Nintendo: No New Wii Before Original Sells 45 Million Units in US

[Logan Westbrook]

Nintendo: No New Wii Before Original Sells 45 Million Units in US

The Wii has plenty of life left in it, says Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime.

Nintendo has a schedule for when it will release a follow up to the Wii, but claims that it's not based on time, but on sales. Speaking at an event in New York City, Fils-Aime said that the Wii had another 10 million units to sell in the US before it was time to talk about a new console.

Fils-Aime said that the Wii was selling 23% faster than the PlayStation 2 had at the same point in its lifetime. But Wii sales have started to slow down, leading to speculation from some quarters that Nintendo might soon release a new console. Fils-Aime was unequivocal when the question of whether Nintendo planned to have a new console on shelves in time for the holidays next years, however, flatly denying the idea with a simple "no." He thought that the Wii had lots of life left in it, and said that Nintendo wouldn't be looking to even discuss a new console until the Wii's American install base of over 35 million had swelled by a further 30%.

Fils-Aime's denial that a new Wii is coming isn't really very surprising. Even if Nintendo was planning to release a new console next year, he isn't going to accidentally blurt that out at a business conference in New York. He's also not going to admit that the Wii is going to have a much tougher time sales-wise now that Microsoft and Sony have released motion controllers of their own, hence the bullish comment about the US install base.

Assuming that Nintendo hasn't already decided when its next console will come out - which is entirely possible - the timing will likely depend on how much ground it loses to Sony and Microsoft now that the playing field is more level. The Wii is a less expensive console than the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, which obviously will be a factor, but the Wii also does less than its rivals. You also have to take into account that the Wii's key advantage - that it appeals to a broad audience because it's easy for anyone to play - isn't unique anymore.

The Wii certainly isn't doomed, and it still has a significant lead on either of its rivals, but it's now competing more directly with the Xbox 360 and PS3. There's simply no way that Nintendo won't have taken that into account when planning for the years ahead.

Source: Kotaku [http://kotaku.com/5688540/wii-2-is-not-a-must-for-late-2011]

Permalink

 

[Gigaguy64]

All they can really do is play the waiting game and see how things go, making some predictions.
I think the Wii still has life in it as well, but a new console would be cool.

 

[Delusibeta]

Would still fit with my prediction of Nintendo announcing a Wii successor at E3 2012. According to VG Chartz, last week Nintendo sold 125,000 Wii's in America. Assuming they can sustain that, they should hit 45 million some point 2012.

 

[fletch_talon]

Almost makes me want to order 10 million Wii consoles from America just to see what the next generation will have to offer.

But imagine the shipping bills...

 

[Aura Guardian]

Good. It's too soon for a new console for the house. I mean we are getting a new Handheld

 

[ultimasupersaiyan]

I think We'll see a new Nintendo home console in 2012 at E3 2012. I honestly predict a HD DVD based console that rides on the coattails of the Wii and probably be just a HD Wii. If I were Nintendo I'd make a HDDVD propriortry disc system that runs at 720p and has all the reverse compatablility abilties of the Wii so you can play Gamecube and Wii games and upscale them in 720p with a 320GB HDD. I'd make it able to use every accessory used for the Wii too. I'd also have it use the install game feature the 360 uses and have it come with a disc so you can transfer all your save data and downloaded games onto a SD Card and upload it to the new Wii HD. I honestly think Nintendo just needs to make a Wii HD and follow these ideas and it will sell extremely well against the PS3 and 360, especially if they sell it for only 50 bucks more then the Wii's original launch price.

I would so laugh if this came to pass. Seriously I would.

 

[ramox]

Snipster

I see you like Occult accademy? ;o)

OT: I hop on the 2012 bandwagon. But i would go as far as predicting it as actual year of release, not just revealing.
And even if i think something along the line of a Wii HD would be enough to make it sell well, i have the feeling Nintendo has something more to offen than just that.

 

[Korey Von Doom]

Good job nintendo, let's see how many people now won't buy a Wii because they're waiting for the new one.

 

[Lightslei]

Yes give me a new console where I can switch EVERYTHING over to a controller. No more of these games requiring motion controls and I'll go buy whatever it is. Games that require motion control piss me off for too many reasons to count.

 

[dochmbi]

Snipster

I see you like Occult accademy? ;o)

OT: I hop on the 2012 bandwagon. But i would go as far as predicting it as actual year of release, not just revealing.
And even if i think something along the line of a Wii HD would be enough to make it sell well, i have the feeling Nintendo has something more to offen than just that.

Why would they release a new console, it's expensive to do and there's no need for it since both Microsoft and Sony have announced that they intend this generation to last 4 years longer than usual (6+4, 10 years total).

 

[SelectivelyEvil13]

While the Wii is no longer the only easier to pickup, broad market appeal of game consoles, it still is the most attractive as far as price which is more than enough for most people who would otherwise not care. I just can't picture a large chunk of "non video game-playing" consumers having much incentive to pick up a 360 or PS3 unless they start really doing their homework (ha!) or consider possible advantages for someone in their home who does play video games and could use the extra functionality of those other consoles.

Hi-def is a pretty clear general direction for the Wuu, but there will probably be some other features to try and differentiate the Nintendo product from its competitors (maybe something 3D along with improved motion controls?). This is where Kinect and Move come more into focus, though, because the next Nintendo system can't be the technological underdog to the point where people just say "get a PS3 or 360 and the motion controls then!"

 

[emeraldrafael]

You mean they havent sold 45 million wiis? geez, with the projected stats of wiis to house holds you'd think everyone had at least five and was using them like coasters.

 

[Xersues]

I really don't know what the next step in home console Nintendo will take. They are always known for cheap, accessible, family friendly gaming. Short of the novelty of my childhood playing on the NES and SNES, Nintendo hasn't done squat with any of their IPs worth mentioning imo.

And being proactive on new IPs? Not really there either. Most of their newest known characters are all third party that I can think of (Will Wright, Cooking Mama, etc).

I haven't seen a single thing exciting coming out of the Nintendo software in a while. The hardware seems to be solid, but the software has just been terrible.

I must just not be the target market anymore.

 

[Something Amyss]

So another month of Wii, then?

What, it sells well!

 

[Xanthious]

Gee, wonder what gimmick they have in store for the next console. . . . Maybe they will go back to making solid games that can stand on their own without some bad gimmick to get them over. Or crazier yet maybe they will finally bring themselves into 2005 and make a console that has high definition output. I know that's just crazy talk but hell we can hope. Knowing Nintendo though it will be yet another Gamecube but this time instead of motion controls you have to control the games using harness you fit onto a gerbil !!!

 

[Icehearted]

I really don't know what the next step in home console Nintendo will take. They are always known for cheap, accessible, family friendly gaming. Short of the novelty of my childhood playing on the NES and SNES, Nintendo hasn't done squat with any of their IPs worth mentioning imo.

And being proactive on new IPs? Not really there either. Most of their newest known characters are all third party that I can think of (Will Wright, Cooking Mama, etc).

I haven't seen a single thing exciting coming out of the Nintendo software in a while. The hardware seems to be solid, but the software has just been terrible.

I must just not be the target market anymore.

Agreed on most points. I'll add that their forced motion control usage in their IPs has also been problematic, at least for me. While I've barely touched the Wii, user and professional reviewers have been lukewarm for most games that needlessly tack on motion or attempt to build too much around it. I have seen this on the DS first hand and have loathed it entirely (substituting gimmicky motion for gimmicky stylus, of course).

Oh, and Xersues, your avatar freakin' rocks!

 

[Signa]

Quick everyone! Go buy 5 Wiis so we can make a fool of Reggie for placing a definite number on sales!

 

[omicron1]

Quick! We can kill it in its nascent form, before it attains truly terrible power!

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Will Kinect and Move really have that much of an affect on Wii sales? The Wii is cheaper, much more straight forward, and includes two games, it's hardware update (wii motion plus), and there is only one model of Wii. Both the PS3 and the 360 have two different models, which will endlessly confuse any casual consumer.