^ what they said. It's okay to have lower specs than the competition if you're affordable, but the Wii U doesn't really have that, it's only $100 less than a PS4 which can act as a media center plus as a powerful gaming rig. It's a tough sell unfortunately. It's that damn gamepad that's driving the cost up for Nintendo. I'd have been completely okay with them sticking with the Wiimote and bundling that Wii U Pro controller in.
Great article. New to the site so it's a good first impression!
I completely agree with your assessment of the 3DS. There's really no forseeable issues for it. It's selling very, very well right now, in a market squashed by tablets and smartphones (lovin' Angry Birds...) and as you said, with Pokemon X + Y and Legend of Zelda coming out later this year, it looks like it could be massively successful at christmas. If Ninty can do a 3DS + Pokemon bundle in time for Christmas they will have a massive winner on their hands.
The Wii U is in a bit more trouble, I think. It's stuck in a bit of a no-man's land. It's too expensive and lacks the 'does everything' aspect of the Xbox 360/PS3 (the PS3 is currently the most popular hardware used on Netflix, for an example) to appeal to a truly casual market. Particularly this is because where the Wii had a low price, massively hyped motion controls + Wii sports (enough to offset the disadvantage of not being an all-in-one console), the Wii U is unfortunately only $100 less than a PS4, and its controller hasn't yet demonstrated to the mainstream market that it's worth the RRP. It also lacks the power and third-party support of the PS4/XB1 (for example with FIFA 14) so it doesn't appeal to the really hardcore gamers either.
None of this would be a problem if it's RRP was low enough that the Wii U could be seen, as the Wii was often seen, as a supplementary console; a console that you buy ALONGSIDE a Playstation or Xbox. But unfortunately it isn't, its price largely (as I think some reports have indicated) inflated by the expensive manfucaturing process for the Gamepad, which as I mentioned hasn't caught on with the mainstream market.
I don't really know what the answer is with the Wii U. All I can say is that if they'd made 'The Wii 2', a 1080p Wii with cloud-save storage and the improved Wii U OS, improved Wiimote and bundled 'Wii U Pro controller', at a much lower RRP, I'd have snapped it up in an instant. Nobody's buying the Wii U because they see it as a revolutionary console, they're buying it to play Nintendo games. They need to make that path very unobstructed.
Anyway, those are just my thoughts on it. I enjoyed the article. Please watch the profanity — TBD
But... the 3DS has consistently outsold every other console on the market for the last 3 months. I don't know what more he wants? The 3DS is selling amazingly well. It's the Wii U that's having problems.
Not many people are aware of Pikmin 3's existence. If I go on Amazon.co.uk's Video Games page right now, there is no acknowledgement of the existence of either Pikmin 3, or even The Wonderful 101! They need to start advertising! The Xbox One has ads plastered all over the site.
Comments 7
Re: Sales Data Demonstrates a Slow Wii to Wii U Transition Compared to Past Generations
^ what they said. It's okay to have lower specs than the competition if you're affordable, but the Wii U doesn't really have that, it's only $100 less than a PS4 which can act as a media center plus as a powerful gaming rig. It's a tough sell unfortunately. It's that damn gamepad that's driving the cost up for Nintendo. I'd have been completely okay with them sticking with the Wiimote and bundling that Wii U Pro controller in.
Re: The Wonderful 101's Original Concept Included an "All-Star Cast of Nintendo Characters"
I think Ninty need to take the sales hit involved with making a totally new IP so that in the future they can make it one of their classics.
Re: Talking Point: Gamescom Announcements Raise the Stakes for the Wii U and 3DS
Great article. New to the site so it's a good first impression!
I completely agree with your assessment of the 3DS. There's really no forseeable issues for it. It's selling very, very well right now, in a market squashed by tablets and smartphones (lovin' Angry Birds...) and as you said, with Pokemon X + Y and Legend of Zelda coming out later this year, it looks like it could be massively successful at christmas. If Ninty can do a 3DS + Pokemon bundle in time for Christmas they will have a massive winner on their hands.
The Wii U is in a bit more trouble, I think. It's stuck in a bit of a no-man's land. It's too expensive and lacks the 'does everything' aspect of the Xbox 360/PS3 (the PS3 is currently the most popular hardware used on Netflix, for an example) to appeal to a truly casual market. Particularly this is because where the Wii had a low price, massively hyped motion controls + Wii sports (enough to offset the disadvantage of not being an all-in-one console), the Wii U is unfortunately only $100 less than a PS4, and its controller hasn't yet demonstrated to the mainstream market that it's worth the RRP. It also lacks the power and third-party support of the PS4/XB1 (for example with FIFA 14) so it doesn't appeal to the really hardcore gamers either.
None of this would be a problem if it's RRP was low enough that the Wii U could be seen, as the Wii was often seen, as a supplementary console; a console that you buy ALONGSIDE a Playstation or Xbox. But unfortunately it isn't, its price largely (as I think some reports have indicated) inflated by the expensive manfucaturing process for the Gamepad, which as I mentioned hasn't caught on with the mainstream market.
I don't really know what the answer is with the Wii U. All I can say is that if they'd made 'The Wii 2', a 1080p Wii with cloud-save storage and the improved Wii U OS, improved Wiimote and bundled 'Wii U Pro controller', at a much lower RRP, I'd have snapped it up in an instant. Nobody's buying the Wii U because they see it as a revolutionary console, they're buying it to play Nintendo games. They need to make that path very unobstructed.
Anyway, those are just my thoughts on it. I enjoyed the article.
Please watch the profanity — TBD
Re: The Wonderful 101's Original Concept Included an "All-Star Cast of Nintendo Characters"
I'm glad it didn't end up using them. God knows Nintendo needs to create some new characters.
Re: n-Space Not Currently Working On New Projects For Nintendo Consoles
But... the 3DS has consistently outsold every other console on the market for the last 3 months. I don't know what more he wants? The 3DS is selling amazingly well. It's the Wii U that's having problems.
Re: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD Confirmed, But Not For Wii U
Much to my shame, I've actually never played a Castlevania game. When this comes to 3DS, is it worth making my first?
Re: Animal Crossing: New Leaf Maintains UK Momentum As Pikmin 3 Continues to Fall Away
Not many people are aware of Pikmin 3's existence. If I go on Amazon.co.uk's Video Games page right now, there is no acknowledgement of the existence of either Pikmin 3, or even The Wonderful 101! They need to start advertising! The Xbox One has ads plastered all over the site.