What lessons did Nintendo learn this gen you think?

[zorg1000]

Soundwave said:

zorg1000 said:

U honestly don't believe that 3DS/Wii U could have sold modestly better in the same time frame if they launched at $100 cheaper each and had more/better advertising?

By the end of this fiscal year, 3DS will be at roughly 52 million shipped with Wii U roughly around 10 million. In the same time frame, GBA was around 65 million and GC around 15 million. So it's 62 million vs 80 million, maybe they wouldn't have matched GBA/GC but if 3DS/Wii U launched at lower price points with increased advertising efforts than it may be more like 70 million at this point.

Well the 3DS did get a pretty massive price cut early on. 

With the Wii U, I think people simply don't want one. It's not all that complicated. Nintendo's concept of a family friendly console primarily driven by their sugary sweet mascots without the third party support just doesn't resonate even with kids anymore. And they lost the entire casual/fad Wii crowd to Apple so that became a dead end for them. Just like people wouldn't buy a GameCube even at $99.99. 

Nintendo has an audience problem moreso than a price problem in other words. 

Yes it did and has not recieved a price reduction since then which was 2.5 years ago (not counting the 2DS because downgraded revisions have never in the history of handhelds or consoles had a lasting affect on sales). That's like if the GBA SP was the launch model then 2 years later they introduced a cheaper model without the clamshell design and backlit screen, the redesign wouldn't have done anything for sales.

3DS is still $169 and the XL $199 while the GBA was $79 and the SP $99 at this point.

Wii U is currently $299 while GC was $99 at the same point in its life.

So Nintendo hardware is 2-3 times as much as the 6th gen counterparts at the same point in their lives. Price isn't the one and only issue but it most definitely is an issue.

If Nintendo didn't include 3D or the Gamepad then they could have realistically released their devices at a lower price point and had further price cuts since then. Super DS releasing Sept 2011 for $149 with Nintendogs+Ocarina of Time+Mario 3D Land in the launch window and Mario Kart the following Spring would have gotten off to a much stronger start than 3DS did. Having Super DS at $129 with Super DS XL at $149 by now would likely be selling more than the current numbers at $199. Super Wii releasing Sept 2013 for $249 with a Motion Plus and Nintendo Land+Wind Waker HD+Mario 3D World in the launch window and Mario Kart the following Spring would have gotten off to a much stronger start than Wii U and being priced at $199 by now would likely see sales better than the current $299.