The Wii U is a failure?

[kamikazekeeg]

Most people won't say it out loud, but looking around the internet with people who care more about saying what wants to be said than reality. Won't continue the dreamcast wasn't expecting to die as soon as it did either

Most people have and agree the Wii U is in a troubling place.  You aren't hear spouting off the "untold truth" and opening the minds of folks to something they are just failing to realize.  Everyone sees that Nintendo is having trouble with the Wii U.  Well regarded fact for abit now, especially after the successful launches of both the Xbone and PS4.  At this point and with what we know of the company, Nintendo isn't in any real danger right now of losing their hardware business.  At the most, we'll just see a shorter life cycle between the Wii U and the next system.

[dreama1]

Most people won't say it out loud, but looking around the internet with people who care more about saying what wants to be said than reality. Won't continue the dreamcast wasn't expecting to die as soon as it did either

Most people have and agree the Wii U is in a troubling place.  You aren't hear spouting off the "untold truth" and opening the minds of folks to something they are just failing to realize.  Everyone sees that Nintendo is having trouble with the Wii U.  Well regarded fact for abit now, especially after the successful launches of both the Xbone and PS4.  At this point and with what we know of the company, Nintendo isn't in any real danger right now of losing their hardware business.

decline is nothing to be proud about, real danger no, but danger yes they should be concerned about it. It's like wearing flower glases or something. Before things get worse nows the time people should speak up about it. Unless they want to talk about the good old days when the wii u still had a future, and what went wrong a decade from now.

[sin2beta]

The Wii U is no doubt a financial failure at the moment, especially by Nintendo's standards. However, many are preaching gloom and doom regarding Nintendo as a whole company. The company is sitting on a Mountain of cash from the DS and Wii from last gen, not to mention two decades of financially successful hardware and software. Nintendo could release three system bombs in a row before any serious talk of the company as a whole could seriously be brought up.

Nailed it.

If Virtual Boy didn't kill them. The Wii U certainly won't.

The latest episode of RadioFreeNintendo actually debated what is the biggest failure: the virtual boy or the WiiU. It's fairly interesting. Well worth a listen. It's a question at the end.

A recent number floating around is that the Dreamcast outsold the WiiU in the current timeframe. http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/segas-failed-dreamcast-actually-outsold-the-wii-u/

The WiiU is strange territory for Nintendo. They almost never lose money on a system. However, they take a loss on each WiiU system sold. There is decent news though. They make a profit if that user buys two disc games or buys one digital game. This seems like a guarantee. I suspect the WiiU is going to be "break even" ground for Nintendo.

Plays old wii games. Check.
Plays old virtual console purchases. Check.
Has more decent games than Virtual Boy. Check.
Has a sweet Metriod game... Crap.

Guys, we just found the problem. :-) somebody call nintendo!

Seriously though. It might be a bigger bomb for the big N financially, but I'm with redblaze. It's got enough solid games under it already that folks that bought it are in better shape than folks that bought into the Virtual Boy.

Also to assume Nintendo might fail as a company because of WiiU failing as a console ignores bikingjahuty's point. Nintendo has massive cash reserves.

Sega did not. Sega needed Dreamcast to be big because they were running on fumes.

Being able to sustain something does not exclude it from being a failure. Cash reserves state nothing regarding current success.

The point of the RFN question is as follows: The WiiU might be a bigger failure than the virtual boy due to its expectations and marketing. The WiiU is fairly conservative and came off of the Wii's success. The Wii was huge. Sold like crazy. The WiiU is, without question, meant to be riding that. Just look at its name and design. However, it has sold horribly. While the virtual boy was extremely radical. It looked like it was going to fail. It was never meant to be Nintendo's next big console. Nintendo had the ability to ditch it as it had another home console and portable. The virtual boy was neither a home console or a portable. It was an attempt to create a third platform. This, by definition, should be niche. The virtual boy, in a lot of ways, is a failed experiment. Not bad. While the WiiU is a failed conservative attempt at one of their main markets. Signs of major trouble.

It could be argued that the WiiU is the bigger failure. I'm not saying it is. But it could be argued.

[kamikazekeeg]

decline is nothing to be proud about, real danger no, but danger yes they should be concerned about it. It's like wearing flower glases or something. Before things get worse nows the time people should speak up about it. Unless they want to talk about the good old days when the wii u still had a future, and what went wrong a decade from now.

Speak up about what? What are you even going on about? Nintendo has shown plenty of concern for the system for a while now and made decisions to show how they think about it such as Iwata taking a huge pay cut over the troubles with the system. No one is denying that Nintendo is struggling, or that the Wii U isn't hurting them because of poor sales.  The only thing I'm seeing in the conversations any more are two things.  People worried about the system, but excited for some upcoming titles, and those who are foolishly calling this the end of Nintendo's hardware career.  Their handheld business is massively successful, the Wii U is nothing more than a bump in the road for them.  I would say their future lies more on the next system and how well it can compete with other consoles as being a much bigger decider on their LONG term future, but I think at the very worst, it would only end up with Nintendo focusing on their handheld market instead.

[turf]

You aren't hear spouting off the "untold truth" and opening the minds of folks to something they are just failing to realize.

I beg to differ. Because of this, I now hate everything Nintendo. It is a child's toy that is doomed to fail. I'm glad someone brought me to the light before I enjoyed something.

[kamikazekeeg]

You aren't hear spouting off the "untold truth" and opening the minds of folks to something they are just failing to realize.

I beg to differ. Because of this, I now hate everything Nintendo. It is a child's toy that is doomed to fail. I'm glad someone brought me to the light before I enjoyed something.

I want your collection of Nintendo games cleaned out by the morning!

[foxhack]

You aren't hear spouting off the "untold truth" and opening the minds of folks to something they are just failing to realize.

I beg to differ. Because of this, I now hate everything Nintendo. It is a child's toy that is doomed to fail. I'm glad someone brought me to the light before I enjoyed something.

I want your collection of Nintendo games cleaned out by the morning!

I'll take them and give them a proper ... disposal.

[turf]

You aren't hear spouting off the "untold truth" and opening the minds of folks to something they are just failing to realize.

I beg to differ. Because of this, I now hate everything Nintendo. It is a child's toy that is doomed to fail. I'm glad someone brought me to the light before I enjoyed something.

I want your collection of Nintendo games cleaned out by the morning!

I'll take them and give them a proper ... disposal.

I burned all of them with my arcade cabinets, systems, Nintendo Powers, and childhood just as soon as I saw the Truth.

[dreama1]

You aren't hear spouting off the "untold truth" and opening the minds of folks to something they are just failing to realize.

I beg to differ. Because of this, I now hate everything Nintendo. It is a child's toy that is doomed to fail. I'm glad someone brought me to the light before I enjoyed something.

Oh dear what have you been reading?, posts that are not postive about holy nintendo? This can't be this is sacrilege! You're more than free to religiously worship the church of nintendo if you so do wish. If you feel so strongly about it still you can give me all your nintendo games, and i'll send you the wii u that my friend is using a door-stop free of charge.

[kamikazekeeg]

Oh dear what have you been reading?, posts that are not postive about holy nintendo? This can't be this is sacrilege! You're more than free to religiously worship the church of nintendo if you so do wish. If you feel so strongly about it still you can give me all your nintendo games, and i'll send you the wii u that my friend is using a door-stop free of charge.

Not trashing Nintendo doesn't mean that anyone here is thinking the opposite, that Nintendo is put onto this pedestal that can never be touched or criticized, but this idea that Nintendo MUST be called out, that you are the only one willing to stand up to Nintendo, is just pointless.  Seems to be a common thread with you and your posting.  The thread at this point really just feels like you wanted an argument rather than a discussion.

[Warmsignal]

I've worshiped in the Holy Church of Nintendo since Bible Adventures. This is religious persecution I tell ya.

[dreama1]

Oh dear what have you been reading?, posts that are not postive about holy nintendo? This can't be this is sacrilege! You're more than free to religiously worship the church of nintendo if you so do wish. If you feel so strongly about it still you can give me all your nintendo games, and i'll send you the wii u that my friend is using a door-stop free of charge.

Not trashing Nintendo doesn't mean that anyone here is thinking the opposite, that Nintendo is put onto this pedestal that can never be touched or criticized, but this idea that Nintendo MUST be called out, that you are the only one willing to stand up to Nintendo, is just pointless.  Seems to be a common thread with you and your posting.  The thread at this point really just feels like you wanted an argument rather than a discussion.

Not really I wanted truthful discussion, and insight about the direction the wii u is heading without the sentimental bullshit but that seems to much to hear reality. "The wii u is failing but I won't say anything because I don't want to upset the fanboys", sorry for my bluntness. Not to be name called, and ganged up by you, and your friends like a bunch of tribal folk. But I don't mind. A console originally called the nintendo "family" entertainment system it was targeted for kids that still resides today. Why so much aggression that it's fundamentally a childrens toy. Doesn't mean it's bad.

[kamikazekeeg]

Not really I wanted truthful discussion, and insight about the direction the wii u is heading without the sentimental bullshit but that seems to much to hear reality. "The wii u is failing but I won't say anything because I don't want to upset the fanboys", sorry for my bluntness. Not to be name called, and ganged up by you, and your friends like a bunch of tribal folk. But I don't mind. A console originally called the nintendo "family" entertainment system it was targeted for kids that still resides today. Why so much aggression that it's fundamentally a childrens toy.

I didn't see any super serious fanboys in this thread, just pointing out where you might be wrong and even agreeing with you on the issues of the system.  At the very most were a few people like me very interested in some of the games coming up, but none of us are blind to the situation the Wii U is in.  You are arguing without anything to argue about because there's no one to take the bait.  You see the Wii U as a failure, others just see it struggling, but we've seen how things have gone bad for Nintendo before and they've recovered, or it was just a loss and they made it up the next time around.  The 3DS was being called a failure too and that is now doing fantastic.  I don't think that's the future for the Wii U though, but there are still some great looking games coming up.

I've only been here around 3 days longer than you, but with the vibe about this place compared to other forums I visit, it's a very chill place.  People aren't wanting to argue about stuff like that in particular.  It's all very goofy and half-serious, none of the console war type stuff you get in game threads elsewhere, not much of the foaming at the mouth fanboy stuff.  It's not about unconditional love for Nintendo or some thing else, it just seems mostly unnecessary to get confrontational about this stuff.

[dreama1]

Not really I wanted truthful discussion, and insight about the direction the wii u is heading without the sentimental bullshit but that seems to much to hear reality. "The wii u is failing but I won't say anything because I don't want to upset the fanboys", sorry for my bluntness. Not to be name called, and ganged up by you, and your friends like a bunch of tribal folk. But I don't mind. A console originally called the nintendo "family" entertainment system it was targeted for kids that still resides today. Why so much aggression that it's fundamentally a childrens toy.

I didn't see any super serious fanboys in this thread, just pointing out where you might be wrong and even agreeing with you on the issues of the system.  At the very most were a few people like me very interested in some of the games coming up, but none of us are blind to the situation the Wii U is in.  You are arguing without anything to argue about because there's no one to take the bait.  You see the Wii U as a failure, others just see it struggling, but we've seen how things have gone bad for Nintendo before and they've recovered, or it was just a loss and they made it up the next time around.  The 3DS was being called a failure too and that is now doing fantastic.  I don't think that's the future for the Wii U though, but there are still some great looking games coming up.

We will see. But the lose of 3rd party support, and EA sport games is big blow. And only 3 games this year are due for release that mean anything. And in my opinion I never thought the 3ds was a failure, and it's a handheld anyway not a console. But maybe your right, but the wii u here is dead, and no one cares they care about there xbox one, and ps4's. Asked a friend if he's heard of a wii u his response was wtf is a wii u. I think that's all I needed to hear. Only people who even play wii u are hardcore collectors who buy everything, and every console anyway. Probably never even play it either, but defend it fanatically. You know it's true.

[kamikazekeeg]

We will see. But the lose of 3rd party support, and EA sport games is big blow. And only 3 games this year are due for release that mean anything. And in my opinion I never thought the 3ds was a failure, and it's a handheld anyway not a console. But maybe your right, but the wii u here is dead, and no one cares they care about there xbox one, and ps4's. Asked a friend if he's heard of a wii u his response was wtf is a wii u. I think that's all I needed to hear.

Certainly agree that a lack of third party is not good and they need to announce more game dates for stuff.  I was just pointing out that the 3DS was getting called out for its lack of games and that it was failing, but it came back also and the Wii U has that chance if it can get more people on board, but it's not very likely.

I think the biggest factor is that the basic consumer just doesn't understand the Wii U, purely because Nintendo failed.  They gambled that calling it the Wii U would make folks think of the good selling Wii before, but people thought it was too much Wii and therefore didn't think it was anything that big of a deal.  I really wonder if they had called it something else entirely and then acknowledged it's backwards compatibility with the Wii afterwards, if it would've done better to be more obvious to consumers that it was a new system, and not just a tablet addon to the Wii.