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Forums - Nintendo - Why the Wii U might be set up for failure

pokoko on 17 November 2012

I don't think the layout of the Pro controller is a big deal. Gamers are good at this stuff, they'll figure it out. Might suck at first, and spawn a lot of curses, but it won't take that long to ingrain itself in a gamer's head.

My concern is the GamePad controller. The layout of the buttons looks to be awkward and I can't imagine response time to be anywhere close to the Pro controller for extended gaming sessions. My guess is that a lot of people are going to start a session with the GamePad but end up switching to the Pro at some point. The problem there, of course, is that the nifty things the GamePad can do are lost. In my opinion, they should have put bubbles on either side to give the controls more room.

I really want to test one of these things out with a game that requires precise controls. Maybe I'll stumble over a demo unit while Christmas shopping.



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Veknoid_Outcast on 17 November 2012
Andrespetmonkey said:
kowenicki said:

It wont happen and and it wont need to happen.  Ninty have a year to themselves in the next gen.

To be fair, they have a lot to compete with in that year. The PS360 lineup (GOWA, GOWJ, GTAV etc.), the buzz around the other consoles (likely announcement around E3) and their possible release later on is a lot to combat. 

A price cut around november if Sony and/or Microsoft release their system next year would be a smart move provided they Nintendo can cut the manufacturing costs enough by then. 

I thought that would have been the case, but now I feel the other way. Since Nintendo is selling the system for a loss, and since they carefully calibrated the price tag to avoid a 3DS scenario, I really believe there will be no price drop for the first three years. If not longer.



Play4Fun on 17 November 2012
Turkish said:
kowenicki said:
Turkish said:
1. The initial price tag is a tad too high. $300 is great by new-console standards — remember the PlayStation 3 at six big ones? — but general consumers don’t see “Wii” and think “high-end electronics.”

Agree with this one, and this might be the reason it could fail. Remember how 3DS was doing at 250? We might see panic pricecut next year if sales don't pick up.


Yeah because high end electronics in gaming devices ensures success? 

$300 isnt too high... not even close.

Yeah sometimes it ensures success, but thats not the point. The name has Wii in it, its not synonym for expensiveness. Many casuals are probably expecting a cheaper pricetag since they bought the og Wii a lot cheaper. This is Nintendo's most expensive console.


People were snapping up Wiis for over $300 when it launched.

The name Wii is synonymous with fun. The gaming industry is primarily an Entertainment industry, not a technology industry.

$300 is a very good  launch price. Not in any way comparable to the 3DS situation.



Roma on 17 November 2012

lol what an idiot!



    R.I.P Mr Iwata :'(

forest-spirit on 17 November 2012

Oh, now I understand why 360 gamers don't like the PS3. They are getting confused by the face buttons.



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Player2 on 17 November 2012

Exchanging the position of the face buttons and the right analog stick (Wii U vs the other two) is a problem, but exchanging the position of the d-pad and the left analog stick (PS3 vs the other two) wasn't.

Double standards, anyone?



enditall727 on 17 November 2012
amp316 said:

At first people were complaining because the Classic Controller Pro was a ripoff and now they are complaining because it's too different? Nintendo just can't win.


I think I'm sensing some kind of deja vu here



Andrespetmonkey on 17 November 2012

Veknoid_Outcast said:

I thought that would have been the case, but now I feel the other way. Since Nintendo is selling the system for a loss, and since they carefully calibrated the price tag to avoid a 3DS scenario, I really believe there will be no price drop for the first three years. If not longer.

3 years seems a little long. If that's the case we could see Orbis and Durango at the same price for a year... that's not going to happen.  I could see them going until 2014 at this price, but any longer and it'd struggle to hold its own against Orbis and Durango. Why? Consumers will be just getting a better deal with the other 2, at least on paper. Wii U is a year older, other 2 will have better multi-media functionality and be significantly more powerful (conjecture, of course, but I think that's the likely scenario)... and if the Wii U isn't convincing enough for third parties then that's another major issue for it. At a lower price point I think the general consumer can justify purchasing it over the other 2, but at the same price you'd really have to be a fan of Nintendo games and/or really dig the GamePad.



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Andrespetmonkey on 17 November 2012
kowenicki said:
Andrespetmonkey said:
kowenicki said:

It wont happen and and it wont need to happen.  Ninty have a year to themselves in the next gen.

To be fair, they have a lot to compete with in that year. The PS360 lineup (GOWA, GOWJ, GTAV etc.), the buzz around the other consoles (likely announcement around E3) and their possible release later on is a lot to combat. 

A price cut around november if Sony and/or Microsoft release their system next year would be a smart move provided Nintendo can cut the manufacturing costs enough by then. 

Not an issue.

The WiiU will sell like crazy in Japan.   Elsewhere it will do well and have a solid first year.  I guarantee it.

That's probably true, but it needs to build a foundation so to speak (not sure how to phrase it). It needs to be in the limelight constantly next year in the west or it'll be overshadowed by PS360 releases and the other next-gen consoles. I agree about Japan though, that's not a worry. 



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TripleMMM on 17 November 2012

Hogwash...
For the most part.



 And proud member of the Mega Mario Movement!