Mario Kart 8 Is the Fastest Selling Wii U Game Ever

StewShearerOld

Geekdad News Writer
Jan 5, 2013
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Mario Kart 8 Is the Fastest Selling Wii U Game Ever



Mario Kart 8 has sold more than 1.2 million copies since its end of May launch.

The Wii U hasn't been doing very well. In at, if <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/134309-Nintendo-Reports-455-Million-Loss-But-Has-High-Hopes-For-Next-Year>recent reports from Nintendo are any indicator, the console has been more akin to an anchor dragging it down into the depths than the boat to cash kingdom that it had been hoping for. That said, the company has still harbored hopes that it might be able to turn things around with new releases to its stable of beloved franchises. Now, it would seem that it had some good reasons to put faith in its tried-and-true.

According to data from Nintendo, the Mario Kart has sold more than 1.2 million copies since it launched around the world between May 29th and May 31st. While these numbers perhaps aren't earth shaking when compared to other prominent gaming franchises, they represent a significant jump in software sales for the Wii U and additionally make the game the fastest selling in the console's history.

"The early response to Mario Kart 8 demonstrates that the best days for Wii U are still ahead," said Reggie Fils-Ame, president of Nintendo of America. "This year's E3 is just days away, and it will be all about the future games for Nintendo platforms. This milestone is a great place to start!"

While Nintendo has yet to confirm any jump in hardware sales itself, Mario Kart 8 may also be giving sales of the Wii U itself a much needed shot in the arm. The retail tracking group GFK Chart-Track, for instance, <a href-https://www.chart-track.co.uk/?i=1881&s=1111>has reported a 666 percent increase in UK Wii U sales since the new game landed in stores. Again, these reports were skimpy when it came to actual sales figures, but the GFK was able to confirm that more than 80 percent of the Wii U's sold were part of a <a href=http://store.nintendo.co.uk/wii-u-hardware/mario-kart-8-wii-u-premium-pack/10947504.html>Mario Kart 8 bundle.

Source: GameSpot


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The White Hunter

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Oct 19, 2011
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Not massively impressive on it's own, the fastest wii u game that is, but it really has shifted some units. I'm guessing a lot of people were waiting for this and Smash Bros. I'm loving MK8 so far, only real bugbear is the unlockable characters are kinda lame (5 babies, 7 koopas, lakitu, Toadette is neat though, but where's Dry Bones, Prof E. Gadd, Diddy Kong? :( ).
 

Alfador_VII

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Nov 2, 2009
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On a system with about 4 or 5 games, the first decent entry in a really popular franchise sells more than anything else? There's a surprise!

It does look like a great game though, and I'm now considering a Wii U
 

fix-the-spade

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Feb 25, 2008
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A 666% increase in sales?

So basically Nintendo have made Satoru Shibata sell his soul in return for an uptick in hardware sales in Europe?

And I thought EA and Activision employed extreme tactics...
 

BrotherRool

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Oct 31, 2008
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Those are actually really impressive numbers, to sell 1.2 million over a couple of days on a console with only a 5 millionish install base is incredibly impressive.

It probably won't save the Wii U*, but it proves me wrong in that Nintendo probably still can make a lot of profit out of small dedicated Wii U fanbase (it's not like Nintendo have a lot of third-party titles to compete with =D)

*666% of nothing is still basically nothing
 

Covarr

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May 29, 2009
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BrotherRool said:
It probably won't save the Wii U
On its own? Of course not. But if Nintendo handles this correctly, it'll begin a trend.

Look at the PS3. In 2007, it was in a bad place. Nobody wanted it, it had virtually nothing worthwhile. And then over the next few years, we got Metal Gear Solid 4, two inFamous games, three LittleBigPlanet games, and three Uncharted games. Not a single one of those games could be considered "the game that saved the PS3", but as a group, they made a huge difference. By the end of 2011, the PS3 was thriving, and in many people's minds was a better buy than the 360, previously thought to be the only one worth getting among the two.

Am I saying Nintendo can pull off that kind of a turn-around? No. They absolutely can't. The Wii U is doing too poorly. But it can absolutely be saved at least to the point where it becomes viable, where it stops hemorrhaging money, and Mario Kart 8 will almost certainly be the first step that they'd hoped Super Mario 3D World or Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze would be, serving the same purpose that Uncharted did for Sony back in 2007. Now it's just up to Nintendo to keep the momentum up (and Super Smash Bros. only six months off is definitely a move in the right direction).

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Khymerion

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Apr 10, 2012
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Yay. This is an interesting gauge to see just how many die hards there really are lingering in the wings.
 

BrotherRool

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Covarr said:
Am I saying Nintendo can pull off that kind of a turn-around? No. They absolutely can't. The Wii U is doing too poorly. But it can absolutely be saved at least to the point where it becomes viable, where it stops hemorrhaging money, and Mario Kart 8 will almost certainly be the first step that they'd hoped Super Mario 3D World or Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze would be, serving the same purpose that Uncharted did for Sony back in 2007. Now it's just up to Nintendo to keep the momentum up (and Super Smash Bros. only six months off is definitely a move in the right direction).
I was very doom and gloom, but I do think this is a good sign that Nintendo can achieve gamecube levels of success if that's what you mean. It makes no difference to me as a consumer whether Nintendo is rolling in money or not, but if they can pull off a string of Mario Kart 8's then they could probably make enough money to keep on serving their fanbase (and really their fanbase deserves it).


For some reason I don't quite understand though, Mario Kart is Nintendo's greatest selling franchise just generally. There next big franchise release is going to be make or break because they need to carry forward momentum with the weaker* franchises.

*I have no idea why Zelda can legitimately be thought of as the 'weaker' franchise to Mario Kart =D
 

Covarr

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May 29, 2009
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BrotherRool said:
For some reason I don't quite understand though, Mario Kart is Nintendo's greatest selling franchise just generally. There next big franchise release is going to be make or break because they need to carry forward momentum with the weaker* franchises.

*I have no idea why Zelda can legitimately be thought of as the 'weaker' franchise to Mario Kart =D
Their next big franchise release is almost certainly Super Smash Bros., not Zelda. As I understand, they're slated to show the new Zelda game at E3 next week, but historically Nintendo doesn't usually release console Zelda games the same year they're announced; handheld entries, sure, but a console entry shown at E3 will likely not launch until 2015.

The reason Mario Kart is a bigger franchise is because it has a much wider appeal, thanks to the thoroughly casual-friendly-yet-addictive nature of the game, something their other casual franchises lack. A new Zelda game is what they really need to draw in the hardcore crowd, and it'll probably reach a largely different audience than Mario Kart, but I can't say I'm at all surprised they don't sell as well.

P.S. Thanks
 

Paragon Fury

The Loud Shadow
Jan 23, 2009
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I won't lie.

I got a Wii U last week for Mario Kart, Monster Hunter, Bayonetta 2 and Smash Brothers.
 

Dragonbums

Indulge in it's whiffy sensation
May 9, 2013
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I'm so incredibly jealous right now.

Man I want that game. I want it HAAAAARD.
 

JagermanXcell

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Oct 1, 2012
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After playing the game for a couple hours (14...) I can definitely confirm that very soon ladies and gents...

THE WII-U, SHALL BE SAVED

Now just to wait for Bayonetta the Squeakquel and

 

xedobubble

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Apr 2, 2009
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If everything stays on the current expected timeframe, the latter half of this year should see the releases of Smash Brothers, Hyrule Warriors, X, and maybe Bayonetta 2. Between those and mario world, donkey kong, wonderful 101, pikmin 3, wii sports and wii fit, the wii u will have a respectable and varied library of exclusives (assuming they live up to at least some of the hype).

I can see Nintendo turning it around in the next year or two.
 

Story

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Sep 4, 2013
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Good for Nintendo!
I'm actually thinking about picking up Mario Kart 8 soon as well. Not only because of the great reviews, but because there is promotion going on right now were I can get a free copy of Pikimin 3 along with it. That's extremely tempting, and I've never played any of the Mario Kart or Pikimin games before.
 

Redlin5_v1legacy

Better Red than Dead
Aug 5, 2009
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Sheen Lantern said:
This and Smash Bros. 4 will shift a lot of Wii U consoles, no doubt.
Smash Bros. 4 and the decision to implement Gamecube controllers has sold at least two dozen of the console that I know of personally. The smash community back home is enthusiastic and I'm sure they're not the only ones.
 

Flunk

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Feb 17, 2008
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I know it must have a lot of draw because I want it, and I don't even have a Wii U and I never plan to get one. Maybe in a few years for < $100...
 

Fuescma

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BrotherRool said:
Those are actually really impressive numbers, to sell 1.2 million over a couple of days on a console with only a 5 millionish install base is incredibly impressive.

It probably won't save the Wii U*, but it proves me wrong in that Nintendo probably still can make a lot of profit out of small dedicated Wii U fanbase (it's not like Nintendo have a lot of third-party titles to compete with =D)

*666% of nothing is still basically nothing

Eh it's large for the WiiU, but honestly it's worldwide sales so individually I don't think it's all that impressive. Though I'm also willing to bet a decent chunk of those sales were, like the UK report said, attached to a bundle. Practically 4 of every 5 WiiUs bought had Mario Kart 8, which might count with the 1.2 million sold which represents a decent size of those sales I bet. I wouldn't be surprised to see much the same in the US market too.


Them making a profit though...? I don't know...they might be making something, but I doubt it's the kind of profits that investors are hoping for. They still have Smash Bros though, so who knows!
 

Roxas1359

Burn, Burn it All!
Aug 8, 2009
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Dexterity said:
It's such a shame that people don't seem to be very aware of Bayonetta 2, X and Monster Hunter 4.

The Wii U has a big lineup of games. The only reason it didn't sell well was because it took the console an entire year to get more than 2 games worth buying.
Well for Bayonetta 2 and X, that's Nintendo not advertising them at all. Hell, we've only had one trailer showing gameplay from X since it's announcement last year, and it's supposed to be coming out this year. As for Bayonetta 2, Nintendo should be advertising it like crazy because Platinum games can't advertise for shit, and it seems Nintendo of America might be starting to advertise well seeing as the Mario Kart 8 ads are actually good.

Monster Hunter 4 is all on Capcom not advertising it, but that games not supposed to come out until 2015 on so Capcom is probably just waiting to advertise that one. Bayonetta 2 and X though are slated for this year so they need to get the pedal to the metal on advertising those. Especially for Bayonetta 2 seeing as how badly Wonderful 101 tanked due to not being advertised at all. >.> *is still angry about that*