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[ZedIndyLil]

Sales seem a little lower than I expected, esp. in comparison with the Wii launch. Note that Thanksgiving fell on the 23rd in 2006, so the weeks should track pretty closely in terms of shopping seasons as we move forward.

Sales for PS3 and 360 should be telling as well. My feeling is that the technology landscape has changed a ton from 2005/2006, more than between any previous console generations. The overall demand for a games TV box may be waning. Nintendo certainly seems to feel this way with their weird (but cool) hybrid system. We won't know for sure until whenever Sony and Microsoft release their new stuff, though.

 

[Mr. B Natural]

Proves more than anything that Mario isn't the selling point he used to be. Competition and price didn't use to matter when it came to the plumber. Not as many "I want mario and nothing can take his place" kids out there.

 

[Coldnoodle]

OK...

Think he meant USA :lol

 

[Vinci]

Well, it certainly isn't a complete failure where there is a million units sitting on shelves not being bought as the hyperbole here would make it seem. However, Nintendo should be extremely worried what will happen once launch dies down.

Might help if more people knew the damn thing existed. Walking through Best Buy and Wal-Mart several days ago and could hear people going, "Huh? What happened to the Wii?" while looking at the damn display for the Wii U.

I don't think Nintendo has seriously marketed this system yet due to supply constraints.

 

[DeuceGamer]

Let's wait for NPD so we can get real numbers.

I think these are ok. Not a massive failure or anything, but not as good as they could be.

I do think that Wii U is getting hurt by its legacy system's sales, unlike the original Wii.

This, along with a worse economy and I think you have to consider this a small success. Like you say, it could have been better but all things considered I don't think Nintendo can be disappointed by these numbers especially considering Wii sales.

 

[Linkhero1]

I think some people are confusing these numbers for the month.

We're talking about first week sales and not sales for the entire month. So far it's sold 200k less than the Wii did it's first week. I'm not sure how accurate these numbers are, but if they're coming from Nintendo then they must be pretty darn accurate.

This, along with a worse economy and I think you have to consider this a small success. Like you say, it could have been better but all things considered I don't think Nintendo can be disappointed by these numbers especially considering Wii sales.

They really can't but this can be a telltale for how well the console will perform after holiday season is over. Nintendo has no one to blame but themselves if this bombs within the next few months. Their advertisements have been a miss for them.

 

[JordanLMiller]

WII did 600k in 8 days in the America's that includes Canada,Mexico etc, WII U numbers are NA only.

I see.

 

[Osiris]

No point trying to read anything into Wii U sales until after Christmas or even early Spring, that's when the real story will unfold.

All launches sell, it's the longer term sales that are important.

 

[demigod]

WII did 600k in 8 days in the America's that includes Canada,Mexico etc, WII U numbers are NA only.

Uhh, NA includes Canada and Mexico while USA doesn't.

 

[Miles X]

PS3 bundles sold out quickly everywhere. It was really the best bundle available anywhere in gaming IMO ($199 with 5 great games is a superb deal). However, I saw 360s getting bought in droves. Really, every other cart in the gaming section had a 360 in it. My point is IDK lol but I expect the 360 to come out on top in November, surprised MS hasn't put out a PR touting its numbers yet.

Without a shadow of a doubt 360 will be ahead. Last year Ninty put our a PR on monday, MS on tuesday, probably be the same this year.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

400k closer to my Rockstar install base dreams :3

WII did 600k in 8 days in the America's that includes Canada,Mexico etc, WII U numbers are US only.

fixed?

why are they not giving Canada and Mexico numbers anyway? I thought NOA was in charge of those areas

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

I've seen some commercials a bunch of times on TV but honestly the commercial is pretty bad and it doesn't play often and I'm not sure it sends the right message about the wiiU.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

Not sure about that. Before they ditch the DS name, they'll probably ditch the handheld market altogether.

Nintendo made a couple handhelds before the 3DS called GameBoys, maybe you heard of them?

But, who knows, maybe Nintendo won't be doing hardware anymore 5 years from now anyway.

“Even when we were going to launch the Wii system, there were a lot of voice saying ‘Nintendo should stop making hardware.’ The reasoning behind that was Nintendo would not have any chance against Microsoft and Sony. The fact of the matter was: I did not think Nintendo should compete against these companies with the same message and same entertainment options for people.”

 

[ScreenSplitter]

I'm guessing people bought more DS's because Game Freak insisted on making another game like it. Let it die Nintendo/GF.

 

[metalslimer]

Proves more than anything that Mario isn't the selling point he used to be. Competition and price didn't use to matter when it came to the plumber. Not as many "I want mario and nothing can take his place" kids out there.

I think it's actually the opposite and without Mario this launch would have been a disaster sales wise.

 

[jamesinclair]

Holt crap those portable numbers are bad.

Didn't gba pull like a million during black Friday once?

 

[iammeiam]

3DS is low dread to think how bad the Vita did....

The Vita's in a weird position, though. Its normal sales are so bad that selling 100K in November, total, would be close to tripling October's sales. The overall numbers would still be low, but it arguably has an easier time showing strong month-to-month growth just because of the normal low state of sales. Plus I expect to see people padding the NPD numbers with imagined tens of thousands of Amazon $180 sales since Sony's less likely to admit underwhelming numbers themselves. So while Vita will probably have objectively low numbers for the month, I'd actually expect a number of people to be happy wih the growth.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

Remember when Wii U was a failure?

That was a fun week.

Week just started brah.

 

[Tallshortman]

Not great looking numbers. 400k sounds sort of low for a console launch and 3DS dropped in sales.

 

[Linkhero1]

Holt crap those portable numbers are bad.

Didn't gba pull like a million during black Friday once?

Probably, but the GBA had software. The 3DS is really lacking compared to the GBA and DS. There's not a single title that convinces me that I should go out and buy a 3DS. Animal Crossing should have been a holiday title.

 

[NewFresh]

WII did 600k in 8 days in the America's that includes Canada,Mexico etc, WII U numbers are NA only.

I know you probably just had a momentary lapse. So here you go. No harm done.

 

[TheGreatMightyPoo]

Time to announce a new 3DS Pokemon.

 

[Carl]

Welp, WiiU Bomba.

 

[Saiyar]

Holt crap those portable numbers are bad.

Didn't gba pull like a million during black Friday once?

The DS did over 1 million in 2009.

 

[Riposte]

DS outsells the 3DS?! 3DS down 50% YOY? Bad bad bad. Handheld market is officially dying in NA.

Doesn't the DS selling at the 3DS's expense run counter to the idea of the handheld market being dead?

 

[RPGamer92]

Nintendo needs to kill the DS ASAP if they want the 3DS to be able to sell in the future.

 

[dimb]

Holt crap those portable numbers are bad.

Didn't gba pull like a million during black Friday once?

There is only one GBA.

 

[Kai Dracon]

That's one thing I've noticed about some posters on this forum - it's not so much of a condescending attitude towards people without a lot of disposable income, so much as a complete lack of awareness that they exist. You see it in the Wii U / SDTV thread - people say, just buy an HDTV! Geez, a few hundred bucks is still a lot of money to many people.


One stat I bring myself back to time and again is that median household income in America is right around 50k. 40% of households make less than 38k (in fact, the mean income for the second lowest quintile is 29k).

Personally I'm lucky and don't live paycheck to paycheck, but lots of people do. A 90 dollar Wii, with a ton of games available used for $10-$30 bucks, is a boon for those people. They're the same people who bought their kids and themselves PS2's years after the 360 released. I don't understand the dismissive attitude of "get a different hobby." Film lovers can spend tens of thousands of dollars on the perfect home theater, but anyone that wants to see a movie can still catch a matinee.

If anything the Wii and DS remain very attractive because of this reason. They each have a huge library of quality software - the Wii more so than the N64 and yes, the Gamecube. (Better than GC? Yes. In terms of games that appeal to a very wide audience, not just hardcore Nintendo fans.)

Everyone is harping on Nintendo and "branding" with 3DS and Wii U. Perhaps branding plays a limited role. But I can't help but think other factors are at play here. One is the economy. Two, is that the landscape is different than when Nintendo came out of the N64, and then Gamecube. Those consoles faded away worse than any other Nintendo console - even the Wii, in an overall sense. They were getting nothing in their final years. Plus they had relatively small libraries in terms of variety and decent quality for what we now call the "casual" audience, families, and children. The Gameboy Advance was doing good, but then the DS didn't really take off until later in; it wasn't a must have at launch.

Wii and DS are still firmly entrenched. The hardcore may say that they unhooked their Wii years ago and sold it, and perhaps think everyone else did as well. Or that "the casuals" are all playing iOS games instead of the Wii they bought. I'm not so sure that's true. I've seen plenty of Wii systems still in use by families, plenty of people buying Wii software for families and kids. The DS is still heavily used, and Nintendo gave a nod to this by releasing more Pokemon for it rather than shifting the series to the 3DS just yet.

Hell, this entire situation is also a reason why, against the desires of enthusiast gamers, Nintendo refuses to make a $400 uber-hardcore console that copies an Xbox. Their market still includes people who don't have a huge amount of disposable income to throw in the latest and most expensive technology. Wii U is pushing it, and they are attempting to sell it as a device that does far more than just games, making it into a family living room hub. (Another reason it's bad TVii didn't make launch.)

 

[metalslimer]

Welp, WiiU Bomba.

I don't see how one could come to this conclusion based off this one week of sales data.

Doesn't the DS selling at the 3DS's expense run counter to the idea of the handheld market being dead?

Yep, it just shows that the market left wants lower prices. Nintendo will probably never launch another portable above 150 again.

 

[grimshawish]

Doesn't the DS selling at the 3DS's expense run counter to the idea of the handheld market being dead?

I have often thought this.

 

[Plinko]

Holt crap those portable numbers are bad.

Didn't gba pull like a million during black Friday once?

GBA also didn't enter a marketplace oversaturated with smartphones and iPads.

 

[QaaQer]

That's not even close to a foregone conclusion.

If Nintendo doesn't significantly reevaluate its approach to hardware and software pricing, though, I can definitely see 4DS or whatnot doing Vita numbers.

I think that software pricing is the real issue for handhelds. As more and more people see all those <$5 games on their pads etc, those $40 handheld games look really expensive. Angry Birds Star Wars was what, 99 cents? Same goes for the DS vs 3DS, lots more inexpensive used DS games.

Moreover, if the system is for someone under 12, they will have fun with whatever system they get so why not get the cheap one with cheap games?

 

[Mindlog]

That's one thing I've noticed about some posters on this forum - it's not so much of a condescending attitude towards people without a lot of disposable income, so much as a complete lack of awareness that they exist. You see it in the Wii U / SDTV thread - people say, just buy an HDTV! Geez, a few hundred bucks is still a lot of money to many people.


One stat I bring myself back to time and again is that median household income in America is right around 50k. 40% of households make less than 38k (in fact, the mean income for the second lowest quintile is 29k).

Personally I'm lucky and don't live paycheck to paycheck, but lots of people do. A 90 dollar Wii, with a ton of games available used for $10-$30 bucks, is a boon for those people. They're the same people who bought their kids and themselves PS2's years after the 360 released. I don't understand the dismissive attitude of "get a different hobby." Film lovers can spend tens of thousands of dollars on the perfect home theater, but anyone that wants to see a movie can still catch a matinee.

This is a pretty good TED Talk on the subject.
Warning: Strong Language, viewer discretion is advised.

 

[ramparter]

So NSMB and 3DS XL barely did anything. It´s again proves that price matters the most.

Yes, software prices especially. With all the browser, facebook, smartphones gaming going on, old pricig is becoming irrelevant.

 

[Barack Lesnar]

Also, handheld market is dead in America. Never again will we see DS/GBA sales numbers.

I remember calling this early this year and getting ripped to shreds about it. Basically just said the 3DS is done in NA / on a significant decline.

 

[VICI0US]

Wii-U launch numbers put it above the DS, 3DS, Vita, PS3, and 360 launches. Not bad at all.

However, launch sales mean very little in the grand scheme. What matters now is if these sales are maintained or fall off the face of the earth.

 

[AzaK]

Do people think the 3DS' state is this whole "smartphone gaming" thing or more to do with no real western style titles for the "core" gamers?

I also wonder if Wii U will canabilise 3DS to some degree in the west. An "at home" portable system with console level games is something that attracts me. I have a 3DS and only play it at home. Due to no games I really want I'm selling and looking forward to Wii U.

 

[-KRS-]

Just browsing Wiis on Amazon for the heck of it.

When did this blue model happen?

Oh man. I bought one of those blue wii remotes on an auction site once, thinking it would be the coolest shit ever. But what I got was a cheap chinese pirate knock-off with horrible buttons. It's exactly identical to an official one, except it just feels cheaper. It's almost like they somehow stole the official molds or something. Quite baffling. At least it works alright. Though the nunchuck I got with it makes homebrew apps crash for some reason. I guess the lesson I learned was to never buy anything on an auction site after just waking up.

Edit: Oh and it's called Wü instead of Wii. Brilliant.

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

This is a pretty good TED Talk on the subject.
Warning: Strong Language, viewer discretion is advised.

lol classic

 

[evangd007]

NoA needs to take the DS out back like they did with the GBA shortly after the DS was released.

 

[nextgeneration]

I'm not so sure that 600k figure for Wii for 2006 is correct. Back when NPD disclosed numbers, I have Wii at 476,140 units for November of 2006.

 

[Baconsammy]

The WiiU is selling out? I don't know either.

It might be. But when I went to pickup a PS3 inFamous/Uncharted bundle yesterday at Target they still had Wii Us. Checking Target.com right now and I see Deluxe and 'Tard Wii Us available at half the Targets in my area (roughly 12 stores). Great news for people that want to buy one.

 

[Claymores]

Uhh, NA includes Canada and Mexico while USA doesn't.

Ya a bit sleepy rephrase that.

The WII sold 600k in 8 days in the Americas including all south American countries apart from Argentina where the WII wasn't released until 2008.

The 400k WII U is US only, so numbers are probably roughly the same as the WII's.

 

[QaaQer]

This is a pretty good TED Talk on the subject.
Warning: Strong Language, viewer discretion is advised.

that was great...

 

[mariosbrother]

Nintendo needs to kill the DS ASAP if they want the 3DS to be able to sell in the future.

Nope, they just need to increase the quantity of attractive software for the 3DS. Same for Wii U.

 

[quest]

I don't see how one could come to this conclusion based off this one week of sales data.



Yep, it just shows that the market left wants lower prices. Nintendo will probably never launch another portable above 150 again.

The data shows the demand is not even close to the original Wii. What ever Nintendo sold with the Wii in launch week they could of sold 4x-5x that amount with ease. Remember the I can walk into the store and get a Wii jokes? Well I saw many Wii U during black friday shopping. Most of it is confusion casual gamers think the Wii U is a tablet accessory for the Wii. Just very poor marketing by Nintendo. I had to actually explain the Wii U to several family members that is was a new console.

 

[grimshawish]

I also wonder if Wii U will canabilise 3DS to some degree in the west. An "at home" portable system with console level games is something that attracts me. I have a 3DS and only play it at home. Due to no games I really want I'm selling and looking forward to Wii U.

We have to remember that handheld gaming has and always will be led by kids.
They do want portable gaming.

If Wii U is a success it might even help the 3DS.
Does anyone know what the main version of the DS on shelves is in the states? DSi?

 

[Plinko]

It might be. But when I went to pickup a PS3 inFamous/Uncharted bundle yesterday at Target they still had Wii Us. Checking Target.com right now and I see Deluxe and 'Tard Wii Us available at half the Targets in my area (roughly 12 stores). Great news for people that want to buy one.

I wonder if Reggie was implying they sold out the first shipment. It doesn't make sense otherwise.

People on here have reported some stores getting at least 3 shipments already.

 

[yon61]

Wii-U launch numbers put it above the DS, 3DS, Vita, PS3, and 360 launches. Not bad at all.

However, launch sales mean very little in the grand scheme. What matters now is if these sales are maintained or fall off the face of the earth.

The 360 was supply constrained at launch.

 

[KungFucius]

300,000 disappointed kids on Christmas morning.

I thought the same thing. Also I think the 2 color thing is hampering sales to some extent. I see some people wanting the black and passing on the white potentially leading to upset kids who get the white one.

Let's see what happens when the system launches in other regions.