The Wii U is officially a flop: only 160k units shipped last quarter

Source

Nintendo made an operating loss of 4.92 billion yen ($50.19 million) on net sales of 81.5 billion yen ($832.85 million) in the first quarter of its 2013 financial year, the company announced today. Net profit was 8.62 billion yen ($88 million), and the company has made no alteration to its prior forecast of a 100 billion yen operating profit in the current fiscal year.

Just 160,000 Wii U consoles were shipped worldwide between April and June, along with 1.03 million software units. The figure is a 51.3 percent decrease on last quarter, and the console has now sold 3.61 million units around the world. Nintendo says that hardware sales still have a negative impact on the company's bottom line, implying that even with these unimpressive numbers the system is still being sold as a loss leader.

TheVerge

Ouch. Any bets as to how soon we see the next Nintendo console?

It makes me feel bad for Nintendo, in all sincerity.

I want to buy a Wii-U, mainly because of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, but it's still a tough sell.

Little to no third party support kills it. A lot more people should have seen this coming. If you look at the past 2 years of the Wii's lifespan, 20 games (total) were released.

2 years, 20 games.

The signs were there, and the problem with Nintendo is that they're just so out of touch with gaming. They need a complete management overhaul. That's the only way they'll survive until the next, next generation.

The games haven't even arrived yet... they tend to boost sales of consoles. I don't expect the system to sell like gangbusters, but they will pick up around the holidays and afterwards.

Good, I hope it continues and Nintendo is forced to do something.  But I doubt it will, it'll just continue like it has in the past.  Droughts, the games eventually arrive, and they end up doing just well enough to continue and everyone forgets.  Then the cycle of incompetence and arrogance will resume again.  Nintendo is so irrelevant it's not even funny.  Once they wake up, which will be never, I'll start supporting them again.

Source

[QUOTE="TheVerge"]

Nintendo made an operating loss of 4.92 billion yen ($50.19 million) on net sales of 81.5 billion yen ($832.85 million) in the first quarter of its 2013 financial year, the company announced today. Net profit was 8.62 billion yen ($88 million), and the company has made no alteration to its prior forecast of a 100 billion yen operating profit in the current fiscal year.

Just 160,000 Wii U consoles were shipped worldwide between April and June, along with 1.03 million software units. The figure is a 51.3 percent decrease on last quarter, and the console has now sold 3.61 million units around the world. Nintendo says that hardware sales still have a negative impact on the company's bottom line, implying that even with these unimpressive numbers the system is still being sold as a loss leader.

Vari3ty

Ouch. Any bets as to how soon we see the next Nintendo console?

Still those shipment numbers... yikes! I can only hope with these coming game releases on Wii U (Pikmin 3 hasn't released in America yet and released at top five selling debut ranks in UK and Japan, and there's still Donkey Kong Country Returns: Tropical Freeze and Mario 3D World), the sales build up in some way. Would probably be better if they give in and cut the price, even if it would cause more losses.

The games haven't even arrived yet... they tend to boost sales of consoles. I don't expect the system to sell like gangbusters, but they will pick up around the holidays and afterwards.

Bigboi500

[QUOTE="Bigboi500"]

The games haven't even arrived yet... they tend to boost sales of consoles. I don't expect the system to sell like gangbusters, but they will pick up around the holidays and afterwards.

Chris_Williams

[QUOTE="Bigboi500"]

The games haven't even arrived yet... they tend to boost sales of consoles. I don't expect the system to sell like gangbusters, but they will pick up around the holidays and afterwards.

Chris_Williams

Any bets as to how soon we see the next Nintendo console?Vari3ty

They are making a lot of money from the handheld market and will likely focus there rather than investing in a powerful console, in other words they'll abandon the home market, at the very least skip a generation and make their money with handhelds. Even then it remains to be seen how long they will be able to compete with tablets and smartphones, but that's another story.

Poor numbers, but Nintendo will see a boost in sales once more software hits. How much of a boost? No idea, but they'll be in a better postition post holiday than they are now.

Though I think the doom around Nintendo as a whole is kind of stupid. They have a lot of cash in reserves to have two or three Wii U type of mistakes and the Wii U sure as hell won't be their last home console, but the next generation is probably going to have them do something different that appeals to a wider audience again like the Wii.

Wii U has one hell or a powerful line up coming. I hope that turns things around. I know it will be my most played console of the year with all those titles coming out.

Tragedy. I know that time-frame in general is slow on sales---but, yeeesh. Here's hoping there re-evaluate developing more titles quicker. They make great games, but they take forever and a day to release.

(Not saying to sacrifice quality, but be smarter about time-management in general and IP release dates)

Nintendo won't release a new console anytime soon, that would be foolish. 

Their strategy is terrible, but they have no choice but to ride this out. They have no concept of the market anymore, and the Zelda and Mario games are just too much of the same thing time after time.

Ouch. Nintendo should have waited a year and released a system that:

1. has a new name. Too many people are still confulsing the wiiU as an add on for the wii
2. could compete more directly with the xboxone and PS4

I don't think Nintendo is going to drop the Wii U so soon. As long as they have the 3DS to keep up the profit I imagine they will stick through it. 

Wii U has one hell or a powerful line up coming. I hope that turns things around. I know it will be my most played console of the year with all those titles coming out.

Pikminmaniac

I think calling their upcoming lineup powerful is a bit of an overstatement.

We are going to see some familiar franchises and we will also see a smattering of third party games but nothing that demands a system purchase from those already uninterested in the console.

Actually, thier holiday lineup looks a bit anemic.

Are you referring to 2014?

Crake this is a wii u is dead thread, my thread is Nintendo financials. But if you want it all in one place thats fine

Nintendo released their financial report today. 

(reported in Millions of yen)

1 USD ~ 97.89 yen 
1 Euro ~ 129.67 yen


Net Sales ---> ¥81,548 

Operating Loss ---> ¥4,924

Net Income ---> ¥8,624

Their operating loss was at about 5 billion yen, thats like $50 million. Because of the exchange rate Nintendo made 8.6 billion yen profit about $88 million, their estimate was 16 billion so they made way more money than they expected. Compare that to last year they had a 17 billion net loss. So as a whole Nintendo is doing much better in the numbers.

Yet the Wii U is dying with abysmal 160k units shipped in a quarter... WORLDWIDE. 

If I were a company and my operating loss is being covered by a strong exchange rate, I am making loads of money still out of nowhere. If you had a product that your immediate future depends on dying on shelves wouldnt you use that extra profit, take a bigger operating loss and simply cut the price. WTF are they doing?!

Some on GAF say that smart Japanese companies dont post the exchange rate profits cause its a way to avoid paying tax on it but Nintendo is doing so to save face with investors and so Iwata can save his job. 

Oh and Nintendo is NOT revising Wii U shipment estimates, they still think they can ship 9 million Wii Us in this fiscal year. LOL.

Digital content revenue generation also increased by nearly 150 percent over the same period last year. Seems like Nintendo is loving digital sales.

So here are all the sales figures for the quarter:

Hardware / Software

• 3DS
  April 1 to June 30: 1,400,000 / 11,010,000
  Lifetime: 32,480,000 / 106,040,000
• DS
  April 1 to June 30: 60,000 / 2,150,000
  Lifetime: 153,930,000 / 935,840,000
• Wii
  April 1 to June 30: 210,000 / 3,670,000
  Lifetime: 100,040,000 / 872,730,000
• Wii U shipped 160k in the quarter. Lifetime is at 3.61M.

Yes Wii outshipped Wii U. Wii has crossed the 100 million barrier. 3DS continues to do very well.

Comparison to other Nintendo hardware in the same time frame

Worldwide shipments after 3 quarters:

WII  9.27m
GCN  3.80m (8 months North America and Japan; no Europe)
N64  3.80m (7 months Japan; 3 months North America; no Europe)
WIU  3.61m

A look at handhelds

Some software:

Animal Crossing: New Leaf - 1,540,000 / 5,400,000
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon - 1,430,000 / 2,650,000

dvader654

There is absolutely no reason why your thread should have been locked. Two completely different topics. You should appeal it.

So they obviously deviated from the Blue Ocean strategy and instead opted for the Brown Septic Tank strategy instead.

Iwata shouldn't be fired, he should resign. He ruined the industry with the Wii, and now he can't even sell his own hardware as a result. Yes, it's time for Seppuku!

There is absolutely no reason why your thread should have been locked. Two completely different topics. You should appeal it.JJ_Productions

Both threads were based off Nintendo's financial report. Seemed redundant to have two threads based off the same report, regardless of how its being presented. The thread can always be edited to accommodate vader's post (as long as Vari3ty's okay with that).

So they obviously deviated from the Blue Ocean strategy and instead opted for the Brown Septic Tank strategy instead.

Iwata shouldn't be fired, he should resign. He ruined the industry with the Wii, and now he can't even sell his own hardware as a result. Yes, it's time for Seppuku!

Shame-usBlackley

[QUOTE="Shame-usBlackley"]

So they obviously deviated from the Blue Ocean strategy and instead opted for the Brown Septic Tank strategy instead.

Iwata shouldn't be fired, he should resign. He ruined the industry with the Wii, and now he can't even sell his own hardware as a result. Yes, it's time for Seppuku!

GodModeEnabled

[QUOTE="Shame-usBlackley"]

So they obviously deviated from the Blue Ocean strategy and instead opted for the Brown Septic Tank strategy instead.

Iwata shouldn't be fired, he should resign. He ruined the industry with the Wii, and now he can't even sell his own hardware as a result. Yes, it's time for Seppuku!

GodModeEnabled

Yes. The lack of focus on gaming coming from Microsoft and Sony paled in comparison to the awful tangent Nintendo went off on with the Wii. They made the argument that gaming, as it existed in its present conventional form was broken and old; a relic that needed to be replaced. Whenever cries of protest became loud enough, Nintendo would drop scraps for the conventional markets, but there is and was no denying who that machine was geared towards --people who did not play games. 

Now, if that stupidity had stayed with Nintendo, I would have been fine with it. To each their own and all that, but it infected the other two and made them run towards these false utopias even as the Wii was collapsing in on itself. All three companies began chasing this fictitious buyer who bought hardware, but no games. And they seemingly couldn't get that this buyer was less valuable than the one they were trying so hard to supplant. 

If they didn't ruin the industry, they sure did a goddamned good job of trying. Iwata even marketed the Wii as a shock to the system; a device designed to disturb everyone's shit -- and disturb it it did. System sales are atrocious and software sales suck ass. All this bullshit Nintendo talked about regarding opening up new markets and expanding the base was a bunch of absolute horseshit.

Ruined, no, but Shameus has a point: the Wii showed the industry that 100 million people will rush out and buy an underpowered, overpriced console submerged in shovelware, de facto showing that you don't need powerful hardware and bigger games in order to sell like crack if you only target the undiscerning casual mob instead of the picky, selective and entitled hardcore mob. Microsoft followed suit and made the Kinect. Sony followed suit and made the Move. Luckily they did not go all the way like Nintendo did, but I think it was a close call.Black_Knight_00

Wow. It's sad that this is becoming the Wii's legacy in the mind of this industry... I can't help but feel that people were waiting for this thing to lose relevance, so they could trash it the moment it was pushed aside. I will kinda agree with you on a couple of things, though, and that's the Wii proved that a quality gaming console didn't have boast supercomputer-like power and cost an arm and a leg to both consumers and hardware makers alike. It also saw that a market existed outside of the self-important, self-proclaimed "hardcore" gamer and made a legitimate attempt to attract the mass market. However, I don't see these things as negatives in the slightest, much less industry-killing tactics. Instead, I just see it as a brilliant strategy that has rubbed a very vocal group of traditionalists the wrong way.

It wasn't the Wii or Nintendo during that time that was suffering the consequences of developing AAA titles and needing to sell millions of copies of a game in order to make profit. I can honestly understand if the Wii didn't sit well with people because it admittedly didn't represent the same narrow-market strategy most consoles have become accustomed to blindly following, including Nintendo's previous consoles. However, trashing the system is really uncalled for. The Wii's success wasn't some random bad experiment that suddenly worked out, as much as people now want to claim that it was. In my honest opinion, the Wii U's problem is that Nintendo deviated from the formula too much, opting to re-embrace a philosophy that has not only been much less successful for them, but has also evolved past Nintendo's understanding because of the HD/AAA development cycle. As a whole, I don't see the Wii U's struggles having much, if anything, to do with the Wii at all.

From dvader654's post and earlier thread comes an interesting fact that I'm sure most people will overlook:

• DS
  April 1 to June 30: 60,000 / 2,150,000
  Lifetime: 153,930,000 / 935,840,000
• Wii
  April 1 to June 30: 210,000 / 3,670,000
  Lifetime: 100,040,000 / 872,730,000

dvader654

If my calculations are correct that would mean the software-to-hardware ratios are as follows:

• DS: 6.1:1
• Wii: 8.7:1

So much for the notion that the Wii was only used for Wii Sports and nothing else, when it actually had a much better software/hardware ratio than the much more revered DS. And this is part of my problem about the way the Wii has been perceived. It can't be helped, and I'm not about to try to change opinions, but it has become the victim of so many unfounded myths and misunderstandings, it's hard not to be saddened by it all.

How the upper management still holds their jobs over there, I have no idea.  Hell, they even gave Iwata a promotion, go figure.  It makes me wonder what he'd have to do to get fired.

[QUOTE="GodModeEnabled"][QUOTE="Shame-usBlackley"]

So they obviously deviated from the Blue Ocean strategy and instead opted for the Brown Septic Tank strategy instead.

Iwata shouldn't be fired, he should resign. He ruined the industry with the Wii, and now he can't even sell his own hardware as a result. Yes, it's time for Seppuku!

Shame-usBlackley

Yes. The lack of focus on gaming coming from Microsoft and Sony paled in comparison to the awful tangent Nintendo went off on with the Wii. They made the argument that gaming, as it existed in its present conventional form was broken and old; a relic that needed to be replaced. Whenever cries of protest became loud enough, Nintendo would drop scraps for the conventional markets, but there is and was no denying who that machine was geared towards --people who did not play games. 

Now, if that stupidity had stayed with Nintendo, I would have been fine with it. To each their own and all that, but it infected the other two and made them run towards these false utopias even as the Wii was collapsing in on itself. All three companies began chasing this fictitious buyer who bought hardware, but no games. And they seemingly couldn't get that this buyer was less valuable than the one they were trying so hard to supplant. 

If they didn't ruin the industry, they sure did a goddamned good job of trying. Iwata even marketed the Wii as a shock to the system; a device designed to disturb everyone's shit -- and disturb it it did. System sales are atrocious and software sales suck ass. All this bullshit Nintendo talked about regarding opening up new markets and expanding the base was a bunch of absolute horseshit.

Wow. It's sad that this is becoming the Wii's legacy in the mind of this industry... I can't help but feel that people were waiting for this thing to lose relevance, so they could trash it the moment it was pushed aside. I will kinda agree with you on a couple of things, though, and that's the Wii proved that a quality gaming console didn't have boast supercomputer-like power and cost an arm and a leg to both consumers and hardware makers alike. It also saw that a market existed outside of the self-important, self-proclaimed "hardcore" gamer and made a legitimate attempt to attract the mass market. However, I don't see these things as negatives in the slightest, much less industry-killing tactics. Instead, I just see it as a brilliant strategy that has rubbed a very vocal group of traditionalists the wrong way.Madmangamer364

The Wii sold extremely well because it was aimed at non-gamers who were already going nuts about the DS and couldn't wait to play Cooking Mama on their TV screens. Core gamers mostly hated it because it was a generation behind and rightfully so: for the first time in Nintendo history, gamers who only owned a Wii were missing out on the advancements of the generation. Publishers knew the Wii was underpowered and treated it as such: the same software house delivered FarCry 2 to the competition and FarCry Vengeance to the Wii, which was below PS2 standards. Games such as Star Wars The Force Unleashed were developed by cheap second rate studios for the Wii version and the end results were mediocre. Games like Wii Sports, which would pass as a $10 arcade game on Xbox, became one of the killer applications of the systems and while you choose to see the glass half full, I see that as lowering the bar for quality standards in the industry.

Furthermore, the Wii failed to develop on its own technology: the Wii remote only became responsive after a substantial hardware upgrade in 2010 and to date the only games that use motion controls in any significant way are Skyward Sword and maybe Wii Sports Resort. The balance board was supposed to be integrated in other games in order to increase immersion and whatnot, but never went beyond Wii Fit and I think Wii Music. That's not to say the Wii doesn't have a handful of good games: it does, but I hardly see people remembering it particularly fondly a few years from now, unlike every other Nintendo home system.

How did the Wii ruin the industry exactly? The 360 and PS3 were still fine consoles overall despite trying to jump on the motion control bandwagon in the end. The PS4 is looking very good right, and while the Xbone has had its issues, I don't think Kinect is what gave it so much negative attention (though I'm sure it did amongst some of the core gamers), but moreso the other policies that were originally on the Xbone. ANd consoles aside, the DS and PSP did very well, the 3DS has been successful so far. And the of course PC gaming and steam have been doing incredibly well. And there have been plenty of quality titles amongst all the gaming platforms.

I'm failing to see what part of the gaming industry got ruined by the Wii here exactly.

[QUOTE="JJ_Productions"]There is absolutely no reason why your thread should have been locked. Two completely different topics. You should appeal it.c_rake

Both threads were based off Nintendo's financial report. Seemed redundant to have two threads based off the same report, regardless of how its being presented. The thread can always be edited to accommodate vader's post (as long as Vari3ty's okay with that).

Sorry I'm a bit late on this one but yeah, I'm alright with it. Although this thread might have run its course by now. 

The Wii-U is dead. I see no hope or reason for anyone to purchase this system with the Xbox One and PS4 on the horizon. Not only are the number of third party games abysmal but Nintendo's games are sharing the same fate.

How the upper management still holds their jobs over there, I have no idea.  Hell, they even gave Iwata a promotion, go figure.  It makes me wonder what he'd have to do to get fired.

MirkoS77

[QUOTE="JJ_Productions"]There is absolutely no reason why your thread should have been locked. Two completely different topics. You should appeal it.c_rake

Both threads were based off Nintendo's financial report. Seemed redundant to have two threads based off the same report, regardless of how its being presented. The thread can always be edited to accommodate vader's post (as long as Vari3ty's okay with that).

[QUOTE="GodModeEnabled"][QUOTE="Shame-usBlackley"]

So they obviously deviated from the Blue Ocean strategy and instead opted for the Brown Septic Tank strategy instead.

Iwata shouldn't be fired, he should resign. He ruined the industry with the Wii, and now he can't even sell his own hardware as a result. Yes, it's time for Seppuku!

Shame-usBlackley

Yes. The lack of focus on gaming coming from Microsoft and Sony paled in comparison to the awful tangent Nintendo went off on with the Wii. They made the argument that gaming, as it existed in its present conventional form was broken and old; a relic that needed to be replaced. Whenever cries of protest became loud enough, Nintendo would drop scraps for the conventional markets, but there is and was no denying who that machine was geared towards --people who did not play games. 

Now, if that stupidity had stayed with Nintendo, I would have been fine with it. To each their own and all that, but it infected the other two and made them run towards these false utopias even as the Wii was collapsing in on itself. All three companies began chasing this fictitious buyer who bought hardware, but no games. And they seemingly couldn't get that this buyer was less valuable than the one they were trying so hard to supplant. 

If they didn't ruin the industry, they sure did a goddamned good job of trying. Iwata even marketed the Wii as a shock to the system; a device designed to disturb everyone's shit -- and disturb it it did. System sales are atrocious and software sales suck ass. All this bullshit Nintendo talked about regarding opening up new markets and expanding the base was a bunch of absolute horseshit.

[QUOTE="MirkoS77"]

How the upper management still holds their jobs over there, I have no idea.  Hell, they even gave Iwata a promotion, go figure.  It makes me wonder what he'd have to do to get fired.

JJ_Productions

[QUOTE="JJ_Productions"][QUOTE="MirkoS77"]

How the upper management still holds their jobs over there, I have no idea.  Hell, they even gave Iwata a promotion, go figure.  It makes me wonder what he'd have to do to get fired.

MirkoS77

[QUOTE="Black_Knight_00"]Ruined, no, but Shameus has a point: the Wii showed the industry that 100 million people will rush out and buy an underpowered, overpriced console submerged in shovelware, de facto showing that you don't need powerful hardware and bigger games in order to sell like crack if you only target the undiscerning casual mob instead of the picky, selective and entitled hardcore mob. Microsoft followed suit and made the Kinect. Sony followed suit and made the Move. Luckily they did not go all the way like Nintendo did, but I think it was a close call.Madmangamer364

Wow. It's sad that this is becoming the Wii's legacy in the mind of this industry... I can't help but feel that people were waiting for this thing to lose relevance, so they could trash it the moment it was pushed aside. I will kinda agree with you on a couple of things, though, and that's the Wii proved that a quality gaming console didn't have boast supercomputer-like power and cost an arm and a leg to both consumers and hardware makers alike. It also saw that a market existed outside of the self-important, self-proclaimed "hardcore" gamer and made a legitimate attempt to attract the mass market. However, I don't see these things as negatives in the slightest, much less industry-killing tactics. Instead, I just see it as a brilliant strategy that has rubbed a very vocal group of traditionalists the wrong way.

It wasn't the Wii or Nintendo during that time that was suffering the consequences of developing AAA titles and needing to sell millions of copies of a game in order to make profit. I can honestly understand if the Wii didn't sit well with people because it admittedly didn't represent the same narrow-market strategy most consoles have become accustomed to blindly following, including Nintendo's previous consoles. However, trashing the system is really uncalled for. The Wii's success wasn't some random bad experiment that suddenly worked out, as much as people now want to claim that it was. In my honest opinion, the Wii U's problem is that Nintendo deviated from the formula too much, opting to re-embrace a philosophy that has not only been much less successful for them, but has also evolved past Nintendo's understanding because of the HD/AAA development cycle. As a whole, I don't see the Wii U's struggles having much, if anything, to do with the Wii at all.

From dvader654's post and earlier thread comes an interesting fact that I'm sure most people will overlook:

• DS
  April 1 to June 30: 60,000 / 2,150,000
  Lifetime: 153,930,000 / 935,840,000
• Wii
  April 1 to June 30: 210,000 / 3,670,000
  Lifetime: 100,040,000 / 872,730,000

dvader654

If my calculations are correct that would mean the software-to-hardware ratios are as follows:

• DS: 6.1:1
• Wii: 8.7:1

So much for the notion that the Wii was only used for Wii Sports and nothing else, when it actually had a much better software/hardware ratio than the much more revered DS. And this is part of my problem about the way the Wii has been perceived. It can't be helped, and I'm not about to try to change opinions, but it has become the victim of so many unfounded myths and misunderstandings, it's hard not to be saddened by it all.

How about policy changes? Why management reshuffle? Your acting as if Nintendo has consistently released failed home consoles when in fact, their last console was the most profitable and highest selling home console ever under Iwata. Incompetence? Nintendo reiterated many times that they underestimated the jump from last gen Wii to HD and were thus understaffed when it came to developing games. They addressed the issue and said to have ramped up development teams since. The only issue the Wii U is facing is lack of games, and once momentum picks up, so will sales. Thats it.JJ_Productions

And the Wii was a fluke, evidenced more so by the fact that Nintendo's continual failures and lack of foresight are now becoming very visible now that there's no furor of the waggle and cash of the casual to enable and obfuscate them with.  Nintendo struck such gold with the Wii's gimmick that all of their long standing ineptitude and policies were glossed over for many years through the lens of novelty.  Now, they no longer have that novelty to hide behind, and that ineptitude and stubbornness is shining bright.

How about policy changes? Why management reshuffle? Your acting as if Nintendo has consistently released failed home consoles when in fact, their last console was the most profitable and highest selling home console ever under Iwata. Incompetence? Nintendo reiterated many times that they underestimated the jump from last gen Wii to HD and were thus understaffed when it came to developing games. They addressed the issue and said to have ramped up development teams since. The only issue the Wii U is facing is lack of games, and once momentum picks up, so will sales. Thats it.

JJ_Productions

Nintendo has failed consistently at the console business, which is why the Wii is only the second system in their history that enjoyed the majority of the market share. And that success was nothing more than a widespread fad that fizzled entirely nearly three years before they would launch the Wii's successor.

Even in success Nintendo managed to enjoy a measure of failure.

And the fact that Nintendo admits their mistakes after the fact is incidental because clearly, they never bother to make the necessary changes to ensure those same errors do not happen again.

As to games being the salvation of the system, even if that were true, a console is a conduit for software and the Wiki U has very little to offer despite nearly nine months on the shelves. Worse, the holiday lineup is, at best, paltry if not downright anemic and among the biggest releases is an HD re-release of one of the least popular Zelda games ever made.

And truthfully, the lack of software isn't going to improve dramatically because third parties are abandoning this system and retailers are already beginning push the Wii U and its games to the back of the shelves in preparation for new hardware that people actually want to buy.

The situation for the Wii U is dire and largely unprecedented and the failure is entirely on Nintendo's shoulders, as they released an underpowered consoles with a ridiculously expensive tablet controller that nobody wants.

So yes, they are grossly incompetent and as Mirko already pointed out, that incompetence is nothing new.

I disagree that the Wii was just a fluke. People act like some magical fairy dropped motion control on Iwata's lap, he slapped together the Wii and just tossed it on store shelves and BOOM, sales. I would imagine there was alot of planning and brainstorming behind the system. Perhaps they built prototypes and such, and unlike the Wii U, Nintendo actually put some effort into marketing the Wii and advertising it to give attention to the system.

And if motion controls were such an easy idea for money, then why didn't Sony or Microsoft think to make something like the Wii? Sony did it with they EyeToy, though that was more of a side thing. Nintendo was the only one to actually dare and stray from the usual console cycle or just improving hardware and adding a few new features, and was the only one to try and appeal to a larger, wider audience outside. 

The point is, while maybe the Wii was a fad, its not line Nintendo got that success by just sheer luck alone. They have likely put in alot of thought and work behind the system and actually had to show some initiative to look outside the gamer circle to get sales.

I will admit that Nintendo did lose focus on the Wii sometime after 2010 though. I'm guessing that after that point thy were already dealing with the 3DS and already planning on the Wii U (albeit poorly considering the system's abysmal sales and handling), and thus just kinda started supporting the Wii less as a result.

I disagree that the Wii was just a fluke. People act like some magical fairy dropped motion control on Iwata's lap, he slapped together the Wii and just tossed it on store shelves and BOOM, sales. I would imagine there was alot of planning and brainstorming behind the system. Perhaps they built prototypes and such, and unlike the Wii U, Nintendo actually put some effort into marketing the Wii and advertising it to give attention to the system.

And if motion controls were such an easy idea for money, then why didn't Sony or Microsoft think to make something like the Wii? Sony did it with they EyeToy, though that was more of a side thing. Nintendo was the only one to actually dare and stray from the usual console cycle or just improving hardware and adding a few new features, and was the only one to try and appeal to a larger, wider audience outside.

The point is, while maybe the Wii was a fad, its not line Nintendo got that success by just sheer luck alone. They have likely put in alot of thought and work behind the system and actually had to show some initiative to look outside the gamer circle to get sales.

I will admit that Nintendo did lose focus on the Wii sometime after 2010 though. I'm guessing that after that point thy were already dealing with the 3DS and already planning on the Wii U (albeit poorly considering the system's abysmal sales and handling), and thus just kinda started supporting the Wii less as a result.

DJ-Lafleur

I think you're giving Nintendo too much credit.

The Wii was a Hail Mary; a desperation move by a company that could no longer compete head-to-head with Sony or MS after being trounced for two consecutive generations. They shot for the casual gamer and tapped into an incredibly successful fad that lasted for about three years, then fizzled nearly as rapidly as it began.

Also bear in mind that Nintendo and their console benefited greatly from both MS and Sony making some significant mistakes early on, namely MS's confusing multiple hardware configurations and Sony's ridiculously expensive initial pricing of the PS3. Both companies also bet heavily on HD prematurely and their rush to get new hardware to the marketplace earlier than many consumers felt necessary made it easier for Nintendo to offer a weaker system at a much cheaper price.

It was the perfect storm: the competition screwing up while Nintendo simultaneously tapped into a new market. Unfortunately for Nintendo they discovered something about the ultra-casual consumer: they are not a sustainable source of revenue.

Further evidence of their incompetence can be seen in how poorly they handled the system once sales began to slow. As you mentioned, they began focusing on the 3DS and allowed the Wii to wither and die slowly, the system enjoying the occasional first party exclusive but ultimately left in the proverbial dust of their competition as both the XB360 and PS3 enjoyed a never-ending torrent of quality software. It's a rare thing to see the market leader in hardware limp across the generational finish line yet somehow Nintendo managed to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory.

In regards to consoles, I don't think Nintendo possess even a rudimentary understanding of what it requires to compete and clearly they didn't understand what propelled the success of the Wii because they clumsily tried to imitate their own console by once again offering up an underpowered system with a gimmicky input device as the central focus of the experience.

And guess what? They couldn't repeat the fluke.

MS in recent years became Nintendo like (offering core games based on only a handful of safe franchises) but its many third party supporters didn't and Xbox owners bought a wide variety of core games). On the PS3 Sony never stopped making original games and of course third parties are offering a wide range of games.CarnageHeart

It took several years for Nintendo's poor practices to catch up to them. Once a real competitor stepped up, Nintendo got used as toilet paper. I don't expect it'll be any different with Microsoft, honestly. Seeing all the plans they'd made for the Xbone it is apparent they have become egotistical and out of touch. The thing is, Microsoft is buoyed by a somewhat symbiotic relationship with Sony during the current generation, and while that may continue, Microsoft is making it extremely easy for people to switch sides. In other words, a symbiotic relationship can become cannibalistic really fast. There is absolutely nothing stopping a cheaper, more powerful alternative, with a more concentrated focus on games from using them as toilet paper too. And if there's one thing unique about Sony in this business, it's that they know how to dethrone a competitor and what's it like to be dethroned. That sense of perspective is completely absent from Microsoft, because they've experienced neither. In other words, while Nintendo is batshit crazy, Microsoft is just kind of stupid. They're the guy at school who starts wearing Volcom shirts because it's the popular thing, not because they really like anything about Volcom. They've become as "me too" a company as any I've ever seen before. I mean, even though Nintendo is the kid who starts wearing his underwear outside of his pants, at least you feel sort of sorry for him for being such a headcase, and at least he's unique, even if only in an awful kind of way. At the end of the day, I'd rather be neither, to be honest.

And yes, I agree -- in many ways Microsoft has done its best to imitate Nintendo's worst traits, from the shitty peripherals lauded as the "NEXT BIG THING" to the lack of software. Microsoft is worse in many ways, because it is like a fusion of Nintendo and something else, something that wants to be everything for everyone while delivering little to anyone. It's like they've become bipolar from a marketing standpoint. 

I have a Wii, DS, and a gameboy advance/color. I also love Mario and Zelda, but Wii U is just a bad gaming system. Low on memory, worse online capabilities than PS3 or 360, bad graphics etc. The controller doesn't really add much, its makes the game cooler, but it generally doesn't make the game much funnier. The controller could of just been an add on for the ps3 or 360. I was very disappointed when I saw the controller and graphics for the first time, and I knew the system would struggle. I may get it if there is a price drop, or if more great games come out for it. But right now , I really can't imagine my self buying one of these. crazyguy111

One of the most telling things about the Wii U, and it is something that should scare the living shit out of Nintendo, is how many of their most ardent fans are now abandoning this console.

When Nintendo can't even placate Nintendo fans, they are unquestionably screwed.

[QUOTE="CarnageHeart"]MS in recent years became Nintendo like (offering core games based on only a handful of safe franchises) but its many third party supporters didn't and Xbox owners bought a wide variety of core games). On the PS3 Sony never stopped making original games and of course third parties are offering a wide range of games.Shame-usBlackley

It took several years for Nintendo's poor practices to catch up to them. Once a real competitor stepped up, Nintendo got used as toilet paper. I don't expect it'll be any different with Microsoft, honestly. Seeing all the plans they'd made for the Xbone it is apparent they have become egotistical and out of touch. The thing is, Microsoft is buoyed by a somewhat symbiotic relationship with Sony during the current generation, and while that may continue, Microsoft is making it extremely easy for people to switch sides. In other words, a symbiotic relationship can become cannibalistic really fast. There is absolutely nothing stopping a cheaper, more powerful alternative, with a more concentrated focus on games from using them as toilet paper too. And if there's one thing unique about Sony in this business, it's that they know how to dethrone a competitor and what's it like to be dethroned. That sense of perspective is completely absent from Microsoft, because they've experienced neither. In other words, while Nintendo is batshit crazy, Microsoft is just kind of stupid. They're the guy at school who starts wearing Volcom shirts because it's the popular thing, not because they really like anything about Volcom. They've become as "me too" a company as any I've ever seen before. I mean, even though Nintendo is the kid who starts wearing his underwear outside of his pants, at least you feel sort of sorry for him for being such a headcase, and at least he's unique, even if only in an awful kind of way. At the end of the day, I'd rather be neither, to be honest.

And yes, I agree -- in many ways Microsoft has done its best to imitate Nintendo's worst traits, from the shitty peripherals lauded as the "NEXT BIG THING" to the lack of software. Microsoft is worse in many ways, because it is like a fusion of Nintendo and something else, something that wants to be everything for everyone while delivering little to anyone. It's like they've become bipolar from a marketing standpoint.

While I'm sure its purely a coincidence its amazing that both MS and Nintendo are bundling their systems with controllers which cost as much as the base console.

http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/161365-xbox-one-dev-claims-kinect-costs-almost-as-much-as-primary-console