Pachter: Why Would Anyone Buy A Wii U?

[EvilRoy]

Sure Nintendo has really dropped the ball with the WiiU but it's the only next gen console I plan on buying for the moment, the upcoming E3 titles are more to my tastes than most of the titles Sony or MS showed.

I think its more of a question of what parents of children are worried about.

Chances are they didn't watch or care about E3 footage, and I've seen maybe a couple Nintendo game commercials telling me what is coming out for the WiiU. Parents probably have little to no idea when the U is going to get more/enough games and people like Pratcher are highlighting why the console isn't doing so great on major news stations. The easy answer is to spend 50 more bucks for a console that people claim will have an advantage of more games, and hope that the sheer volume of games will guarantee a relatively long lifetime.

Whats worse for nintento is that many parents already do have a wii, and many that hear about upcoming titles are going to be saying "Already got mario kart, already got smash bros, already got mario world, already got kirby, already got..." and so on and so forth. I work in an office with a few families, most of whom own a wii, and not a single one care that the wiiU exists.

 

[Terramax]

I can think of one or two good reasons

Haha, is that it.... really? Surely someone can come up with a better reason?

Anyways, I think Nintendo will sell well enough. Bottom line is, enough people will buy simply for 1st party Nintendo franchises.

They won't likely be as successful as the other companies, but they'll be successful enough to make a profit.

 

[Bernzz]

Funny how the Wii U is the only one I'm set on buying at the moment, huh? Just needs Pikmin 3, Wind Waker HD and the new Smash Bros. for me.

The Xbone lost my money ages ago, and I'm unsure if I'll even NEED a PS4.

So...Wii U it is.

 

[RA92]

I can think of one or two good reasons
http://www.gamerdome.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/bayo.jpg

Don't forget how the best thing to come out of E3 came from... Nintendo Direct.

<youtube=APWTJMyM4qg&feature=player_embedded>

About the only console exclusive that has me excited.

 

[karloss01]

I can think of one or two good reasons
http://www.gamerdome.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/bayo.jpg

Four if you count the ones in the background.

but yeah, I'm waiting for Bayonetta 2 as well.

 

[Jumwa]

I do believe it will survive (and may even end up doing well) but the big difference between the 3DS and the Wii U is this. The 3DS has better third-party support than it's competitor, so buying a 3DS gets you basically all the good new handheld releases, whereas in a best case scenario a Wii U is locking you out of a ton of good games at the moment.

The 3DS is competing against iOS and Android devices that number in absurdity.

It has more games than the Vita, for sure, though neither handheld has much in the way of third party support. The only third party games that the 3DS has been getting lately are a few niche Japanese titles from Atlus and the like.

So yeah, the situation is different, no two situations are alike.

Honestly, I don't have a great deal of confidence in the big console business as it's going. These teams with hundreds of designers, spending absurd amounts of money to create games that will require cross-platform blockbuster status to earn back their investment. Consoles themselves being so expensive, with monthly fees for online gaming while mostly only offering the same cross-platform experiences.

I think it's the kind of situation where a lower-budget (with no subsequent fees) console like the WiiU can fill a niche successfully if Nintendo plays it well.

 

[medv4380]

He's comparing the Wii U to the NES? Really?

The NES was a clear success. Now if he wanted to insult the Wii U he should have compared it to the GameCube.

 

[MetalDooley]

Isn't this the same guy who predicted that Nintendo would be software only by now because the Wii would be a flop?Or that the PSP would destroy the DS in sales?I think it's pretty clear that this dude has been just making shit up for years.The real question should be

"Why the fuck does anyone actually listen to anything Michael Pachter says anymore?"

Just look at this statement

"If Activision pulls support; if you see Ubisoft, you see Take-Two pull support," Pachter concludes, "the Wii U is a Nintendo-only gaming device which is the way they were back with the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985."

What the fuck is he talking about?The NES had fantastic 3rd party support.Nintendo would be delighted if the Wii U had the same level of 3rd party games

 

[risenbone]

I dunno but one good reason could be out of the 3 "game consoles" it's the only one that's primarily a game console and not some service gateway attempting to take over the living room.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

Nintendo consoles are mainly for those that love the Nintendo 1st party titles.....everything else released is a bonus for them.

 

[faefrost]

Stupid question here, and I am honestly not trying to be snarky, but how often is Pachter actually right in his predictions? I just ask because I see his name pop up a lot, but it always seems to be in weird controversial ways. Do his predictions ever actually pan out? Can we see the logic and historical path to them? How does one become a highly quoted video games analyst?

 

[Vaccine]

Pachter: Why Would Anyone Buy A Wii U?

"Vaccine: Why Would Anyone Listen to Pachter?"

 

[Saltyk]

I can think of one or two good reasons
http://www.gamerdome.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/bayo.jpg

Don't forget how the best thing to come out of E3 came from... Nintendo Direct.

<youtube=APWTJMyM4qg&feature=player_embedded>

About the only console exclusive that has me excited.

Okay, I have no intention of buying a Wii U. But even I will admit that that game looks pretty damn awesome. Monster Hunter meets Gundam meets dinosaurs. Yes, please.

The system just has two problems for me.

1) Beyond a new Zelda title, there isn't much else I would want. I won't buy a new console for one or two games. Especially since it's almost as much as the PS4.
2) I'm concerned about third party support which was an issue for the Wii. Namely for cross platform games and such. Between the weak sells and the system being a weaker console, I don't see strong third party support any time soon.

I'm sure the system and Nintendo will survive. It's just not for me.
[sub]Seriously, that game does look sweet, though.[/sub]

 

[Something Amyss]

If Patcher says there's no reason to get one, we probably all should.

The 3DS has functionally zero third party support and is doing amazing.

Does Nintendo know this?