have to go to school and get a beating if they actually say they have a Wii U, I think some of you have forgot how it was having something that isn't "cool" in those ages and how you cried to your mummy when you were 10 to buy what the other kids see as cool. the PS4 and XBone fanboys are having plenty of fun on Nintendos behalf with it's under performing console, it's every where in the Internet, and yet you come to here and talk about how great and relevant it is and how you're surprised it won't sell.
@RennanNT By that link, Mario Kart Wii is the biggest selling game of all time that wasn't bundled for the majority of its lifespan (4th if you include the bundled games like Tetris, Super Mario Bros. and Wii Sports).
@Jmaster
who cares? wasnt talking about the X1. Dont even have one. And if I did, wouldnt also buy digital on their service
@JaxonH Well the Wii Remote prevented MANY games from even working properly.
There is no point defending Nintendo's policies, as it is already running them into the ground. Let's just hope that their next system isn't gimped.
@Kodeen - Yes, it's a much smaller loss for Sony then in previous generations where their game system was also a platform to push media formats like CD/DVD/Blu-Ray.
That being said, I'm curious to know if that profitability model assumes people who buy the PS4 will be buying the online service for at least one year (I'm sure 99% of PS4 owners are doing this), or if it truly means exactly one game only and nothing else.
It's really not a huge deal, but I'm curious since unlike Microsoft, the online subscription is new for Sony. If it's successful I'd hate to see Nintendo and Valve adopt it for upcoming consoles.
@memoryman3 - "Well the Wii Remote prevented MANY games from even working properly."
You know you have to put that little IR bar over your TV, right?
@Action51 Puts IR bar on TV
Tries to play Call of Duty with pointer controls
Loses every time
@ricklongo I mentioned Metroid and Star Fox could be potential great titles that sold great on their own merits.
@memoryman3
I have no intention defending Nintendo's policies. I don't feel they need defending tbh. All I know is I like playing video games, so I own a Nintendo console (Wii U) and a 3rd party console (PS4). I don't care about the politics. I just play games.
And of course, we always hope for the best system possible. But as long as that sucker reads game discs, I'll be purchasing it day one, as always.
@memoryman3
Btw, just because you lose in CoD with motion doesn't mean everyone else does. You're like my younger brother. He doesn't like motion cuz he sucks using it (just telling it like it is). But trust me, once you get skilled it's like mouse and keyboard- much faster and much more efficient. Not to say all games utilize it properly, but not all games utilize proper twin analogue controls either. The only reason most people aren't as good with motion is cuz they've been playing dual analogue for 15 years. Naturally it's gonna take a little time to hone those skills and become proficient.
I remember the first time I played a game with dual analogue controls, and I sucked HARD cuz I wasn't used to moving a second analogue with my right thumb. It took a while- few months maybe, before I really got the hang of it, but once I did, it paid off big time. Same thing with motion. When I first got my Wii, I was no better than anyone else with motion. But after beating a couple games I started getting pretty handy with that Wiimote. Now I'm a master. Any time a game offers motion I can always play it faster and better than with twin analogues.
@JaxonH - Ah there you go again, given a reasonable, mature, response to a ridiculous post. I wish I had your ability to be so polite and cordial
1) Do we really believe this guy even owns a Wii, much less paid for a Call of Duty game on it?
2) If he were playing Call of Duty with a Wii-mote, that would mean he was playing against others using Wii-motes...it's not like you're going on PS3 or Microsoft servers when you play the Wii editions of Call of Duty, so...yeah.
@unrandomsam
one thing I'd like to see the reason of 4K support was the very reason I still have had my classic Wii hooked up until my new TV had a USB and SD cart slot was that I used the Wii Photo Channel quite a lot to share my photos with visiting family and such. I had hoped the Wii U would have had an updated version that would be able to show at full HD at minimum and even with your average still photo at native resolution is much higher than HD but where using the option of 4K support would be amazing and also a very inexpensive option to implement as demand for higher VRAM increases almost daily.
My TV shows my current photos at its full 1080p but still hardly does justice to the actual resolution of the captured image.
Support for MP4 captured video would be nice from great camera phones such as the Galaxy S4 or newer if your TV lacks the option.
It is my first post here, I really love my Wii U but., it really needs 3rd party support. I love playing DK, Mario Kart etc but when it comes to multiplayer.. I can't convince anyone to come to my house because there arent any football games (fifa 13 sucks), it is no PES, and new fifa games, no new need for speed, nothing except Nintendo Land. And nobody wants to play SM3DW for so long, as they don't like platform games. So... Wii had more 3rd party support, and even Gamecube had more. Every year was a new Fifa game, Nba live, all Need for spped games etc. Clearly Wii U lacks these games unfortunately.
The price still isn't exactly right on the Wii U, but much more of an issue than the price is the lack of marketing and public recognition.
The Wii is estimated to still have sold out the first two years even priced at $300, so the Wii U doing poorly seems to have more to do with whether it is actually perceived as desirable in the first place, rather than with whether it is worth the money.
It is worth noting that while in the US the Wii U have merely had the extra $50 cut from the premium accessories, without the system itself seeing a price drop, it has been marked down throughout most of Europe to a point only slightly above the release price of the Wii.
big problem is price. sure you can buy a wii u for about $330 with taxes and it comes with a game for $100 more you can get a ps4 with no game and people still buy it. but again if you are an adult you can do what ever you want
Tap here to load 164 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...