Nintendo is internally lining up a string of high profile releases for the second half of 2013 as part of a major new bid to recover from Wii U's stuttering start.
Internal discussions have helped restore retailers' faith in the console, which has been hit by errors since launch. Global Wii U sales have fallen two million units short of Nintendo's original forecast.
The firm's current focus on 3DS, coupled with the relatively hushed PR and promotional campaign for the Wii U in the first half of 2013, had left some retailers questioning the platform holder's commitment to its new console.
However, one person close to the matter has said Nintendo's executive circle was not comfortable fully promoting Wii U until the release of the system's spring update. In January, Nintendo said two updates would arrive before the summer is over.
The first update, which launched in April (details), appears to have halved waiting times on various system loading screens.
The underpinning theory is that word-of-mouth discussion about Wii U has not been particularly positive so far, with many users complaining about system performance. However, it is hoped that the recent firmware patch (along with an apparent second one releasing this summer) will improve the user experience and help stimulate positive responses.
Now with many of the Wii U's launch issues behind it, CVG understands Nintendo is preparing a significant global Wii U marketing campaign.
In April, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said the corporation initially intended to release "a few" Wii U games in the first half of 2013, but they were delayed because the company underestimated the development resources required to complete them on time.
A number of blockbuster Wii U games will be released from summer until the end of the year, one of which is a new 3D Mario title. Although CVG is not yet able to confirm what the others will be, a new Mario Kart will debut in playable form at E3.
The marketing campaign will commence at the Los Angeles event (although some claim sooner), where the 3D Mario game will also be playable on the show floor. The title will be released before October, pending development delays.
Shelly Pearce, the PR director at Nintendo UK, told CVG: "From July onwards we will launch a succession of Wii U titles and we will promote these extensively until the end of the year. Marketing activity will include TV, print, online and PR as well as comprehensive experiential and social media campaigns".
She added: "We have a strong line up planned for Wii U in the second half of 2013 including the likes of Pikmin 3, Wonderful 101, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD Wii U.
"We are looking forward to launching these in the UK and for the opportunity to showcase the full potential of Wii U."
Comments
111 comments so far...
SandZ on 3 May '13 said:
I thought Nintendo had stepped back from E3 this year? How will they be debuting Mario Kart there?
Balladeer on 3 May '13 said:
They're still holding (I believe: correct me if I'm wrong) a lower-key media announcement and showing some playable demos.
I'm not saying anything at the moment. I'm quietly hopeful though.
WHERESMYMONKEY on 3 May '13 said:
If this is true, coupled with a definitive price cut and i could really see WiiU sales picking right up by the end of the year. Especially if the ps4/720 end up being £4-500 each.
Very new consoles with few games or one hitting its stride and some great games for less. I know which one i'd pick.
stealth on 3 May '13 said:
its go time
@above
nintendo will have a HUGE e3 presence. The presser isnt the important part.
Chris Scullion on 3 May '13 said:
There'll just be no E3 press conference. They'll still have a booth and the like on the show floor.
SandZ on 3 May '13 said:
Id all but given up on the idea of getting one, but the recent price cut and one or two decent titles before 720/ps4 launch and im definitely in!
ingy on 3 May '13 said:
Ooh, another mario kart, how many is that now?
Zelda wind waker hd, will be great i'm sure, but it's not a system seller, for crying out loud give us a NEW Zelda, also a new Metroid and i promise i'll dig my Wii-u out. Pikmin is looking great but again i don't feel it's a system seller.
I bought mine on the strength of Zombie-u, but since then nothing
......*must blindly keep the faith*
DiamondDogs on 3 May '13 said:
That's why a lot of people were spouting "DOOMSDAY" "DOOMSDAY" because they didn't realise Nintendo were always going to be there. They just won't have a huge presentation, it's more about the gamer this time, than the media.
Barca Azul on 3 May '13 said:
I dont think its enough to be honest. My mind is 80-90% made up and would take more than a Mario kart game, its the future promise, and having 3rd party support is critical, and I dont think they have enough of it.
DiamondDogs on 3 May '13 said:
They're giving us Wind Waker HD to tie us over until the new Zelda comes out, as Aonuma stated "New Zelda will take sometime"
Ali_ on 3 May '13 said:
Games console with no games is just an expensive dust magnet.
stealth on 3 May '13 said:
its going to be a good rest of the year
Balladeer on 3 May '13 said:
It's a Nintendo console. If that's what sways it, why are you even considering?
Barca Azul on 3 May '13 said:
I like some Nintendo games, always have in the past. I just think they need some new IP's and 3rd party support to make it worthwhile buying the console.
First party has always been quite good.
Paul Skinback on 3 May '13 said:
Great news.
Just what this console needs is a bleedin' good kick up the arse!
charliecheswick on 3 May '13 said:
Hope this is true,we'll see. If from August until the end of the year we get Pikmin,Wind Waker,3d Mario and a new Prime along with Bayonnetta 2 and Watchdoogs,that'd be fantastic......hopeful on Retro's game being a new Prime,don't quote me though.
Balladeer on 3 May '13 said:
Yes, but... they won't. I mean, maybe some things from Japanese developers? The odd JRPG, the occasional underrated indie gem? But not "proper" third-party support. Not your GTA Vs and your The Last of Uses and your Bioshocks. Or maybe occasionally, heavily delayed, with touch-screen minigames thrown in.
Basically, don't count on Nintendo to get that sort of third-party support, ever. It's a forlorn hope, and that it's not happening is no development. If you get their consoles, get them for the first-party games, accepting anything else as a nice extra.
ingy on 3 May '13 said:
I know, i know, but why should it take so long? it's not like they change anything, after all they have no problem churning out friggin mario kart every 2 weeks. I doubt we would cut sony or microsoft so much slack.
Sorry, just needed to vent
DiamondDogs on 3 May '13 said:
Don't blame any of us, just because you can only afford a cheap dust magnet.
The only reason I purchased an Xbox360 is to keep the dust away from my Wii U. Works like a char...Oh sorry, it just got red ring from sitting there.
FixBeatGames on 3 May '13 said:
do the mean: mario galaxy 3, or super mario 64 wii u-esque '3d mario'. if it's just another galaxy, woopee doo, galaxy 2 was already making it look old. if it's a new vision on mario 64 however......... i still wont buy one
ingy on 3 May '13 said:
Well said, you're absolutely spot on, and that's why i spent my hard earned wonga on another one of their consoles.
In all honesty i'm ok waiting for the quality to come, it doesn't make it any easier though.
puddlejumper92 on 3 May '13 said:
Why is it that when people talk about Nintendo games they only ever look at the 1st party or 3rd party exclusives? What about the other games? Assassins Creed 3 is a good game is it not? and it only came out a couple weeks after the other versions (due to the console not being released yet). It also had Black Ops 2 and a new exclusive version of Arkham City, Darksiders 2 and other stuff.
when ever I read comments its always "it has no games" or "the games don't interest me". It has plenty of games, its just that YOU in particular may already own them or are simply not interested and prefer generic shooter 57 or whatever. what I also found interesting is that the system may not be selling well right now but it is selling better than the Xbox 360/PS3 at the same time in their launch, and this is apparently a system that (for now) has poor advertising and a thing that people don't even know is a console.
Even this article says that Nintendo have yet to even start properly advertising the system so lets wait until the end of the year and for the Christmas season before you called it Doomed or whatever.
I'm not saying its had a fantastic launch but no console ever has, games take time to make (Zelda and mario games take 2-3 years to make) and it takes time for the general public to learn about things, its not like us so called "hardcore" gamers who read topics like this everyday.
stealth on 3 May '13 said:
"proper" third party report is ridiculous lol but I Get your point
Balladeer on 3 May '13 said:
Personally I don't give two monkeys about "proper" third party, with the possible exception of FF. Hey, that must be why I play Nintendo consoles!
Metagen on 3 May '13 said:
The fact that people think that it's acceptable that Nintendo just completely neglects third party (outside shovelware of course *glares at Wii*) these days is ridiculous. The fact that it wouldn't be acceptable on any other console just shows the blind devotion from their fans. Nintendo really needs to up their game in a lot of areas and it seems to me that they're slipping rather than improving. I actually caught myself on here and had to stop myself going on a rant but god dammit Nintendo get your f**king s**t together, and no offence Balla (and without meaning to single you out even though I totally am) but fans like you don't help the situation when you don't expect anymore than the same old from them and are happy to lap up whatever is thrown your way.
I should probably add a disclaimer here to say that I love Nintendo's first party offerings as much as the next guy before I get berated for my opinion.
stealth on 3 May '13 said:
the 3ds started like s**t too now look at that beast
DiamondDogs on 3 May '13 said:
Assassin's Creed 3 is my most played Wii U game (MH3U a close second).
Paul Skinback on 3 May '13 said:
I'm a mahoosive Nintendo fan meself but I agree with you totally.
They must get with the times this gen cos next gen there might not be a Nintendo console to play the next gen Mario and Zelda on.
Hope that made sense.
Cos it didn't to me.
Enjoy!
Skullet on 3 May '13 said:
"Internal discussions have helped restore retailers' faith in the console"
Yeah Asda has so much faith that they are having a fire sale on Wii U's.
puddlejumper92 on 3 May '13 said:
Another good point brought up that I think I should mention. You make it all sound like Nintendo is actively pushing away 3rd party developers. Developers choose when and what to release their games on, Nintendo cannot force them nor can they be blamed at all if a game does not get a release.
Seriously comments like "It need more 3rd party support, Nintendo messed up"??? They cannot force them to release the games on their console.
Some people seem to think that making a game or porting it is sooooooo easy, its like you think they just copy and paste the code into a Wii U dev kit add a few new features and *boom* game ported
Seriously take some time to actually learn about what it takes to make a game, the cost, the time, the training, the design, the optimization. Your talking millions of pounds/dollars to even port a game, let alone make it.
Metagen on 3 May '13 said:
And you're making it sounds like it's not Nintendo's responsibility to create a console or have an infrastructure in place that will attract third party developers. And they sure as hell can push to get third party developers on board as Sony have proven recently with the Vita.
I am also so fully aware of what it takes to create, port and optimise a game however this isn't really the issue is it? Nintendo should make developing on their console both attractive and profitable for developers.
Balladeer on 3 May '13 said:
Thing is though, as mentioned above, I simply don't care about your GTAs and the like. Would I be happy with more third-party support? Yes, if it's the stuff like Okami and Muramasa, which actually came out on the Wii. But I'm not going to sacrifice playing the games I want to play, buying the consoles I want to buy, for games I don't give a flying fish about. I'm not lapping up whatever gets thrown my way, and if Nintendo started making FPSes or another Pokémon Channel I'd give them a wide berth. I'm lapping up what I enjoy, and if it's not always innovative then shrug.
And I don't think that Nintendo completely neglects third parties. Not completely. Rayman Legends was a big part of their early strategy, and it's the sort of game (bar Rayman) that I'm interested in. For a more recent example, look at Bayonetta 2 (which I'm less interested in). They've also been much more co-operative with indies this generation than previously. From what I've seen (happy to be proved wrong), it's more that third parties completely neglect Nintendo. Legends is an example, or EA.
But anyway, that's not the point. The point I was trying to make is that whenever someone comes into an article like this and says, "I'm not buying this console because of lack of third-party support," I think, "What's new?" Why do these people think it's worth stating again, and why do they think it might change? It was ever thus, it's not new, and Nintendo doesn't read these fora, that they can see such comments and think, "Damn, better do something about that!"
shellster2 on 3 May '13 said:
what? are you telling me there's no 'file, export, export to Wii U, XBOX360, PS3, 3DS, Vita option in the unreal 3 program?
Paul Skinback on 3 May '13 said:
Thing is though, Balla, just because the likes of you and I don't like stuff like GTA makes no difference.
The majority do, old thing and games like that will keep Nintendo afloat this gen. In me 'umble of course.
shellster2 on 3 May '13 said:
for 3rd party support the biggest achilles heel is Nintendo software. It generally trounces competition and stays in the charts for bloody ages. Other publishers were left with the scraps on Wii and I bet they just don't think doing stuff on WiiU is financially viable. If that is the case you can't blame them really.
Balladeer on 3 May '13 said:
Not sure I agree with that one, old sport! It would help, I won't deny that, but I think they'll still do okay. I don't believe all this "another Dreamcast" stuff, as is well documented. Not as well as they would otherwise, of course.
The one major third-party worry I see is EA and their annual sports franchises. Those things sell by the bundle. But that sounds less like Nintendo's fault, and more like EA are throwing a hissy fit.
Gemini40 on 3 May '13 said:
Nintendo fans sure are protective about their favourite company. Stealth and Diamonddogs, or whatever they're called, are text book.
Anyway, moving, on, a new 3D Mario this side of Christmas makes the U a far more attractive prospect. Might even up my spend limit by £50 to get one.
Metagen on 3 May '13 said:
I'm going to have to agree with Paul in that just because you don't enjoy it doesn't mean that it shouldn't be on offer. And again I re-emphasise it's not third party developers shunning Nintendo out of spite, it's because Nintendo don't care about them and therefore don't create a good environment for them to work with their console and this is a direct result of people giving Nintendo a free pass simply because of who they are. In my opinion they are held to lesser standards than both Sony and Microsoft and Nintendo, as a company, a game developer and a console manufacturer are suffering for it.
Also, and this might come off as a bit harsh, but anyone that has bought a WiiU on release (or even up to this point) is lapping it up simply because it's Nintendo in direct contradiction to what you just claimed. Sure you could say it's investing in the future as games will come eventually. But there hasn't been much in the way of games since release and there won't be for the forseeable future (a few months at least), so why not have waited until there was something worth playing along with a nice £100 price drop to go along with it? And the answer is because you all saw Nintendo and gave it a free pass and rushed into it without any consideration.
FatChickThriller on 3 May '13 said:
*Yawn* Is Nintendo still trying to flog that dead duck ? Hey Nintendo no one gives a f**k. Now f**k off over there with that bulls*it we're waiting for the real next gen consoles to arrive......
StonecoldMC on 3 May '13 said:
You're cruising for a bruising FatChick.
Try and add something constructive to the debate or don't bother. Capiche?
DiamondDogs on 3 May '13 said:
Where is this textbook you speak of?
"Or whatever they're called" You copy and pasted our names!
And if you took my comment seriously, I feel bad for you. I don't even own a 360.
May the Windolene be with you.
*Edit. Also, Nintendo is NOT my favourite company. That distinction belongs to Cadbury...MMMMMMM Starbars
Fr33Kye on 3 May '13 said:
Don't call it a comeback...
Anyway i like the wiiu and will eventually get one so this is whatever. Wind Waker HD and pikmin would be nice.
Jimmyjimmyo on 3 May '13 said:
I hope they give us an ambassador program as a sorry for the wait
Balladeer on 3 May '13 said:
Metagen:
I'll admit the early purchase of the console was a mistake, like it always is. And while I am a Nintendo fanboy, and I'm sure bias is a contributing factor, it was more just wanting to have the shiny, and talk about the shiny online, as well as the expectation of good games on the horizon. Also, Nintendo were talking about a fairly decent range of games during the launch window! Remember when we were getting Pikmin 3, and 101, and Game & Wario within a month or so?
If I weren't a fanboy, I'm pretty sure I would have done the same with other consoles at launch, with similar regrets.
I don't know about the developer environment Nintendo have created; although I don't understand why you quoted that part of my post and not the second part, where I address your point in part. There are two parts to this: if Nintendo have put arduous developer restrictions or NDAs in place, or because they're unwilling to inform or advise developers, that's rubbish. If on the other hand this is because of the console they've created, and some developers would rather work with a powerhouse without the controller, screw 'em: I like the console, and I believe that great things can be done with it. I agree there's no problem with having GTA V there, or any of the other franchises that would help sell and which I don't give a monkey's about (I mentioned FIFA earlier); but I'm not going to sob over their absence, or boycott the company, or complain.
I'll finish this (and it has to be a finish because I'm at work) in saying that I bought Trine 2 (mistake), and I'll buy 101 when it comes out. I'll very happily purchase third-party games I might like, including new franchises, and I hope that will encourage Nintendo to support such developers. But I'll still buy Nintendo's games, both those which forge new ground (Kid Icarus Uprising) and those that are great without doing so (SMG2), because I like them and I want to encourage them as well!
Paul Skinback on 3 May '13 said:
It's a whole new ball game now though, mate.
Hate that phrase.....whole new ball game.
They got away with not pulling in the big name games on the Wii for reasons we all know about but this gen is different.
You have to have GTAV and their ilk this time around.
The launch says so. The Wii flew off the shelves at launch and beyond, didn't it?
Not so much this time.
I don't want Nintendo doing a Sega.
They're better than that!
Can I also just add that Palace are at home to Peterborough tomoree and a win will cement our play off place.
Me and me boy will be there as per usual.
Come On You Palace.
If we lose then F*ck Off You C*nts and take that inbred Holloway with you.
Fanx for your time.
Luv you all.
Xxxxx
Especially at around 5 pm tomorrow.
If we lose then yadda yadda yadda.........
Balladeer on 3 May '13 said:
Nope! Check the capitalisation again.
Barca Azul on 3 May '13 said:
They used to with the SNES.
dwhlufc on 3 May '13 said:
I thought the 2D Mario games were the system sellers?
That's according to Mr.Nintendo, aka stealth.
Balladeer on 3 May '13 said:
Yes, but they're not as good! Nor are they the killer apps. which will sell a system to the sort of people who are early adopters. One of many launch errors...
Ah, well there you have me. The N64 was my first home console. But you can't deny that it's a different company than it was then, for better or for worse. (And it's not all bad: green blood, anyone?)
DiamondDogs on 3 May '13 said:
Excuse me Mr. Deer, I wasn't finished.
Ahem, "You just copy and pasted our names, and preceded to upper case the s in stealth, and lower case my 3rd d... Strange you did that, though some might say I was wrong in that regard. I wouldn't, because I'm ignorant
I hope you're happy Balladeer, you ruined everything. NINTENDO WILL BURN
Balladeer on 3 May '13 said:
Aw ****, not again!
ilovenewtech on 3 May '13 said:
Hi my super awesome fellow forum posters hope you are all well.
This is good news. Shame it's the same old ip's IMO though.
Here's hoping for a fresh, new and dynamic Nintendo in the future.
Awesome cake for everybody YEAH!!!!!
stackpool on 3 May '13 said:
Do I need a 3D TV to play this 3D Mario version? Is that what they are suggesting? Would have to be that surely? The old Mario games are 3D in a 2D way so it must be to do with a leap out of the screen style Mario? So many bleedin' questions.
DiamondDogs on 3 May '13 said:
tanukilou on 3 May '13 said:
It's a hell of a pressure riding on Mario. Even more when you consider how high the bar has been set with the Galaxys. Look at Sunshine: a brilliant game but after the purity and brilliance of M64 it disappointed. They need to take the pressure off of Mario a bit and get some completely new games out, I have a feeling they will. Interesting to see what Rare have got planned. Overall it's a shame they would punish the early system adopters like this, a lot of who will be their biggest fans, especially if they knew they were going to release it and then hold titles back. They need to reward the people who picked this up at launch with a free game or something to be honest. I'd be well cheesed off if i'd bought one.
nb_nmare2 on 3 May '13 said:
The Last of Us is first party, not third party.
Why does no-one seem to realise that Naughty Dog is a subsidiary of Sony?
Vhyper1985 on 3 May '13 said:
This article can only be good news to be honest, Nintendo should have been promoting like they are planning to do from day 1 ... Having a 3D Mario, Mario Kart, W101, Pikmin 3, Rayman & Game+Wario out before Christmas should be able to entice some buyers & as others have said you only need to look at the Nintendo Direct from February to see that there are other titles coming like the NEW Zelda, Bayonetta 2, Retro's new project, SMT X Fire Emblem, Xenoblade 2, & with the recent IP renewal maybe even Eternal Darkness 2...
The new next gen consoles may be coming out this winter but i'm sure both of those consoles won't have many releases beyond the launch line up at 1st (similar to the WiiU & every other console launch ever) also it seems that Sony & M$ are still going to be releasing versions of next gen titles on the current gen platforms as well since not everyone will be able to afford to upgrade straight away (Evil Within, Watchdogs, MGS5 etc) so with WiiU having some great games & a cheaper entry price I can see a few people buying one this winter..
For those saying there are no decent games coming you really need to open your eyes more, there's plenty of games if you look.. 1st of all Virtual Console, yes some people have played these games before but some are gems that deserve another playthrough, On Wii I found some older games that I never played 1st time around & with GBA support coming & rumours of Gamecube & maybe even more Sega support eventually there should be plenty.. the other side is E-Shop, I've been following a number of Indie developers over the past few months & loads of kickstarter projects mention WiiU ports (PSN also seems popular) games like Runner 2 & Mighty Switch Force along with Shovel Knight, Cryamore, Dusty's Revenge & the Road Rash spiritual successor Road Redemption, which incidentally you should support using the link below because I wouldn't mind playing it...
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dar ... n?ref=live
There's plenty of support for Nintendo & i'm sure more support will pick up once the WiiU starts selling again.
Barca Azul on 3 May '13 said:
It was their PS2 equivalent and they made fantastic games and had massive support.
Secret of Mana on a 3 way tap, happy days!
Street fighter 2
Super mario world
Zelda - link to the past
Super probotector
Super mario Kart
The list goes on
tanukilou on 3 May '13 said:
It's a hell of a lot riding on Mario. Especially when the bar was set so high with the Galaxys. Remember Sunshine? A brilliant game but disappointing after the purity and brilliance of M64. They need some new games and ideas to take the pressure off of Mario. I'm sure they've got something planned and will be interesting to see what Rare are upto? At the end of the day though they shouldn't have treated their early adopters (most likely their biggest fans) like this, it's an insult.. even worse if they were planning on holding games back. It's abusing their loyalty and passion. They should offer a free game or something to those who bought at launch and showed their loyalty.
dwhlufc on 3 May '13 said:
Rare? Aren't they a Microsoft studio?
Element187 on 3 May '13 said:
That would make it 8 over a 25 year period, so thats one mario kart game every 3 years, not exactly a yearly COD/Assassins Creed.. heck Sony releases Uncharted/GOW/Killzone more often than that.
Element187 on 3 May '13 said:
Why? nothing can beat the 3rd party experience on PC's... Consoles for multiplats are pointless and foolish, why rob yourself of a great experience on a console with a watered down, bland and ugly experience that can't hold a candle to experience on PC??
Consoles are only good as their first party output, and Nintendo is the only one that excels in that area.
Element187 on 3 May '13 said:
You do know thats a first party title, right?
Element187 on 3 May '13 said:
Sony and Microsoft will leave the console business before Nintendo does.
They can have virtual boy levels of failure for the next 3 or 4 decades and still put out a new system. Sony on the other hand lost BILLIONS on the PS3, and their other 'core' businesses aren't doing so hot.. If the PS4 doesn't rise to the level the PS2 did, it will be Sony's last system... .heck they are selling off buildings all over the world to stay above water.
Balladeer on 3 May '13 said:
Somebody had already told me between my post and yours, yes.
Maybe Tanuki was thinking of Retro?
Sentinator on 3 May '13 said:
If Nintendo can get Pikmin 3, Wind Waker and a 3D Mario out by Christmas I will be very happy. Nintendo will have had all the time in the world to get their games ready so things should pick up after.
Sentinator on 3 May '13 said:
Mario U has sold more in 1 month then GoW 4 will sell this year.
Asdollah on 3 May '13 said:
Actually Nintendo only canceled their huge presentation like they do every year.
They will still be at E3 and promoting the crap out of both 3Ds and Wii U. If they would totally cancel E3, they would face the same destiny as Sega and Nintendo is smarter than that
toaplan on 3 May '13 said:
^ Sony totally dominated last gen with the PS2, and the gen before that with the PS1 too. So then they made some mistakes with the PS3 early on, but were able to make a brilliant comeback with the Slim and Super Slim models. All in all, they've been doing a fantastic job in the home console hardware business in the last (almost) two decades - no underpowered consoles and no RROD fiascos either. The PS4 is absolutely looking like a fantastic return to form in every way. Video games is officially one of the core strategic businesses for Sony (unlike for M$, whose core business is on the PC side).
Nintendo on the other hand, struggled with the N64, struggled even more with the GameCube and now are struggling again with the Wii U. Their only hit home console in between was that one-time fluke Wii. But they still are capable of making some fairly decent software though.
Barry316 on 3 May '13 said:
http://7drizzles7.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/blogger-nerds.jpg
dwhlufc on 3 May '13 said:
Ouch, that hurt!
Mmmmgrolsch on 3 May '13 said:
Not sure what that has to do with Daves post?
The_KFD_Case on 3 May '13 said:
I concur. While franchise "milking" is a tried-and-true business approach from just about any company that has had a success hit in the gaming industry, I keep wondering when Nintendo will come up with some brilliant new IP that might take the gaming world by storm like it used to a couple of decades ago? There are games for the Wii U, true, however, the games that I am interested in are cheaper on the PC, Xbox 360, as well as the PS3 and they look better to boot, plus I already own a gaming PC & laptop and a Xbox 360. Nintendo comes across to *me* (perhaps not to some others,) as old hat and a bit clueless if being harsh, or if being kinder, focused on a different gaming audience than the one that shares my gaming tastes. If and when I purchase a console (or a PC for that matter), I want/expect there to be games that I find of interest and from a wide assortment of publishers and developers. Nintendo's first-party games are not enough to sway me to purchase their console alone. I am aware that Nintendo alone does not decide which third party games are released on the Wii U and which aren't, however, given the upcoming competition, I want the Wii U to get more-or-less the same third party catalogue as the two new inbound consoles. I am not at all confident that will happen. The Wii U strikes me as being very late to the party, and to individuals who share similar tastes and a mindset similar to my own, it may well already be a case of too little, too late for the Wii U.
Even with the recent price cuts (not official ones from Nintendo, mind), I still consider it a tactical blunder to jump on the Wii U now in light of how close we are to having a full reveal of Microsoft's next console along with further information from Sony about the PS4. That is unless you are a dedicated fan of Nintendo and are more-or-less already satisfied with the offerings for the Wii U. Personally the only game currently out on the Wii U that I am aware of that really has my interest is ZombiU. The 150-or-so quid for a new Wii U premium edition is money I would rather set aside for either a new PC, or one of the new consoles that are to be released later this year.
Sentinator on 3 May '13 said:
It didn't set the world on fire in the way Mario 3D Land or Mario Kart 7 did but considering it released on a system which is struggling it had a good attach rate.
Mmmmgrolsch on 3 May '13 said:
I think we can all agree on that. You're missing the point, this article is about Nintendo waiting for system sellers before hitting the full marketing campaign, Dave was just having a sly dig at Stealth as he said 2D Mario is a system seller. I'm not sure why that lead to 'yeah but Mario sold more than GoW so ner ner ner'
diablomaster000 on 3 May '13 said:
Wind waker hd isnt even a new game and their hyping it up sad nintendo very sad.
MD1500 on 3 May '13 said:
I actually think the Famicom games for 30p, apps like Google Street View for free and the premium cashback promotion are kind of a stealth ambassador program.
Imaduck on 3 May '13 said:
This is good news and it'll certainly help. I do think they need a much more extensive push though so we'll see. I get what Balla is saying but I think others (not angry nutters) are right here to an extent as well man. They have got third party support, but they need to crank it, I disagree that it need be GTA or CoD, I think that's bad for a Nintendo console personally, but they need to "compete" with that so to speak. They need to release stuff for their fans around the same time. They need to make some new IP's in league with the likes of Zelda too to my mind, 1 new IP in that league and I think the Wii U will be a winner.
I feel Nintendo's biggest problem here is identity within gaming today really, personal opinion just. With the Wii I felt they kind of neglected their hardcore fanbase at times and just "cashed in". Now with the Wii U, they're trying to appeal to the hardcore solely again. So they've lost all the mum's in their living rooms and they have to regain the faith of many of the old hardcore before they'll start raking it in. They can do it, but I hope they stay true to themselves this time.
Little Edit:
The likes of Diablo, maybe even SimCity (Next 1
), things like Trine (got that good job), few big 3rd parties I reckon would fit well enough, that sort of thing.
Welsh Jester on 3 May '13 said:
Well the first Wii U game has already popped up on a well known site, weighing in at a size of 23.3gb. Fairly large, but not a bad size by any means.
Looks like it won't be long before the system's mod chip is released, wouldn't surprise me if sales start to spike now.
Pretty surprised that the 3DS still hasn't been hacked, and the Wii U has already been fully hacked.. damn that was fast. Plus i guess We'll be seeing a Wii U emulator in as little as 1-2 years, probably be as part of the Dolphin emu.
vectra on 4 May '13 said:
I for one am looking forward to a 3D Mario and Mario Kart, in fact this is what I have been waiting for to take the plunge. I already have a decent gaming PC so just want the Nintendo platformer and unrealistic racing experience.
Then again what do I know? I owned an Amiga when Commodore were no more and were taken over by Escom, I owned a Saturn when Sega lost their minds and kept fighting among themselves and I owned the Atari Lynx which I thought was the future in portable gaming.
Skullet on 4 May '13 said:
Piracy would only increase hardware sales if there was actually a decent amount of games to pirate, can't see many people buying a new console to pirate 1 or 2 games.
HelloLadies on 4 May '13 said:
Whats going on stealth? Haven't heard from you in months pal.
YCshinobi on 4 May '13 said:
I'm getting a sense of Deja Vu for some reason.
Sales for the 3DS picked up after Mario Land 3D and Mario Kart 7, so I reckon it will be the same case for the Wii U. Nintendo made the mistake to think New Super Mario Bros is a system seller, should have gone for the 3D Mario first for launch. I own a Wii U and I haven't bought NSMBU yet, waiting for a drop in price first, and if the new 3D Mario is more Galaxy and not like Mario 64 then I wouldn't be too bothered about that neither.
dwhlufc on 4 May '13 said:
I'm a bit thick so someone's going to have to explain this for me.
How can we compare console sales to handheld sales?
From what I'm reading its sounds like people are saying, because it worked for 3DS, IT WILL work for the Wii U. They're completely different markets as far as I'm aware. All my nephews/nieces have DS/3DS but not a single one of them owns a console.
If someone can explain this for me with facts then I'm all ears.
toaplan on 4 May '13 said:
^Good point. There's just something different about the handheld market, for one thing I suspect that handhelds sell more to the younger gamer demographic like you suggested. Success in the handheld space doesn't necessarily carry over to the home console market. The GameBoy Colour and GBA were hugely successful, but that didn't help the N64 or the GameCube.
Similarly, Sony's amazing success on the home console side - their "worst"-selling console ever is the PS3 with a hefty about 80 million units sold - isn't currently helping the Vita (although making the Vita into the ultimate companion device to the PS4 might be of help soon
).
dwhlufc on 4 May '13 said:
I'm not saying Nintendos plans won't work but the way people just assume it worked for 3DS it'll work for the Wii U seems a bit strange to me.
Sentinator on 4 May '13 said:
Aside from Virtual Boy Nintendo haven't had a console which failed. Their franchises have carried them and its unlikely it will end differently here. Monster Hunter 3 proved the interest in Wii U is there. It just needs more advertising and games.
Will it be as successful as 3DS? Probably not but it will get Wii U out of this pit at least.
dwhlufc on 4 May '13 said:
They probably haven't failed financially for the company but the sales figures for the N64 & GameCube are hardly amazing.
Anyway, why did you bring up GoW?
CrispyLog on 4 May '13 said:
But 3rd party support breeds. If GTA comes on WiiU and sells a s**t tonne then other devs will be keen to develop for it, they'll sell more, the console will sell more so other developers will want to get a piece of the ever expanding pie and then simple statistics dictates that there'll be more games you'll enjoy and of course Ninty can use the extra money to make more games or risk a new IP.
Also it's not just about you. Ninty has loads of fans and some of them like other games which aren't made by Ninty, so it's a bit harsh on them. Having more 3rd party support would be amazing, having more choice would be amazing. You mention GTA that you don't care about it, but it's one of the most interesting and greatest series of games ever made. As gamers I find it hard to believe that even though most people love GTA the bell curve of probability has fallen so that anyone who owns a WiiU or likes Nintendo games doesn't like this behemoth. Same with your Skyrims, Portals, Minecrafts, etc.
Variety is the spice of life, and just as I find it hard to believe that some 'bookworm' readers who claim to love books only read the Lord of The Rings repeatedly and don't bother with anything else, I find it hard to believe that some people only like Ninty games out of the 100,000 of games out there, especially with all the indie games and download games on consoles which are nailling platforming, adventure and metroidvania which are such standards for Ninty.
El Mag on 4 May '13 said:
Because you're a big mean poopy head!
ricflair on 4 May '13 said:
I think the thing is, people are saying it needs games, so Nintendo are going to release a bunch starting in a couple of months or so, so it will make the console more attractive and more people will buy it. It's pretty simple!. There's also a wealth of negativity at the moment, so it's just balance really - there's plenty of people saying it's already f**ked.
I know the situations are different, but it worked on 3DS and on PS3, so systems can recover from bad starts, lacking in software, and go on to do well. That seems to be what most people are saying. Beyond the usual couple of ultra fanboys, I've not really seen people saying it WILL reach Wii levels of success, or outsell other consoles (unless i've blocked or ignored their comments!). Neither of which matter as long as it doesn't lose Nintendo money and there are games the owners enjoy.
Sentinator on 4 May '13 said:
@ dwh
The way I see it is profit is the ultimate factor. Without money you can't keep pumping out games or hardware. Looking at units sold GC was too late to market and that was really the key factor behind it selling significantly less. It didn't help that they lost Rare and PS2 was already a beast at the time. Wii U is more built with the current market in mind. I believe it will still prove successful. Since Iwata took over they have had their biggest success stories.
GoW was a joke for the moment
Balladeer on 4 May '13 said:
I can't be fussed with arguing my point any more. I'm sure there are holes in it. Anyway, regardless, more games is good games.
richomack360 on 4 May '13 said:
Good stuff, but I still cannot see a reason as to releasing the WiiU when they did, considering their big hitters were not even ready to go.
Odd - but things will improve
Sentinator on 4 May '13 said:
Well technically its very rare big hitters are ready for launch. Usually when they are its because they were intentionally held back from previous hardware. Most launch titles are either things which are very easily put together (NSMBU) or they are rushed to make launch.
Barca Azul on 4 May '13 said:
That's your opinion, but mine is different on first party.
I'm too lazy/have time to mess about with PC gaming, making sure I've the right memory/drivers, graphics cards.
Without spending money frequently, a PC is only current as long as a console.
The thing i see with PC gaming is that it's only set to become more expensive going forward. The PC market share is declining rapidly over the last few years, and another victim of tablets.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2033756/struggling-pc-makers-and-windows-8-push-pc-market-into-free-fall.html
richomack360 on 4 May '13 said:
Super Famicom/SNES
Japanese launch: November 21, 1990
Super Mario World
F-Zero
U.S. launch: August 23, 1991
Super Mario World
F-Zero
Pilotwings
European launch: April 11, 1992
Super Mario World
F-Zero
Pilotwings
Nintendo 64
Japanese launch: June 23, 1996
Pilotwings 64
Super Mario 64
Wii
U.S. launch: November 19, 2006
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz
Wii Sports (bundled with the Wii console)
Game Boy
Japanese launch: April 21, 1989
Super Mario Land
U.S. launch: August 1989
Tetris
Super Mario Land
etc etc - Nintendo do release some big hitters at launch, not denying that NSMBU isn't a big hitter - but would of thought a 3D Mario platformer would have been a better launch title. Not forgetting Halo for the Xbox also. (plus other things I have missed)
Balladeer on 4 May '13 said:
No. No no no. That piece of rubbish is not a big hitter. It's not a big anything. Except failure maybe. The original and SMB2, maybe: not that.
richomack360 on 4 May '13 said:
Hahaha ! You win the prize - that at least shows you read the list of games I put in there (from Wikipedia), congrats for spotting it ! Was going to put an Army Man game in there too
Barca Azul on 4 May '13 said:
I was never that impressed with F zero myself.
dwhlufc on 4 May '13 said:
really?
The only arcade racing game I enjoy more than F-Zero is Wipeout, both great games though.
Barca Azul on 4 May '13 said:
Sorry, let me clarify, i meant on the SNES.
HelloLadies on 5 May '13 said:
Conjecture no more accurate than the talk around cloud gaming taking over physical or digital copies of games in the future.
The_seagull on 5 May '13 said:
At least a 3d Mario and Mario Kart is a start. I think it would need one more of the following to get me to buy a Wii U either, F Zero, Pilotwings, Wave Race or Star Fox. I am sure most gamers will end up with a PS4 or the Xbox but I do believe and hope there will always be a place for the fun titles from Nintendo.
To the Palace fan - Congratulations! On form we should do you, but I have a horrible feeling FFS Murray will come back to haunt us.
liveswired on 5 May '13 said:
Makes sense not to market the system fully until it is actually 'READY'.
Hardcore Nintendo desperate fanboys may well be able to put up with a glitch and bug ridden, slow down infested, herpes incrusted OS and rubbish NintendoTVii service combined with a high price for all this tat and questionable hardware but the casual legion DEFINITELY WILL NOT.
If word made it out to the mass market that the Wii U was pathetic Nintendo would be destroyed.
And yes, before you start I'm still going to be picking up a Wii U later this year!
The Drunken Spy on 5 May '13 said:
You make an excellent point and something that very few people seem to grasp in gaming forums: consumers who have a casual interest in games are far more savvy, frugal and prudent buyers of consoles than a committed gamer will ever be, might as well the foaming mouthed fanboys, who would happily pay £400 just to bathe in the glow of the OS's front end.
The casual player will wait until the console is at a reasonable price, with a decent selection of titles or even backcatalogue, and probably at least two or three killer apps*. Whereas the committed gamer is far more likely to want to be first out of the gate and will grab a console at an inflated price when it's had no chance to show any kind of form, will be full of bugs and have nowt to play on it, with little guarantee that it's going to go on to be some kind of software mecca (I certainly got stung by this with the Gamecube).
I would always urge anyone to wait 18 months after a console launch before purchasing one, but I've seen people on here saying "I'm getting a PS4! Don't care what Microsoft have got to say" (mainly because they haven't heard what MS have got to say yet), yet Mr/Mrs "I only buy two or three games a year and play them if I get bored with life" will be far more patient than this and will get the console cheaper and when it has more interesting things on it, and will probably have a much bigger say in the console war than we ever will. All rather neutering, I know, but worth bearing in mind...
* - Apart from the Wii, which was very much sold as an idea rather than its software.
scroll33 on 5 May '13 said:
I will keep my money and await this golden age of Wii U games to materialise. Until then, all eyes on MS & Sony @ E3.
Kyle Reese on 6 May '13 said:
Wii U is an awesome console with truly GREAT potential. It all needs is games.
Its all go from July onwards.
HighFlyingBird on 6 May '13 said:
The Last of Us is a title developed by a Sony owned studio. It's not third party, it's not cross format and would never be released on Wii U anyway.
Balladeer on 6 May '13 said:
You're only the third person to have told me that in this thread. Next time please read other people's comments before trying to inform.
Barca Azul on 6 May '13 said:
Maybe so, people still buy Vinyl and CD's. However, there are very few cassette Walkmans compared to Ipods/MP3 players.
My preference is physical copy over digital, doesnt mean though that ill always be able to get it or at a reasonable price.