Nintendo Hoping for Strong Wii U Holiday Sales

[StewShearerOld]

Nintendo Hoping for Strong Wii U Holiday Sales

Reggie Fils-Aime is predicting a Wii U resurgence once new first-party titles launch.

It's been no secret that the Wii U's sales have been <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121778-Wii-U-Sales-Forecast-Cut>markedly underwhelming since its launch. So underwhelming in fact that developers and publishers alike have been moving away from the consoles, citing its <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/125073-EA-To-Nintendo-Wiill-Come-Back-If-U-Sell-More-Boxes>small user base as a deal breaker. Even Ubisoft, which had previously been one of the console's more <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/124146-Ubisoft-Affirms-its-Wii-U-Support>stalwart supporters, has said that the Wii U needs to sell more units before it can <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/124935-Ubisoft-Needs-More-Wii-Us-Sold-to-Invest-in-Exclusives>invest in further exclusives for the system. That being the case, Nintendo, fresh from an E3 fraught with <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escapist-news-now/7484-Nintendo-Focuses-on-Classic-Properties-for-E3>big game reveals, is looking at the 2013 holiday season with its sights set on a comeback.

"We think it's pretty simple. As long as we focus on getting our great first-party content out there, we believe the hardware sales will follow," said Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America. Fils-Aim pointed to the 3DS as an example of what Nintendo hopes will happen with the Wii U. "It was probably a year and a half ago that I was sitting in a meeting like this answering questions about how the 3DS would survive against the iPhone. Now look at how it's doing." The 3DS had a similar rocky start, but eventually picked up in sales as <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/124100-3DS-First-Party-Software-Sales-up-52-in-United-States>new software and a <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/111935-Nintendo-Slashing-3DS-Price-by-a-Third>price drop helped the handheld gain momentum.

To its credit, Nintendo's upcoming release calendar for the Wii U does boast some bigger names that are likely to excite fans, including Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD, and Super Mario 3D World. That being the case, several other first party heavy hitters are still waiting on release dates, leaving it to question whether or not the lineup for the remainder of 2013 will be enough to make the difference Fils-Aime and Nintendo are hoping for.

Source: <a href=www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/06/reggie_this_holiday_season_is_going_to_be_extremely_strong_for_wii_u>Nintendo Life





Permalink

 

[felixader]

Nintendo. I love you and the joy you brought me in the past, from the center of my heart, but no.

 

[Something Amyss]

It's kind of sad when you're so depending on the time of year that practically guarantees sales.

 

[hazabaza1]

That's really all they can hope for.

If things do go well for them and they start getting more 3rd party support I can certainly see that snowball start to roll, but as it is it's basically just like Zachary says.

 

[spartandude]

Oh honey, its not going to happen. now as much as i like nintendo (probably getting a 3ds in a few months) your competition is going to be too great during this years holidays unless a killer app comes miraculously comes out then

 

[Daystar Clarion]

inb4 Jeffers

The WiiU title I'm most looking forward to comes out in July, then the next one is Bayonetta 2.

 

[Fappy]

I still think the Wii U came out a year too early. As fun as it is to give Nintendo crap for it, I hope it picks up steam eventually.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

It's kind of a given that the holiday season will be the time stuff sells. It's really no wonder Nintendo is planning to blitz that time of year...I see Wonderful 101 and Pikmin 3 being aimed more at the people who already have a Wii U: Sure, Pikmin 3 could sell units but it's not going to be to the Wii U what Animal Crossing is to the 3DS. The only flaw in Nintendo's plan of "Selling a lot of units during the holiday season" is the fact that two of their games (Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze and, Wind Waker HD) are kinda weak punches. Like I've said before: Mario sells games and I think more people would grab a Wii U if they can get Mario Kart and Mario 3D World with it. I love Wind Waker but a bit more time in the oven (time for a new dungeon, time for more Squid-Fights, time for more...I dunno, Tingle?) and a greater focus on Mario Kart 8 in hopes to get it out by the holidays...ya know what never mind...rushing something out for the Holidays has been known to kill games...GODSPEED NINTENDO!!

I still think the Wii U came out a year too early. As fun as it is to give Nintendo crap for it, I hope it picks up steam eventually.

Fappy, I almost didn't recognize you! Anyway: I think Nintendo were really relying on EA and Ubisoft to help them out with releases in between their big releases. If the Wii U got Crysis 3, Rayman: Legends, etc it would make the wait between Game & Wario, Pikmin 3, etc seem a lot shorter. Hell, I'm still passive-aggressively awaiting a physical Ken's Rage 2 release...I set money aside for that dammit!

 

[Ayay]

So they are down to hope huh. Well with those so called big titles coming out i would start praying too. and to every deity they can find. They are in a vicious circle. sell more then we make games for it ..need more Titles to sell more Units .But then Nintendo is very good at hammering a square peg untill it fits the pearshaped hole they made. So they will survive this setback too.

 

[Worgen]

Nintendo. I love you and the joy you brought me in the past, from the center of my heart, but no.

What? You mean like everyone else?

I'll probably pick one up over the holidays now that the games I want are finally gonna be coming out for it, Bayonetta 2 looks wicked awesome and Xenoblade:whatever looks fantastic. Plus I wouldn't mind some more monster hunting.

 

[geizr]

I think NIntendo needs to do something more besides relying on the same franchises year-after-year. In my opinion, the console doesn't necessarily need to cater to the Call of Duty/Gears of War/Halo gamer segment, but I think they need to take the idea of being a different kind of console with a different style of gaming, not necessarily the "casual" (which was improperly done for Wii, in my opinion. "Casual" gaming is not equal to stupid gaming; only stupid games are equal to stupid gaming) a lot further than what they have so far done. What I mean is that they should push the creation of experimental and adventurous games that take a different, more holistic and artistic approach to game design and are willing to explore other facets and possibilities of gaming entertainment, rather than taking the Triple-A route of churning out yet another shallow frat-boy/dude-bro FPS. The Wii U could become the type of console where games that take the same spirit and styling of games like Flower, Journey, and ICO (if any of you all remember that old game) could flourish. It could be the console for the more quirky type of games that make us laugh, cry, cheer, jeer, and be completely awed. I'm not talking about just casual gaming; I'm talking about emotional, immersive, surrealistic gaming. Games that really allow us to take a break from reality (and from all the "realistic" games on other systems).

I could see the Wii U being a lot more, but, unfortunately, I'm not sure folks in charge at Nintendo really have such a forward, expansive vision of gaming. Reggie strikes me as someone who sees video games as a cutesy diversion to keep the kids occupied on the trip to grandma's, not as a real, serious hobby and mode of self-expression and personal exploration (of course, even the mainstream, Triple-A industry fails in that regard with all the shallow dude-bro games that are cranked out year-after-year). Sony is promising to support independent and small developer studios more, but I think that's an area that Nintendo could also make a significant effort to make the Wii U stand out and be noticeable. Approachable, casual, and even artistic gaming does not have to be dumb-down; it can be just as intense as the so-called "hardcore" gaming, it just takes a different approach in the pacing and style. The failed attempts that we've seen in the past, in my opinion, was really the result of bad game developers who lacked any real insight or talent.

The original Wii was a disruptive, Blue Ocean product. Unfortunately, Nintendo simply rested on its laurels and failed to put wind behind the sails. To make the Wii U take off, they're going to need to do a lot more, in light of that history (gamers haven't forgotten), but, they don't necessarily have to succumb to the Triple-A business model. They can still maintain their Blue Ocean approach and direction; they just need to actually DO SOMETHING, not just keep throwing the same old shit out there and hoping that something somehow just auto-magically works out for them. Considering that Microsoft has successfully nuked its own foot off with a 22-megaton matter-antimatter bomb, Nintendo has a great opening to assert itself parallel to the PS4 as an platform for alternative gaming.

 

[Weaver]

Super Mario 3D world looks really strange to me. It's almost like a new super mario bros title but with a little more meat to it (and in 3D). Still, I want another Galaxy sized game.

 

[Mr.Mattress]

Don't worry Nintendo, I bet you can do it. You'll definitely sell the most this Christmas compared to your competition.

 

[Gray Firion]

No killer app or satisfying titles scheduled for or close to launch, it's no surprise it hasn't worked so far.

Methinks this'll end up like a repeat of the Gamecube era, when it mostly depending on first-party titles, given the amount of third party developers that have distanced themselves from it. Well, at least until the usual suspects sell enough consoles to warrant the effort.

Games will sell the U as they do all consoles. If there are not enough good games, or the aforementioned killer app (a game so good it sells the system to a lot of people single-handedly), by Christmas, then it won't help.

I still think the Wii U came out a year too early. As fun as it is to give Nintendo crap for it, I hope it picks up steam eventually.

Same, on all counts. My first console was a Gameboy. My first game was a Kirby and my second was Donkey Kong (the remake for Gameboy). I haven't had a Nintendo console since Gameboy Advance but they've become a fixture and I got plenty of good memories attached to them. By this point I'd be sad to see them fail, or worse, stop. But the Wii's success provides some leeway, so there's that.

 

[Hutcher]

It's kinda do or die for the big N actually. They need some hits, and they need them very soon. Their stock price is down, and didn't receive anywhere near enough of a boost from the announcement and release of the Wii-U. This shows very little faith among the consumer market in the system's long term viability. Business analysts are already saying the writing's on the wall; some are suggesting that it's time for Nintendo to bow out of the hardware market entirely.

"Now, the most common suggestion is for Nintendo to give up on its own hardware efforts, particularly in mobile, so it can join the Apple iOS/Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android app boom that has fueled the success of franchises like Angry Birds.

There is some merit to this argument. Nintendo's biggest asset is its incredible library of game franchises like Mario, Zelda, and Metroid.

In the first quarter of 2013, consumers spent far more money on iOS/Android game apps than on games for dedicated handhelds. According to the research firms IDC and App Annie, gaming revenue from the Apple App Store and Google Play was almost triple that of gaming handhelds.

So is Nintendo doomed? The answer is yes -- perhaps not to the point of death, but the company's most likely to see a ceiling on its financial success because it just isn't moving the hardware to support its incredible software franchises."


Read more: http://www.minyanville.com/sectors/technology/articles/is-nintendo-doomed-ps4-xbox-one/6/13/2013/id/50305#ixzz2WaCWEG99

Read more: http://www.minyanville.com/sectors/technology/articles/is-nintendo-doomed-ps4-xbox-one/6/13/2013/id/50305#ixzz2WaCCRBfA

I don't want this to be the case. I hope that Nintendo can right the ship and ride out this downturn. The more relevant systems involved in the hardware race, the better for the consumer. And I want to see Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo continue to dig in their heels and keep representing the true gamer, instead of giving up and jumping on the casual train.

 

[ImSkeletor]

I this Christmas is deluding themselves. A cheaper console with more family friendly games is always going to be a more appealing option to parents and relatives out shopping than a console that's adDudeshooter Bro'splosonfield

Man Jeffers you are the worst kind of fanboy. Yeah cause ps4 is only releasing dude bro shooters like Knack, Infamous Second son, Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, Don't Starve, Oddworld, driveclub, Elder Scrolls Online, and NBA 2k14 among others. Seriously only you would look at the like 3 shooters and pretend like that's all there is.