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Nintendo blamed the weaker financial performance on several factors, including a recent price drop on the Wii amid competition from Microsoft and Sony, fewer strong Wii software titles in the first half and a stronger Yen.
The appeal for Wii consoles and DS handhelds also appear to be waning. The company sold 20.53 million Wii consoles over the period -- a drop-off of 21% compared to last fiscal year -- and even with Nintendo launching the new DSi XL sales on the handheld front fell 12% to 27.11 million units. Of course, these are dream numbers for most other gaming companies out there but are cause of concern over at Nintendo.
Looking forward the Japanese giant remained modest in its forecast for the current fiscal year ending March 2011, predicting a net profit of around $2.1 billion -- down another 12.5% from its latest results. With both Sony and Microsoft working on their own motion sensing technologies, it seems the company will need to focus on delivering quality games and maybe even refreshing its hardware to revive sales.
User Comments: 9
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I guess it was only a matter of time, but still, 21% seems like a lot. Also I am glad that Nintendo is feeling pressured by Sony and Microsoft, I hope it will cause them to bring better titles to the Wii.
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When the Wii came out first there weren't many to be had! Now there is many to be had! Still the price and cost of the unit not cheap. I got one for Christmas 2009. The wife got me everything for the Wii. Later in 2010 games for the Wii were so cheap online purchase. But now I don't find myself using the game system as much as I did at first. So when everyone comes over for party no one wants to play the Wii. Like they're all Wii OUT!
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natefalk said:
With the price drops on the PS3 and Xbox I suspect more people are buying those systems over the Wii b/c they offer more than just gaming. Another thing I think is hurting Wii is the lack of HD graphics. Sure the whole motion sensor thing was cool for a year or two, but now with the other consoles offering the same, the Wii seems like an inferior system.
The other major thing hurting Nintendo is their software. Nintendo has a few good releases yet to come this year, but for the most part PS and Xbox both have a better lineup of games with better graphics.
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I'll consider purchasing a Wii once the price drops to ~$100-$150. I've been without a console since Game Cube but would love to play SMG and SMG2 (once it's out) along with New Super Mario Bros Wii and a few other titles one day. The price for consoles/accessories just isn't worth it for me at the moment.
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Seems like the novelty has worn - especially with the controllers - has worn off. This really was a niche unit geared primarily towards non-gamers.
Also think people are ready for the next generation of consoles all the way around. Graphics are looking dated even in the best of games. And the Wii graphics were laughable from the get-go.
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Maybe its because all the people who were going to buy a Wii pretty much got one. Its been pretty cheap for years now.
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Tekkaraiden said:
I would imagine with 70,000,000 sold the market is pretty saturated. Heck that's more than the Gamecube and N64 combined.
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So right when the WIi Fad is coming to an end. Xbox 360 and PS3 are launching there motion controllers. I really am not expecting either to do well if the Wii fad is really coming to an end. Only the most loyal fan boys haven't bought a Wii or at least played enough Wii to know whether or not they like motion control. Nintendo has had a history of having the best first party games from there console and pretty much no 3rd party because there systems have been so different to program for( or in the case of N64 the cartridge cost a lot more than a cd). Nintendo has been killing in hardware sales for a long time know but everyone knows the money is in the games and with the low attachment rate it is no surprise to me this was going to happen at some point.
The Wii has fun games it is just how many fun games do they have will countless hours of replayability.
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I think this is more of an indicator of market saturation as Tekkaraiden said than anything else. There might be a little uptick in their declining sales with the release of the black Wii in a few days, but pretty much everyone who wants a Wii has bought one by now.
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