WiiU had a good launch, judging from these comparisons. It's just that its predecessor had a GREAT launch, so many people tend to see the WiiU as a dissapointment when compared to it, but let's be honest, can ANY console really compare to the phenomenon of the Wii launch?
However, Europe does concern me a bit, but I think they the gaming market is just regressing there in general. Sony performs strong there as they always have, but everything else is faltering, even the Vita, which is from their beloved Sony. Nintendo should definitly increase their focus in Europe to turn things around. However, it's not the end of the world if they don't, as history has shown you don't need all three major markets to thrive. Sony has had consistant weak sales here in America and MS is virtually irrelivent in Japan, yet both consoles have ended up with respectable numbers worldwide. I think as long as you are strong in 2 of the 3 major markets, you're doing fine.
Anyway, it's still far too early to judge long term WiiU success (or lack of long term success). Even if Nintendo had a crappy launch, PS3 stands as an example of how it can be turned around with price drops and the right games. I think Nintendo should pull a 3DS and drop the price of the WiiU first of all. It should be $250 for the basic package, $300 for the premium. I also think they should try to get their games back to $50. Besides that, keep cranking out strong titles like Pikmin 3, Rayman, Smash Bros, 3D Mario, Metroid, Zelda, Lego City Stories, Wii Fit, etc, and the sales will come, perhaps even pick up more. I see no reason the WiiU can't hit at the very least PS3 numbers if they do this, perhaps even hit the 100 million mark when it's all said and done.
Essay Pro