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Forums - Nintendo Discussion - The more I try the Wii U, the less appealing it becomes to me. What am I missing?

In regards to people saying,"But the software hasn't hit yet!", I am curious which IP they think makes a huge difference. Are people banking on old IP redone (like Windwaker) to make a huge difference, or can they name some new IP that is supposed to be big and a killer app? Like is Wonderful 101 a game changer? Or is it Bayonetta 2? Is there some sort of new IP out there, the way Titanfall is a new IP, on the Wii U, that is going to change things?

Exactly which of the Wii U IP is the game changer here?



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richardhutnik said:
In regards to people saying,"But the software hasn't hit yet!", I am curious which IP they think makes a huge difference. Are people banking on old IP redone (like Windwaker) to make a huge difference, or can they name some new IP that is supposed to be big and a killer app? Like is Wonderful 101 a game changer? Or is it Bayonetta 2? Is there some sort of new IP out there, the way Titanfall is a new IP, on the Wii U, that is going to change things?

Exactly which of the Wii U IP is the game changer here?

No IP by itself is strong enough to carry the sales of a brand new console but with the arrival of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and Super Mario 3D World (also Wii Fit U and Wii Party U) in the next few months the Wii U will hit a decent amount of interesting games that should make the decision to buy the console justifiable for a larger portion of consumers.



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DevilRising said:
Arius Dion said:
The Wii U isn't resonating with the market at all. That is fact, sales numbers are as close to facts as we can get right now. The reasons are numerous, variables that are controllable and not, but the one thing that is funny to see is the consumers being blamed for not buying a 'luxury' product, or not seeing the value in it. I've found that hardcore Nintendo fans are no different than any other hardcore fan; If you don't like something a company does or how its operating, you are just a hater and not a true fan.

After nearly a year, the Gamepad is still being spoken of as if it is full of 'potential' but there is no concrete game that resonates with the market to illustrate this potential. All games upcoming play better with the Remote Nunchuck combo, or Pro Controller. WSC requires M+. The Gamepad is an albatross, the sooner this is seen, the better off Nintendo will be. This whole system has been a clusterfuck of bad decision making, at the worst possible time as the economy is really struggling.

Amazing how much praise Gamecube receives on forums, meanwhile it was a huge market failure. The problem here isn't gamers like Richard, the problem lies with Nintendo. They've managed to create a system that repulses the majority of gamers to appease a loud minority. So be it, they will enjoy lackluster sales, and become a joke in the market they saved..just like the Gamecube days.

 

 

You really have to love how everything you just said 100% completely ignores the fact that the top reason Wii U has sold so poorly this year is LACK OF SOFTWARE. It's not rocket science. People don't feel like buying a new console that "has no games". Now that it is going to "have games", and now that the price drop exists making it $100 cheaper than the PS4 (WITH a pack in game), and with Mario Kart 8, Smash Bros. and Zelda U looming on the horizon next year, there's pretty much zero chance the Wii U's sales aren't going to drastically improve. Couple that with what they're doing with Wii Fit U and the downloadable Wii Sports gamings coming out in the next couple months, and I think it's not a far stretch to think the Wii U will have sold at least 6 million units by year's end. 5 mil. minimum.

"The internet" likes the Gamecube, as you say, because it had some great games, which it did. It sold poorly because it had the opposite problem of the N64. N64 had great exclusives, but very few multi-console ports. GC had plenty of good ports, but outside of a few third party games, very few exclusives not made by Nintendo. PS2 sold so because of two things: the fact that it was a cheaper DVD player than most on the market at the time, and the fact that GTA III was PS2 exclusive for at least a year or more. If GC had magically (in a Bizzaro universe) gotten GTA III exclusive instead, you can bet your ass the system would have sold much better.

But regardless of all that nonsense, the Wii U, in this day and age, has almost no chance of selling less or even on par with the GC. It will, in fact, very likely outsell the N64 as well. I would say that 50 million lifetime, at least, is guaranteed, just on the fact that brands like Mario Kart, Zelda, and Smash Bros. are more popular now than they were in 2001. So whatever your ultimate point was, I'm sorry, but you're a bit off base.

My ultimate point is that the Wii U's poor performance is due to Nintendo's integrated hardware software philosophy, banking on the Gamepad to differentiate itself (which it has) but isn't resonating with the market..at all. There is still no killer app that shows the Gamepad as anything other than a convenience for those who see value in off tv play. If you don't, well then the Wii U isn't for you.

Secondly, my point is that gamers like Richard, or myself and many others who were big Wii fans, are repulsed by the Wii U, why? We can look at the games you are mentioning, the MK's the Smash Bros (Of which I am a big fan of both) BUT those games also released on the Cube, and still Cube lagged behind even the original Xbox. You can say they are more popular now, but lets examine that for a sec, Double Dash flopped, WW flopped, Smash sold the best at under 8m units. A first party devs job is to move hardware, not the other way around. Did any one ask for two persons per kart? Has anyone asked for anti gravity karts? Did any one ask for cel shaded graphics? Did any one ask for HD cel shaded graphics? Bayonetta flopped on two HD consoles last gen, it's going to move units this gen? W101 is going to move units? WWHD? Where is Wii U's killer app? NSMBU which has to be the laziest Mario installment I've ever seen (couldn't even bother with new music or better asthetics) They are nickel and diming consumers with their WSC 10$ per game.

Ultimately, your point is 'wait for the software' and then go on to name games that will do little to move the hardware. WW will succeed where MARIO BROS didn't? By going after the Gamecube crowd, this is what happens, you get Gamecube like sales. If/when these games do not pull Wii U out of the duldrums, what does Nintendo do then?   

Glad you like the Wii U. But lets be honest here; Does the Wii U feel like a Wii successor, or a continuation of a HD Gamecube? I'm a classic Nintendo fan, I even remember playing Nintendo games on Atari. But I refuse to just sign off on their detrimental decision making, just cause. Gaming is not a neccessity.  



Bet between Slimbeast and Arius Dion about Wii sales 2009:


If the Wii sells less than 20 million in 2009 (as defined by VGC sales between week ending 3d Jan 2009 to week ending 4th Jan 2010) Slimebeast wins and get to control Arius Dion's sig for 1 month.

If the Wii sells more than 20 million in 2009 (as defined above) Arius Dion wins and gets to control Slimebeast's sig for 1 month.

"Wii U's poor performance is due to Nintendo's integrated hardware software philosophy"

Nintendo thinks that a console and its games are an indivisible whole like a bow and its arrows. Wii conception is inseparable from Wii Sports conception and vice versa this is what makes Wii so unique.

"A first party devs job is to move hardware, not the other way around."

This amounts to saying that a bow and arrows maker job is to make arrows in order to sell its bows, but that costumers buy are a bow-arrows combinations. A good bow and arrows maker do not make bows in order to sell arrows or arrows in order to sell bows, but makes bows and arrow in order to make the best combination possible.

"Double Dash flopped, WW flopped, Smash sold the best at under 8m units."

These games sold better than any Metal Gear Solid, Gear of War or Assassins creed on a single system and almost on par with Grand Theft Auto IV on XBOX 360 and Halo 1 and 2, on the other hand they have around 20% attach rate whereas Gran Tourismo 3 and Grand Theft Auto San Andreas have around 10%...

"NSMBU which has to be the laziest Mario installment"

It is certain that New Super Mario Bros U is a lazier opus than New Super Mario Bros 2. or even Super Mario Bros. 2...

"WW will succeed where MARIO BROS didn't?"

No one at Nintendo would claim to think that a remake of a 10 years old game can sold like new games.



Nintendo-Europe said:

"WW will succeed where MARIO BROS didn't?"

No one at Nintendo would claim to think that a remake of a 10 years old game can sold like new games.

Why the heck is Nintendo bundling Windwaker HD with the Wii U, if they don't believe it will generate sales like a new game?  They drop the system $50 and packed in Windwaker for a reason.  Why wouldn't they bundle a Mario game with the WiiU if they believe a Mario game will end up selling more WiiU's?

Actually they have done that.

In short, why bundle it, if not to generate sales for the WIi U?



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"Why the heck is Nintendo bundling Windwaker HD with the Wii U, if they don't believe it will generate sales like a new game?"

Nintendo do not think The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker HD will match the Nintendo Game Cube version sales, but probably think The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker HD bundle will have an impact on Wii U which is between the Pilotwings Ressort and The Legend of Zelda : Ocarina of time 3D bundles on Nintendo 3DS.



Nintendo-Europe said:

"Why the heck is Nintendo bundling Windwaker HD with the Wii U, if they don't believe it will generate sales like a new game?"

Nintendo do not think The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker HD will match the Nintendo Game Cube version sales, but probably think The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker HD bundle will have an impact on Wii U which is between the Pilotwings Ressort and The Legend of Zelda : Ocarina of time 3D bundles on Nintendo 3DS.


Wait, then why in the world waste dev resources, time, $ etc. on a game that will sell less than the Gamecube flop? If they don't think it will sell hardware?

Secondly, using percentage rates and 'compared to userbase' argument doesn't hold water. The games didn't do their job of driving hardware sales. No one likes buying new hardware, they buy the hardware to get to the software, this is always how its worked. GTA3 moved PS2's, Mk:DD didn't move Gamecubes.

Also OoT remains the highest rated game ever as well as being the highest selling Zelda title ever. WW has the unfortunate reality of being the most polarizing Zelda and one of the least selling ones ever..ironically, Skyward Sword has sold even less. Which tells me the Zelda franchise doesn't have the pull it used to. Which means its doubtful it will remain a 'system seller' 



Bet between Slimbeast and Arius Dion about Wii sales 2009:


If the Wii sells less than 20 million in 2009 (as defined by VGC sales between week ending 3d Jan 2009 to week ending 4th Jan 2010) Slimebeast wins and get to control Arius Dion's sig for 1 month.

If the Wii sells more than 20 million in 2009 (as defined above) Arius Dion wins and gets to control Slimebeast's sig for 1 month.

All it tells me is SS was overhyped and had the fact that it requires motion plus going against in 2012 of all years.



"Wait, then why in the world waste dev resources, time, $ etc. on a game that will sell less than the Gamecube flop? If they don't think it will sell hardware?"

The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker HD has potential to sell some WII U at least as Pikmin 3 had. How many hardware F-Zero, Sin and Punishment, Golden Sun, Fire Emblem or Pilotwings games have moved ?

" GTA3 moved PS2's, Mk:DD didn't move Gamecubes. "

Mario Kart Double Dash moved less Nintendo Game Cube then Gran Theft Auto San Andreas moved Playstation 2, but it moved an important number.

Universally accessible games attracts generals public on a console, but in order to ensure long run interest games with a more confidential audience are needed, in particular with veteran gamers. In WII U case, the critical mass of game making it possible to sell correctly is not reached right now but will probably be by the end of this year. We should also be noted that people are watching more closely their expenses than they did six or seven years ago and that a beginner would prefer buy a Wii bundle for less than 150€/$.



Arius Dion said:
Nintendo-Europe said:

"Why the heck is Nintendo bundling Windwaker HD with the Wii U, if they don't believe it will generate sales like a new game?"

Nintendo do not think The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker HD will match the Nintendo Game Cube version sales, but probably think The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker HD bundle will have an impact on Wii U which is between the Pilotwings Ressort and The Legend of Zelda : Ocarina of time 3D bundles on Nintendo 3DS.


Wait, then why in the world waste dev resources, time, $ etc. on a game that will sell less than the Gamecube flop? If they don't think it will sell hardware?

Secondly, using percentage rates and 'compared to userbase' argument doesn't hold water. The games didn't do their job of driving hardware sales. No one likes buying new hardware, they buy the hardware to get to the software, this is always how its worked. GTA3 moved PS2's, Mk:DD didn't move Gamecubes.

Also OoT remains the highest rated game ever as well as being the highest selling Zelda title ever. WW has the unfortunate reality of being the most polarizing Zelda and one of the least selling ones ever..ironically, Skyward Sword has sold even less. Which tells me the Zelda franchise doesn't have the pull it used to. Which means its doubtful it will remain a 'system seller' 

Salewise, and active playing fanbasewise that generates content, Elder Scrolls franchise is now more relevant in the mind of current gamers.  Zelda is still a key franchise, but for sales and buzz, it has been past.  These sales are pretty much across each platform Skyrim sold on.  It sold more on the platforms than Skyward Sword sold on the Wii.  And the Wii U is NOT getting Elder Scrolls at this point.