Is Wii U dead?

photofinish

It can not compete with PS3 or Xbox 360 as it is.

I think the Xbox One and PS4 will finish it.

Am I wrong is there hope for Nintendo?

johnny_ultimate

Nintendo are not trying to compete with Sony or Microsoft. They need to carve out their own niche of creative and innovative titles. Time will tell if they succeed.

And the console that is due Bayonetta 2 as an exclusive in the future is most definitely not dead.

Retr0gamer

It's been out six months. People said the same about the 3DS during the same time frame. The 3DS is currently heading towards being one of the best selling consoles ever.

The WiiU is far from dead and as JU said, Nintendo are targeting a less traditional audience than MS and Sony.

richymcdermott

Nintendo knows what it needs to do for to get a good lifespan off its consoles and knows its position since they decided to use cartridges than cds with the N64.

Its funny listening to michael patcher coming out saying the wii u is a nintendo only game system like the nes in 1985 and not knowing the **** he is talking about.


as reggie ponted out at forbes the console history , hardware never mattered, the games matter.

the wii, ps2, ds, 3ds all sold the most in its category over the consoles generations so i would not be worried about the wii u and think it would do just fine.

as it has been pointed out already bayonetta 2 is exclusive to the system and with games like sonic lost world, wonder 101, donkey kong tropical freeze, mario 3d world, wii fit u,zelda wind waker hd,pikmin 3 all out this year the install userbase will increase dramatically. Iwata said after e3 more wii u games news will follow giving months

2014 is already shaping to be wii u dominance with mario kart 8, xenoblade 2 and super smash bros u and who knows whats coming out.

Most people buy nintendo as their second consoles anyways cause imo there first party titles and ips cannot be matched anywhere else and while multiplats are nice, exclusives are what matters most to me.



......Oh.........................BTW..........

This seems to be the closest thing we are getting to a HD megaman ......Only on Nintendo Systems :pac:

bizmark

Wish they cut its price to 250 or so id be tempted to pick one up

Retr0gamer

bizmark wrote: »

Wish they cut its price to 250 or so id be tempted to pick one up

They were reduced in the UK by some retailers to around 230 euros. Wish I'd gotten one then

richymcdermott

bizmark wrote: »

Wish they cut its price to 250 or so id be tempted to pick one up

they will , but there is no point in doing it now when there first party hitters are not out yet. im calling it now holiday this year they will drop the price id say after pikin 3 comes out and around the time donkey kong is released

jaykhunter

Nintendo will do fine. N64 were outsold by the PS1, Gamecube outsold by PS2/Xbox, and they lived through it. Plus they amassed a lot of money with the Wii/3DS selling over 250,000,000 units combined. I know they're currently dragging their feet on quality exclusive games with the WiiU, their fortunes will change when they hit. richymcdermott laid out the hits! They'll survive.

bizmark

id get it for the mario games i was a massive elitist (pc master race) about the original wii up to only a year ago then i played super mario world or bros or something on the wii with the girlfriend all night followed by some fun little party games and i seen the light

330 is a bit steep though come on Reggie my body is ready

Azza

I don't know why anyone would think Bayonetta is a system seller when it didn't sell well on Xbox 360 and PS3. Its a niche title.

ShooterSF

How can you go from bashing the XB1 as some evil corporate spy machine in one thread to claiming it will play a role in putting an end to another console in another?

photofinish

ShooterSF wrote: »

How can you go from bashing the XB1 as some evil corporate spy machine in one thread to claiming it will play a role in putting an end to another console in another?

I did not bash the Xbox One I said I won't be getting one because of the always connect camera and mic.
I like what I see with Xbox One except that one aspect.

I had all the Saga consoles but I did not deny the Dreamcast was in trouble.

Kiith

I'll probably buy it once we start getting some good RPG's. A Xenoblade sequel would make it a guaranteed purchase for me.

Genghiz Cohen

Retr0gamer wrote: »

They were reduced in the UK by some retailers to around 230 euros. Wish I'd gotten one then

I got one on eBay for €250 + Shipping, I couldn't figure out how it was so cheap, now I know

From using it, it is a lovely piece of hardware. The controller is very responsive and comfortable and the graphics power will be plenty for Nintendo.
Only have Nintendo Land so far but it give a nice cross section of what is possible with the new features.

The camera lets you take a picture to make a Mii, and the results are always really derpy.

Radiosonde

Xmas will tell all, OP. Mario 3d World and Donkey kong should shift units. Mario kart expected in april next year. If they dont sell it, hard to know what will.

Azza wrote: »

I don't know why anyone would think Bayonetta is a system seller when it didn't sell well on Xbox 360 and PS3. Its a niche title.

It will do even worse on Wii U.

danthefan

Xenoblade successor and new Zelda will do huge amounts for the console imo. They're a fair bit off though.

ShadowHearth

Azza wrote: »

I don't know why anyone would think Bayonetta is a system seller when it didn't sell well on Xbox 360 and PS3. Its a niche title.

This.


Bayonetta might be good in its category, but it is not a system seller, its a niche game same as wii U now . Yes, it will sell a few Wii Us, but I would not expect some sort of magical proportion sales boost.

Even now, we can see how many preorders both xbox one and ps4 is getting, and thats in the famous "early release, no games time". Even my local gamestop has already hit its targets this week for preorders and there are still 4 months to go!
Wii U might be a great secondary console for a lot of "1 system gamers" after a price drop. At the moment I dont know who would buy a wii U for 330eu, when PS4 will be 400eu. Nintendo lost the one horse they had "casual players and their mums".

Nintendo is not dead by any means. They got a lot of money. They can make another 5 Virtual boys and still be a float.
Wii U will creep up in sales eventually. I know I will be getting it too, but only after price drop.

NTMK

The WiiU will be fine once nintendo release some of their IP's on it. It problem isnt its hardware its that almost every game released on it can be got on a different platform that most gamers already own

And they always have that emergency IP of pokemon that would sell a ton systems if they ever would release a proper console version

Nintendo arent set up to compete with MS/Sony but they do have their own niche off being a great second console due to the strength of their IP's(something sega didnt have tbh). Its the reason ill be getting one as niether MS/Sony are offering something different enough for me to buy one when i own a pc.

bizmark

microsoft and sony tend to have an over abundence of grey brown dudebro military shooters lest the wiiu seems to have some different types of games or at lest potentaly will once nintendo get around to releaseing their ip's on it main reason id grab one over those other consoles when i already have a pc

snausages

Azza wrote: »

I don't know why anyone would think Bayonetta is a system seller when it didn't sell well on Xbox 360 and PS3. Its a niche title.

Yeah, I don't see it breaking a million copies tbh. But I'm glad that niche titles like that are finding a home on Wii-U

This looks incredible. Monolith Soft's 'X'. Sequel to Xenoblade and (seemingly?) spiritual successor to Xenogears.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6Q4ld4uqcY

Retr0gamer

I'd buy a WiiU just for X. Xenoblade was the best RPG in years.

johnny_ultimate

Sales are only one measure of success, though. Even if the WiiU is declared a financial failure, we gamers still have a lot of exciting software to look forward to. Nintendo aren't going to let it rot without a fight, and they've shown a commitment to creativity and innovation that's admirable.

Plenty of sales failures have been fantastic consoles in their own right - heck, some like the Wonderswan never even made it over here, but still have plenty to offer. I'd like to see Nintendo succeed, but at the same time even if the WiiU ends up in early retirement with only a dozen great games - and it's on the way to that - and its fascinating hardware, then as far as Im concerned, as a gamer, it will have been a success in its own way.

Radiosonde

snausages wrote: »

Yeah, I don't see it breaking a million copies tbh. But I'm glad that niche titles like that are finding a home on Wii-U

This looks incredible. Monolith Soft's 'X'. Sequel to Xenoblade and (seemingly?) spiritual successor to Xenogears.

They should have made something more like an action-adventure or Western RPG (MS have form in this area with Disaster Day of Crisis.) That could have shifted systems. Sure it will be a good game, maybe a great one, but a jrpg isn't likely to sell a system in the West. A big open world mech game like that might have if it wasnt a jrpg.

Radiosonde

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Nintendo is not dead by any means. They got a lot of money. They can make another 5 Virtual boys and still be a float.
Wii U will creep up in sales eventually. I know I will be getting it too, but only after price drop.

Not enough people seem to know this. Will this be their dreamcast? NO. I'd wouldnt be surprised if they develop a new home console for Xmas 2015 if the WiiU hasnt picked up significantly by the end of next year.

Apocalypse

Monster Hunter lads

ShaneU

Retr0gamer wrote: »

They were reduced in the UK by some retailers to around 230 euros. Wish I'd gotten one then

A shop in Belgium has them for €150



Might pick one up in a few years when there's a few good games out for it, and I don't mean "New" Super Mario Bros. 5 featuring Cats or Wind Waker Remix.

Retr0gamer

Radiosonde wrote: »

They should have made something more like an action-adventure or Western RPG (MS have form in this area with Disaster Day of Crisis.) That could have shifted systems. Sure it will be a good game, maybe a great one, but a jrpg isn't likely to sell a system in the West. A big open world mech game like that might have if it wasnt a jrpg.

You've obviously not played Xenoblade. It's a real fusion of the best eastern and western RPG design sensibilities. X will sell the system to the JRPG crowd who loved Xenoblade.

Also it's a japanese studio producing it. Best to stick to what you know than imitating the west otherwise you end up with a disaster like Resident Evil 5.

bizmark

Res 4 was fairly western and arguably it was the best in the series leon didnt have arms the size of Venus though

snausages

RE4 wasn't really western, it just set a new standard that western developers followed. Which makes RE6's failures all the more ironic

richymcdermott

i find western rpgs not rpgs at all but games with such narration choice and poor leveling up systems.

Games like mass effect is more of a 3rd person shooter in my eyes than anything else and while western rpg gets more sales and mainstream acknowledgment than jrpg the genre has gotten bare boned and lazy.


playing games like shin megami tensei, xenoblade is more than just killing your way through things mindlessly by just pressing the attack button.
no set of skills or stragetic thought involved in western design in the rpg genre.

and while the jrpg class is labelled as childish story telling or bland characters i fail to see whats impressive about the characters of mass effect that were easily taken from every sci fi tv show and movie just just added a single coat with a different name.

ShadowHearth

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I'd buy a WiiU just for X. Xenoblade was the best RPG in years.

That is one sexy looking game, I will give you that, but I will wait and see it released, before judging it.
Monster hunter 3 ( and any sequal ) is already a reason for me to buy Wii U, after price drop and PS4 payed off.

Pushtrak

richymcdermott wrote: »

i find western rpgs not rpgs at all but games with such narration choice and poor leveling up systems.

Lets look at a game like Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic. Why is that an RPG? Is it an RPG because it isn't your skill that matters in combat, but the skill of the character? As in, you are going to miss more than you'll hit at a low level. Or is it the fact you get narrative choices in which to play a role and decide how you want your character to progress? I think its obvious which one I want. I love RPGs and JRPGs, but seriously, if we're to talk about which one are closer to a role playing ideal for me, I have to look to the West for that.

Games like mass effect is more of a 3rd person shooter in my eyes than anything else and while western rpg gets more sales and mainstream acknowledgment than jrpg the genre has gotten bare boned and lazy.

Mass Effect is more of an action RPG. There are other types of RPGs than that from the West.

readyletsgo

Have to say, the Wii U is an awesome system! Sure its not as stronge as PS4 or Xbone, but its pretty damn close! Sales will pick up when 3D World/MK8/DK come out at Xmas and next year. But also, they have a hell of a lot of Indie dev's backing them up too, and a lot a games on the eshop already that are brilliant.

I feel its the advertising that is the problem here. I have seen, maybe two ad's for the WiiU since Xmas, most people dont even know the WiiU exists. So how will people know its a new system. I'm not talking about people who read up online every so often about games but the average Jo parent.

You see on the Nintendo Thread here, parents coming on asking about the DS and have no idea about the 3DS :rolleyes:

Of course Ninty are going no where anytime soon, they have money to last 8 failed next gen systems.

My Wii U is sitting in my room, hasnt been properly played since launch (NSMBU and Sonic Racer) if only to check whats on the eshop.

Them drip feeding NES and SNES games is actually ridiculous at this stage now. One VC game a week is not on, they should have ported all the VC games from the Wii over at launch, I mean, the system was in development from 2007 and finalized by 2010 so they had 2/3 years to port these VC games over to the Wii U. Its all just very badly planned out on their part, no doubt about that. Also charging €5/€8 for these games is way too pricey, they should be €3/€4 max.

I do feel now, that the gamepad, as good as it is, should not have been part of the Wiiu, instead the Pro Controller should have been in the box. I think more 'hardcore' gamers would pick it up.

I am so disappointed with the Wii U(right now) that I went out and picked up a PS3 to keep me going while this 6 month drought is going on (I am aware i picked it up at launch but Ninty are giving no support at all), and I have no interest in Pikmin, WW is out in October but I have played it a million times before so in no rush to play again.
Sonic Lost World will be the next Wii U game I get then 3D World, 2 games


I hope they change what they are doing soon. Or if we even get a few gem's for the next two years as someone already said and Ninty move on with a new system I'll be happy.

/rant

Radiosonde

Retr0gamer wrote: »

You've obviously not played Xenoblade. It's a real fusion of the best eastern and western RPG design sensibilities. X will sell the system to the JRPG crowd who loved Xenoblade.

Also it's a japanese studio producing it. Best to stick to what you know than imitating the west otherwise you end up with a disaster like Resident Evil 5.

I have played it. I didn't really like the combat...I'd rather take turns than have the auto-striking system, I just didn't really feel in control.

But that doesn't matter. Wii U needs system sellers, and Mario World and DKCR are a start, but stuff like Skyrim is big business, monolith have experience with other genres (D:DoC), and Xenoblade sold well under 1m copies globally on the biggest selling platform of the gen.

Great if you love jrpgs but it wont shift that many wii u's. Once MarioKart and those other two I mentioned are out if the system still hasn't taken off Nintendo have not much else in reserve. From a business perspective the developers might have been better employed on something more mainstream than X.

ShadowHearth

Radiosonde wrote: »

I have played it. I didn't really like the combat...I'd rather take turns than have the auto-striking system, I just didn't really feel in control.

But that doesn't matter. Wii U needs system sellers, and Mario World and DKCR are a start, but stuff like Skyrim is big business, monolith have experience with other genres (D:DoC), and Xenoblade sold well under 1m copies globally on the biggest selling platform of the gen.

Great if you love jrpgs but it wont shift that many wii u's. Once MarioKart and those other two I mentioned are out if the system still hasn't taken off Nintendo have not much else in reserve. From a business perspective the developers might have been better employed on something more mainstream than X.

There are still a lot of people who get wet when they hear new Zelda, Mario game, but doubt that number is growing. Wii u launched with Mario game and it still did not sell. The time when people will start not give a **** about Mario is coming, it's a matter of time.
Nintendo needs to focus on other IPs instead. Fire emblem is a fantastic game, it got a lot of people play it, who don't give a feck about nintendos main IPs. Nintendo need more third party support. Look how big of a boost in hardware sales stuff like Monster Hunter 3 did in west. More of this and mot more of zelda or Mario.

richymcdermott

ShadowHearth wrote: »

There are still a lot of people who get wet when they hear new Zelda, Mario game, but doubt that number is growing. Wii u launched with Mario game and it still did not sell. The time when people will start not give a **** about Mario is coming, it's a matter of time.
Nintendo needs to focus on other IPs instead. Fire emblem is a fantastic game, it got a lot of people play it, who don't give a feck about nintendos main IPs. Nintendo need more third party support. Look how big of a boost in hardware sales stuff like Monster Hunter 3 did in west. More of this and mot more of zelda or Mario.

nsmb u sold 2.5 million

thats impressive with wii u user base been currently 3.75 million

NTMK

ShadowHearth wrote: »

There are still a lot of people who get wet when they hear new Zelda, Mario game, but doubt that number is growing. Wii u launched with Mario game and it still did not sell. The time when people will start not give a **** about Mario is coming, it's a matter of time.

just to highlight mario still sells the last mario kart sold 34mill units
NsmbU sold 2.5mill

nintendo may be milking him but he is a very fat cow

ShadowHearth

I never said it does not sell. It sells, but sooner or later that cow will drop dead.

2.5mil sold, yes. How much of those sales are just because there is feck all outside of that. As we see so far people dont rush in splashing out 350eu for wii u to play it.

Retr0gamer

I doubt it will. I Mario has never been bigger and there's merchandising everywhere. His popularity waned with the N64 and GC but came back in a big way with NSMB on the DS. Mario goes through a cycles of selling crazy numbers and selling insane numbers but it's never going to hit rock bottom not with the marketing genius of nintendo behind it and the fact that the mario franchise is so varied, fresh and high quality.

richymcdermott

well its been 30 years and the nintendo mascot is still going strong.

ShadowHearth

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I doubt it will. I Mario has never been bigger and there's merchandising everywhere. His popularity waned with the N64 and GC but came back in a big way with NSMB on the DS. Mario goes through a cycles of selling crazy numbers and selling insane numbers but it's never going to hit rock bottom not with the marketing genius of nintendo behind it and the fact that the mario franchise is so varied, fresh and high quality.

Maybe drop dead was a bit too strong phrasing, there will be always fans, but I doubt numbers will be growing.
We just need to wait and see. I know for sure, New mario or zelda game wount make me buy Wii U. Monster hunter 4, New Fire Emblem - Will.

Genghiz Cohen

That's one thing that struck me about Nintendo. They make innovative new games and then give them a Mario theme.

I'm really not sure if it's a good idea or a bad idea, but it's been working so far.

Retr0gamer

Genghiz Cohen wrote: »

That's one thing that struck me about Nintendo. They make innovative new games and then give them a Mario theme.

I'm really not sure if it's a good idea or a bad idea, but it's been working so far.

How many games have you seen with innovative and fun ideas and gameplay with a new IP that fails at retail.

With Mario Nintendo are able to explore these types of innovations and by attaching such a malleable franchise they ensure that it doesn't fail at retail.

They do the same with Kirby for the even crazier ideas.

ShadowHearth

richymcdermott wrote: »

well its been 30 years and the nintendo mascot is still going strong.

You missing my point. Nothing is wrong in pleasing the hardcore fan by stroking his dick with the same franchises. If Nintendo wants to get new fans they need to learn new stroking techniques, if you know what I mean.

ShadowHearth

Retr0gamer wrote: »

How many games have you seen with innovative and fun ideas and gameplay with a new IP that fails at retail.

With Mario Nintendo are able to explore these types of innovations and by attaching such a malleable franchise they ensure that it doesn't fail at retail.

They do the same with Kirby for the even crazier ideas.

I liked Yatzees wording in his Review of Luigi's Mansion. they Could give more personality and experimentation on Luigi then they can ever do on Mario, because they need to make Mario as generic as possible to appeal to everyone, because if you give him some sort of distinction you can push off other part of fanbase. it starts from 1:45

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=530q4-oxL58

Radiosonde

Genghiz Cohen wrote: »

That's one thing that struck me about Nintendo. They make innovative new games and then give them a Mario theme.

They've said they actually don't consider it worth coming up with new IPs unless it involves a new style of gameplay to go with it. Hence, they don't bother pulling new IPs out of their arse every couple of years.
A policy which has good and bad points, but means they dont unveil generic sf shooter and pretend its exciting and new, instead refining earlier ideas, which has led to great Fire Emblem and Luigi's Mansion games recently.

Dont be at yourself

The Wii U is destined to be no more than a sideshow, a console exclusively for a very niche audience of core gamers and Nintendo fans. The top selling games of the last three years were:

2012
1. COD: Blops2
2. FIFA 13
3. Assassins Creed III
4. Halo4
5. Hitman Absolution


2011
1. COD: MW3
2. FIFA12
3. Battlefield 3
4. Zumba Fitness
5. Skyrim

2010
1. COD: Blops
2. FIFA 11
3. Wii Fit
4. Red Dead Redemption
5. Gran Turismo 5

The two fitness games aside (and good luck trying to sell another balance board to customers), there's a clear appetite for triple-A blockbusters, as well as the usual EA sports and racing games. FIFA and the other EA Sports games aren't coming to the Wii U (a similar move to what helped kill the Dreamcast), and COD isn't looking likely either. There just aren't enough of those blockbusters on the slate, when compared to PS3 and XB360, let alone PS4 and XBOne.

Sure, Nintendo will turn a profit -- they always have. And sure, they'll make some decent games -- they always have. But gaming tastes have changed drastically. People want visceral games like COD and Last of Us, not Megaman, Mario Kart and Xenoblade.

What will be really interesting is what they'll do next. Will they stick with the Wii U for the next few years, in the shadow of the Xbox One and PS4, or will they bring another console to market next year to compete with those? Or will they go multi-platform, as shareholders are frequently calling for?

Richard Dower

I hope future software/firmware updates can resolve more of the consoles issues, they have made progress but need to do more. One wonders what the hardware is capable of....can it be pushed further?

Retr0gamer

Their shareholders definitely aren't calling for them to go multiplatform.

Pushtrak

Dont be at yourself wrote: »

The Wii U is destined to be no more than a sideshow, a console exclusively for a very niche audience of core gamers and Nintendo fans. The top selling games of the last three years were:

Titles that were released on multiple platforms. Games that are released on the PS3, 360 and PC are obviously going to see higher sales numbers than those by games that are only on one system.

I wouldn't buy Assassin's Creed, Batman, Watch Dogs, Call of Duty or games like that on the Wii U. That isn't what Nintendo systems are for to me.

What will be really interesting is what they'll do next. Will they stick with the Wii U for the next few years, in the shadow of the Xbox One and PS4, or will they bring another console to market next year to compete with those? Or will they go multi-platform, as shareholders are frequently calling for?

I think its a safe bet that they'll come out with a new system before MS or Sony do, but wouldn't be trying to predict when that could be now. As for them going multiplatform and the shareholders frequently calling for it? First I'm hearing of that. I often see it online with people saying they should get out of hardware, and focus on just doing games, but I wouldn't be thinking any I've seen suggest it are shareholders.

super_furry

Even the Nintendo stuff on the horizon is nothing to get excited about. Mario Kart 8, Wind Waker and Mario 3D Land are all basically games we've seen before and not a single one of them is going to shift a system.