Wii U sales collapse, Nintendo reports just 160K sold for Q2 2013

[Scorpus]

Nintendo's first fiscal quarter results are in and they don't paint a pretty picture. Despite posting slim profits at ¥8.62 billion (US$88 million) on revenue of ¥81.5 billion ($830 million) during calendar Q2 2013, sales of their Wii U console have fallen off a cliff, with the company reporting just 160,000 units sold across three months and 1.03 million software sales. That's half the number of consoles sold compared to the previous quarter and it puts the total of Wii Us on customers hands at just 3.61 million since launching late last year.

The entirety of Australia and Europe combined only purchased 10,000 Wii Us across the three months, with 60,000 sales coming from the Americas and a majority of 90,000 consoles sold in Japan.

On a better note, Nintendo reported shipping 1.4 million 3DS handheld devices with an additional 11 million software sales boosted by Animal Crossing: New Leaf. The original Wii also posted sales greater than the Wii U, with 210,000 sold for the quarter, alongside 3.67 million software sales, bringing the total Wii sales above 100 million in a significant milestone for the company.

Nintendo says the Wii U's poor performance is partly due to the lack of "key first-party titles" to help sell the console, which still apparently sells at a loss. The company's financial forecast is positive, as they hope major first-party title releases in the second half of the year will help their platform gain momentum. Some of them include The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Super Mario 3D World and Wii Fit U.

For their entire fiscal year, set to end in March 2014, Nintendo is still forecasting nine million Wii U shipments and an overall operating income of ¥100 billion (US$1.02 billion), but only time will tell if they can improve their sales enough to post a profit like that.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/53441-wii-u-sales-collapse-nintendo-reports-just-160k-sold-for-q2-2013.html

 

[TomSEA]

Good. I haven't owned a console since the N64, but am interested in this one. Unlike the new PlayStation and XBox, it's backwards compatible with the original Wii giving you an instant huge catalog. Hopefully they'll drop the pricing due to these low sales as I'd like to get one within the next 3-4 months.

 

[tipstir]

The last Wii I have here is the Wii Black in late 2011 and it today it sells for $129 where as the new Wii U cost $349. This model just another example of what people don't really need. Nothing wrong with the prior model. Okay could only do 480p didn't have full HD 720p/1080p. Namco ExerBeat one of there better exercise games with Yoga, Tai Chi / Qigong plus Karate and boxing workouts.

 

[Guest]

I've owned the console since last year. With being said I'm happy with my purchase. Sure it lacks the must have titles from Nintendo but some of the third party software that has been released for it have been a blast. My 360 just sits there and to tell you the truth I packed it up because I don't play it. I've been playing Tekken, NFS, Resident Evil, I still need to finish Batman, and the other software from the EShop have been a nice addition. I going to pick up Pikmin and when ever they release Deus Ex I'll pick that up. Maybe Splinter Cell but once Wonderful 101 and Zelda HD is release there goes my life. Plus my 3DS isn't helping my free time too.

 

[Sunny87]

Such an underrated console, loving pikmin 3 and the free Nintendo Network, Nintendo has stepped it up, but unfortunately I don't think many people are in a console buying mood in summer, I'd assume winter sales will pickup.

I can't see Xbone or PS4 sale being as high as previous systems though either.

 

[benken2202001]

Just let me buy old games on the Nintendo Net, download, and reminisce for cheap, like STEAM does.

 

[Jad Chaar]

I hate to see Nintendo going downhill .

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

I think the problem is the Wii was a system for people less interested in serious gaming. People like younger kids, older adults and very casual gamers. These aren't the types of people who will upgrade to buy the newest and best when what they already own works perfectly well.

 

[oldikes]

I think the problem is the Wii was a system for people less interested in serious gaming. People like younger kids, older adults and very casual gamers. These aren't the types of people who will upgrade to buy the newest and best when what they already own works perfectly well.

The problem is that all the kiddies that are less serious about gaming play COD now instead of wii games.
And even me, as someone who would gladly support nintendo, cant do it because they cant seem to make any non-gimicky, original games...

 

[GhostRyder]

I hate to see Nintendo going downhill .

Amen, but I hope that some changes and other games will get announced to up the console back on its feet. A lot of the games on wii u are just 360 or ps3 games re-launched late on the console. We need another metroid game!!!!!!

 

[Jad Chaar]

Seriously. I really hope Nintendo makes a console that can compete with the Xbox One and PS4 while also maintaining the vintage feel/quality of Nintendo consoles.

 

[Ranger1st]

I'll wait till I can home brew a Wii U.. The Wii the kids have went from 'sort of used' to essential once it was brewed.

 

[BlueDrake]

Seriously. I really hope Nintendo makes a console that can compete with the Xbox One and PS4 while also maintaining the vintage feel/quality of Nintendo consoles.

That's pretty unlikely, that they will want that kind of power. Then again Nintendo has always been kinda backwards, no offense to Nintendo fans for various things. It's usually first-party titles, that end up pushing the console more. People just find various things are more gimmicks, or they have the previous system. So they don't see a major need, in actually pushing for the newer one.

Unless it has worthwhile titles that will grab attention, people will be dismissing it honestly as an unneeded console. It's always the simple first-party games, that draw people actually into it. Otherwise it seems more of a get or forget kind of thing.

 

[Sniped_Ash]

I think the problem is the Wii was a system for people less interested in serious gaming. People like younger kids, older adults and very casual gamers. These aren't the types of people who will upgrade to buy the newest and best when what they already own works perfectly well.

The problem is that all the kiddies that are less serious about gaming play COD now instead of wii games.
And even me, as someone who would gladly support nintendo, cant do it because they cant seem to make any non-gimicky, original games...

I think it's a two part problem:

1. Like MilwaukeeMike said, the Wii was a hit because people like my mom and my aunt bought one. They are not gamers and will never be serious about games because they don't see them as serious things. Since their only direct exposure to "games" is a Nintendo product, that's not the way to show them that video games can be an immersive, mature storytelling medium. They will continue to view games as a thing for children and their Wii as a toy.

2. Nintendo dropped the ball hard on defining what the Wii U actually is. When the people who cover game news for a living still weren't entirely sure what the Wii U was supposed to be in the months leading up to launch, how exactly can they get regular gamers on board?

 

[Burty117]

Personally, I don't own a Wii U but I have various friends that have and from what I've seen (and used) it's actually a very good, and very capable console, I honestly wish it could play DVD's, it's not the end of the world but it would replace our dying DVD player and also be used as a games console.

Anyway I think Nintendo went about this all wrong, they should have waited the extra year and made sure they had some seriously outstanding titles, they also need to advertise better, I've come across quite a few people who didn't know it was fully backwards compatible with all their Wii games and most peripherals, Plus it now does full 5.1 surround sound and 1080p and does it well, it now has graphics capability's to push the games to a new level and the controller setup is genius! A pro controller for your multi-format shooter (CoD) your Wiimote and Nunchuck for... well Wii games and the touchscreen for all the new stuff.

If they had waited and had the games this year... well I bet it would outsell initial PS4 and Xbone sales...

 

[St1ckM4n]

Simple - it's too expensive.

AU pricing is $420 for the Premium 32GB. For this price, I can get 500GB PS3, two controllers, 5+ games, HDMI, etc. It's a blueray player, more powerful, better games catalog by far, more professional.

On the Wii, I get zero games, lame ports, glossy cheap plastic finish with gimmicky screen, no DVD/CD playback, no networking features, no Netflix etc...

By the way, XBOX360 bundles are $250, cheap as chips.

There's literally no reason to get the Wii U at this stage. Price needs to be <$300 ASAP, becuase how will a $400 console go with $500 next-gen ones that blow it out of the water?

 

[Guest]

Nintendo has lost all touch with what the modern gaming community wants. They had a hit with the Wii, but even that got very old, very fast.

They should focus on making zelda and mario games for the xbox one and PS4. They have multi billion dollar gaming IP, way more than Sega, I just think they refuse to throw in the hardware towel...

Oh and a well made Zelda movie franchise could bring them in a nice payday as well. I think LOTR and Marvel comic movies have proved its now possible.

 

[Puiu]

Besides 2 games, maybe 3-4 by the end of the year, there is absolutely no reason to buy this console. It's expensive, relies on a gimmicky controller that could have been done much much better (if you compare it to tablets, it's like comparing mobile phones from 10 years ago to smartphones).

Everything about it just smells old. They are 3-4 years too late releasing it. They could have at least made it 50% more powerful than gen3 consoles. Nobody was asking 7-10x like the new PS4 or XBone. It would have meant that most of their first party games could have easily scaled to 1080p if the graphics weren't too taxing on the system.

 

[Jad Chaar]

Personally, I don't own a Wii U but I have various friends that have and from what I've seen (and used) it's actually a very good, and very capable console, I honestly wish it could play DVD's, it's not the end of the world but it would replace our dying DVD player and also be used as a games console.

Anyway I think Nintendo went about this all wrong, they should have waited the extra year and made sure they had some seriously outstanding titles, they also need to advertise better, I've come across quite a few people who didn't know it was fully backwards compatible with all their Wii games and most peripherals, Plus it now does full 5.1 surround sound and 1080p and does it well, it now has graphics capability's to push the games to a new level and the controller setup is genius! A pro controller for your multi-format shooter (CoD) your Wiimote and Nunchuck for... well Wii games and the touchscreen for all the new stuff.

If they had waited and had the games this year... well I bet it would outsell initial PS4 and Xbone sales...

The 360 cannot play DVDs either, so it isnt that much of a loss. But definitely with the new consoles, they should add it in.

 

[Burty117]

The 360 cannot play DVDs either, so it isnt that much of a loss. But definitely with the new consoles, they should add it in.

Ok, I have an Xbox 360 in front of me, right now, just popped in a big bang theory DVD... Yep, it definitely plays, Same with PS3, Same with PS2 and Same with Original Xbox.

Nintendo could add this functionality with a software update, I bet they won't though.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Good. I haven't owned a console since the N64, but am interested in this one. Unlike the new PlayStation and XBox, it's backwards compatible with the original Wii giving you an instant huge catalog. Hopefully they'll drop the pricing due to these low sales as I'd like to get one within the next 3-4 months.

I wouldn't hold out for a price drop. They say they already sell it at a loss as things stand. By the looks of things they'd even battle to give them away.

 

[oldikes]

The 360 cannot play DVDs either, so it isnt that much of a loss. But definitely with the new consoles, they should add it in.

the 360 can play DVDs.

 

[Jad Chaar]

Ok, I have an Xbox 360 in front of me, right now, just popped in a big bang theory DVD... Yep, it definitely plays, Same with PS3, Same with PS2 and Same with Original Xbox.

Nintendo could add this functionality with a software update, I bet they won't though.

Oh, I never knew it could. I guess I was confusing it with a Blu Ray player.

 

[St1ckM4n]

Nintendo could add this functionality [DVD] with a software update, I bet they won't though.

Yup, hacked Wii's play DVDs.

 

[Jad Chaar]

Yup, hacked Wii's play DVDs.

Wow, I do not see why Nintendo would pass on that opportunity.