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UK: Nintendo Shelf Space Severely reduced in Tesco - Now part of 360 Section

Rich!

Member
As posted in the britgaf thread:

IFSDNGI.jpg

The entire 'Nintendo' section in my local tesco, for all Wii, Wii U, DS, and 3DS games. This is also the only place in the area to get new games, seeing as Game, HMV, and Xtravision have all closed down in the past year or so.

I've been to two Tesco superstores (miles apart) and my local smaller one, and I can confirm it's the same in each. Seems to be a nationwide thing, and ties in with what I've been hearing about Nintendo being on their last chances with Tesco this upcoming season (gotta make room for the PS4/XBone).

Seeing as ASDA (Wal-Mart for you americans) and Morrisons have already reduced the Wii U to clear before removing it entirely due to poor sales, this seems like even more bad news. I mean, fuck.

For those outside of the UK who are unaware, Tesco is the UK's largest supermarket retailer, and in the UK, supermarkets have a huge cut of the gaming market in terms of sales.

As it is, I say Nintendo (specifically, Wii U) will be gone from the shelves by the start of next year. And it's a damn shame (although entirely their own fault).
 

CrunchinJelly

formerly cjelly
It is similar in GAME.

Wii U does not even have its own space on the walls. It is all just shoved in the centre shelving next to used PS2 and Wii games.
 

SmokyDave

Member
It's the same with Sainsbury's in my limited anecdotal experience. It's hardly surprising given that the Wii U sells like shit and 3DS software isn't exactly flying out the doors like the PS3 or 360.

Edit: and Gamestation, come to think of it. I was amazed how small their 3DS section was last time I was in there, and the Wii U was barely there at all.
 

Santiako

Member
This also happened in my local Sainsburys, but they just got rid of all 3DS, DS, Wii, WiiU, PSP and VITA stuff. It's only 360, PS3 and preorder slips for xbone and ps4.
 

Rich!

Member
It is similar in GAME.

Wii U does not even have its own space on the walls. It is all just shoved in the centre shelving next to used PS2 and Wii games.

Yeah, same in my local too.

It's going to be gone within a few months, I bet. No sane retailer is going to use up potential POS space for the Wii U when it could be used for the PS4/XBone.
 

Jezbollah

Member
I'm going to my local (big) Tesco tomorrow. Will take a pic and post in this thread.

Looks like room being made for Xbone and PS4...
 
K

kittens

Unconfirmed Member
I hope this changes as more and more great games release for the Wii U. And WTF at the insulting lack of 3DS games?
 

XPE

Member
Its not just Wii U software, the game sections in all the super market near me seems to be shrinking the morrisons has one little games section that is near me.
 

mats effect

Neo Member
Tesco in general appears to have really cut down space for games. In my local one the 360 and PS3 get most of it and the rest is in below them. Its not much space to begin with.
 

GulAtiCa

Member
There is barely a Nintendo section at my local Best Buy here in GA either. No Vita section either. Though whole gaming side has been cut by a quarter though. PS3 and 360 stuff got reduced by half as well. Only demo station is a Wii U station.

Kinda interesting that all my local Targets still have big Nintendo sections for Wii/DS/3DS/Wii U, like 2 full rows.
 
Hasn't 3DS software always had rather bad numbers in the UK? Everytime I see the PAL charts it's like there are only 2 or 3 in the top20.
 

SmokyDave

Member
I hope this changes as more and more great games release for the Wii U. And WTF at the insulting lack of 3DS games?
The 3DS sells less software at UK retail than even the PC. Trust me, the PC sections in game shops ain't that big either and they're relegated to end-caps for hidden object games in supermarkets, if they're stocked at all.
 

Rich!

Member
I'm going to my local (big) Tesco tomorrow. Will take a pic and post in this thread.

Looks like room being made for Xbone and PS4...

I will take a photo of mine at some point this week.

They have a whole aisle for games (along one side) with films on the other. Two bays for PS3/Vita, two for 360 and one for Nintendo. However, now it's changed, and has been merged with 360 like the image above. 5 chart spaces for 3DS/Wii/Wii U combined is just...madness. It's insane.

but yeah, it frees up a bay for the new consoles.

Love the small detail on the banner. "plus nintendo top5"

Exactly the same in the three locations I've been in - makes it evident that it's a pretty widespread thing considering they have that POS for it
 

AGoodODST

Member
Both my local Tesco and Asda are the same. Though while Nintendo seems to have taken the biggest hit, games space over all has been reduced in both.
 

Into

Member
My Fona (electronics butique) here does not even have shelf space for Wii U games, you have to go to the counter and ask for them. They have a very small 3DS section, with 12 different games i counted.

The PS3 section is the biggest with the 360 also having quite some shelf space. Its weird, you would think PS3 and 360 were new hot shit, while the Wii U is some 7 year old console.
 
The WiiU is dead in the UK. Anyone believing different is delusional. Tablets will rein supreme at xmas with the PS4 coming second and Xbone coming third. Nintendo will sell to a very niche market of Nintendo fans that are much more likely to buy online.


Alot of places will discontinue the console in january and firesale remaining stock. Dont be surprised to see £150 premuim models.


Come march, it will be like the console never existed here.
 

gngf123

Member
My Fona (electronics butique) here does not even have shelf space for Wii U games, you have to go to the counter and ask for them. They have a very small 3DS section, with 12 different games i counted.

The PS3 section is the biggest with the 360 also having quite some shelf space. Its weird, you would think PS3 and 360 were new hot shit, while the Wii U is some 7 year old console.

That's a lot bigger than the 3DS section at my local Tesco's. Last time I think I counted 4 games.
 

Elija2

Member
How embarrassing, only 5 different games across 4 different platforms. It's too late to change things, Nintendo has lost Europe.
 

gngf123

Member
How embarrassing, only 5 different games across 4 different platforms. It's too late to change things, Nintendo has lost Europe.

Please don't confuse Europe and the UK.

Nintendo have done terrible in the UK for a while now, sales are higher in mainland Europe. Although WiiU sales are terrible all round.
 

wsippel

Banned
Gotta make space for the upcoming big boys this november.
Nintendo was the "big boy". We'll see what happens. Maybe console gaming as a whole is just dead and PS4 and Xbone will end up sharing that limited shelf space with the Wii U, while Google, Apple and maybe Valve eat everybody's lunch.
 

Neff

Member
Only chavs buy games from Tesco.

The WiiU is dead in the UK. Anyone believing different is delusional. Tablets will rein supreme at xmas with the PS4 coming second and Xbone coming third. Nintendo will sell to a very niche market of Nintendo fans that are much more likely to buy online.

Alot of places will discontinue the console in january and firesale remaining stock.

Come march, it will be like the console never existed here.

If you go by brick & mortar sales alone, sure. Internet retail and eShop activity paints a different picture.

Wii U has taken a lot of shit to date (perhaps deservedly), but the turnaround in perception here and elsewhere is noticeable. Miiverse is getting bigger every day. Believe it or not, people besides fanatical Nintendo zealots are buying it. That Christmas thing will probably make a big contribution too.
 
Its not just Wii U software, the game sections in all the super market near me seems to be shrinking the morrisons has one little games section that is near me.

This for me too at my local Tescos.

There's 3 shelving racks, one is entirely Skylanders, the remaining two are about 40% PS3, 40% 360 and the remaining 20% a grab bag of PC shitware, Wii, DS, 3DS and WiiU.

EDIT:
No hardware for sale whatsoever, and a good chunk of the PS3 / 360 stuff is "£5 deposit prerelease" and Live / PSN points card promo boxes.
A year ago gaming had its own aisle, and sold hardware as wll as software, with a "top 10" chart for each console.
 
Please don't confuse Europe and the UK.

Nintendo have done terrible in the UK for a while now, sales are higher in mainland Europe. Although WiiU sales are terrible all round.

For WiiU sales really aren't any higher anywhere in Europe. Dead everywhere. 3DS though is doing better in mainland.
 

SmokyDave

Member
Nintendo was the "big boy". We'll see what happens. Maybe console gaming as a whole is just dead and PS4 and Xbone will end up sharing that limited shelf space with the Wii U.
Did you miss the GTA V record setting launch?

Console gaming ain't dead here, just Nintendo consoles. We'll still buy CoD, FIFA & GTA as though our lives depended on it.
 

pulsemyne

Member
The supermarkets have shifted focus away from things like DVD's and games. They used to be loss leaders for the stores. Now they have realised they can make more money on things like phones and tablets. Digital distribution is the future for consoles and supermarkets know it.
 

1337

Member
Wow?

This way the Wii U stands as much of a chance as the Saturn back in the day. Not that Nintendo is doing anything to help. If they lowered the price of some games to €20/30 after a year or 2, maybe sales would pick up.
 
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