Topic: Wii U Sells 57K Units in January

[Steel Diver]

Sales are not looking great for the console.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/33351

The Wii U sold about 57,000 units in January, according to figures obtained by CNET.

Initial NPD estimates had the system selling under 100,000 units, while Gamasutra had predicted sales in the range of 45,000 to 59,000 units. 

An accompanying comparison of sales history posted on Gamasutra shows that in comparison to the sales of other consoles in the first three months, the Wii U is still slightly higher than both the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, though well below both the Wii and the previous generation of consoles.

[Ceric]

That is sort of an interesting trend their.  If it holds that probably means that when the rest of the systems come it will be similar.

[pureval]

Did the XBOX or PS3 have any big name games come out in the time period? I know that as soon as a big game gets released on Wii U sales will go up on it.

[Miyamoto]

Huge price drop and aggressive software support stat!

[Razorkid]

I agree. I'm not surprised by the number nor dismayed because:

• There hasn't been a notable retail release in 2 months
• It's trending above the 360/PS3 in their same time frame, that is to say, it's trending with consoles similarly priced.

When the next Xbox and Playstation release, I believe they are gonna produce similar numbers again in the beginning.  I think this new gen of consoles are gonna experience a slow burn in sales similar to the HD twins of last gen and this console gen is gonna last even longer than the previous.  I really hate when ANY console's sales are compared to the Wii because that was a once in a life time phenomenon that will not be repeated until something just as disruptive and revolutionary happens to consoles again (like when Nintendo releases its Oculus Rift like VR helmet system in 2019).  It's an outlier and not something any console maker today can realistically shoot for with what is/gonna be offered when all 3 next gen systems are released.
Otherwise, I predict that all the next gen consoles are gonna take longer to sell as many as they did last gen mostly because of the economy.

I don't think a price drop is needed, maybe just one SKU, but as soon as the quality games start to hit at a regular pace, the system will pick up steam like the 3DS.

[Adrock]

I don't see a price drop coming until the end of the year at the earliest. The timing is better and the Wii U is already sold at a loss.

[Miyamoto]

Nintendo will not have a choice but to slash the price. Right now there is nowhere near enough incentive for the average consumer to part with so much money. The Wii U is essentially a PS360 at double the price with software costing more, without the software library and with tech that is already looking dated when compared to the PS4 / Nextbox leaks. The only option Nintendo has it to aim once again for the budget market with unique software. Very tough times ahead for the big N. Not good. The U should have ditched the now toxic Wii brand and come out at least a year sooner.

[ShyGuy]

We need more games. The whole industry is getting squeezed due to people spending less time playing video games and more time watching Netflix, browsing Facebook, and playing phone games.

[Fjurbanski]

The only reason Nintendo would need to drop the price is if the ps4/720 are priced the same as the Wii U. They won't be, though. They'll be higher. So as long as the Wii U is the cheapest option, and it starts pumping out must have games, there won't be any need to drop the price and sell it for even more of a loss.

[Ceric]

Man let me tell you that PS3 & 360 are doing terrible.  No new system for them.  Please we all know why its not selling.  If you can't afford a Wii U then you have other financial problems.    Its not that expensive for the tech and the rest will be more expensive.
 
As long as its tracking w/ the 360 & PS3 that's fine the games aren't their yet.

[Mop it up]

I don't think it's really surprising considering there hasn't really been notable software since launch. Nintendo need to be careful how they handle this situation, though. They've gotten through rough launches before, but they did it by making all the right moves. Here's hoping they've got more of a plan than it appears.

[broodwars]

As long as its tracking w/ the 360 & PS3 that's fine the games aren't their yet.

Except it's not. IIRC, the 360 sold something like 250,000 units in January, between 4-5 times more than the Wii U.  That it may be selling on-par with the Xbox 360's launch is kind of irrelevant considering that was 6+ years ago. The market's changed.  Even if the PS4/720 manage to repeat the Wii U's launch "success", you can be sure there will be more than two worthwhile games at launch with nothing coming in the next 6 months outside a game most people in NA won't give a **** about (Monster Hunter).

In any case, I'm looking forward to my Wii U Ambassador's program and price drop around E3, because Nintendo has nothing that anyone other than severe niches will care about until the Summer.  Because if Nintendo doesn't drop the price, people aren't going to care that good software eventually came in the Fall, just as they really didn't care that the Vita had great software that eventually came after launch.

[Shaymin]

They're not going to play the Ambassador card again, you'll take the 10% DDP and 30 cent VC games and like it. That would be setting a horrible precedent for every console to come.


Will there be a price drop? Yes, probably in the summer. But not 5 months after launch and not with 20 free games.

[broodwars]

They're not going to play the Ambassador card again, you'll take the 10% DDP and 30 cent VC games and like it. That would be setting a horrible precedent for every console to come.


Will there be a price drop? Yes, probably in the summer. But not 5 months after launch and not with 20 free games.

The precedent's already been set when Nintendo bailed out the failing 3DS with its Ambassador program + ridiculous price drop.  But hey, Nintendo only has a good 5-6 months of bad sales months to look forward to before they finally have software worth buying (Pikmin 3, Wonderful 101) while all the other platforms are loaded with software worth getting, so I'm sure they'll be fine.

And no, I didn't forget Monster Hunter, a niche of a niche game in NA if there ever was one.

[Ceric]

I have to wonder why your so hateful and like a DmC fan there and it is absolutely relevant how the PS3 & 360 did at launch instead of when their fully developed w/ a deep catalog. 

[Soren]

We already have an ambassador program. It's called the "30th Anniversary Famicon Virtual Console Trial Campaign." But yeah, we totally deserve more free games.

I also don't see how slashing $50 dollars off the price tag helps right now. There's still no games coming out.

[ShyGuy]

You would think virtual console games would be the quickest route to go. Or put some Wii Games in the e-shop for $15-$20 each.

[NeoStar9X]

The lack of any must buy games or any games of any kind at retail and no advertising at all I'm not surprised. By no advertising I mean zero. Not even so much as web ads or commercials on YouTube at the very least. Nothing at all.


I would like to see anything new sell well when handled that way.  February is going to be much worse. It actually would have been worse still had Rayman Legends still came out. Ubisoft was never going to advertise the game. Let's be honest here. Doesn't matter if it was coming to all three systems this month or in Sept. It was always going to be sent to die.


Things will get better. That much I'm sure of but how long it will it take is another matter. More games and better advertising when they do decide to advertise will be key. E3 is likely to be a relaunch of the system and I hope it works. Until then I hope Monster Hunter and Lego City do well but I really doubt because they will get no pushes. Need for Speed certainly won't and it looks to be worthy of a purchase as well.


What bothers me more though is how people on other forums are loving this and love throwing it in the face of others. Wanting others to feel bad about their purchases, etc. That more then anything is bothering me lately and I'm trying my best to not read a lot of threads in other places because of that and just avoid certain sites altogether.

[broodwars]

Things will get better. That much I'm sure of but how long it will it take is another matter. More games and better advertising when they do decide to advertise will be key. E3 is likely to be a relaunch of the system and I hope it works.

Unfortunately, that would mean that Nintendo would have spent 3 E3s in a row trying to "relaunch"/"make people understand the value of" the Wii U.  I hope they succeed this time because my Wii U is a $350 paperweight, but at some point you have to wonder if Nintendo really needs to kill their messengers when it comes to Wii U b/c they have utterly failed at selling the thing.

[ThePerm]

at that rate they'll sell 684,000 units by the end of the year.  Of course we know January is a slow month anyhow. Sales should pick up around march and July...not to mention the holiday season. They sold 2.6mu during the holiday season last year. I'm sure by the end of the year they will have sold 6million total. That will probably double as they gain momentum next year with some quality software.

I predict 60-70 million by the end of 5 years
year 1 = 6 million - slow growth - good year to buy stocks
year 2 = 12 million - popularity and momentum
year 3 = 24 million -continued momentum with price cuts -good year to sell stocks
year 4 = 12 million -steady decline with low prices and new colors
year 5 = 6 million - rapid decline with no games and no interest

 

[broodwars]

I have to wonder why your so hateful and like a DmC fan there

Dude, the ones being like the Devil May Cry fans are the Nintendo ones who are currently saying they hope the PS4/720 flop at launch like the Wii U has simply so they don't have to admit that they made a mistake and Nintendo ****-up with the thing.

I look forward to the Wii U Ambassador program because I missed the 3DS one & Nintendo has made it clear that we'll probably never actually see those games on the 3DS.  Plus, people here just love to point out how everyone called the 3DS a failure in its first year, and it's recovered.  Guess what Nintendo had to do to make the 3DS relevant? Oh right...an Ambassador program and major price drop. You can't keep using the 3DS as an example as why the Wii U isn't doomed if Nintendo doesn't take the steps to save the Wii U as they did the 3DS.

[TJ Spyke]

The Ambassador Program had NOTHING to do with helping the 3DS, it was just Nintendo apologizing to people who bought the 3DS before the price drop (since they dropped the price less than 6 months after launch, and I don't see them dropping the Wii U's price before E3). The price cut + notable new releases helped 3DS. Wii U just needs notable software (or really ANY software right now).

[Razorkid]

I have to wonder why your so hateful and like a DmC fan there

Dude, the ones being like the Devil May Cry fans are the Nintendo ones who are currently saying they hope the PS4/720 flop at launch like the Wii U has simply so they don't have to admit that they made a mistake and Nintendo ****-up with the thing.

I look forward to the Wii U Ambassador program because I missed the 3DS one & Nintendo has made it clear that we'll probably never actually see those games on the 3DS.  Plus, people here just love to point out how everyone called the 3DS a failure in its first year, and it's recovered.  Guess what Nintendo had to do to make the 3DS relevant? Oh right...an Ambassador program and major price drop. You can't keep using the 3DS as an example as why the Wii U isn't doomed if Nintendo doesn't take the steps to save the Wii U as they did the 3DS.

The PS4/720 are not gonna flop as long as they continue to provide quality software at a constant rate right out of the gate. WiiU's numbers for Jan is IMO more to do with absolutely no retail releases of note than anything else. When the games come and consistently, the system will be fine. The other point I want to make is that I can't see any of the new consoles selling 400K+ month to month for even a single quarter post holiday season because of the consumer landscape of today. Like I stated before, I think all the consoles (once they've all gotten through their growing pains) will sell similarly over time like the PS360 and probably less so. The consumer market for videogames ain't what it use to be, but Nintendo will be fine.

[Luigi Dude]

As I said in the sales thread, the Wii U in 2013 is looking to parel the DS in 2005.  In 2005, the DS had basically nothing for software until Kirby and Meteos hit in June, but both games didn't do much to help hardware.  It wasn't until Nintendogs in August that sales finally picked up, and then Mario Kart and Animal Crossing: Wild World gave it huge sales during the holiday.  Until Nintendogs hit though, the DS had numbers similar to the Wii U in the 50k range each month for most of 2005.

And yet in the end the DS would become Nintendo's most successful system of all time.  Hopefully more people will realize this when the Wii U numbers are terrible for the next several months.  Being bad now doesn't mean the sky is falling since the DS showed Nintendo can still turn things around.  A price cut along with Mario Kart U this Fall will probably do the trick.  I also wouldn't be surprised if they have a Wii Sports U ready for this holiday as well, that they'll start bundling in the new $300 Deluxe models.

[Caterkiller]

So Broodwars, did you buy a Wii U simply so you could run into forums saying "oh my god Wii U is such a piece of crap, I know because I own one, that means my opinion carries real weight!" hm? Why do you frequent these forums? I mean seriously why? Why do you own a Wii U, is it not everything you said it would be?

I've seen a few around here with their fanboyish remarks about Wii U's situation along with how and why Sony and Microsoft will be in the same position. But you speak like this place is Neogaf or IGN. Only person who really has an agenda around here is you, until everyone on this board goes "yeah, Nintendo Land really is worthless" you'll always be a grinch around here. Can't wait til you get Disney'd.