Wii U Won't Sell as Well as Wii, Says God of War Creator

[Logan Westbrook]

Wii U Won't Sell as Well as Wii, Says God of War Creator

Competition in both the casual and core markets will hurt Nintendo.

Outspoken game designer David Jaffe doesn't think that Nintendo is going to be able to match the success it had with the Wii. He thinks that the "perfect storm" that allowed Nintendo to claim the number one spot in this console generation has passed, and the Wii U will only do around half as well.

Jaffe felt that a significant portion of the Wii's install base had purchased it as something other than a gamer device. Moreover, he didn't think that Nintendo had been able to convert enough of these people into gamers to make them go out and buy a new console. He said that the current craze was for devices like Apple's iPad and iPhone, and that the people who traditionally might have been interested in Nintendo's products beyond core gamers were now getting their gaming fix elsewhere.

He also thought that competition from consoles would likely hurt the Wii U in the core market, as gamers had a lot of choice in the field of HD gaming. He made it clear however that he didn't think the Wii U would fail, just that it wouldn't be as successful as its predecessor. He also noted that he had made predictions about Nintendo before - he thought that the PSP was going to blow the DS out of the water - and had been wrong.

Jaffe does make a lot of good points, but there are so many factors that are going to play a part in the success - or failure - of the Wii U and so much that could happen and/or change, we won't know if he's right for years to come.


Source: Gaming Union [http://www.gamingunion.net/news/jaffe-wii-u-will-be-50-less-successful-compared-to-wii--5542.html] via VG247 [http://www.vg247.com/2011/06/24/jaffe-wii-u-wont-do-anywhere-near-as-well-as-the-wii/]



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[Jumwa]

Everyone's an expert on Nintendo's future success/failure. It's gone beyond tedious to me seeing every industry person or forum poster declaring the future of Nintendo's latest whatever.

 

[Black Watch]

Oh my god can you please shut this guy up? I am so tired of hearing from this nut job.

 

[NovaCascade]

As much as I love Nintendo, the Wii U was NEVER going to top the Wii. And I'm pretty sure Nintendo knows it too

 

[NickCaligo42]

Know what'd make this article better? Quotes. I'm seeing a lot of these kinds of articles on the Escapist lately; developer perspectives referenced without any direct quotations. It's not that I don't find this article useful, but it doesn't read very well in its current state, with all the "he said this, this and this, but then he backed it up by saying this." It's a lot of formulaic, secondhand summary, almost like a machine typed it or something.

Sorry if I'm getting picky. Maybe this article will get cleaned up, maybe right now it's just holding a place so that the Escapist can keep on top of the news (I know it goes by quickly), but I keep seeing these and feel the need to speak up on it. I'm not a businessman or a journalist, but I don't think I should read an article here and go, "wow, that other article it's linking me to is much better."

 

[Sudenak]

It just reminds me of a bunch of jocks standing around calling the quirk artist a gaywad because he got lucky last year.

Somehow, everyone thinks Nintendo is gonna bomb. Nintendo, the oldest dog in the game system industry, that managed to survive all sorts of upheavals, is not gonna fail. It's pretty obvious that they know what they're doing.

If the WiiU can successfully market itself as bridging the gap between core and casual, it'll probably sell pretty good. Especially since it's already marketed a pretty decent list of games that'll make core gamers happy.

Reminds me of all of the naysayers for pretty much every other Nintendo system. Love 'em or hate 'em, they know what they're doing.

 

[Xanthious]

The perfect storm?

One that lasted for at least 20 years?

20 years, right . . . .that decade plus period between the SNES and the Wii when the N64 and the Gamecube were both falling flat on their collective faces was nothing. Let's be real, the Wii was the first home console Nintendo had that found anything close to success since the SNES. Furthermore, if you take away the housewives, elderly, and grade school kids the Wii will have lost the bulk of it's audience. The Wii isn't successful as a gaming console for gamers. It's successful because it caught the interest of the people that made Furby and Tickle Me Elmo huge successes.

 

[Kenjitsuka]

As much as I love Nintendo, the Wii U was NEVER going to top the Wii. And I'm pretty sure Nintendo knows it too

Indeed. But at least there will be more choice in hardware, which is good for industry growth and competition (prise-wise).

 

[diggy140892]

He kinda has a point. The WiiU will struggle to top the success of the Wii and a lot of the casual gamers probably won't be interested in paying for a new console and a lot of core gamers aren't going to be interested in the WiiU. I do like Nintendo but WiiU is seriously failing to impress me. It just seems like a console that should've come out 3-4 years ago.

 

[foolish snails]

for some reason I have an overwhelming desire to say GOOD! It's not that I hate the wii, i just...... uhm.... ah...... wouldn't be opposed to it not existing. It's not doing anything wrong, yet i can't stand the amount of hype it's getting.

 

[Catchy Slogan]

Because the creator of God of War is the best spokesman for things concerning the casual market?

EDIT: Not that he doesn't have a point, but I just find it incredibly funny.

 

[Phenakist]

The Wii U can't do well, they are re-aiming their 'Nintendo Love Cannon' back at their core audie.... oh wait, nope, they booted them out the door to make a console for 3 year olds, the elderly and shovelware enthusiasts. It has no Market, simple as that. I have owned my Wii since the christmas it came out, the only games I have bought for it have been, Brawl, Twilight Princess and Metroid Prime 3 (oh and borrowed Mario Galaxy's off my friends) whilst I have had my 360 for for just over 3 years at is says 70 something games I have various achievments for.....

Now being an ex-Nintendo fanboy, I couldn't help but turn away from them, yes I will play my beloved 1st party franchises, but aside from them which are coming few and far between there is NOTHING that makes me want to play a Wii, and why should I fork out for a new Nintendo Console, which is 7 years too late? For games I can get for another platform with a far better online system, a community and playerbase perfect for all these "core titles" they are trying to have.

 

[WanderingFool]

The Wii succeeded because it marketed to non-gamers, such as soccermoms and grandparents, and became the go to "family console", something neither the PS3 or 360 could do, or at least do easily. I fail to see the same thing happening to the WiiU. Maybe ill be wrong, hell, maybe this will top the Wii in sales. I just dont see it succeeding the same.

 

[Plinglebob]

Jaffe felt that a significant portion of the Wii's install base had purchased it as something other than a gamer device.

Ok, this is the part that doesn't make any sense to me. The only thing the Wii does is play games. I doubt people bought it because they think it makes a nice piece of modern art.

Furthermore, if you take away the housewives, elderly, and grade school kids the Wii will have lost the bulk of it's audience.

So take away everyone you don't consider to be real gamers? Are these people not allowed to enjoy playing games? Nintendo has owned the grade school kids for almost a decade before the Wii thanks to Pokemon and why do you think that people who bought the Wii don't like it and will not buy a sequal console? I agree that it won't be close to as successful as the Wii, but then I doubt anything will be for the forseeable future. It doesn't mean that everyone Nintendo got to start playing games will suddenly stop and never buy another console.

The Wii isn't successful as a gaming console for gamers, it's successful because it caught the interest of the people that made Furby a huge success.

The attitude shown here really annoys me. While I agree that the N64 and Gamecube were not particularly successful, I think its very arrogant to think that gaming consoles must be made specifically for gamers. If you remember Nintendo tried that with the Gamecube and N64 and "Gamers" stuck 2 fingers up at them. "Gamers" then bitched and moaned when they went for the untapped market of "Non-gamers" with the Wii and now EVERYONES bitching and moaning as Nintendo attempt a middle ground.

 

[YunikoYokai5]

Jaffe felt that a significant portion of the Wii's install base had purchased it as something other than a gamer device.

Ok, this is the part that doesn't make any sense to me. The only thing the Wii does is play games. I doubt people bought it because they think it makes a nice piece of modern art.

I think what he means is games like Wii Fit and the Yoga games and that sort of thing

 

[SoopaSte123]

Duh. Everyone and their grandma wanted a Wii when it came out. As much as I hate on it, the Wii attracted gamers and non-gamers alike and was a phenomenon. Having a touch screen controller doesn't make it any more accessible to non-gamers than a PS3 or a 360 does.

Plus the casual market still have their Wiis, and can play virtual sports as long as their hearts desire. WiiU doesn't have any extra pull for them. The WiiU will be purchased by the Nintendo fanbase, gamers who want to own every console, console gamers whose main concern is graphics, and anyone whose 360 red rings on them.

Anyone with half a brain can see WiiU can't be as big a success as the Wii. Popular? Sure. Sales beating PS3 and the 360? Possibly. Beating the Wii? No.

 

[The.Bard]

The perfect storm?

One that lasted for at least 20 years?

You're right, you know. Virtual Boy, N64, Gamecube... these were part of the perfect storm, too. The perfect storm of.... faaaaaaailure!

*cue sad trumpet*

 

[Shirokurou]

Nintendo could make shit-on-a-stick sell if they said Mario and Zelda are coming out on it.
And I am not saying that as a compliment