Wii U / Nintendo general news and discussion

photofinish

I like Nintendo consoles and I have owned them all apart from the Wii U.

Come on Nintendo put the console out of it's misery and bring your games to the gamers on PlayStation and Xbox.

As many in the gaming community have predicted, Nintendo’s gaming console, the Wii U, has fallen way behind the company’s estimates and has been pulled back by 70pc.
In what could prove a death knell to the Japanese company’s hopes of continuing the success of the Wii console, Nintendo has had to humiliatingly scale back their 2014 sales estimates from 9 million devices to 2.8 million.
Launched in November 2012, the console was expected to bring a much more powerful device from the relatively less-technical Wii which was targeted successfully at the family market.
However, despite initial high-sales numbers of 3.75 million in its first year, the company has failed to keep interest going in the console and with the launch of the Xbox One and PS4 towards the end of last year pushing it outside the consciousness of most gamers.
“Huge gap from their targets”

The company was expected to see a significant increase in console sales over the Christmas period but found numbers to be coming up short.
Earlier today Nintendo CEO, Satoru Iwata, released a statement explaining their decision to lower expectations: “Wii U sales...showed some progress in the year-end sales season as we released various compelling titles from the summer onwards, launched hardware bundles at affordable price points and also performed a markdown of the hardware in the US and European markets; however, they fell short of our targeted recovery by a large margin.”
He continued: “In particular, sales in the US and European markets in which we entered the year-end sales season with a hardware markdown were significantly lower than our original forecasts, with both hardware and software sales experiencing a huge gap from their targets.
“In addition, we did not assume at the beginning of the fiscal year that we would perform a markdown for the Wii U hardware in the US and European markets.”

witnessmenow

photofinish wrote: »

I like Nintendo consoles and I have owned them all apart from the Wii U.

Come on Nintendo put the console out of it's misery and bring your games to the gamers on PlayStation and Xbox.

The Wii out sold Ps3 and Xbox in the previous gen and there handheld business has been doing great for years, I'll say they'll be ok

gaynorvader

They could possibly save it if they sold the console without the controller (dropping the price substantially in doing so) and put in the ability to use an ipad or android touch screen device or a kindle or surface pro or whatever in it's place as most people have these things. It's tough buying a console and then only been able to play it by yourself unless a friend happens to have one too as the controllers are so cripplingly expensive. Half the allure of consoles, for me at least, is being able to throw it on when a friend calls up and hand them a controller and play some co-op or head to head. This was the main thrust of the Wii in my eyes and it's all but lost on the Wii U as buying a second controller is just too much.

cherryghost

They'll be grand, Wii U will probably be grand :P It's not in Dreamcast territory yet. Even though Ninty's dismal marketing hasn't helped, I don't think they've been anywhere as bad as SEGA's run-up.

Sega said it was sticking to its projections of annual sales of 2.5 million consoles in the US and 1.2 million more in Europe

Wii U currently sits at 5.3m within a year of release.


Also, the 3DS is currently the best selling system. The handheld outsold the PS4 and Xbox One over the Christmas period too. Nintendo won't fall, they're fiiiiiiiine

Myrddin

Nintendo have enough money in the bank to see this one out & the next one too if needs be. I find it baffling though, that they seem surprised the numbers are so low. There's not a whole lot of incentive to own one, sure there's a handful of 1st party games there now & more on the way...but it's not looking good. Just why do they think people are going to fork out for a Wii U as it stands?

There's really unforgivable stuff too like the current virtual console selection, it's so barren compared to the Wii one...this is inexcusable, stick a team of people to port the library over & get it done Nintendo, rather then trickling out one Snes game every six weeks

photofinish

witnessmenow wrote: »

The Wii out sold Ps3 and Xbox in the previous gen and there handheld business has been doing great for years, I'll say they'll be ok

I am by no means a Nintendo basher I love their games.

Having said that the Wii U is a total disaster and to deny it at this stage is not living is reality.

I would love to play Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze but I am not investing in a failed console with no 3rd party support to do so.

Take a game like GTA V from Rockstar it has been the biggest game last year and Rockstar do not tinker around in the hardware business.

All the game studios and most of the gamers have given the Wii U a miss and if Nintendo want to sell games they need to follow the gamers.

Why all the stubbornness from Nintendo and a few die hard supporters?
The Wii U is junk Nintendo should concentrate on what it does well making games.

I love Nintendo games and would buy the likes of the new Mario game if Nintendo released it on MY chosen platform.

cloud493

Hardly dead in the water, its a cracking console. Marketing is lamentable however. Big price drop, say £99/150e mark, more advertisement.

the incredible pudding

The report also said that the 3DS fell short on their expectations despite it being the top selling console in the States and the UK.

Sometimes expectations are a load of ****e. The wii was lightning in a bottle in terms of the casual audience it attracted. I don't think Nintendo realised it had a tablet and phone market to compete with nowadays too.

krudler

The Wii-U is kind of an odd fish, it doesnt have the software support to attract people to invest in it as a main console, but the casuals who loved the Wii probably dont see the point in buying another full blown console for more fitness games. I would love one purely for the 1st party titles and a handful of games like Rayman Legends or Bayonetta 2 but it's too steep for what it is. if it went down to 150-170 quid I'd get one alright. As it currently is some bundles are 100 quid less than a PS4 which is kinda mental for what would be a secondary console.

ShadowHearth

Wii u might not be doing well, but I would not rush in to bury Nintendo just yet. Not even close.

When that "X" game comes out I might finally push the trigger on Wii U

the incredible pudding

I'd say a lot of people are waiting for mario kart/smash/zelda and more importantly, a price cut before taking the plunge. It'll still do well.

I can only imagine how much better it'd do if Nintendo bothered to listen to its customers and put a proper pokemon rpg or something on it.

NTMK

it took SEGA about 10 years to kill themselves so i really dont understand that logic behind Nintendo being ****ed

They can buy sony jp (~18Billion) and xbox (valued ~17billion) and still have change (20Billion) left in their cash reserves ffs:pac:

Nintendo just need a better marketing dept

_Redzer_

Nintendo need to make a console just as powerful as the next PS5 and xbox. They'd be complete and utter idiots to do what they've done this gen again.

Underpowered console with no 3rd party support, aimed at casuals who bought the wii because it was a gimmick, but never again.

If they had a powerful console they'd have the first party and 3rd party and could have a console you wouldn't get second to a playstation or xbox. It could actually directly compete.

As it stands I don't see any value in a wii u

ShadowHearth

Looks like: Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, would perfectly fit in wii and wii u world.


Wii sold a lot and majority of sales were casuals. I sow a lot of wiis in non gaming families just sitting, doing feck all. Nintendo does not have a sea of casuals anymore.

super_furry

It's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy at this stage. No third party support means that it's not going to gain any traction among anyone who's not eager to play Nintendo games but the fact that console is in such trouble means that people like me are waiting for the collapse so we can buy if for next to nothing with a handful of games.

Corholio

photofinish wrote: »

I am by no means a Nintendo basher I love their games.

Having said that the Wii U is a total disaster and to deny it at this stage is not living is reality.

I would love to play Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze but I am not investing in a failed console with no 3rd party support to do so.

Take a game like GTA V from Rockstar it has been the biggest game last year and Rockstar do not tinker around in the hardware business.

All the game studios and most of the gamers have given the Wii U a miss and if Nintendo want to sell games they need to follow the gamers.

Why all the stubbornness from Nintendo and a few die hard supporters?
The Wii U is junk Nintendo should concentrate on what it does well making games.

I love Nintendo games and would buy the likes of the new Mario game if Nintendo released it on MY chosen platform.

When you say junk I presume you mean the sales, because the Wii U is a fantastic machine. Nintendo's terrible style of marketing and it's failure to get 3rd parties on board early on has hampered it a lot.

I hope Nintendo never stop making their own consoles, they'd be something wrong about Nintendo's brands being on an Xbox or PS.

I agree that they should focus on a more powerful console, but only to be able to attract the 3rd parties, not to align itself as clones of Xbox or PS. Nintendo will always be different and I think they need to compete better to show this. The 1st party games, the brilliant gamepad, Miiverse and Virtual Console, there's already a lot of great things about the Wii U despite what people say, Nintendo just need to open their eyes to what people told them 2 years ago.

photofinish

Corholio wrote: »

When you say junk I presume you mean the sales, because the Wii U is a fantastic machine. Nintendo's terrible style of marketing and it's failure to get 3rd parties on board early on has hampered it a lot.

I hope Nintendo never stop making their own consoles, they'd be something wrong about Nintendo's brands being on an Xbox or PS.

I agree that they should focus on a more powerful console, but only to be able to attract the 3rd parties, not to align itself as clones of Xbox or PS. Nintendo will always be different and I think they need to compete better to show this. The 1st party games, the brilliant gamepad, Miiverse and Virtual Console, there's already a lot of great things about the Wii U despite what people say, Nintendo just need to open their eyes to what people told them 2 years ago.

When I say junk I do mean the console.
Games on the new Playstation and Xbox use new game engines that will not run on the Wii U.
This is coming from a person who has purchased all Sony Microsoft Sega and Nintendo consoles to date except the Wii U.

EA sports games on the new consoles use a new game engine which the Wii U can not run and it does not matter since EA along with all other 3rd party game makers have ditched the Wii U.

I am not denying the Nintendo first parry games are great but the lack of 3rd party support is a non runner.

In another thread there is a debate of PS4 vs Xbox One and the choice can come down to which has the best exclusives but on either console I could pop in a copy of Fifa and have an online game.

I play Xbox but Microsoft exclusives only go so far most of the time I am playing a multiplatform game which I could also play on a PS4 but not a Wii U.

Back in PS 2 days the Nintendo Gamecube was more powerful then the PS 2 and not that far behind the Xbox all 3 systems could run the same games pretty much the same.

As regards it being a fantastic machine that only lacks 3rd party support I have to disagree even if it had said support it could not run games anything like the PS 4 or the Xbox One.

Nintendo need to either launch proper hardware or become a 3rd party publisher themselves.

It has done Sega no harm I have purchased plenty of Sega games since they got out of the hardware business.

nesf

photofinish wrote: »

When I say junk I do mean the console.
Games on the new Playstation and Xbox use new game engines that will not run on the Wii U.

Why on earth do you want a third console that can play the same games as the other two? It's not aimed at the same market demographic, really it doesn't need to share hardware with the other two.

photofinish

nesf wrote: »

Why on earth do you want a third console that can play the same games as the other two?

I don't want a third console nor even a second for this new generation I have purchased an Xbox One apart from a few exclusives I would have been just as happy with a PS4.

The thing with a Sony or Microsoft console is they will run all the multiplatform games properly along with their own exclusives.

Look at it this way Sony has Gran Turismo Microsoft has Halo and Nintendo has Mario.
All 3 above games franchises sell by the bucket an are exclusive.

Now after playing Gran Turismo or Halo I could stick in the latest Fifa game using it's new game engine and play online.

After playing Mario I can visit the virtual console and play kirby.

Nintendo has a console that only has Nintendo games and even if it did have 3rd party support it could not run games up to the same standard of the competition.

If Nintendo had released a console with decent specs proper online play along with EA support I think many people would have went for it and more 3rd party support would have followed.

The Wii is locked into a vicious cycle it has no 3rd party support and can not sell and it can not get 3rd party support without getting a large installed base.

All this is compounded by sub par specs.

ShadowHearth

Hmmmm, I dont really think that Wii U needed to aim at Ps4/Xbox One raw power levels. As Nesf said - why would you want all 3 consoles being pretty much at same level.

What Nintendo needed to do is get it to a good bitfaster then ps3/360 to make it noticable and still be under the new big boys. As we already sow with 3ds - the lack of actual raw power worked in its favour as developers can be more creative in art style to make the best of consoles limits and they can do smaller budget games.

So its not really all lost for Wii U. If it prices itself right it can become a fantastic second console. I did had a position, where I sow more doom and gloom in Wii Us future, but I am changing my opinion lately. It still might really surprise us.

Pushtrak

photofinish wrote: »

I don't want a third console nor even a second for this new generation I have purchased an Xbox One apart from a few exclusives I would have been just as happy with a PS4.

The thing with a Sony or Microsoft console is they will run all the multiplatform games properly along with their own exclusives.

Look at it this way Sony has Gran Turismo Microsoft has Halo and Nintendo has Mario.
All 3 above games franchises sell by the bucket an are exclusive.

Now after playing Gran Turismo or Halo I could stick in the latest Fifa game using it's new game engine and play online.

You are looking at it from a one console owner perspective. Nintendo for me don't do consoles that are fine on their own. They are must owns, but not in isolation.

If a person wants to play, using your examples, Gran Turismo, Halo and Mario, then they know what consoles they need to own to do that. I don't look at what a console *doesn't play* I look at what it does, and ask myself, does it have enough to justify the purchase? It can be that easy you know.

ShadowHearth

Funny enough: why on earth the most expensive Wii U game on Amazon is Monster hunter 3?!


The only reason I could see for it - big demand? Even Monster hunter 3 wii U pack is most expensive.

photofinish

Pushtrak wrote: »

You are looking at it from a one console owner perspective. Nintendo for me don't do consoles that are fine on their own. They are must owns, but not in isolation.

If a person wants to play, using your examples, Gran Turismo, Halo and Mario, then they know what consoles they need to own to do that. I don't look at what a console *doesn't play* I look at what it does, and ask myself, does it have enough to justify the purchase? It can be that easy you know.

I agree with you I would love to play the new Mario game and Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze it looks awesome.

As much as I would love these two games Donkey Kong in particular it does not have enough or do what I want to justify paying for it.

Polar101

Who is the Wii U actually aimed for? It looks like a great console, but I wouldn't buy a console just to play a Mario game.

Fnz

If I was in the market for one console, it absolutely would sting to know that, because I wanted those sweet Nintendo games, I'd have to settle for inferior hardware. Why would I want it to have the same power as the competition? Because it being weaker is not inherently beneficial. Saying it forces them to be more creative than the competition rings completely hollow.

photofinish

Fnz wrote: »

If I was in the market for one console, it absolutely would sting to know that, because I wanted those sweet Nintendo games, I'd have to settle for inferior hardware. Why would I want it to have the same power as the competition? Because it being weaker is not inherently beneficial. Saying it forces them to be more creative than the competition rings completely hollow.

Yes your right it makes no sense.

That Donkey Kong game looks like great fun and I am sure it would be every bit as much fun on the more powerful Playstation and Xbox.

cloud493

To put what I think he's saying another way, mario galaxy and to a lesser extent metroid prime 3 from 2007 look and hold up much better than bioshock and uncharted from the same year.

nesf

Fnz wrote: »

If I was in the market for one console, it absolutely would sting to know that, because I wanted those sweet Nintendo games, I'd have to settle for inferior hardware. Why would I want it to have the same power as the competition? Because it being weaker is not inherently beneficial. Saying it forces them to be more creative than the competition rings completely hollow.

If you're only in the market for one console in a three horse race you are going to be making compromises, you won't get around this.

photofinish

cloud493 wrote: »

To put what I think he's saying another way, mario galaxy and to a lesser extent metroid prime 3 from 2007 look and hold up much better than bioshock and uncharted from the same year.

Yes nobody is denying Nintendo make great games.
The point I think he was making is that having inferior hardware specs does not help creativity.

Fine Nintendo make great games but if I buy a console I also what to be able to run multiplatform games at a comparable standard to other platforms.

The SNES ran games up to the same level as the Sega Megadrive and even better in some ways and that did not cripple the creativity of Nintendo.

cloud493

No I meant graphically. The wii having less power than the PS3/360 meant that in certain cases, not all, and mostly first party games anyway, nintendo put art style and creativity ahead of the raw processing power the wii didn't have it, and as a result, those games graphically hold up better.

photofinish

nesf wrote: »

If you're only in the market for one console in a three horse race you are going to be making compromises, you won't get around this.

Yes and I have made a compromise and it seems so have many others and that compromise is hurting Nintendo in the pocket.

corcaigh07

The lack of HD and lack of a decent online structure from the Wii has really hurt them for the Wii U, remember it took MS and Sony a while to adapt to HD in the beginning of the PS3 and 360.

That said, they still need to wake up and change their methods, similar to Sony identifying and rectifying their past mistakes to make the PS4 a better console.

Corkfeen

In all likelihood, I'm going to go for a Wii U and PS4 when I get around to buying the next gen range. While Nintendo may be lacking in power, they are great in terms of creative talent and unique titles. The games are optimised for their console and will get the best out of it.

In fact, I'd be erring towards getting the Wii U before the PS4 because I'd be playing many of the ps4 games on my pc.

cherryghost

PC + PS4/Xbox One + Wii U is all a true gamer really needs

nesf

photofinish wrote: »

Yes nobody is denying Nintendo make great games.
The point I think he was making is that having inferior hardware specs does not help creativity.

Fine Nintendo make great games but if I buy a console I also what to be able to run multiplatform games at a comparable standard to other platforms.

The SNES ran games up to the same level as the Sega Megadrive and even better in some ways and that did not cripple the creativity of Nintendo.

Sure, but a) it's nowhere near the same price as the other consoles so expecting similar hardware power is very unreasonable and b) Nintendo do not make games that require a whole lot of grunt. You don't need great hardware to have great games, you've been drinking far too much of the Kool-Aid if you believe this.

If you want a PS4 or XBox buy one, complaining that the Wii U isn't one is kind of strange.

photofinish

cherryghost wrote: »

PC + PS4/Xbox One + Wii U is all a true gamer really needs

And you get this.:D

Pushtrak

photofinish wrote: »

As much as I would love these two games Donkey Kong in particular it does not have enough or do what I want to justify paying for it.

That to me says they need to release more games, not necessarily they need more third party games.

Polar101 wrote: »

Who is the Wii U actually aimed for? It looks like a great console, but I wouldn't buy a console just to play a Mario game.

Monster Hunter 3, Zelda, Bayonetta 2 and X are the ones that immediately spring to mind for me. You might say, is that all, what comes after, to which the necessary counter is we don't really know that much about future titles for the One or PS4 either. We'll see a lot more from all 3 I reckon at say E3.

Fnz wrote: »

If I was in the market for one console, it absolutely would sting to know that, because I wanted those sweet Nintendo games, I'd have to settle for inferior hardware. Why would I want it to have the same power as the competition? Because it being weaker is not inherently beneficial. Saying it forces them to be more creative than the competition rings completely hollow.

When I'm playing Bayonetta 2 and X for instance, I don't think I'll feel stung.

Josey Wales

cloud493 wrote: »

Hardly dead in the water, its a cracking console. Marketing is lamentable however. Big price drop, say £99/150e mark, more advertisement.

I'd definitely snap one up at €150.

richymcdermott

Wii u doing terrible = Nintendo dead
Sony closing buildings and shareholders have them in junk status = dead
Xbox one drm u turn and 500 price tag = dead
Steam summer sales = wallet dead

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9VXjFzWIgE

ThisRegard

cloud493 wrote: »

Hardly dead in the water, its a cracking console. Marketing is lamentable however. Big price drop, say £99/150e mark, more advertisement.

Third party developers don't want to develop for it, there's a good article on Eurogamer from a developer outlining the nightmare they had with it and why their software house won't be developing for it again.

cloud493

Nintendo has never been known for their party stuff anyway, not in my memory. First party is nintendo's strength.

richymcdermott

ThisRegard wrote: »

Third party developers don't want to develop for it, there's a good article on Eurogamer from a developer outlining the nightmare they had with it and why their software house won't be developing for it again.

yeah and another developer mostly criticised the points the man made on eurogamer

http://mynintendonews.com/2014/01/13/ping-1-5-creator-speaks-out-about-digital-foundry-wii-u-developer-article/

photofinish

cloud493 wrote: »

Nintendo has never been known for their party stuff anyway, not in my memory. First party is nintendo's strength.

The last console that was lacking EA support was the Sega Dreamcast.

A console can not survive without 3rd party games.

richymcdermott

photofinish wrote: »

The last console that was lacking EA support was the Sega Dreamcast.

A console can not survive without 3rd party games.

True but dreamcast was selling just fine without them

photofinish

richymcdermott wrote: »

True but dreamcast was selling just fine without them

And I remember all the Dreamcast exclusives been ported Sonic Adventure 2 went onto the Gamecube Crazy Taxi onto PS2 and Jet Set Radio onto the Xbox and so on.

I would not bet against playing a Mario game on my Xbox this generation.

cloud493

I absolutely would. I would go so far to say in fact, the idea of playing main nintendo games on other home consoles is ludicrous, frankly.

photofinish

Sega fans use to say it would be a cold day in Hell when Sonic the Hedgehog would appear on a Nintendo console never mind in a game with Mario and Donkey Kong in also.

Corholio

After the last few FIFA games, id be more than happy not to have to shell out 50 quid for better graphics and a few slight tweaks to the last year. Thats the problem, of course people will eat up EA and their clone games, but if thats the yard stick for a consoles survival then it's become quite sad.

Nintendo are struggling with the Wii U yes, but I fully believe with this years lineup and what they have in reserve game wise, that they'll recover. None of this 'they should give up' nonsense.

cloud493

Right, but this isn't the same situation. Nintendo are not bankrupt, or haemorrhaging money. All they need to do in fact, is pay more attention to the competition, step up the advertising, and price drop the sodding Wii U.

richymcdermott

photofinish wrote: »

And I remember all the Dreamcast exclusives been ported Sonic Adventure 2 went onto the Gamecube Crazy Taxi onto PS2 and Jet Set Radio onto the Xbox and so on.

I would not bet against playing a Mario game on my Xbox this generation.

well it was not lack of ea that failed the dreamcast SEGA CD, 32X,Saturn already done the damage

it was playstation 2 popularity that killed the dc off


Nintendo have enough money in the bank to last them 20 years of failure

it was not too long ago they surpassed sony as a value company

they have also suggested that if a day came when they wouldn't make hardware they will take their games with them

Corholio

photofinish wrote: »

And I remember all the Dreamcast exclusives been ported Sonic Adventure 2 went onto the Gamecube Crazy Taxi onto PS2 and Jet Set Radio onto the Xbox and so on.

I would not bet against playing a Mario game on my Xbox this generation.

Absolutely won't happen. Nintendo aren't SEGA, and have huge reserves that even in the event of a failure could easily keep going and launch more consoles. They have already started on the next one anyway, but thats not anything unusual anyway.