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Forums - Nintendo - UK Retailer Confirms It’s Ditching Support for Wii U and Wii U Games… Sort of

Pavolink on 09 June 2015
SpokenTruth said:
Pavolink said:

Another proof that the UK Market is big, bigger than France and Germany, and lack of sales affect greatly on Wii U numbers while the ASDA situation affects Wii U perception even more.

Was bigger.  The ASDA sitaution doesn't change anything.  Why are you having trouble understanding this.  They dropped Wii U hardware support 2 years ago.  Other retailers will not follow unless just because ASDA did.  They will independantly come to that conclusion based on their own sales.  And even then that only affects UK retailers who again only make up 5% of global sales.

Nobody in the rest of Europe, the US or Japan give a damn what the Wii U's perception is in the UK because of somethign ASDA did 2 years ago.

Do you think GameStop shoppers in the US are canceling their Xbox One orders because of retailer support in Japan? No...they don't care.

Xbox One sales in USA are good. Wii U sales are not good in any territory. Why is that too hard to understand? In this world, in the real world, there are many factors that influence the decision of purchasing a product. Part of that is the support. Support is not good on Wii U and that has been affected in the sales. Wii U is the bigger failure in the homeconsole history of Nintendo. Nothing comes close to this one.

Why would the situation on ASDA is not the reflect of the entire gen and how will this guarantee that other bigger retailers will not follow the same? In the end, you just have confirmed that this situation started 2 years ago and clearly affected the Wii U sales. For the UK market, biggest in Europe, Wii U is not a viable product.

Many other retailers could be analysing the situation as for them maybe having more PS4 or Xone consoles/games are more profitable than having Wii U on their shelves. How is this good for Nintendo? I mean, since when a company doesn't care when their products are ditched from a store?



Proud to be the first cool Nintendo fan ever

Number ONE Zelda fan in the Universe

DKCTF didn't move consoles

Prediction: No Zelda HD for Wii U, quietly moved to the succesor

Predictions for Nintendo NX and Mobile


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NintendoPie on 09 June 2015

The common Briton will probably never even notice.



Dr.Vita on 09 June 2015

Ouch...




Dr.Vita talks about Playstation Vita in 2016!
Playstation Vita Media Create Sales (2014 vs 2015 vs 2016)
Playstation Vita Japan Retail Software Sales (2013 vs 2014 vs 2015 + 2015 LTD Edition)
Prediction: Nothing will outsell PSP anymore (except Playstation home consoles)

Pavolink on 09 June 2015
SpokenTruth said:
Pavolink said:

Xbox One sales in USA are good. Wii U sales are not good in any territory. Why is that too hard to understand? In this world, in the real world, there are many factors that influence the decision of purchasing a product. Part of that is the support. Support is not good on Wii U and that has been affected in the sales. Wii U is the bigger failure in the homeconsole history of Nintendo. Nothing comes close to this one.

Why would the situation on ASDA is not the reflect of the entire gen and how will this guarantee that other bigger retailers will not follow the same? In the end, you just have confirmed that this situation started 2 years ago and clearly affected the Wii U sales. For the UK market, biggest in Europe, Wii U is not a viable product.

Many other retailers could be analysing the situation as for them maybe having more PS4 or Xone consoles/games are more profitable than having Wii U on their shelves. How is this good for Nintendo? I mean, since when a company doesn't care when their products are ditched from a store?

This whole thing started as how this will prevent Wii U from sellign into 2018.  Given that his has been a known situation at one retailer in the UK, I'd say whatever harm it was going to do has already been done.  And it has had zero impact on the US or Japanese markets at all.  

The UK is 5% of Wii U's market.  ASDA not having sold Wii U hardware for 2 years means this impacts none of that 5% anyway.

Less retailers to sell won't help the console to last until 2018. This console must be repleaced as soon as possible. They need hardware to sell, not to be ditched.



Proud to be the first cool Nintendo fan ever

Number ONE Zelda fan in the Universe

DKCTF didn't move consoles

Prediction: No Zelda HD for Wii U, quietly moved to the succesor

Predictions for Nintendo NX and Mobile


Pavolink on 09 June 2015
SpokenTruth said:

1 less retailer in a 5% market that hasn't sold Wii U hardware in 2 years.

Think about that. How does that honestly change anything?

5% market because Nintendo's incompetence. Not because the market. The consumers are there. It's Nintendo the one that failed, and ASDA situation is more proof.



Proud to be the first cool Nintendo fan ever

Number ONE Zelda fan in the Universe

DKCTF didn't move consoles

Prediction: No Zelda HD for Wii U, quietly moved to the succesor

Predictions for Nintendo NX and Mobile


Around the Network
Pavolink on 09 June 2015
SpokenTruth said:

That's beside the point.  2 years ago it may have made a difference.  Today it does not.  That is why this has no impact on the 2018 thing or not.  

Nintendo will NOT alter their release plans just because ASDA dropped Wii U 2 years ago and the entire UK market has been reduced to a 5% share.


I agree in the last part. Nintendo will keep their plans of release NX in 2016.



Proud to be the first cool Nintendo fan ever

Number ONE Zelda fan in the Universe

DKCTF didn't move consoles

Prediction: No Zelda HD for Wii U, quietly moved to the succesor

Predictions for Nintendo NX and Mobile


Mummelmann on 09 June 2015
SpokenTruth said:
Mummelmann said:


Some are saying that this has no effect, seeing as it's just one chain of stores. However, the story is much the same in most major store chains and most dedicated gaming stores have it even worse.
I still remember when retailers returned consoles from the initial first quarter shipment about one year after release because they couldn't sell them; yet this is only seen as a tiny issue by some.

There is absolutely no hold in thinking that they'll wait till 2018 (or even 2017 at this point) before releasing a new console, waiting another three years would be a disaster.

Please explain how this affects the rest of Europe, The US and Japan to the point that it necessitates a new global console launch on a schedule other than what Nintendo wants.

Do you go to ASDA (who hasn't carried Wii U mcuh since launch anyway) to buy your games?


How about the fact that this is far from the first report of this kind? How about what I mentioned, that retailers were shipping back units from the launch quarter a year after launch?

It has been reported all over the world that the Wii U has been losing shelf space in several chains and stores for a long time and this incident with ASDA is simply a continuation of this trend, have you missed what's been going on in the past 2-3 years on the market?

This is not a unique instance of this happening; it has become a pattern and that pattern is most assuredly causing Europe, US and Japan and the rest of the world to see less sales and coverage. I repeat; this is not the first store or even chain where this has happened. Don't try to make it sound like an isolated incident when that is clearly not the case.

Examples:

http://wiiudaily.com/2013/09/uk-tesco-nintendo/

http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/asda-drops-nintendo-wii-u-as-price-cuts-fail-to-shift-console

http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2013/09/14/why-have-hmv-removed-wii-u-from-shelves-but-not-sale/

http://www.gonintendo.com/stories/211040-uk-retailers-on-wii-u-s-lack-of-sales-lowering-price-shelf-spac

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/nintendo-moves-to-calm-wii-u-fears-as-unofficial-price-cuts-fail/0112855

http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/09/report-best-buy-also-returning-wii-u-basic/

http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/05/rumor-gamestop-discontinuing-wii-u-basic-after-june-18/  (lol; "rebalance stock")

http://wiiudaily.com/2013/03/why-retailers-are-slashing-wii-u-prices/ (hardly a source that would spin or present negative Nintendo news for shits and giggles)

http://oxcgn.com/2013/09/26/australian-retailer-clears-out-nintendo-stock-including-wii-u/

http://www.gengame.net/2013/07/report-walmart-stores-in-canada-to-drop-wii-u-basic-set-price-to-199/

 

There are both official and unofficial reports of many retailers and chains across Europe, NA, Australia and even Japan cutting back on stock, fazing out the Basic model before it was officially cut, shrinking shelf space and hardly stocking Wii U games. If you have missed this development, you can't have been reading gaming related news much at all since early-mid 2013 and up until today.



Pavolink on 09 June 2015
Mummelmann said:
SpokenTruth said:

Please explain how this affects the rest of Europe, The US and Japan to the point that it necessitates a new global console launch on a schedule other than what Nintendo wants.

Do you go to ASDA (who hasn't carried Wii U mcuh since launch anyway) to buy your games?


How about the fact that this is far from the first report of this kind? How about what I mentioned, that retailers were shipping back units from the launch quarter a year after launch?

It has been reported all over the world that the Wii U has been losing shelf space in several chains and stores for a long time and this incident with ASDA is simply a continuation of this trend, have you missed what's been going on in the past 2-3 years on the market?

This is not a unique instance of this happening; it has become a pattern and that pattern is most assuredly causing Europe, US and Japan and the rest of the world to see less sales and coverage. I repeat; this is not the first store or even chain where this has happened. Don't try to make it sound like an isolated incident when that is clearly not the case.

Examples:

http://wiiudaily.com/2013/09/uk-tesco-nintendo/

http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/asda-drops-nintendo-wii-u-as-price-cuts-fail-to-shift-console

http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2013/09/14/why-have-hmv-removed-wii-u-from-shelves-but-not-sale/

http://www.gonintendo.com/stories/211040-uk-retailers-on-wii-u-s-lack-of-sales-lowering-price-shelf-spac

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/nintendo-moves-to-calm-wii-u-fears-as-unofficial-price-cuts-fail/0112855

http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/09/report-best-buy-also-returning-wii-u-basic/

http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/05/rumor-gamestop-discontinuing-wii-u-basic-after-june-18/  (lol; "rebalance stock")

http://wiiudaily.com/2013/03/why-retailers-are-slashing-wii-u-prices/ (hardly a source that would spin or present negative Nintendo news for shits and giggles)

http://oxcgn.com/2013/09/26/australian-retailer-clears-out-nintendo-stock-including-wii-u/

http://www.gengame.net/2013/07/report-walmart-stores-in-canada-to-drop-wii-u-basic-set-price-to-199/

 

There are both official and unofficial reports of many retailers and chains across Europe, NA, Australia and even Japan cutting back on stock, fazing out the Basic model before it was officially cut, shrinking shelf space and hardly stocking Wii U games. If you have missed this development, you can't have been reading gaming related news much at all since early-mid 2013 and up until today.

All these incidents clearly doen't represent only the 5% of the WW sales. Sum all those and Wii U is not a viable product.



Proud to be the first cool Nintendo fan ever

Number ONE Zelda fan in the Universe

DKCTF didn't move consoles

Prediction: No Zelda HD for Wii U, quietly moved to the succesor

Predictions for Nintendo NX and Mobile


Tbone on 09 June 2015
Mummelmann said:
97alexk said:

I was in berlin not too long ago, and nintendo is preatty huge in germany. UK has mostly always been on the playstation side. Also sweden is now more picking up on the Wii U and its a new console, its getting a bit bigger here in scandinavia. I just hope Nintendo can show off more of Zelda Wii U. I think that can convince alot of people


Hmm, can't say that I've noticed this. If anything, more and more stores are removing shelf space for the Wii U here in Sweden and Norway. GAME nearby has a tiny shelf (same with two other GAME stores I've been to), Media Markt at the largest mall in town has a shelf that holds about 20 titles, Gamestop have all but stopped taking in anything but the bundles and the shelf space is very small and often oddly placed.
This is in Stockholm, so I doubt that things are better in the smaller cities.
Conditions are much the same in Norway (I'm from there, moved to Sweden in 2013), if not even a bit worse.

I really don't think it's growing in Scandinavia. It's barely moving across the entire cointinent and the vast majority of those sales are from three countries (France, Germany, England). I would be surprised if the Wii U sells more than 400-500 units per week on average in Scandinavia.

The 3DS has moved decently though, and has quite a bit more space alotted in stores, both for games and SKU's.

Speaking of Game. They went out of business yesterday in Sweden.

http://www.game.se/



 

Mummelmann on 09 June 2015
Pavolink said:
Mummelmann said:
SpokenTruth said:

Please explain how this affects the rest of Europe, The US and Japan to the point that it necessitates a new global console launch on a schedule other than what Nintendo wants.

Do you go to ASDA (who hasn't carried Wii U mcuh since launch anyway) to buy your games?


How about the fact that this is far from the first report of this kind? How about what I mentioned, that retailers were shipping back units from the launch quarter a year after launch?

It has been reported all over the world that the Wii U has been losing shelf space in several chains and stores for a long time and this incident with ASDA is simply a continuation of this trend, have you missed what's been going on in the past 2-3 years on the market?

This is not a unique instance of this happening; it has become a pattern and that pattern is most assuredly causing Europe, US and Japan and the rest of the world to see less sales and coverage. I repeat; this is not the first store or even chain where this has happened. Don't try to make it sound like an isolated incident when that is clearly not the case.

Examples:

http://wiiudaily.com/2013/09/uk-tesco-nintendo/

http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/asda-drops-nintendo-wii-u-as-price-cuts-fail-to-shift-console

http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2013/09/14/why-have-hmv-removed-wii-u-from-shelves-but-not-sale/

http://www.gonintendo.com/stories/211040-uk-retailers-on-wii-u-s-lack-of-sales-lowering-price-shelf-spac

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/nintendo-moves-to-calm-wii-u-fears-as-unofficial-price-cuts-fail/0112855

http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/09/report-best-buy-also-returning-wii-u-basic/

http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/05/rumor-gamestop-discontinuing-wii-u-basic-after-june-18/  (lol; "rebalance stock")

http://wiiudaily.com/2013/03/why-retailers-are-slashing-wii-u-prices/ (hardly a source that would spin or present negative Nintendo news for shits and giggles)

http://oxcgn.com/2013/09/26/australian-retailer-clears-out-nintendo-stock-including-wii-u/

http://www.gengame.net/2013/07/report-walmart-stores-in-canada-to-drop-wii-u-basic-set-price-to-199/

 

There are both official and unofficial reports of many retailers and chains across Europe, NA, Australia and even Japan cutting back on stock, fazing out the Basic model before it was officially cut, shrinking shelf space and hardly stocking Wii U games. If you have missed this development, you can't have been reading gaming related news much at all since early-mid 2013 and up until today.

All these incidents clearly doen't represent only the 5% of the WW sales. Sum all those and Wii U is not a viable product.


Here in Scandinavia, it's a total disaster to try to look for anything Wii U related in gaming stores, there just isn't any shelf space. In my closest Media Markt, the original Wii and DS has more shelf space.

This whole "well, this isn't the Wii U's best market anyway" argument just underlines my point; it has been selling really poorly in very many regions and this has caused retailers to drop support or severely cut back on stock, which in turn leads to even lower sales and a lessened global presence. North American retailers were trying to get rid of the Basic unit long before it was cut from production and distribution, same across all of Europe and in Australia.

If the biggest retailers in the biggest markets are scaling back on stock; that is hardly a healthy sign, and saying that "it is selling better elsewhere" is just simple smoke & mirrors to obscure the big picture; it is losing retailer support and has been doing so for a long time and this report is far from being an isolated incident despite some making it sound that way.