ViewtifulJC
Banned
Steve, if these numbers are even close to remotely true, what do you believe Nintendo's best course of action would be regarding the Wii U?
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Wii U US November Sales Estimated at 149K by Pachter
- Thread starter Horse Armour
- Start date
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Steve, if these numbers are even close to remotely true, what do you believe Nintendo's best course of action would be regarding the Wii U?
Fixed it for U.
I would be surprised to find 500,000 who want a Wii U in a month. Therefore, I'd consider it encouraging for Nintendo if the console actually sells that number. I fully expect it not to happen.
Couldn't find one any more recent, if you want to post one feel free. I doubt Sony is shown in a positive light either outside of the buildings they had to sell.
Ludicrous Speed
Banned
It needs to be $250. When the $250 bundles hit they sold out instantly. Some people are interested in the Wii U if the price is right. I'm waiting for the $250 bundle to hit again and then I'll jump on it.
Not at $300 though. Not now.
Not at $300 though. Not now.
Kazuma Kiryu
Member
Most people are aware that these numbers aren't facts. Most people are also aware that we're talking about a console that's been one of the biggest bombs in the industry so far.
Because IF these numbers are true, this console is on death row.
You're talking about a console that:
1- has virtually no 3rd party support
2- shipped 3.91 million units in 12 months, alone as the only "next generation" system in the market, worldwide
3- has seen several nintendo developed or published titles come and go, where they did nothing but bomb
Anything below 500k is a disaster for Nintendo. We're talking about the successor to the Wii, not the successor to the Gamecube or the N64, a console that just got one of the highest rated games of 2013 and recently had a price cut.
Nintendo will not reach 9 million units by March 2014. Since Nintendo has failed every single forecast for the 3DS so far, they're now going to start failing every WiiU forecast? Seems like it might be a trend.
Iwata needs to wake up and look at what's happening, the market has completely rejected the WiiU. And this isn't a 3DS (traditional handheld market domination) or PS3 situation (3rd party support), as some people kept pointing out. Thankfully, that argument died down a bit.
Nintendo as a company isn't doomed, but the WiiU certainly is.
I wish I could be an "optimistic" nintendo fan as you are, but at some point, I just need to face the facts that this console just doesn't have what it takes to compete, as of today, regardless of how much I like Nintendo.
Desert landfill.
Aquamarine
Member
Yeah, not really.
Which goes against him being "always against it"
If this includes the entire operating profit for Sony Corporation / Microsoft Corporation, this graph is EXTREMELY flawed.
Nintendo only sells games and consoles. Microsoft and Sony do much, much more than that.
Smiles and Cries
Member
the platform has no future at that price this would be bargain bin pricing come on
Steve Youngblood
Member
The general idea that he was for an HD Wii concept at some point does not mean that he was ever on board with the Wii U specifically. You're not presenting a strong argument here in as much as it's clear that you're just being stubborn..
Didn't do much for Gamecube at that.
Mariah Carey
Member
There's nothing they can do. There's no money in staying in home consoles, there's no money in being a third party publisher, there's no money going mobile, and there's going to quickly not be any money in handhelds.
There might be some money left in love hotels, though.
cosmicblizzard
Banned
Actually, wasn't FY13 not bad thanks to the weakening yen? Sure, it wasn't by their own efforts, but it gave them some time to plan stuff.
outunderthestars
Banned
The PS3, 360, XB1, and PS4 don't seem to be having problems selling consoles with $60 games.
Steve Youngblood
Member
Well, again, I'm no analyst. But my suspicion is that you either:
A.) Hold out and come up with a last ditch effort to salvage the system with Mario Kart.
B.) Follow Sony's playbook with the Vita and just have it continue to just exist with no real plan. Hopefully just selling the hardware will be profitable by this point, and they can make modest profits on the hardware/first party software.
C.) Throw in the towel and discontinue it.
I'd lean more towards B myself, but let's see how the holiday actually pans out.
John Dunbar
correct about everything
I saw ZombiU for 10 euros so I bought it even though I don't own the console. Looks like it won't take too long for some nice deals to appear so I might actually get to play it.
Smiles and Cries
Member
or OUYA
Indeed. Overall, they have been back in the black for a while. Still at an operating loss, but in profit overall.
FY vs. CY
kobashi100
Banned
thats a really good post dude..
Maybe people noticed and simply rejected it.
I am sorry for Nintendo if those numbers should be real. The thing is dead and soon there is no handheld market left.
Isn't that what we were discussing? Someone made a statement that Sony was in better financial shape than Nintendo. I was comparing the companies, not game divisions (which Nintendo would likely still show favorably in regardless as Sony's cost to manufacture on PS3 was ridiculously high)
I said the concept and as such we're really not disagreeing here. I agree that they are two different things but to say he was never on board with the idea of an HD Wii is a bit disingenuous. His statement that Wii U was simply 18 months too late proves that. It's the idea, not the execution.
Randolph Freelander
Member
FY 2013 was still terrible. Revenue lower than 2012, down 65% from 2009, operating losses, small net profit due to exchange rates. This is not a position that Nintendo can stay in.
To be clear, I'll say it 1000 more times, Nintendo does not exist just to squeek by. That might work for an individual (one that never hopes to retire, at least), but it wouldn't work for an individual with investors. That indivual has to deliver returns that are growing at a level to at least match inflation, but preferably exceed it.
Manmademan
Member
I think we're past the point where "wait until Game X" becomes a feasible strategy. This system is tracking for somewhere around 10M consoles lifetime- even if mario kart manages to bring back 10 million additional consumers that were on the fence, it's still failure tier. hell, triple it to 30 million. it's still abysmal.
Sony actually HAS a plan for the Vita, though it's obviously not what they intended at system launch. The Vita right now is clearly being positioned as a companion device for the PS4, and to a lesser extent an outlet for small indie games.
The WiiU doesn't really have an avenue as a companion device to piggyback on the success of the 3DS.
This is probably where I'd go with it.
kobashi100
Banned
3DS is nintendo's most important machine.
Delaying smash would be madness. Releasing on Wii U first wont make a big difference, would piss of 3DS gamers and and be a pointless and desperate exercise.
brandonh83
Banned
I frequently defend Nintendo, but I'm one person who loves Nintendo's IP's. They really need to draw in more third party support and get the ball rolling. The hardware specs aren't the problem (conjecture on my behalf, maybe it isn't the problem but a problem), but the selection. It has great things like Mario and Wonderful 101, which in my opinion are both worth owning the system for alone, but it isn't enough to sway people who want a more robust selection. I'm sure it will happen over time, but Nintendo really needs to start connecting more with the consumer.
I don't know if they need more mature games or if they just need more good games. I have friends that will only play mature games, which IMO is something of an oxymoron. They won't even look in the direction of Wonderful 101 despite me trying to explain that the "kiddy" look was merely a choice and that the gameplay is complex and exciting and is what should matter. And Mario, well, yeah I don't even want to get started there. I'm beginning to think that Mario is only for gamers who look for great gameplay, and critics. Which is sad but whatever.
I don't know if they need more mature games or if they just need more good games. I have friends that will only play mature games, which IMO is something of an oxymoron. They won't even look in the direction of Wonderful 101 despite me trying to explain that the "kiddy" look was merely a choice and that the gameplay is complex and exciting and is what should matter. And Mario, well, yeah I don't even want to get started there. I'm beginning to think that Mario is only for gamers who look for great gameplay, and critics. Which is sad but whatever.
perfectchaos007
Member
That estimate is egregious. I do find it interesting how Pachter made his estimate to be 149K instead of a rounded 150K as if he deliberately wanted to make a sub 150 estimate for headline purposes. Either way, if the Wii U did sell close to that projection, Nintendo needs a HUGE december for the console otherwise, the remaining few 3rd parties still developing retail titles for the system may scrape their projects. It seems that grim to me.
Rodney McKay
Member
And I can't understand how anyone could make this statement with any kind of knowledge. Sure, any developer would have a more intimate knowledge of their own hardware, but developers are also perfectly capable of making games on other's hardware as well.
Nintendo's graphical strength is more in their artstyles anyways, and I fail to see how being on other systems would affect the gameplay in any way other than using a different controller.
ThatObviousUser
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KillerMan91
Member
Has nothing to do with their gaming side. So far this fiscal year (two quarters):
Sony gaming division: operating loss of 157 million (they are just launching new console).
Nintendo: operating loss of 234 million
Sony's gaming division will probably profit more than Nintendo this fiscal year. Next year is pretty much lock because they have no burden of launching new console.
It's because Nintendo intend for their games to run as close to perfect as possible. To do that on multiple consoles would require a considerable amount of further work which would delay games and severely increase the cost of the games to develop.
Randolph Freelander
Member
149 is a GAF supplied value. 65% was in the article. The headline was actually PS4/Xbox One sales.
Oh yeah
Except Nintendo's operating loss comes after consecutive profit where as Sony's comes off of consecutive loss.
*tears*
GraveRobberX
Platinum Trophy: Learned to Shit While Upright Again.
Aquamarine
Member
Here is a mostly complete list of Pachter's predictions for November 2013 (taken straight from his investor note):
Notice how everything is rounded nicely?
airmangataosenai
Member
What's funny about that is that he actually usually overestimates Wii U sales, doesn't he? We'll see in a few days.
As an interesting case of history repeating itself, Nintendo tried to position the Gamecube as a GBA companion device by linking the systems and providing some "asymmetric gameplay" titles like Zelda: Four Swords which gave each player a screen.
It didn't really help at the time either, so it's a bit surprising that Nintendo would go back to that idea by building the Wii U around a similar feature.
kobashi100
Banned
Not sure if sarcastic?
no mate. post has some solid points!
Smiles and Cries
Member
I could see the Wii U beating the November lowest
if those bundles did not reach 300K I have no idea what Nintendo is going to do with this thing
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Nintendo's operating loss includes the costs of their huge brand new R&D building which is almost finished...
AHA-Lambda
Member
Dude, if mario can't do it there's no bloody way smash will save it.
ultratruman
Banned
Didn't Iwata just assume the role of NoA CEO?
If US numbers really are this bad, he's made it very hard to divert blame. That's like the first rule of power Saturo: always have a scapegoat!
If US numbers really are this bad, he's made it very hard to divert blame. That's like the first rule of power Saturo: always have a scapegoat!
perfectchaos007
Member
Ah, so number crunching on our part gave us the number. fair enough. I guess our sales age team is used to number crunching now since NPD won't throw us a bone like the good ol' days.
ab.aeterno
Member
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