The Wii U needs to catch a break
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Since the release of the Wii U, Nintendo is having a hard time finding a place in the market. Why is it a big problem now? Well, it's only competing against current-gen consoles...and it's struggling. Where it stands now, consoles such as the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, even the Wii still remain at the top.
The Wii U is Nintendo's console for the coming years, but the appeal seen so far makes me worried. With PS4 and the Xbox One just around the corner, the incentive to consider the Wii U u during the holidays is slim. The problem that Nintendo is currently facing is how to stand out. The previous console, the Wii, had so much more going for it back in the day; A new unique way to play games( motion controls) and exclusive titles on platform launch( twilight princess). What the Wii U had during last years launch was close to nothing. No big first-party title as well as no feature to really stand out. And that highly mentioned third-party support during the start slowly dwindled as the months went by. The extra screen on the pad was a neat idea, but the PS3's six axis was also a neat idea, and we know how that turned out. The gamepad's extra screen, which Nintendo tried so hard to convince people it's a big feaure, is nothing if you put it side by side with the Wii's motion controls. That control scheme did it for the Wii. It kept the console afloat for years. The casual crowd just loved it. The Wii U just doesn't have that, and what it currently offers is about the same as everything else out now.
Graphics have been upgraded to match current consoles today, great, but when the new batch of consoles get released, they are back at the tail end visually. I'm not saying graphics are everything. It's just an edge against them that Nintendo insists on living with. Is Nintendo worried? I'm positive, especially when the Wii is doing slightly better than their next-gen console..
Nintendo reported their financials since April 1 to June 30 and revealed that they sold 160,000 Wii U units globally. Let that sink in for a minute...okay let me make it worse. On the same months, the Wii did even better selling 210,000 units. I'm not sure how they would allow sales like this to happen. The company is still earning profits overall thanks to great sales elsewhere and the 3DS finally selling like hotcakes, but I'm sure they were not expecting these kinds of figures.
But there's still time. There's no more room for error though. Games are really what matters and Nintendo's prized possessions are still on their way. Mario, Zelda, and the rest of the Nintendo band Wagon has yet to hit the Wii U, so don't count out this console just yet. All it needs is an opening. Why didn't they start the launch with a big title that is well known and is a sure sell? I have no clue. Pikmin 3 is out now and is one of the big titles to hit the console this year. As we get closer to the holidays, the Wii U needs exclusive games like Pikmin to pull people to buy the console, to get some kind of momentum. The month after that we get The Wonderful 101, but that might take a beating since Grand Theft Auto V is scheduled on the same week (Why Nintendo? Why!?). It's going to be a rough year for the young Wii U. Once the PS4 and Xbox One gets released, it will get even harder since it will be a three-way fight to get consumers attention.z
It's not a race, But it's a war, and Nintendo is already taking a lot of hits without the next generation at full swing yet. The Wii U needs to catch a break. I don't see it getting one this year, but maybe next year we'll see it turn around with back-up from games like Super Smash Bros U, the new Zelda game, and Bayonetta 2.
[Source: IT World]
