Nintendo Wii U

[Smitty]

Oh, and yeah Nintendo really should work on making better games. It's their big weakness, the quality of their software.

At the moment Nintendo should be concentrating on bringing first party games to their brand new console.

I'm just listening to Gamelogical again and, as they say, it is unconscionable the WiiU isn't getting any first person releases from Nintendo in January/February.

[SMD]

That's my biggest worry too - it's easy to say that the problems are all down to Nintendo but what if people simply don't buy the next gen of consoles at launch in the numbers people expect?

The consequence of a longer generation is that the next one will also take a while to start.

Games aren't selling as much as last year across the board - that's more concerning than the Wii U not selling because it doesn't suggest that people are simply waiting for a new console. We've seen loads of units being shifted in the last year but people are buying fewer games.

[scottcr]

It's not a gimmick....

[scottcr]

Watch the big three blame not as good numbers at the end of the quarter on the WiiU

[rjpageuk]

I love how these guys expected the WiiU to sell as quickly as the Wii and even though its sold more than the PS3 and 360 did in the same period it's a disappointment.

Genuine question but what decent games did any of these publishers release on the Wii? I dont think they had sales number to excuse their output on that console.

With regards to the "gimmick" controller - surely the most popular console in history, the DS, answers what can be done with a separate touch sensitive screen?

[supert3d]

Watch the big three blame not as good numbers at the end of the quarter on the WiiU

This... They all have to find something to blame around this time I guess.

Added a few more of you guys on my friends list (supert3d). I do like that Miiverse, it's nice seeing what everyone's up to and struggling with.

[hub2]

BLOPS is a game with wide appeal, but it's not a reason to buy a new console for when your PS3 or 360 will have a version just as good. Same for the other games they released: FIFA, Madden, skylanders, etc.

At least Ubisoft came out and created an exclusive in Zombie U, and it seems to have worked out well for them.

[SMD]

Yeah, brilliant

[Clipper]

Struggle ? Yes on nsmbu I spend half my time farming lives on acorn plains 1

[Purin]

Jesus, this Wii U is dead talk is boring. Fuck other shitty publishers. We still got Nintendo, motherfuckers!

(this is an official NDF announcement)

[Not Thread Owner]

Nintendo need to team up with Sega

"No, itsa notta gonna work."

[scottcr]

Genuine question but what decent games did any of these publishers release on the Wii? I dont think they had sales number to excuse their output on that console.

With regards to the "gimmick" controller - surely the most popular console in history, the DS, answers what can be done with a separate touch sensitive screen?

They'll say that Skylanders on WiiU didn't meet expectations. Or ZombiU or whatever...

The market in general is in decline and the uptake of next gen is going to be slow... Which I think is also part of the reason that GTA is pushed to September

[pulsemyne]

Come the end of the year, when nintendos games have sold in the millions, third partys will still trot out the smear of shit that is "Only nintendo's games sell!". No the truth is good games can sell on any platform. If you give the owners of a console what they want then they will buy it.

I mean looks at it already "Oh thrid party games won't sell" but a new mario and even the untested nintendo land have sold over 2 million copies each. What that does go to prove is if you give people what they want then it can sell.

[Bojangle]

I don't think the 'real' next gen uptake is going to be slow at all. This generation has been really long and people are waiting for the next one to start. GTA V could come out any time of the year and sales would be huge.

[SMD]

I don't think the 'real' next gen uptake is going to be slow at all. This generation has been really long and people are waiting for the next one to start. GTA V could come out any time of the year and sales would be huge.

Who? Gamers? Sure but they're always early adopters and they're hardly stellar numbers in the grand scheme of a lifetime of a console. Everyone else can't be arsed because it's £400 to get a machine to play FIFA and COD that they can already get for their current consoles and - this is the clincher - it already looks pretty damn good.

[kensei]

Isn't this the same discussion we were having about the 3ds at about the same point? The future here is probably similar: Nintendo haven't learned enough of the lessons there and there is a price cut and a push if things haven't picked up by the summer. Its pretty criminal they haven't d the year lead they have, but its a sink cost.

Even of there isn't another third party game, Nintendo will release enough games to make the purchase worthwhile. But as always there'll be a few third party gems and a few oddities in addition. If the third party situation gets really bad, expect them to start buying or founding studios.

The prerelease prediction was this wouldnt replicate the Wii's success, but would do alrightish numbers and do some unique software. You were still going to need ones of the other ones. Nothing I see here changes that. If it is still dire next year I'll panic. But I expect the current gen will hang around for a year or two and that'll keep Wii U support up OK nice its numbers pick up a bit. And they will between Zelda and Mario kart and the rest.

[Bojangle]

I think you're underestimating the draw of a next gen machine, especially if they launch with the latest CoD.

This is all void if the DRM stuff turns out true. That's a failure waiting to happen imo.

[SMD]

I think everyone's overestimating the number of gamers who'll drop anything on a new Sony or Microsoft machine.

[DC Lemon]

In happier news, it's being added to clearance sales.

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/wii-u-console-32gb-black-premium-bundle-nintendo-wii-u-199-instore-walsall-clearance-1471576

[Rain Birds]

I think everyone's overestimating the number of gamers who'll drop anything on a new Sony or Microsoft machine.

Yep. PS3 / 360 have been real slow-burners as far as mass market success goes, and if they price the new consoles preposterously - £350 for the base model should be out of the question already - it's going to be a slog. These are different times with a different market, and unless there's an enormous jump, something much bigger than PS2 to PS3, I think the first year will show that they've limped out of the gates even more meekly than the HD consoles this time around.

I also wonder how two essentially identical machines launching right next to each other is going to go...I wouldn't be surprised to see one trail badly.

[Dandy_Sephy]

I think everyone's overestimating the number of gamers who'll drop anything on a new Sony or Microsoft machine.

I'm not convinced most people in the UK give a damm about new consoles. Of course people like us are going to be interested, but given the state of the economy, most people are not going to spend £300+ on a new console and then go back to paying inflated prices for launch software. Nintendo are struggling at under that price point because of a variety of reasons, the other two are only going to have it much harder with the increased pricing.

People here keep going on about the overly long generation we have at the moment but between the volume of decent games being released and the low prices they can be obtained for, the average punter isn't in any hurry to change. I'm certainly not that fussed about the length of this generation.

[scottcr]

Millions of people are going to buy GTA V on current gen platforms... And be very happy with it.

Neither the PS3 or 360 need replacing just now.

The Wii does.

[squirtle]

Until we get Nintendo's big hitters on the machine, like Mario Kart and Wii Fit U, and see how they sell and push the machine, any prediction of the Wii U's fate is premature, imo. I mean, the 3DS's launch period was disappointing, but now it's selling like hot cakes - at least in Japan.

[scottcr]

I suspect Wii Fit U could be a real killer...

Wii Fit was a pest because you had to use the telly with it. This time, it'll be totally focussed on stuff like getting up in the morning, picking up the gamepad, weighing yourself and doing some exercise.. Without switching on the telly.

There are millions of balance boards out there... Just need to capitalise on it

However; I suspect the wiiU is just too dear for those people to take the punt. They probably don't use their Wiis anymore...

They need to get Mario Kart out at the same time

[SteveH]

I love how these guys expected the WiiU to sell as quickly as the Wii and even though its sold more than the PS3 and 360 did in the same period it's a disappointment.

But it has lost any momentum hasn't it? I've just been reading over at Neogaf how the WiiU only shifted 34,000 pieces of software in the U.K during the whole of January. That includes Nintendoland, showing how quickly sales are slowing down. That seems pretty terrible for a new console.

On the plus side, and rather selfishly I admit, I'm hoping that means it hits £200 for the premium sooner rather than later.

[SMD]

But it has lost any momentum hasn't it? I've just been reading over at Neogaf how the WiiU only shifted 34,000 pieces of software in the U.K during the whole of January. That includes Nintendoland, showing how quickly sales are slowing down. That seems pretty terrible for a new console.

On the plus side, and rather selfishly I admit, I'm hoping that means it hits £200 for the premium sooner rather than later.

It's slowed down across the board.

And DC07's link has Premiums for £199.

[Rain Birds]

But it has lost any momentum hasn't it? I've just been reading over at Neogaf how the WiiU only shifted 34,000 pieces of software in the U.K during the whole of January. That includes Nintendoland, showing how quickly sales are slowing down. That seems pretty terrible for a new console.

On the plus side, and rather selfishly I admit, I'm hoping that means it hits £200 for the premium sooner rather than later.

To be honest, it hasn't been advertised at all here beyond a small handful of tv spots. It isn't even stocked in many supermarkets; you won't find anything to do with it in the majority of Tesco or Asda stores, and they sell more games than any other retailer in the country. I'm not sure whether Nintendo's top brass have gone completely insane or whether the push is planned for the arrival of a price cut and Mario Kart, Wii Sports / Fit and so forth.

I suspect Wii Fit U could be a real killer...

Wii Fit was a pest because you had to use the telly with it. This time, it'll be totally focussed on stuff like getting up in the morning, picking up the gamepad, weighing yourself and doing some exercise.. Without switching on the telly.

There are millions of balance boards out there... Just need to capitalise on it

However; I suspect the wiiU is just too dear for those people to take the punt. They probably don't use their Wiis anymore...

They need to get Mario Kart out at the same time

Yep.

£200 + Nintendo Land for Christmas with Mario Kart and so forth getting the hard sell.

[Bojangle]

I suspect Wii Fit U could be a real killer...

Wii Fit was a pest because you had to use the telly with it. This time, it'll be totally focussed on stuff like getting up in the morning, picking up the gamepad, weighing yourself and doing some exercise.. Without switching on the telly.

I think this all depends on what they add to it. Like Just Dance 4, I just don't think they'll be enough for people to upgrade to a Wii U when they can happily use the Wii Fit+ they already have in their living rooms. I personally can't imagine it doing anywhere near the numbers the original did.

[Dandy_Sephy]

It isn't even stocked in many supermarkets; you won't find anything to do with it in the majority of Tesco or Asda stores, and they sell more games than any other retailer in the country.

Two big points in that sentence that really need evidence. Is the first point based on anything beyond a few people on the internet saying their local hasn't any stock, and the second just seems debatable.

[scottcr]

I've never seen a WiiU in a supermarket - nor have I seen any wiiu games in a supermarket