The game could be enticing people to buy a Wii U. Probably not as much as people think though. Saying the sales "don't matter" is just silly though. That is a very strong number of games sold for only being out a day or two.
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Mario Kart 8 Sells More Than 1.2 Million Units Worldwide Over First Weekend
- Thread starter zakislam
- Start date
The game could be enticing people to buy a Wii U. Probably not as much as people think though. Saying the sales "don't matter" is just silly though. That is a very strong number of games sold for only being out a day or two.
I'm part of the problem, I got my copy today 
GF and I will play this for a looooong time!
Guys, you're arguing with someone who keeps claiming that SM3DW is SM3DL upresed and that everything they've done was upports of Wii/3DS games (Pikmin 3/SM3DW/DKTF), you're wasting your time
GF and I will play this for a looooong time!
Guys, you're arguing with someone who keeps claiming that SM3DW is SM3DL upresed and that everything they've done was upports of Wii/3DS games (Pikmin 3/SM3DW/DKTF), you're wasting your time
Good games sell? Who could've known
Considering the game in your avatar, I can't help but find this post ironic.
I see you're out to top your own standard of nonsense
This game pushed me to finally take the plunge and buy a Wii U. Well, this and the promise of at least a couple other must play games (SSB, Zelda, 3D Mario, etc). Mario Kart 8 is the first Wii U game that I felt I had to play.
I think it could give a decent bump to Wii U sales. I haven't seen much advertising for it though which may limit this.
I'm part of the problem, I got my copy today
GF and I will play this for a looooong time!
Guys, you're arguing with someone who keeps claiming that SM3DW is SM3DL upresed and that everything they've done was upports of Wii/3DS games (Pikmin 3/SM3DW/DKTF), you're wasting your time
I actually enjoy his posts. The amount of loathing he has for most of what Nintendo does is entertaining. Its like a Gamecube fell from the shelf and smashed his dog, so now Nintendo is the devil.
PreyingShark
Member
...I am going to go cry now because this is making me lose faith in humanity.Guys, you're arguing with someone who keeps claiming that SM3DW is SM3DL upresed and that everything they've done was upports of Wii/3DS games (Pikmin 3/SM3DW/DKTF), you're wasting your time
Gorilla Shark
Member
I got my copy on Friday and love the game. I convinced one of my buddies who had his Wii U in a Bo disconnected for him to eventually sell on craigslist to hook it back up and get Mario Kart. He loves it too.
Another friend of ours went to 2 targets to get it today and both were sold out....
Another friend of ours went to 2 targets to get it today and both were sold out....
Wtf!! Lol
I need a WiiU! Waiting for holiday shopping though...GG Mario Kart!!
KojiKnight
Member
Not sure where you live, but in the States they have had a MASSIVE ad campaign across many channels (discovery, science, animal planet, Cartoon Network, Nickelodean, etc) I was seeing a MK8 ad 2-3 times a TV show.
Nintendo is pushing haaaard on it's advertising. Not just for MK8, I've also seen a LOT more ads for the 2DS and games like Animal Crossing in the last few days. Nintendo wants to own the summer, it's a good time to do it when they have few real competition.
Herbspiceguy
Member
I bought the MK8 + Wii U bundle last Friday. Store clerk told me they sold out 2 batches of the game the same day and sold out all the Wii U bundles as well (had mine reserved).
DICKS AHOY
Banned
I'm confused reading some responses here if people are making fun of Kuchera/Polygon because saying Mario Kart 8 will sell the least out of the series while using some nonsensical pie-graphs was pointing out the bloody obvious, or if people are actually angry that he said the game was going to comparatively bomb.
Good to see either way, it'll be interesting in a month's time how many consoles MK8 helped move. Going off Nintendo's earlier predictions this year for only selling roughly 3 million consoles this fiscal year this may help them meet above expectations?
Good to see either way, it'll be interesting in a month's time how many consoles MK8 helped move. Going off Nintendo's earlier predictions this year for only selling roughly 3 million consoles this fiscal year this may help them meet above expectations?
Saw the MK ad during the Spurs OKC game on Saturday.
First time I've seen a Nintendo ad during a primetime sports event. I don't watch TV all that much, but enough.
Several Targets and Best Buys are sold out of the bundle in my area. Seems to shifting units but I suspect stores were rather gunshy about inventory after what they've been through with the system the last year-plus.
I think it is the perfect time to do an ad push. Kids finishing school, being home for the summer, talking parents into buying then the WiiU....
I will be the first to admit, I sold mine about a year ago cause I wasn't using it and I was just disappointed by the lack of games at the time. I sat and felt disappointed that I couldn't play titles as they were released...Pikmin...Wind Waker HD...Mario 3D World...(most of all, cause I am a huge fan of the series) DKC: Tropical Freeze...but it just turned into an "oh well, maybe some day."
Then, starting last week, I saw the MK8 commercials, coverage online, videos on youtube/streams on twitch and I was done for. I went out and bought MK8 and Tropical Freeze at Toys R Us on Saturday cause they had a good deal, but it was MK8 that finally pushed me over the edge. I knew it was time to get back in with MK and all the other games that I have been craving to play! (I have not got the console yet cause I am waiting to see if there will be a price drop at E3 next week, and if not I will probably buy a refurb from Nintendo)
Still, my point is, this console is now worth investing in, even if there is no 3rd party support. The available games are of such a quality. All they need is to get this notion in people's heads and it might finally take off.
EDIT:
Ha! Beat, but same story!
Sword Of Doom
Member
My sister wanted to buy the Wii U MK8 bundle from Target and they were sold out. She found some online eventually but still. Wii U sold out made me happy
I have only seen 3 ads on TV
Well damn. This game really is selling consoles
Keep the momentum going with your Wallets people!
They didn't sell 1.2 million consoles, its 1.2 million copies of the game so far.
KojiKnight
Member
We don't have numbers yet, nor do we know the break down of how many copies were included as part of system bundles.
We do have a lot of anecdotal evidence that the system is selling fast in stores (multiple people reporting sell outs).
Dash Kappei
Not actually that important
I didn't say it was, read my post again.
Entryhazard
Banned
In UK 82% of the sold copies were Wii U bundles, so it isn't too far-fetched to expect an half-million worldwide bump (an average of 41.7% copies sold as bundles)
Baron von Loathsome
Member
You have that backwards. 82% of Wii U's sold were bundles, not 82% of MK8 copies sold.
KojiKnight
Member
And if so... half million new Wii U owners over 3 days is pretty crazy.
InFamousRaiden
Banned
is this game good for single player experience ?
Entryhazard
Banned
Lol a really bad oversight.
Still MK8 seems to be pushing really hard the system, so I stand by my claim that the bump will be in the order of hundreds of thousands worldwide
Dash Kappei
Not actually that important
Boom
He's wrong tho, It actually was that 82% of the total WiiUs sold in the UK were part of the MK8 bundles. Every 100 WiiUs sold there were 82 MK8 bundles.
There was a 666% increase in hardware sales over the previous week but we don't know how good that might be, the console was selling abysmally before.
MK8 UK's numbers should be between >58k and <110k
Dash Kappei
Not actually that important
No info on dd sales specifically, only total sales.
gamergirly
Member
Yay Nintendo
Hero of Legend
Member
Admiral! There be sales here!
Anecdotal story. Bought mine at Target Saturday morning. Not only were there very few copies of MK8, but there were a lot of sold out games and very few copies of many others as well. I check the games section there weekly, every Saturday morning, and it's the first time the WiiU game shelves have looked like that. I assume there were people buying WiiUs for Kart and grabbing some other games while they were at it.
BrokenEchelon
Banned
Hoping for the best for the Wii U.
Waiting for the massive plunge next week.
Rabid Wolverine
Member
I was never going to buy a Wii U but this game made me.
Well deserved Nintendo. Hope they support it with alot of DLC.
Well deserved Nintendo. Hope they support it with alot of DLC.
it's got 32 tracks and three difficulty levels, it can be done in a few hours and the 150 class can be a little challenging, but it's small beans compared to the magnificent online, its true bread and butter
soxinthebox
Member
They made a bad pie chart comparing unlike measures and then went on to predict lifetime sales that are going to be hilariously wrong (1.12M first week sales vs his predicted 1.26 LIFETIME sales).
The calling out is well justified.
Rebel Leader
THE POWER OF BUTTERSCOTCH BOTTOMS
Disaster Nebraska
Banned
I think - for me - the fact that Nintendo FINALLY removed the "play single-player Grand Prix to unlock everything" as a requirement is the game's best selling point. Mario Kart is all about the multiplayer and being able to work through the GPs with my wife is awesome.
Not surprised it's selling so well. Mario Kart Wii sold - what? - 30 million or so? It's a popular game. People love the game.
Not surprised it's selling so well. Mario Kart Wii sold - what? - 30 million or so? It's a popular game. People love the game.
shinra-bansho
Member
I don't hold any particular affinity for Polygon nor Kuchera, but this isn't what the article said. The pie chart was, however, ridiculously stupid.
ProtoCents
Banned
Is there even any commercial marketing for this game on television?
Lots on HUB Disney Nick and CN.
JumpJeff84
Member
I don't have it yet, but I expect to pick it up in the next week or two