GameStop: Wii U needs blockbuster to spark sales

The Wii U has failed to match the sales pace of its original Wii predecessor for a "variety" of reasons, GameStop CFO Rob Lloyd said today, noting that a lack of major first-party titles is just one of the factors.

Speaking during the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference this afternoon, the executive said the Wii U launch went off as predicted, but interest in the new console has since fallen off.

"We were pleased with the allocation [of Wii U units] that we got through the launch. I think for us, it performed at expectation," Lloyd said. "I think what you're [now] seeing is the interest has not been to the overall level that [Nintendo] had hoped for. And it's not performing like the Wii did."

"There are a variety of theories as to why that might be," he added. "But among them is there hasn't been the blockbuster from Nintendo. So Nintendo I think understands the need to have that first-party software available to drive Wii U sales."

Nintendo has officially sold 3 million Wii U hardware units and 11 million software copies across the world since launch last year.

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata last month apologized for a lack of Wii U software available. He explained that Nintendo understands the need for new titles surrounding the Wii U launch, but also acknowledged that achieving quality is of the utmost importance.

Significant first-party titles for the Wii U are on the way, including a brand-new Wii U Legend of Zelda game and a Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker high-definition remake. Other Nintendo-produced Wii U titles revealed recently include new Yoshi, Mario, and Mario Kart offerings.