What if the WII U was successful?

snapdragon

Member
Inspired by SLX "saving the" series

How would I save the WII U?

>Delay the launch of the 3DS till 2014, (the 3DS also wouldnt be the 3DS, it would have a 480p non 3D screen and have power almost completely identical to the gamecube, I think i will call this system the Ultra DS/UDS)

>Early titles that the 3DS recieved in OTL (our time line) such as kid icarus uprising (excellent game, but a physical chore to play on the 3DS), fire emblem awakening, A link between worlds, new leaf, SMT 4, and Pokemon XY would be year 1/launch titles for the WII U, these games would have expanded scopes and greater budgets

>the WII was a fad and motion controls were not the future, WII hardware and especially software sales fell off a cliff after 2009 the WII U will be renamed to the UNES (ultra nintendo), it will have backwards compatibility with WII games but wont come with a wii remote nor will motion controls be a primary feature of the system, the excellent WII U pro controller that has a battery life that could outlive my grandpa will be the stock controller for the system

>obviously marketing will make it clear that this is a new game system and not an add on for the WII

>playing nintendoland with my brother as a kid is one of the top 10 gaming experiences in my life, I do believe that the Gamepad was a very strong concept that was just lacking in execution, it is essentially a home console version of the DS and devs made excellent use of the dual screen feature on both the DS and 3DS, nintendo would still be making these systems if mobile gaming slop didnt ahnilate the dedicated handheld market, im really mixed on whether the execution of the gamepad could just be done better or if the idea should just be scrapped and have the UNES essentially be nintendos return to the traditional console market, im leaning on the ladder but I would like to hear what you guys say about it, having a 3DS act as the tablet instead could also be an interesting idea

>The WII U/UNES neeeds to be capable of recieving most multiplatform games on the PS4/XBONE in compromised but still decent versions, yet again the WII was a fad and developers gave up pouring resources into dedicated wii "ports" of multiplatform games, and the switch is a handheld system where the convinience of portable gaming outways the cons of poorly perfoming multiplat games, the WII U/UNES could not afford to be weak even if the system is sold at a loss

> also just overall the hardware needs to be much easier to program for, nintendos online services needed to be better, the WII U/UNES OS needs to be completely redone, the 3DS struck a perfect balance between personality/bueaty and functionality

curious what you guys would do to save this system
 
It honestly just needed a completely different name and look to the console. It was a fine concept, and the big tablet controller wasn't bad at all. Plus, the Wii U era easily had some of the best Nintendo software of all time.

The marketing and gimmicks are what destroyed the Wii U. It was never gonna be as big as the PS4, but it absolutely could have succeeded in its own right.
 
I honestly think the name WI u was the biggest reason it floped so hard.
BAck then not many people had cellphones and information wasn't readily available for what it really was a new console or an addon to the Wii.
IT had some amazing games but the name of the console was so confusing I don't think casual gamers had any idea what it was
 
Surprised no Nintendo fan on here has posted it actually was successful, yet.

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This is a nice video I came across, thought I'd share it, cause the Wii U failure is one of Nintendo's greatest mysteries.


Summary
The Wii U was innovative but hampered by confusing branding, limited support, and hardware compromises.

The Switch learned from those mistakes. Simpler messaging, improved design, wider game support, and leveraging existing content all helped it become a massive hit.

Wii U's Struggles:
Confusing identity & poor marketing:

Many consumers thought the Wii U GamePad was merely an accessory to the Wii, not a new console. Nintendo's messaging was vague, and the reveal at E3 2011 further amplified the confusion.

Weak third-party support & limited appeal:
Despite a solid first-party line-up, the Wii U lacked broader third-party and indie support, limiting its library.

Hardware limitations & GamePad issues:
The GamePad was bulky, had poor battery life, and required proximity to the console. It was innovative, but impractical.

Competing market timing:
Released alongside or near the generation-leading PS4 and Xbox One, and during the rise of tablets and smartphones, the Wii U struggled to stand out.


Switch's Success Factors:
Clear identity & sleek marketing:

The Switch was launched as a hybrid. Part home console, part handheld and Nintendo communicated that simply and effectively in its ads.

Stronger third-party & indie support:
Nintendo actively courted and collaborated with third-party and indie developers during the Switch's development.

Improved hybrid design:
The Switch is a portable tablet with detachable Joy-Cons, lighter and more ergonomic than the Wii U GamePad. It balances comfort, portability, and functionality.

A powerful software lineup & legacy titles:
It launched with or acquired many games that started on Wii U, like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Breath of the Wild, Splatoon, bringing them to a broader audience.

Massive sales & cultural impact:
As of May 2025, the Switch has sold over 150 million units, more than 10 times the Wii U's 13.56 million, becoming Nintendo's best-selling system.
 
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I don't understand how the thread title relates to the actual discussion, honestly.

Nintendo had somewhat of a good idea with the WiiU. But they were lazy and/or clueless as hell about how to present and promote the console. It seems that they either thought it couldn't fail after the Wii, or they realized they had painted themselves into a corner with an underpowered system that heavily relied on a gimmick and couldn't figure out how to evolve from there without bleeding their warchest to death if the Wii's successor didn't make a splash. So they just went "fuck it" and doubled down on everything they had done for the previous six years, regardless of how the industry and the audience had changed in the meantime.

It's really hard to imagine a scenario where the WiiU is even moderately successful, because it really was a perfect storm of mistakes. Too many to just rectify a few and get a more viable product. Also, it relied so much on continuity with the Wii, it came packed with the most unusual controller and just assumed you'd have a few Wiimotes lying around to pick up and start playing. Terrible mistake. Not even Sony assumed that going from PS1 to PS2, and they had sold a PS1 to basically anyone who was even mildly interested in video games.

WiiU would have needed, at the bare minimum:
- more onboard memory
- a name like "Wii2" or "New Wii"
- Skyward Sword as a launch title, instead on NSMBU (which was a very good game, but nothing new for the audience)
- a Wiimote in the box
- specs at least on the level of the original Xbone to get third-party support without having to beg for it (and still not get it)

As it is, it's terrible hardware with an excellent first-party library. But it would need to be something too different to not crash and burn like it did.
 
I got a wii u extremely early in its life cycle as a christmas present from my dad and the console was the biggest piece of shit to ever be produced. The controller felt like a cheap, plastic fisher price toy and it had a god awful screen as well as feel to it. Add to that the fact that games that utilized the screen 'the few that did' felt gimmicky and nonsensical and you got yourself a disaster on your hands.


The software for the wii u was also junk compared to nintendos best, and the u.i as well as features the wii u had were also junk. The console literally felt so cheap, so dumb, and so nonsensical from the naming scheme all the way down and it deserved to fail because it was garbage. The revisionist history that some people try to do with the wii u is ridiculous and filled with b.s.
 
I'm not sure what success would have meant for the Wii U as we saw it. The Wii branding fell off in its last few years, so calling it that certainly didnt aid the perception of it, on top of basing it around the gamepad. As evidenced by how well many Switch ports did the issue wasn't the software, and it made a compelling case that the hardware delivery isn't an insignificant consideration.

I reckon a 'best case' scenario for the Wii U if it had caught on was selling something akin to the Gamecube, they stretch it to 2019 where its replaced by a Tegra X2 powered Switch. The Switch then goes on to do as well as it did, and we'd probably be looking at the Switch 2 as a 2026/7 release.
 
games that utilized the screen 'the few that did' felt gimmicky and nonsensical and you got yourself a disaster on your hands.
Disagree. Nintendo Land was a lot of fun with friends.

The second screen was very useful as an inventory screen, too. This single feature alone turned Zelda Wind Waker into a game I wanted to play, instead of the chore that is the original where you have to access the menu every few seconds because there weren't enough buttons to keep up with the game wanting you to use too many different items in a single screen.

Kirby Rainbow Brush was also very good, and it required the Gamepad.

The Gamepad may have been gimmicky, but nonsensical it wasn't.
 
I loved the Wii U games I played. Really fun stuff. There just wasn't much of it.

But the fun wasn't because of the tablet controller. It made for interesting gimmicks at times, like in Zombi U that made you look away from potential danger to see your inventory. And to a lesser extent Deus Ex:HR used it for mini games. But being a lower quality plastic screen with only single touch (IIRC) was to its detriment, and for most games it ended up being something just to fill the screen like a map. Even BOTW made little use because it was cross gen and they couldn't give Switch less features.
 
Paid €150 for my Wii U seven months after release. I own 13 games on it.
What is great about it is that it can be my NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube and Wii console, if I want it to (and more).
 
Inspired by SLX "saving the" series

How would I save the WII U?

>Delay the launch of the 3DS till 2014, (the 3DS also wouldnt be the 3DS, it would have a 480p non 3D screen and have power almost completely identical to the gamecube, I think i will call this system the Ultra DS/UDS)

>Early titles that the 3DS recieved in OTL (our time line) such as kid icarus uprising (excellent game, but a physical chore to play on the 3DS), fire emblem awakening, A link between worlds, new leaf, SMT 4, and Pokemon XY would be year 1/launch titles for the WII U, these games would have expanded scopes and greater budgets

>the WII was a fad and motion controls were not the future, WII hardware and especially software sales fell off a cliff after 2009 the WII U will be renamed to the UNES (ultra nintendo), it will have backwards compatibility with WII games but wont come with a wii remote nor will motion controls be a primary feature of the system, the excellent WII U pro controller that has a battery life that could outlive my grandpa will be the stock controller for the system

>obviously marketing will make it clear that this is a new game system and not an add on for the WII

>playing nintendoland with my brother as a kid is one of the top 10 gaming experiences in my life, I do believe that the Gamepad was a very strong concept that was just lacking in execution, it is essentially a home console version of the DS and devs made excellent use of the dual screen feature on both the DS and 3DS, nintendo would still be making these systems if mobile gaming slop didnt ahnilate the dedicated handheld market, im really mixed on whether the execution of the gamepad could just be done better or if the idea should just be scrapped and have the UNES essentially be nintendos return to the traditional console market, im leaning on the ladder but I would like to hear what you guys say about it, having a 3DS act as the tablet instead could also be an interesting idea

>The WII U/UNES neeeds to be capable of recieving most multiplatform games on the PS4/XBONE in compromised but still decent versions, yet again the WII was a fad and developers gave up pouring resources into dedicated wii "ports" of multiplatform games, and the switch is a handheld system where the convinience of portable gaming outways the cons of poorly perfoming multiplat games, the WII U/UNES could not afford to be weak even if the system is sold at a loss

> also just overall the hardware needs to be much easier to program for, nintendos online services needed to be better, the WII U/UNES OS needs to be completely redone, the 3DS struck a perfect balance between personality/bueaty and functionality

curious what you guys would do to save this system

wake GIF
 
The tablet + the forced gimmicks were too much. And that tablet was too bulky.

For instance Zombi by Ubisoft forced you to use the tablet, but it wasn't working cause you had to look away from the TV which was a big problem for many. TLOU had similar features without the tablet and it was much better for the player.

This is why Dual Shock 4 has no screen. OK ot use the controler to swipe stuff, but don't force the player to look away from the TV. That's bad design.
 
The tablet + the forced gimmicks were too much. And that tablet was too bulky.

For instance Zombi by Ubisoft forced you to use the tablet, but it wasn't working cause you had to look away from the TV which was a big problem for many. TLOU had similar features without the tablet and it was much better for the player.

This is why Dual Shock 4 has no screen. OK ot use the controler to swipe stuff, but don't force the player to look away from the TV. That's bad design.
That was the reason ZombiU was good, it added tension and suspense, you had to plan your time "going though your backpack" making sure you are safe to do so.
 
The way I see the alternate timeline:

Gex exclusive launch title

Bernie wins 2016 presidency

Nuclear fusion discovered but then sabotaged by alien invaders - we make first contact

Fauci trips and bangs his head - COVID never happens
 
How would I save the Wii U?

Making different hardware, using an x86-64 CPU and a 1.6teraflop GPU

Creating a new IP with an adult focus

Metroid reboot as core
reduce indie-like children's games

for this to happen, Nintendo would have to stop being stingy, in other words, stop being Nintendo.
 
I wish that Luigi Ghost game from Nintendoland could be remade somehow. I lack the imagination to know how it would work without the gamepad in a way that doesn't dramatically shift its asymmetric nature, but that game was tons of fun.
 
Disagree. Nintendo Land was a lot of fun with friends.

The second screen was very useful as an inventory screen, too. This single feature alone turned Zelda Wind Waker into a game I wanted to play, instead of the chore that is the original where you have to access the menu every few seconds because there weren't enough buttons to keep up with the game wanting you to use too many different items in a single screen.

Kirby Rainbow Brush was also very good, and it required the Gamepad.

The Gamepad may have been gimmicky, but nonsensical it wasn't.

It was nonsensical and gimmicky crap that third parties did nothing with most of the time. The resolution of the screen was also abysmal and the screen looked washed out nonstop, and the gamepad itself had bad build quality and felt like cheap plastic.



No one wants to look down at a gamepad screen to play a game and have to touch on a terrible feeling gamepad to access things that could've been implemented into said game without the gamepad. Too me the wii u was one of the worst systems to ever release and is up their with the virtual boy as one of the worst pieces of tech that nintendo has ever released.
 
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For instance Zombi by Ubisoft forced you to use the tablet, but it wasn't working cause you had to look away from the TV which was a big problem for many.

I was just about to say that if every game utilized the Wii U the way Zombi U did it MAY have been more successful.

The fact that you had more than just a map on the screen and had to manage your ressources (kind of a backbag simulator), while being exposed for attacks, caused a level of immersion not replicated by many games.

But then again.. that's something not really suitable for every game. And even Nintendo itself considered the 2nd screen just as a map extender for too many occasions.
 
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You would had to redesign the entire system from scratch since it was a flawed concept from the beginning. The CPU being based on the PowerPC750 (which dated back to 1997 and was used in the original iMac) was a huge obstacle for third party developers who had difficult adapting their middleware for the system. It would have made more sense for Nintendo to adopt a later PowerPC core (like the 970) or just use x86.
The tablet concept could have worked but many games didn't see much of a need for it and alter became a burden for the system since it required frequent charging. Nintendo's own software didn't take much advantage of the controller, and the games released were lacking innovation with many being just a updated HD version of their Wii counterpart.
 
For context, I love the Wii U and think it is one of the best consoles ever. The tablet controller is fantastic (even though it feels cheap).

However, it just didn't and a device like it likely never will make financial sense as a mass-produced console. The cost of the tablet controller either makes the final cost too unappealing or eats into the budget of the rest of the console making it comparatively underpowered.

Perhaps, if computing power completely stagnates, it could financially make sense, but reducing the final cost might take precedence.

Alternatively, if a portable were to sell very well and could act as a full controller, it could work. Arguably, Nintendo had that opportunity with the 3DS family, but even with the New 3DS, they didn't add in the Wi-Fi chip required.
 
Go back and watch the original unveiling and what Nintendo was saying and it's clear that even they didn't know the purpose of this device. And if they didn't know then how would we figure it out. the Wii U was an interesting technology and it had some use cases but not enough to get people to shell out for it.

Compare that to the Switch unveiling when it was crystal clear what they were trying to do with it.

OP's plan is typical gamer, just make it more powerful and get more ports but why would anyone buy that over a PS4.
 
I was just about to say that if every game utilized the Wii U the way Zombi U did it MAY have been more successful.

The fact that you had more than just a map on the screen and had to manage your ressources (kind of a backbag simulator), while being exposed for attacks, caused a level of immersion not replicated by many games.

But then again.. that's something not really suitable for every game. And even Nintendo itself considered the 2nd screen just as a map extender for too many occasions.
The thing is that this game was ported to other consoles mostly intact. In fact most of the good games on Wii U were ported to other systems mostly intact, including many by Nintendo.

So even the best showcases of the Wii U, it mainly came down to, maybe gimmick is too strong but a novelty at best.
 
Go back and watch the original unveiling and what Nintendo was saying and it's clear that even they didn't know the purpose of this device. And if they didn't know then how would we figure it out. the Wii U was an interesting technology and it had some use cases but not enough to get people to shell out for it.

Compare that to the Switch unveiling when it was crystal clear what they were trying to do with it.

OP's plan is typical gamer, just make it more powerful and get more ports but why would anyone buy that over a PS4.

The unveiling was insanely bad. They had the tablet controller shown off as if it were the entire console. At the time, it would have been remarkable (and the Switch shows it still was five years later), so unsurprisingly, that's what the media ran with.

Meanwhile, the actual console was hidden under the plinths in a locked box where you could barely see it. I remember a journalist having to ask to have a closer look at it, and the Nintendo staffer being a bit confused.
 
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