Topic: New Super Mario Bros. Wii Selling Relatively Slowly in Europe

[NWR_pap64]

In comparison to North America and Japan, Europe sees the slowest sales of the multiplayer Mario title.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=23057

 Despite New Super Mario Bros. Wii being a worldwide success with 14.7 million copies sold, Europe is seeing the slowest sales of the title according to Nintendo data. In an investor meeting, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata explained why he felt this was occurring.    

  “In Japan and in the United States, video games established its position as a part of pop culture when the original Super Mario Bros. launched back in the days when we were selling Famicom in Japan and Nintendo Entertainment System or NES for short in the U.S. Back then, a lot of people must have enjoyed playing Super Mario Bros. and the fond memories must have remained in their hearts.    

  On the contrary, in Europe, Nintendo did not have its own subsidiary to market its products, and NES did not spread as widely as in Japan or in the U.S. Because of this background, Europeans may feel less nostalgia for Super Mario than the Japanese or the Americans, which may have caused the comparatively weaker sales of this software so far in Europe.”  Regardless of the sales data, Iwata remains optimistic of the series' growth in Europe.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

It's time to release a DVD in Europe and replace Mario with Sonic the Hedgepig instead.  Get to it, Iwata.

[stevey]

Who needs video games when the sun is smother out and FIRE is raining down from the sky!

Boycott Iceland Volcanoes

[broodwars]

So in other words Europe in general isn't clouded by nostalgia for the original Super Mario Bros. series on NES, so its spiritual clone successor isn't doing as ridiculously well.  Well, good for them.
 
Honestly, I'm surprised Iwata even cares, considering the only thing that causes Nintendo concern is when the Japanese audience gets cranky.

[KDR_11k]

Europe is full with Sonic nostalgia, that's the only reason I can think of why Sonic games keep selling despite repeatedly failing par.

[TJ Spyke]

The game has still sold about 3 million copies in Europe, so it is still selling really well. Europe, in general, was never a strong Nintendo market before this gen. Europe was stronger for Sega in the 8/16-bit gens, than Sony for 32/64 and last gen.

[NWR_pap64]

Europe is full with Sonic nostalgia, that's the only reason I can think of why Sonic games keep selling despite repeatedly failing par.

That, and they are too busy buying "Just Dance" to care.