I know I know.. Oh christ, ANOTHER Wii U is doomed topic? But hear me out. I am a huge Nintendo fan for one, and want to see them do well. I'm merely making observations. And despite the negative tone of this topic, it actually simply serves as a means to a positive end.
Many people are left scratching there heads as to why the Wii U is failing, and I've seen many spit out all sorts of answers, ranging from the incompetence of Iwata and the Nintendo front office, to "TEH CAZUALS have moved on!!!1" in reality, the current problem with the Wii U can be boiled down to a three-pronged situation, and all three are really quite simple. So now I will explain what the three problems are and how/if they can be fixed. If in fact they all can be fixed, Wii U will no longer be shackled and almost certainly soar to at least moderate success. So here are the culprits:
#1. Price
Pretty obvious. The Wii U is simply too expensive. I'm not one of these "hardcore" that seems to harp more on technical specs than games, but there is no excuse for a console with horsepower not too far removed from the 7 year old conosle, to cost $350. I don't care about the expense of the controller (which is a whole nother story). And I don't care if Nintendo is taking losses. You bite the bullet and take the losses until the technology gets cheaper and you can eventually profit (which shouldn't take long anyway). Nintendo needs to repeat their actions with the 3DS and cut the price asap, and offer some free points or something to those who bought at the launch price. Wii was $250 at launch. The Wii U is $100 more, at least the only model worth buying. There is no reason for that.
- Can it/Will it be rectified, and how? Obviously, just a matter of when. The sooner the better. The Nintendo Land bundle needs to be AT LEAST $300, but really I think $250 is what Nintendo needs to shoot for. However, even after a $50, or even $100, the long term effects will be small without the second prong..
#2. Lack of games
Self explanatory.. Wii U has had very few games released since launch. Forget signifiant games, I'm talking few GAMES in general. How long can people play NSMB U (great as it may be), Zombi U, and Nintendo Land before they grow tired of them and are seeking more? Considering the primary, if not the ONLY job of a console is to play games, it's hard to sell consoles without games don't you think? It's like trying to sell TVs with no channels.
- Can it/Will it be rectified, and how? Almost certainly, at least to a degree. In typical Nintendo fashion, we are of course going to get the periods of drought mostly thanks to the lack of third party support, but the lineup is only going to improve from here. And once more and more games come, the gamers will follow. It is difficult to see a situation where sales are as bad as they are now when Monster Hunter, Dragon Quest, Mario, Zelda, Mario Kart, Smash Bros, Yoshi, Wii Fit, Wario, Pikmin, X, Lego City, Rayman, and the others finally get here. But also, I strongly believe Nintendo needs to forget third parties and focus on second parties to help fill the gaps.
#3. Gamepad
Whereas the simple and ergonomic Wiimote was universally enticing and drew in waves of new gamers, this device is simply a repellent for mass market gamers (I refuse to use the idiotic and stereotypical term "casual," which was a myth and propaganda created by the industry). The thing is just overwhelming and intimidating to use with its large size and awkward screen. Even as a seasoned gamer of 20 + years, I found myself having to really spend some time getting use to this device when my friend showed me it. With the Wiimote, I picked up the controller and within a few seconds I "got it," and I was off.
- Can it/Will it be rectified, and how? Unfourtunately, there isn't much Nintendo can do about this, since it is the console's main controller and is so integral to it. Nintendo made their bed with this one, and now they have to sleep in it. The good news is, it isn't the ONLY device the console supports. I truely feel Nintendo needs to slowly start phasing this beast out and go back to the Wiimote for most of their games. Sure, keep this as a viable option for RTSs, RPGs, and maybe some Mario Parties; a sort of secondary device not unlike the balance board. After all, the more core Wii U gamers would still use it, but they are not who you are trying to sell to first and foremost. Maybe include a Wii U bundle that is even CHEAPER, like $200, with no gamepad. Like the 3D emphasis for 3DS, Nintendo needs to sort of back away from this and go back to the proven successful formula they KNOW works, and that is the Wiimote.
So that is it, the keys to Nintendo's current failures, but also the keys to their success if they ever get the sense to realize these issues (or break from their stubbornness) and rectify them. If they simply fixed these three issues, they would find themselves fast on the road to success with the Wii U, I'm talking 75 million in worldwide sales. The positive news is two out of the tree prongs are almost guarenteed to be rectified (at least to an extent). It's simply a matter of when. And two out of three aint bad. This alone should allow for at least moderate success.
* As a side note - this is the recipe I'm talking of for achieving general SUCCESS; NOT for Wii/PS2 phenomenon level. In order to rise to THAT level again, they'll not only need to fix "The Unholy Trifecta" but also address a bonus forth issue, and that is to change their STLYE of games; going from the niche style Gamecube type games they seem to returning to and go back to the genre bending mass market games that bring in new gamers. THIS is the heart of the Wii success. Games that follow the philosophies of Wii Sports, Fit, etc. And no, sequels to these games will not cut it. The key word is NEW.
