I have no idea, might be a local pricing error or something.
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ASDA no longer stocking/selling the Wii U in stores, won't restock this year
- Thread starter Nibel
- Start date
I have no idea, might be a local pricing error or something.
Space is always at a premium. Vita would have to suck twice as badly as Wii-U since it's smaller.
Sakura
Member
Isn't that how it should be though? If it was the same size as the PS3 or 360 section, what would they fill it with? There aren't that many Wii U games.
Yes, that's how it should be given it's relatively small library. I guess to give a similar example, you might remember walking into any game store around 2007-ish and noticing how small the PS3 section was compared to the PS2 and PSP games section. The PS2 and PSP had been out for much longer and therefore accumulated a larger library from first and third party developers.
Now in 2013 though? Go into a EB Games/Gamestop, Best Buy or most other game stores I can think of and the PS3 section will probably be the second biggest section there, behind the 360.
prag16
Banned
And Pikmin, TW101, and 3DWorld are following suit. Bone headed.
Lol. I remember the exact same image for Gamecube back in the day but with Shiggy.
evil_ash_xero
Banned
If Iwata doesn't get the boot, he could sink Nintendo.
Things are indeed looking ugly for the system.
At this point the options are two:
1)With a good price cut WiiU becomes a viable niche system for first party Nintendo games similar to GC.
2)Not even a price cut and the upcoming first party games have a decent effect on sales, then the system will be progressively discountinued.
In any case Nintendo should be thinking about their unified handheld/home console future because for them the home console market is done in the traditional way.
At this point the options are two:
1)With a good price cut WiiU becomes a viable niche system for first party Nintendo games similar to GC.
2)Not even a price cut and the upcoming first party games have a decent effect on sales, then the system will be progressively discountinued.
In any case Nintendo should be thinking about their unified handheld/home console future because for them the home console market is done in the traditional way.
TheDrowningMan
Member
Nothing has changed since launch in this case. A small minority of Asda stores carried the console (vast majority didn't) and they haven't taken any new stock, no new games since December. Not even for online sale. This is Asda doing exactly what they have since the console came out, but the wonderful gaming media has decided that it's news today.
At this point they need a price cut come this fall. Wind Waker pack-ins simply won't cut it.
This should say seal the coffin instead of box to make it perfect.
Aquamarine
Member
Regarding Wii U grand corporate strategy, it's simply too premature to pin anything on Iwata.
It's all contingent on whether the Wii U can be successfully revived in the Holiday 2013 / Spring 2014 season and invigorate third-party / retailer support.
Of course, supposing Iwata fails in Holiday 2013 / Spring 2014, his drain on potential Nintendo growth will be unanimous.
Too premature? At this point? Disagree. If Nintendo's "grand corporate strategy" didn't involve the year lead they had before MS and Sony jumped in the ring, I think it's safe to say they don't have one.
metalslimer
Member
I think what she means is that nintendo has led investors to believe they have a grand strategy that will change everything this fall and until said strategy fails iwata will be safe.
Retailers have been desperate with their own price drops. At some point either Nintendo drops it or retailers drop them
They needed a price cut months ago. They've held out this long.
Here's the strategy: drop the price when the games come out and start advertising.
Depending on how they do it, it might help them sell some consoles. If their q1 2014 is strong, who knows how sales will pick up.
I'm not saying this will happen, but this is what I would guess the fall strategy is. It's certainly not sending their games out to die with no marketing or holiday promo push.
Aquamarine
Member
Yep.
I don't believe Iwata is blameless for the Wii U's current failings. But considering he responds to all criticism with a specific timeframe for extraordinary revival, it's hard to pin him on "ruining Nintendo" or having a misguided corporate strategy at the moment.
Now of course, the moment he fails to live up to his wild promises, that's another thing altogether.
metalslimer
Member
There should be a pricecut already lined up for next month because Ubisoft is apparently watching Splinter Cell closely and its going to bomb hard. Rayman is also likely to crater. Basically Nintendo promised a huge profit this year and is going to kill the system before risking his job. He's going to try to keep wiiu at 350 with bundles like the Zelda bundle.
outunderthestars
Banned
I'd say it is about the same. My local Targets have stopped getting new Vita games or hardware shipments. The two I asked at said that it had been that way for months. Most other retailers seem to have moved the Vita to a tiny, out of the way section.
Not really sure a price cut is going to do anything. The games are what is needed and right now there isn't much on offer. I purchased this on launch and unfortunately I haven't had much of a reason to turn this thing on at all this year.
Pikmin is a start but its not a system seller - so the future wont get brighter any time soon.
Pikmin is a start but its not a system seller - so the future wont get brighter any time soon.
shinra-bansho
Member
Not to be too pedantic, but I think those would be considered tactics rather than an actual product strategy? They could form part of a strategy in trying to position the product as a low cost, family friendly system aimed at price conscious late-adopting consumers in the market for an HD console against the PS3 and 360 (which is what I think they should be aiming for at this stage).
As for the bolded, I really dislike this perpetuated idea of "anything can happen/who knows what will happen." Is it technically true, sure. But it seems a dismissal of likely more plausible outcomes based on historical precedent.
Local EB Games stores around me have pretty much pushed the Wii U and Vita into a tiny corner. Poor systems.I'd say it is about the same. My local Targets have stopped getting new Vita games or hardware shipments. The two I asked at said that it had been that way for months. Most other retailers seem to have moved the Vita to a tiny, out of the way section.
D
Deleted member 13876
Unconfirmed Member
A few years back you could say, they should just stock COD, FIFA and Wii Fit. The fact you can't say this today definitely hurts. The uneducated gamer as you call them is a substantial audience segment they had and lost.
Yeah- Nintendo's Business.
I am one of them. Apart from Mario Kart & Pokemon I don't own any Nintendo published games on my 3DS and I have none on Wii U.
Visualante2
Member
Difficult to cut the price when you're producing so few units. Reggie said the system is profitable with just one game sold, okay but that was when they were expecting to sell millions of units every month. Now with a scaled back production perhaps it is costing them more to manufacture than a year ago.
outunderthestars
Banned
The problem with that strategy is that retailers have had to sit on a pile of slow moving inventory for almost a year by then. ASDA won't be the only retailer to pull the system if it doesn't start selling better soon!
I think they probably waited to see if they could right the ship and also didn't want to admit that it was overpriced. With two consoles just around the corner, they are really left with no choice now.
metalslimer
Member
Not really, they can easily not drop the price if they think the bottom line will be hurt significantly and with them probably having to stop production a price cut will hurt and could result in a not so great year when they have their best 3DS lineup yet which would be disastrous
drivingpro
Member
Hahaha, you should see their advertising campaign, it's so dodgy.
"Who has the greatest gift of all? Dick Does"
D
Deleted member 13876
Unconfirmed Member
When I order pizza it always comes with a hot sauce packet called Hot Pizz. Whoever thought that was a great brand name either needs to be fired or promoted a few ranks. No in-between.
$249 is a good price, but Nintendo seriously needs to market the system more. I've seen more N64 and Gamecube commercials than anything for the Wii U.
Every first party title should have some sort of commercials...hit the saturday morning cartoon segment and the sunday evening fox animation segment.
Every first party title should have some sort of commercials...hit the saturday morning cartoon segment and the sunday evening fox animation segment.
Metallix87
Member
I think they're simply waiting for games to actually come out before the big marketing blitz.
CareFactorZero
Neo Member
IMHO, I hate to see a console fail. However, there are things Nintendo can do to help save the WiiU and make this console gen easy on themselves
1.) The tablet controller - IMHO this is what making the console expensive and making it a bad value. Simply, offering a pro controller and just selling the tablet controller as a 100 dollar add on, would allow them to cut the price of the system. No game thus far, has shown us that the tablet controller can evolve gaming experiences into something unique. The only thing it has been used for is in game map and inventory.
2.) Slash the price to 199 USD after taking out the tablet controller. Personally, I wont feel guilty for shelling out 200 for a system just for its exclusives and it would be cheap enough to become a secondary system for any gamer. They could use an ad campaign with this like "a next gen console at a not-so next gen price", once it starts moving units, third party support will return and people can play their fifa and COD on the Wii U
3.) Announce release dates for all titles, not just the year when they come out. Games need to follow a time table and Nintedo needs to be strict with time lines. No more delays for any of the titles.
IMHO if they do just this, they can sell 30M units atleast this gen. I know this is a little extreme but its better than where the Wii U is currently.
1.) The tablet controller - IMHO this is what making the console expensive and making it a bad value. Simply, offering a pro controller and just selling the tablet controller as a 100 dollar add on, would allow them to cut the price of the system. No game thus far, has shown us that the tablet controller can evolve gaming experiences into something unique. The only thing it has been used for is in game map and inventory.
2.) Slash the price to 199 USD after taking out the tablet controller. Personally, I wont feel guilty for shelling out 200 for a system just for its exclusives and it would be cheap enough to become a secondary system for any gamer. They could use an ad campaign with this like "a next gen console at a not-so next gen price", once it starts moving units, third party support will return and people can play their fifa and COD on the Wii U
3.) Announce release dates for all titles, not just the year when they come out. Games need to follow a time table and Nintedo needs to be strict with time lines. No more delays for any of the titles.
IMHO if they do just this, they can sell 30M units atleast this gen. I know this is a little extreme but its better than where the Wii U is currently.
I am Michael Bolton
Banned
None of which will be the hardware mover that Nintendo needs.
Visualante2
Member
RE: Marketing, different world, ad spend is more online than ever before.
Also they were probably targeting you 10-15 years ago. Now they probably aren't. Advertising is a very targeted thing, why spend money preaching to the choir. Maybe the ads are on shows you don't watch, websites you don't visit?
Also they were probably targeting you 10-15 years ago. Now they probably aren't. Advertising is a very targeted thing, why spend money preaching to the choir. Maybe the ads are on shows you don't watch, websites you don't visit?
He's right. It was the price drop of the high price tag, better advertising/marketing, & more software titles that saved the 3DS.
metalslimer
Member
I still think people are overestimating how much the controller cost. It really should not cost more than 50-60 bucks to produce maximum. Everything in it and on it are mass produced very cheaply.
Just need WalMart or EB and GAME to do the same
TheGreatMightyPoo
Banned
I am Michael Bolton
Banned
The point that the games Nintendo is counting on to resurrect the hardware won't accomplish said goal? But hey, I'm sure you'll turn the news of a huge retailer no longer stocking the Wii U into good news for Nintendo =P
TheGreatMightyPoo
Banned
I believe(could be wrong) his point was that those games could have online multiplayer making them more appealing but like NintendoLand and Nintendo's way, they don't.
In other words or actually the same words, you missed the point of his post.
Plus, TheDrowningMan keeps screaming at the top of his lungs that this topic isn't really news because it's nothing new from this retailer but no one really is paying attention(and I doubt he just made that all up).
(thisisneogafthough)
I am Michael Bolton
Banned
Not really because the main point of this thread is that a major retailer has stopped selling the Wii U. People are bringing up games that they think will help fix the problem and others are arguing that there isn't anything Nintendo can do at this point to fix said problems. That includes releasing games such as Mario, Pikmin, DK regardless of a multiplayer component.
PotionBleue
Member
Could you please back up your estimations with reliable sources? Because 50$ for a Wii U GamePad manufacturing cost sounds utterly ridiculous.
shinra-bansho
Member
Texas Instruments offers a reference design for a $70 Android 4.0 tablet.
We've seen teardowns of the controller.
The only way one can really reconcile the ridiculous cost some peg it at is that Nintendo is being severely gouged on the components.