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Wii U arriving this holiday season

Tablet-based console coming to the US, EU, AU, and Japan before year's end; Nintendo reveals operating loss of $624 million; 3DS sales climb to 15 million, Wii to 94 million.

The Wii U is launching during this year's holiday season, according to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. The new tablet-based console will launch in North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia before the year is out.

Iwata had little good news for investors.

Iwata had little good news for investors.

The announcement followed Nintendo's quarterly financials for the period April to December last year, which revealed an operating loss of ¥48.4 billion ($624 million, £397 million) down from a ¥49.6 billion ($640 million, £407 million) profit for the same period in 2010.

Nintendo is now predicting an annual operating loss of ¥45 billion ($580 million, £370 million), dwarfing analyst expectations of a ¥4.2 billion ($54 million, £34 million) loss. Nintendo also cut its forecast for annual sales of the Wii to 10 million from 12 million, and sales of the 3DS to 14 million from 16 million.

"We had higher expectations for the year-end season, but failed to meet them," Iwata told reporters.

Nintendo already slashed the price of the 3DS in an effort to boost sales, just six months after its launch. Today, Nintendo updated sales figures for the 3DS, saying it has now sold 15 million units worldwide since launch. Additionally, the Mario maker said lifetime sales of the DS family of systems (of which the 3DS does not belong) now stands at over 150 million.

As for the Wii, lifetime global sales for that console now stand at 94 million units.

The less-than-rosy financials come amid increased competition from rivals Microsoft and Sony, whose Kinect and Move motion controllers compete with the Wii. Nintendo also faces a tough time in the handheld market, thanks to mobile devices such as the iPad, iPhone, and Android.

On Tuesday, Apple announced its quarterly earnings, revealing record-breaking numbers of $46.33 billion (£29.5 billion) in revenue and profits of $13.06 billion (£8.32 billion). The company now boasts a cash stockpile of over $98 billion (£62.4 billion).

230 Comments

  • iplayah

    Posted Feb 2, 2012 3:42 pm GMT

    I'm definitely buying this system with... wait for it... wait for it... Myyyyy fiiiiiight moneyyyyyy!!!.

  • dawnofhero

    Posted Feb 1, 2012 7:57 am GMT

    A new name and more power is all I ask, Nintendo.

  • megakick

    Posted Jan 31, 2012 11:25 am GMT

    ok..

  • wyan_

    Posted Jan 30, 2012 8:47 pm GMT

    This is going to be the first time Nintendo has had a jump on the console market since the original NES.

  • moviequest14

    Posted Jan 29, 2012 8:57 pm GMT

    @spoonybard-hahs : Let's go ahead and,for discussion's sake,say you are right and literally everyone that has ever played a game or ever will play a game is a gamer..let's go ahead the consider it logical that the 3 year old that plays with the 15cent mcdonalds mini-game that comes with their happymeal is on the same level as the teenage-adult gamer that spends hundreds of dollars and hours upon hours a week on dedicated gaming...since you prefer to deny that there is absolutely any difference at all...there is still an ''audience'' that purchased/purchases Nintendo systems for Nintendo games and (occasional) 3rd party AAA support..neither of which we see with ios.Whether it fits in with your master idea that ios has torn down all boundaries or not there are groups,types,and kinds of gamers..and actual gamers.You yourself are acting as though 3ds is failing when in reality..it is passing even ds sales (and there did still have to be interest in it) as are 1st party software sales.3ds is still topping the charts for weeks in Japan.Yes Nintendo would fold if wii-u failed..as would any company if their console failed..considering that is the main resource..and ios has nothing to do with that.

  • Sweed_08315

    Posted Jan 29, 2012 6:19 pm GMT

    @ABakedAlien I believe that they said Super Smash Bros wasn't going to be released for a couple more years, so that is a troubling aspect.

    Brawl was basically what sold the console..

  • Sweed_08315

    Posted Jan 29, 2012 6:16 pm GMT

    @Zelseisdabest I thought I heard that the new gpu in the 3ds is supposed to be slightly more powerful than the one in the current Wii, no?I hope I heard right, else it means that the last gen psp is still more powerful then the 3ds, lol.
    well regardless of gpu, graphics would still be limited by the screen resolution.

    I do like that Nintendo is going for innovation (They were very successful with motion and touch screen), but 3D is probably going to be a mistake. The thing about Nintendo is that they tend to keep games of the previous generation compatible with the current gen, so even if 3d is a big flop, they're pretty much stuck with it, and trying to do away with it in a future console is going to get them a whole lot of negative press.

    I guess no game *needs* 3d, so they can very well get rid of the feature entirely in a future console and till not break compatibility with 3ds games, but I definitely see people getting upset over this.

    ...But who knows, maybe I'm wrong and 3d becomes largely popular.
    Also, I want to see how this tablet thing will work out, I'm kinda torn about whether it's a good idea or not.

  • ABakedAlien

    Posted Jan 29, 2012 4:12 pm GMT

    I really don't know what games Nintendo is planning on announcing that would make people buy a Wii U at launch. Zelda definitely not happening, super smash bros could be possible but highly unlikely. They better have some good games baking in the oven they haven't announced yet. Because hashing together a mario game isn't going to cut it....actually sadly that probably would for lots of people.

  • Zelseisdabest

    Posted Jan 29, 2012 3:54 pm GMT

    @sweed_08315 i agree, even tho it has the ds look and feel to it, its actually a new line. if you havent really played one or dont own one then u really wouldnt realize how graphically powerful or how innovative it is...yes 3D isnt innovation but glasses free is, and people dont understand that. i know everyone has heard this before but i would put in terms of graphics the 3DS as slightly better then the gamecube...not recent wii games, but the system is more about the depth then anything

  • Sweed_08315

    Posted Jan 29, 2012 2:08 pm GMT

    I think part of the confusion is that people don't understand that the 3ds is a whole new console. I just brought mine, but people seem to say stuff like "do you really think 3d was that important? you already had a ds".
    Nintendo has released to many variants of the original ds and it seems like now people are confusing it as just another variant, with 3d slapped onto it: i.e. people assume the 3ds and other ds systems all play the same games.

  • Zelseisdabest

    Posted Jan 29, 2012 12:40 pm GMT

    I am def a fan of Nintendo and i agree if the Wii U bombs it could be very well be the end of nintendo. With that being said I never really count them out since they are the only REAL gaming company left. No Sony and Microsoft arent strict gaming companies and we all know this. The gamers are speaking loud to Nintendo about 3rd party support and I feel like they are starting to listen. The 3DS is starting to get good 3rd party support and probably will throughout the rest of its life cycle. They have already hit us with innovation at the last E3 (granted it wasnt the best showing of a new system) but we all understood that the new console will have a new innovating, surprisingly (according to journalist and other reviewers) comfortable controller, now at this E3 we will need to see a little more from the system and they will need to dish out a preview of (my choice) F-zero, Donkey Kong adventure game, (Zelda just came out), Metroid, Star Fox, and Mario..then hit us with alot Alot of big name third party support...if they say GTA 5 on Wii...i think they will grab all the doubters and they should be good for this next Console War

  • spoonybard-hahs

    Posted Jan 29, 2012 9:23 am GMT

    @moviequest14

    If straw men can't keep birds out of crops, what makes you think that they can help you in an argument?

    My point is that the term gamer shouldn't exist AT ALL anymore, especially in the context that you keep beating the dead horse with. You don't know anyone? Fine, good for you. But anecdotal evidence is not proof of anything and your appeal to a supposed common practice is meaningless because of it.

    Again, Miyamoto himself has said this is happening and it's something he and Nintendo are afraid of.

    As for your response to the 3Ds price drop: The thing about an iPhone and 3DS is that people want an iPhone when one comes out. People wait in line for it for at least a day. No one waited in line for the 3DS. There was no mad rush to get one the day it launched. It didn't sell out like hotcakes like Nintendo had hoped. If you make people believe they want/need something bad enough, they will pay out the nose for it.

    And no, I am not writing off the 3DS as a failure. I don't want it to fail - I own one. Nintendo managed to turn it around with a price people wanted to pay (especially at the time since there were hardly any must-haves) and a slew of promising titles that should strengthen its position Extending that, I don't the company to fail either. But I cannot afford to simply be all "fan boy" about it and pretend that Nintendo isn't in danger of folding if the Wii U bombs.

  • Flint247

    Posted Jan 28, 2012 11:09 pm GMT

    I am glad they are going with a tablet controller. For over 20 years, it's time to switch up the game. Regular controllers are still good, but I want to see more variety. As long as the price is reasonable, I can see the tablet doing well.

  • samurai123666

    Posted Jan 28, 2012 4:22 pm GMT

    @mothboy i got my info off ign cumwad they said they had already got the specs so stfu before accusing me of being a fanboy and makin sh*t up i am a pc gamer who also ownes nintendo console because they are much more interesting than other consoles, and y the hell wouldnt my comment be correct, the 360 is freakin 6 years old, the wii u should be at least 2 to 3 times better, so suck it up fanboy

  • samurai123666

    Posted Jan 28, 2012 4:07 pm GMT

    @blowtar12345 well then we are much alike for i am also a PC games and i absolutely know that gaming pcs have much better graphics than console. but i am getting annoyed with the idiots who diss nintendo because they can not stand to admit that they came out with a console that is better than the 360/ps3 in every way. i have looked into all rumors and announcements from nintendo and places such as ign which, from the article i read, they have already seen the wii u closely so they are a trusteorthy source, that is where i get my info, and that is y i posted my comment

  • moviequest14

    Posted Jan 28, 2012 12:14 pm GMT

    @spoonybard-hahs : So I can call the device in my pocket a piano because it has an application that plays piano music? I agree that 'gamer' is used out of context but it isn't non-existent.To say that someone who plays games solely for the purpose of boredom is the same as someone who plays games as a majority of their life is like saying your Aunt that films every birthday party is the same as Steven Spielberg.Yeah my 3ds plays Netflix but that doesn't mean it is giving my flat screen a run for its money. Call those that only play games when they absolutely must what you like...all the people I know that actually do game as part of a lifestyle haven't chosen ios over other portable devices.And people aren't going to buy something JUST because it is cheaper..if that were true it would deny your own concept because people would be buying cheap,simple cell-phones over iphones because they are cheaper.

  • franzito

    Posted Jan 28, 2012 11:01 am GMT

    I'm currently enjoying my PS3 a lot and I gotta see the "whole tablet gaming thing" going on to start developing desires...
    Otherwise, maybe some other time.

  • berto64

    Posted Jan 28, 2012 10:08 am GMT

    @GamerLegend10
    welcome
    u too bye.

  • GamerLegend10

    Posted Jan 28, 2012 10:06 am GMT

    @berto64
    Thats fair enough, thanks for the apology.

    And happy gaming.

  • berto64

    Posted Jan 28, 2012 9:43 am GMT

    @GamerLegend10
    true mate im alright now but was stuf that is out of bounds here.
    anyways i sincerly apologise about yesterday.

  • GamerLegend10

    Posted Jan 28, 2012 9:17 am GMT

    @berto64
    Well you shouldn't take it out on others, its not our fault that your angry with yourself.

    "and im going to be 16 im 10th grade" what does that have to do with anything???

    "jsut back off now" sure, i dont see any reason to continue this...but you really shouldn't insult people like that, and then expect them to be nice to you.

  • spoonybard-hahs

    Posted Jan 28, 2012 7:51 am GMT

    @moviequest14

    The line between what is a gaming device is blurring and within the next two years will be gone. You agree that gamer can longer apply, but "gaming device" is still in play.

    That makes no sense.

    If anyone can game - regardless of level or amount of time invested in it - anything can be a gaming device. Or, rather, just a device. The last "gaming only" devices ever released were the Nintendo DS XL and the GameCube. Today, there is no device from the Big Three that is gaming only. Sony and Microsoft themselves don't even consider their consoles as gaming only.

    The reason why games is a term that has all but died is because there are so many things available that give people the opportunity to play games. From cell phones to computer entertainment systems. And as for the 3DS, the price cut really was the only reason people bought it. At least in the interim between its launch and Christmas, when the games people really wanted were released. You can't ignore hardly any product movement before and then an explosion after.

  • Utahraptor_

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 7:23 pm GMT

    I really want to play Zelda and Metroid on the Wii U. I know Nintendo probably won't do this, but I hope the Wii U offers multiple controllers: (1) The Wii U touchpad controller (driving games and flight simulators)
    (2) More accurate and more responsive motion controllers (for shooting games, sword fighting games, and baseball/tennis/ping-pong/hockey games)
    (3) A more accurate and more responsive balance-board controller (for creative games) (4) A full body sensor (exercising games and dancing games).
    (Combo) The touchpad controller and the motion controller could be used together for real-time strategy games and role playing games. The touchpad controller and the balance board controller could be used for driving games and flight simulators.

    I liked how the Wii offered various controllers.

  • berto64

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 4:49 pm GMT

    it wasnt to everyone alright to those goddamn whinersso jsut back off now alrght
    and im going to be 16 im 10th grade

  • berto64

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 3:57 pm GMT

    @GamerLegend10
    it can be explained
    just mad at myself and took all my anger all on here.
    just for 1 thing off topic and its something in life.

  • GamerLegend10

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 3:33 pm GMT

    @berto64
    Well you did start insulting everyone, what did you expect us to do?

  • mickyfinn84

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 2:28 pm GMT

    @snxx Fair enough. If you've been happy with what the wii has offered then i'm sure you'll like this. I can't stand motion controls myself, and dont like Zelda or 3d Mario games so it has very little appeal to me. The only games you listed which i'd really want to play are RE6 and Fatal frame 5 (if there is one, and if it's released outside of Japan).

  • moviequest14

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 2:11 pm GMT

    @spoonybard-hahs : And in response to your statement about 3ds..yes price-cuts do help sales...but the interest is still there..people don't just buy a system because it is cheap.

    @berto64 : Oh that is hilarious...you said s### in spanish..you should see about getting a deal with SNL with genius humor like that!

  • moviequest14

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 2:07 pm GMT

    @spoonybard-hahs : Oh ok..so now anyone that buys an iphone is a gamer? Despite what you might hope or wish the iphone is not a gaming device..in order for it to be a gaming device it's main focus would have to be on gaming...just because something plays games doesn't make it a gaming device (if that was true the 10 year old phone that has tetris and pacman is a ''gaming device'')...the iphone is firstly and most importantly a phone..gaming is only an additional feature,if only having something as a feature made it that the iphone is also a tv and piano.If someone buys an iphone that they then play games on it doesn't mean they are a gamer..while I agree with you that the term gamer has become an elitist term there is a difference between someone that games occasionally when they are bored or the person who has gaming as a main hobby of their life.What I am saying is...I'm not saying that there aren't SOME gamers that do play on iphone..in fact many do..but I still stick to the fact that I don't know of any gamers that play games for anything more than something to do when they're bored that get/play the iphone exclusively over a portable device (and I am talking about actual games FOR ios,not steam)..ios might have taken away the extremely casual audience that bought the ds for tetris and bejeweled..but the sales of 3ds show that the gamers that bought it as a hobby,not a time-filler,are still there.

  • GamerLegend10

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 11:26 am GMT

    *sigh*

  • berto64 posted Jan 27, 2012 11:22 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    berto64

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 11:22 am GMT (hide)

    @GamerLegend10
    the go fack yourself.

  • GamerLegend10

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 11:14 am GMT

    @berto64
    Yes i do know flaming in spanish is still flaming, dont be so childish.

  • snxx

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 11:01 am GMT

    @mickyfinn84 You know what? I hope you are right! I'd REALLY love to play Madworld 2, No More Heroes 3, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Muramasa 2, Fire Emblem Wii U, Zack & Wiki 2, Okami 2, Bully 2, Resident Evil 6, Trauma Center Wii U, Monster Hunter Wii U, Super Paper Mario 2, Little King's Story 2, Fatal Frame 5, House of the Dead Overkill 2, Mario Kart Wii U, Rock Band 4, Super Smash Bros Wii U, WarioWare Wii U, Metroid Wii U, Super Mario Wii U and, for sure, one or two new Zeldas! These games alone would keep me entertained for at least 2,5 years! Maybe 3...

  • berto64

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 10:51 am GMT

    @GamerLegend10
    bro its spanish

  • snxx

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 10:42 am GMT

    @DrKill09 Ahem, excuse me, sir, but do you know that Xbox360 didn't have built-in WiFi? It only added that feature in the slim version, in 2010. Guess what, Wii had it since launch. If you wanna troll, at least check your facts, ok? A true gamer plays on whichever console/computer/gadget he can puts his hands on, since each platform has it's strengths and weaknesses.

  • GamerLegend10

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 10:33 am GMT

    @berto64
    er, do you really think that is clever? stop being an idiot.

  • spoonybard-hahs

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 8:10 am GMT

    @moviequest14

    You do know that thanks to OnLive, people can play games on their iPad and Android tablets like Arkham City and Assassin's Creed, right? And even without it, there's games like Arkham City Lockdown, Metal Gear Solid, Mortal Kombat, Sonic CD, NBA Jam, Dead Space, GTA Chinatown Wars, Mirror's Edge, and Rage. And that's before you get to games like Infinity Blade, Order and Chaos, and Dungeon Hunter.

    But, you're missing the point I was making to begin with. "Gamer" has now become such a meaningless term regarding its old definition. When I see retirees playing a goddamned DS at the VA hospital and the same jack-holes that would pick on "gamers" when I was a kid playing video games, it's time to dump the label and stop pretending that what was once a pejorative term is now some badge of honor where those who don't know who Sakaguchi or Kojima are should be shunned. Just because they don't play "hardcore" games.

    @Stonecutters908

    Selling more does not mean it did better for the company. Yes, the system achieved a better penetration (hehe) than both the Wii and DS when they launched but a) the 3DS retails for way less than either during their first nine months and b) early price drop is causing Nintendo to bleed money until they can break even on the device (which they expect in September). That doesn't change the fact that Nintendo has been losing ground in software to iOS and Android for the last two years. Nintendo now controls 36%, while iOS/Android runs 58%.

  • superbuuman

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 5:59 am GMT

    Time to start saving just hope they learnt their lesson from their 3DS launch.

  • Wormkid_64

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 5:58 am GMT

    @superxtreme101

    Oh my God dude,I nearly exploded just thinking about those possibilities. If a Metroid game and Pikmin 3 came out at the same time,I'd practically take out a loan in order to get them. If Nintendo releases those with the system,they'll have no problem whatsoever.

  • Wormkid_64

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 5:56 am GMT

    Meh,they'll be just fine. Always have,always will. As long as they learned a lesson from the 3DS launch,the Wii U should give em what they need.

    P.S. Congrats to to the DS for passing 150 mil. If the numbers I last heard were correct,that makes it the number one selling console of all time.

  • ad0234

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 5:40 am GMT

    I think the Wii U will be the push Nintendo needs.

  • grbolivar

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 5:23 am GMT

    @superxtreme101 "... a possibility that the console's name may change ..." please yes, change that name.

  • grbolivar

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 5:21 am GMT

    WiiU! **droollls** I hope Nintendo learned their lesson and release the WiiU with good launch titles...

  • superxtreme101

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 3:42 am GMT

    If they announce Metroid Prime 4, my head will explode and then it'll regenerate so that I can pick up the Wii U XD
    Seriously Nintendo please make it happen! Plus if they announce Pikmin 3 as a launch title then I'm sold =)
    If you check out IGN, there is a lot of articles about the Wii U, also it is rumored that there is a possibility that the console's name may change and that there are still a lot of features which Nintendo is working on so I guess we will have to wait till E3 to see the final console

  • Venatorcruiser

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 2:15 am GMT

    does anyone else reckon that the wii U looks like those cheap crappy consoles you get in places like argos for kids

  • chrispicard posted Jan 27, 2012 12:07 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    chrispicard

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 12:07 am GMT (hide)

    3DS and WiiU will both fail, Nintendo will be making software only from this point on.

  • wiidsduelpack

    Posted Jan 27, 2012 12:04 am GMT

    The wiiu will meed to cost more than 250 dollars. 3ds was lowered to 170 to be at market price. I think it will cost 350

  • Jedilink109

    Posted Jan 26, 2012 11:31 pm GMT

    Ok so the 3DS has sold 15 million units over about a year and people say it's a failure? I think not. Not to mention that development on great titles is really starting to ramp up now too. I think the system has a perfectly fine future ahead of it.

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