Could this be a "breakout" Holiday season for the Wii-U?
- Thread starter Cornbread78
- Start date
Here's Wii U's software schedule for 2013 and some titles confirmed for 2014:
note: Some games may not be listed, but mostly just shovel ware
January- Nothing (typical of most platforms due to the holiday season)
February- Nothing (typical of most platforms due to the holiday season)
March - Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate HD, Lego City: Undercover, Need for Speed: MW
April - Injustice: Gods Among Us
May - Lego Batman 2, Resident Evil: Revelations HD, Sniper Elite V2
June - Game & Wario
July - Nothing
August - Pikmin 3, Splinter Cell: Black list, Disney Infinity
September - Wonderful 101, Rayman Legends, Scribblenauts, Wind Waker HD (eShop version)
October - Wind Waker HD , Batman, Wii U Party, Sonic: Lost World, Dues Ex, Just Dance, Lego Marvel, Skylanders Swap Force
November - Super Mario 3d World, Call of Duty, Assassin's Creed 4, Wii Sports Club, Sonic Winter Olympics
December - Wii Fit U
Q1 2014: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (February) , Project CARS (Q1 or Q2)
Q2 2014: Mario Kart 8, Watch Dogs
TBA 2014: Smash Bros, Bayonetta 2, X, Fire Emblem X Shin Megami Tensei, Child of Light
Unconfirmed 2014: Yoshi's Yarn, Sonic project
Manmademan
Member
Let me be clear, I don't think their management is GOOD...as I said they've repeatedly made bizarre decisions that ignore market trends.
But you really can't put them in the same category as Sega from the Sega CD era onward. THAT company wasn't just badly managed, it was a textbook case of what NOT to do. Too many add ons for the genesis eroding all the goodwill they built, dumping the 32x on the market right before the Saturn and letting it die, competing designs for the Saturn that became a clusterfuck design because of corporate ego, the "surprise" Saturn launch that pissed off every retail partner not named KB toys, bleeding huge amounts of money with the DC, only to have it cracked and become a piracy dream machine....
Nintendo isn't on this level.
Petrae
Member
Iwata is ultimately responsible for the output of the software teams under his umbrella, along with ensuring third-party relations to generate software when his teams cannot.
His teams failed to deliver software on a timely basis, leading to several post-launch droughts that arguably exacerbated an already-poor situation after launch. Sure, Iwata doesn't make these games (anymore) or work in a developmental capacity, but he's still responsible as the overall head of his company. It's similar to when coaches and managers get fired from sports teams; if your players (or employees, in this case) don't produce and your performance suffers, there's a pretty good chance you're gonna be out of work soon.
If this holiday season doesn't turn things around for WiiU, an argument can certainly be made for replacing Iwata and getting stronger leadership in place. In Iwata's favor is (finally) expanding 3DS Family sales worldwide after a generally slow first half of 2013, but for a new Nintendo console like WiiU to flounder as it's been doing? Someone has to take responsibility for that disaster.
Kageshinzo
Member
Nintendo will most probably coast through this generation. They won't have massive numbers, but it will be enough for them to get by this generation. And hopefully, they'll reevaluate stuff for their 9th generation console offering.
They won't be doomed in any sense; they'll just not get the awesome highs they got during last gen.
They won't be doomed in any sense; they'll just not get the awesome highs they got during last gen.
The Maverick
Member
Can you construe it as anything else?
EightBitNate
Member
Nah, the only thing that matters is MK8.
Mario Kart Wii sold gangbusters. If MK8 doesn't do shit, the system is fucked.
Mario Kart Wii sold gangbusters. If MK8 doesn't do shit, the system is fucked.
Well, 2D Mario on Wii did gangbusters...and the Wii U follow up didn't do shit.
EightBitNate
Member
Yeah, but that game was released when the Wii U was in a terrible, terrible position. Now, it's only slightly terrible.
Nightstick11
Banned
Serious question based on this and all your subsequent posts: how old are you? Very curious.
Also, if you weren't around for 3D0, you should know that that kid who got a $700.00 console in addition to everything else wasn't shunned or bullied.
IsntChrisL
Member
I think the Wii U will definitely start selling more units on a regular basis. Nintendo just needs to amp up the marketing for the rest of the year (on a Pokemon X/Y level).
prankster101
Banned
Shit. Don't say that abiut the Vita. I only just bought it 2 days ago.
I want my Vita to live!
Sorry meant to say "nothing is a must have for me at launch" I'm fully aware it's my opinion. I'm sure there are plenty of people who think some of the launch titles are must haves and I'm sure there is a slew of people who are just ready for a shiny new console. For me the games are dictating my purchase this holiday and for me the games I want to play are on the Wii U.
prankster101
Banned
Quoted for truth!
Lol.
They make Fifa. And people love that. Plus they gave us Syndicate, and despite the negatitivity, I found myself really enjoying that.
TDLink
Member
This whole idea of people completely forgetting about Wii U next year regardless of how it does these next couple of months is pure malarkey. A new Smash Bros alone is enough to get people to pay attention and realize it is still a system. Not to mention a new Mario Kart on top of that, a new Zelda formally announced next summer, a new Pokemon game (which we have been teased about), and games that are sure to make some sort of splashes like X.
Just because the PS4 and XBONE are coming out does not mean suddenly all of that software (which in the past has sold huge numbers) is going to be ignored. Whether it will translate into better sales is completely up in the air but even if it is the third christmas people will still be paying attention to Wii U next year.
Now, if all of that stuff fails to get people into the system then yes, it is truly over. But hey, at least all of those awesome games will have come out for it (plus others I didn't mention like DK and Bayo 2), which is honestly more than enough to justify my purchase.
omg
I don't think the Wii-U will achieve any breakout potential sales at any point in time really, certainly not this holiday anyway. It'll definitely see an uptick in sales for sure, but nothing that would be considering game changing.
Mario Kart and Smash are really the last bastions of hope. I don't really see anything saving the console, but those will be the games to wrap things up. I mean Christ, its losing to Dreamcast in the US!
Mario Kart and Smash are really the last bastions of hope. I don't really see anything saving the console, but those will be the games to wrap things up. I mean Christ, its losing to Dreamcast in the US!
Project Alice
Banned
I really hope the WiiU does well. My son is 3 and I want/need Nintendo to be around for him when he gets older like the NES was around for me when I was a kid. A system with good wholesome games. There is definitely a market for this.
Christopher
Member
I was optimistic about the possibility of Mario turning things around however I saw the Wind Waker numbers and I figured Nintendo needs something really big to put his system on the map and I don't think a 4 player mario with offline is going to do that
You have several options, I'll focus on two:
1. Invite them to play Zombi U or TW101, and mock them if they can't cope with the hardcore. More likely: these games will change their mind.
2. Invite them with their wife to a dinner and launch Artworks from Game & Wario. You will all have a blast. Proceed with Spin the bottle if you hope for something special.
Bullies are ignorant people, you've got to teach them.
CloakedPuppet
Member
Junior be a trollin'!
TheGreyHulk
Member
There's really no other place to go but up. They're pretty much rock bottom at the moment, so I can see sales increasing, but don't expect anything spectacular
prankster101
Banned
Never been interested in Smash Bros. Ever.
And don't forget, DC had Soul Calibur. And it still lost.
I want Nintendo to continue as a 3rd party developer.
Zombie U looks like shit. I saw it before the Wii U was even released and just laughed. It looks as good/bad as a Xbox 360 launch title circa 8 years ago.
prankster101
Banned
Syndicate was really good.
Sword Of Doom
Member
I kind of want one but the price is too high still
TDLink
Member
Frankly I don't care what you are interested in or not. The average person remotely into video games is interested in and enjoys Smash Bros. That's all that matters if we are talking about sales, not your personal preferences.
prankster101
Banned
Which is why Nintendo can't (and shouldn't) compete in the hardware sector anymore. They should go 3rd party as they clearly aren't able to fulfil expectations as a hardware manufacturer.
prankster101
Banned
Sales? Sales wise, Smash Bros will generate a small blip, but will never be able to turn around the Wii U's ailing fortunes.
equippedwithtowel
Member
If these are the necessary conditions for good management then even fucking THQ was doing fine.
Quoted for posterity, smash is very much one of those "cool" franchises you go on about.
A new Smash Bros will perhaps result in more sales from Nintendo fans but not the general public. Nintendo during the past generation with the gimmicky Wii has effectively alienated console gamers and the general public who now do not take their consoles seriously. This is why the Wii:U is failing disastrously. Nintendo is destroying its name brand and its recognition to the public by not releasing traditional consoles. The only people who care about Nintendo are older gamers who remember their glory days, and heck I used to love Nintendo myself, but not nomore. The general public who are growing up as console gamers do not even acknowledge Nintendo as a console player sadly. Over time, Nintendo and console gaming is not being recognized nomore to the masses because of them.
prankster101
Banned
THQ was losing money. If the conditions for good management is to make money, then Nintendo is doing fine. But as a hardware vendor whose job (and responsibility) it is to provide a platform with ample software support, then Nintendo are doing poorly.
Smash may be "cool", but it's not cool enough. It's no GTA or COD.
The system needs Mario Kart. It needed it at launch. Given the complete 180 on the controller, that is the game to pull Wii owners onto the new platform. But it may be too late even for that now.
I don't see anything fundamentally changed this holiday season that would allow the system to "break out". There's still no mass appeal for the system itself. One, because of the high price. Second because the controller paradigm is not only alien to former Wii owners, but of questionable value in general. And the games that will come out between now and December are not so different from the games that are already out that they could draw in a whole new type of customer.
The system simply does not compare favourably against a 199$ PS3. The new consoles will only make it harder.
The Wii U is almost completely locked into a destiny of being a second or third console.
I don't see anything fundamentally changed this holiday season that would allow the system to "break out". There's still no mass appeal for the system itself. One, because of the high price. Second because the controller paradigm is not only alien to former Wii owners, but of questionable value in general. And the games that will come out between now and December are not so different from the games that are already out that they could draw in a whole new type of customer.
The system simply does not compare favourably against a 199$ PS3. The new consoles will only make it harder.
The Wii U is almost completely locked into a destiny of being a second or third console.
Nope. Disagree. Nintendo can compete just fine at tech parity if they choose to. They didn't choose to this time and they hamstrung the system price to an expensive peripheral control method. Those were the mistakes, not some inability to deliver a compelling console experience for a good price. Gamecube competed just fine during that generation tech-wise.
They somehow forgot that part of the success of the Wii was $250 price tag with a packed in game.
The only sales-age thing I'll say is that I think their best case scenario is Gamecube numbers, just because their console is just not seen as mainstream. Which is quite the contrast from the Wii's mainstream appeal, but instead of doubling down on the waggle and improving it, they went back to a standard controller but slapped a tablet into the middle of it. Alienating the grandmas and not really grabbing the core.
I get that ipads are popular but they definitely had the wrong take-away from that market research to console creation.
equippedwithtowel
Member
Lol.
There is no series I know as universally loved by people my age (18-24) as Smash. Only GTA and Halo come close and Halo's been taking a beating since 3.
prankster101
Banned
1. Agree. It's too expensive.
2. Agree. That controller looks like a joke. It feels cheap too.
3. More like fourth place - after PS3/XBox360/PC.
prankster101
Banned
Reggie stated that Nintendo got burnt (really badly) when Nintendo did try to compete on a tech level.
Going forward, Nintendo had no choice but to offer over-inflated hardware.
Amazon top 10 best selling games chart disagrees. Fact.
prankster101
Banned
Nobody likes to look like a fool. That person who got a $700 console may have thought he/she was all bling, but the other kids would have laughed as the 3DO owner definitely didn't have street smarts or common sense.
Also, the kid may not have been laughed at (initially) for buying a $700 console, but if after two years that very same console was dead and unpopular, then who would have been made to look like the unfashionable kid with the unfashionable fashion accessory?
Hmm, yeah that's possibly true due to the fact that Nintendo can't subsidize gaming losses with other departments in their corporation like the other 2.
Not sure what Nintendo can do then. They probably should have doubled down on the waggle and improved the accuracy, maybe added a PS-EYE type camera system in addition to the waggle for incredible accuracy.
That tablet controller for a really expensive price was a mistake though. PS4 is going to be not much more expensive than Wii-U and even a system like PS3 still looks like a better bargain because of how many games you can get on the cheap.
$300 for essentially last gen tech when next gen tech is coming in at $400...not good.
equippedwithtowel
Member
Is conflating "cool" with a limited snapshot of amazon sales wired into your programming or something?
prankster101
Banned
How is Smash "universally loved" when it's not even in the top 10? And it's not a limited snapshot. These were the best selling games OF ALL TIME.
prankster101
Banned
Sony is profitable on the PS4 after one game and plus.
Nintendo should go 3rd party. Man, I want a proper next gen looking Nintendo game.
Edit: ... on a console that sells well and that has good software support. Nintendo have been failing at this ever since the N64.
prankster101
Banned
Quoted for truth!
equippedwithtowel
Member
Want to link to this amazon list? All I'm getting on Google is Amazon.UK's personal all time chart and that's hardly representative of the sample you seem to be implying.
Psycho_Mantis
Banned
Great post but numbers would add more context. Even with a 100% increase WiiU would still be lower than the lowest month for PS3.
WiiU is KOed in Europe and in Japan their lineup is even worse.
This is why I dislike Iwata. He is clearly intelligent but he keeps make promises that he just cannot keep. Also his ridiculous assumptions like no one could tell the difference between Wii and PS360 etc. Its like Nintendo are living in a bubble and the world is just moving by past them.
Of course it can be. It depends on how people will like the games and how they will be marketed and if people don't mind the lack of price drop.
People were very negative about the Vita, until Sony started announcing new games, the Vita TV, and dropping the price.
It was similar for the 3DS in the beginning when the price was high and there were few games.
People were very negative about the Vita, until Sony started announcing new games, the Vita TV, and dropping the price.
It was similar for the 3DS in the beginning when the price was high and there were few games.
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