Given that the Wii U has a relatively small install base, no one expected Call of Duty: Black Ops II to sell like hotcakes on the system, but according to indie developer Calvin Hall the sales numbers are much lower than what Activision expected. Hall claims to have met with “an employee for a studio that makes games for Activision” who revealed that Activision is extremely unhappy with the sales of the Wii U port, going as far as to call out Nintendo fans for their hypocrisy.
Activision didn’t expect much from Wii U sales of Black Ops 2, but they sure didn’t expect it to be that abysmal. Activision gave Wii U owners the best version of Blops 2 with Off TV features, and Nintendo fans didn’t support it. It’s easy for Nintendo fans to trash publishers for not giving them ports, but publishers have wisened up. They realize Nintendo fans are all talk. Nintendo fans are vocal with their mouths, but when it’s time to open their wallets, they’ll spend that $60 on New Super Mario Bros instead.
Hall’s source went on to voice his opinion that developers at D.I.C.E. remain unimpressed by the Wii U, echoing a sentiment similar to another report from D.I.C.E. that surfaced a few weeks ago.
There’s just no enthusiasm for it. The only reason publishers are still going to bring games to Wii U is because they don’t want to damage their relationship with Nintendo.
Low software sales numbers are to be expected from such a young system, especially when the software in question is available on other consoles with larger install bases. It’s also no surprise that Nintendo fans “would rather buy New Super Mario Bros.,” given that Mario is Nintendo’s bread and butter.
Still, there’s a growing concern in the industry that third parties are already losing interest in the Wii U before it has any chance to get any momentum. How about it, Nintendo fans? Are you willing to put your money where your mouth is and buy the Wii U version of multiplatform games like Call of Duty?