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[IAmRandom31]

I want Zelda on the PS4, so I really hope the 3DS starts to do horribly, the Wii U tanks and the 2DS is burned like a nazi book burning!

The Nintendo / Sony collaboration dream shall never die!

 

[Apophis2036]

Do you really think these directs have that type of impact?

Would be interesting to see if anyone has the data, did last years Jan Direct do anything for Japanese WiiU sales in the two weeks that followed ?.

 

[Meccanical]

Chill out, I'm sure he was joking.

I'm not used to his icy demeanor I guess.

 

[Takao]

Capcom is a joke company with regards to Vita support, so lol on that front.

The only Dragon Quest I can see Vita getting a port of X.

Unless Nintendo actively buys off P&D exclusivity, I don't see why it wouldn't come to Vita given the game's creator said this:

I'd also like to deploy [Puzzle & Dragons] out on all platforms, regardless of whether they're platforms or traditional consoles.

http://www.polygon.com/2013/10/23/5...r-created-japans-top-grossing-smartphone-game

Of course, I don't know if P&D would gel well with the Vita userbase. Battle Tournament might due to the Nomura connection, but I imagine that will stay arcade exclusive for a while, if not forever.

You were actually right. Remember this post?

Is that really a controversial post? He might be wrong, but okay.

 

[fred]

Wait, what was Pachter's prediction?6million?

Yup. He must have been privy to whatever's coming to make a forecast that high. The only thing I can think of that will move anywhere near that many consoles is Pokemon.

 

[hongcha]

Yup. He must have been privy to whatever's coming to make a forecast that high. The only thing I can think of that will move anywhere near that many consoles is Pokemon.

Nah, he was just guessing. And he guessed too high. He's not "privy" to anything.

 

[Mpl90]

Right, the issue here is that Nintendo's culture at its core involves doing things differently, even on topics when they shouldn't.

If the issue was just one bad CEO who was holding back all these business paragons who could flip a switch and solve everything, sure, forcing them out would fix a lot.

In reality, this isn't the case in the vast, vast majority of troubled companies. Change needs to come from within the company as they either find what they can do well that matches the market, or float away into irrelevance.

It's like when people hoped that Square Enix would have a few bombs, force out Yoichi Wada, and everything would be wonderful. We can sit here today and see that's not the case and they're still randomly throwing projects in every direction trying to find things that work, except now they take notably less creative risks while doing so.

However, I don't think Nintendo has much of a choice in this matter at this point and will have to decide on some large scale changes if they want to remain a relevant player. And by that, I don't mean an executive shuffle, but actual core strategy changes on at least the console front.

Well, even if Wii U recovers a bit (I can't see it being the biggest home player, not even in Japan, let alone in the West), it'll still be a major failure compared to the Wii, and something that will bring changes in internal policy; something has already started, with the unification of home and portable teams, also R&D. That's a change compared to the past, a major one, and an answer to a major Nintendo issue, first party droughts and platforms being too different in features between each other, not allowing for the creation of a Nintendo general ecosystem.

To be honest, I feel Iwata being now NoA's COO as well is another move in that sense, and some results have already been seen (3DS deals being much more frequent, Amazon selling 3DS again - even if they seem to have stopped again ;_; -, 3DS ads, and shop presence: Toy'r'Us kiosks, Gamestop digital titles shelves, etc.).

But many other will have to happen, looking also at the current market reality, and, frankly, I feel some of them will happen, especially on the portable front.

 

[Freezie KO]

The failure of the GameCube put Iwata's career on thin ice.

Luckily, the retired Yamauchi heavily vouched for the Wii and the DS (he co-developed the ideas for the consoles) as the solutions to Nintendo's woes, so Nintendo was able to get 100% on board with a brand new strategy...and that strategy paid off ten-fold.

With Yamauchi no longer with us, there is ABSOLUTELY no guarantee that total failure will cause the company to produce changes that will ultimately be beneficial to us or another non-conservative risk like the Wii / DS.

It could more likely take us in directions that we dread (like mobile gaming), or it could very well lead the company to be more cautious.

I don't disagree. There is no guarantee that the change would be to our liking. But considering how I consider the Wii U to have the worst first year of any Nintendo home console, I believe it's worth taking the risk on changing.

As it is now, they're just steadily driving towards a cliff. I'd rather them take another road, even if we don't know where it leads.

 

[test_account]

You were actually right. Remember this post?

To be fair, that is one post, and is it really that different from this post?

I lol'd at VitaTV.

(which is also just one post).

 

[ZhugeEX]

Sorry if this has already been posted. But what is happening in regards to digital download numbers. I thought Famitsu would start releasing them from January? Is this going to be weekly or monthly? And is it a separate chart or included in the same chart?

 

[Mario007]

Sorry if this has already been posted. But what is happening in regards to digital download numbers. I thought Famitsu would start releasing them from January? Is this going to be weekly or monthly? And is it a separate chart or included in the same chart?

I think they're going to be released monthly.

 

[Aquamarine]

Sorry if this has already been posted. But what is happening in regards to digital download numbers. I thought Famitsu would start releasing them from January? Is this going to be weekly or monthly? And is it a separate chart or included in the same chart?

They are, but they publish the download sales in the actual magazine.

It's a separate chart, but we have the full physical retail figures so it doesn't matter.

Here was the teaser (September + October sales):

Format:
Rank. System Game Download sales (Retail sales)

Sep:
1. 3DS Monster Hunter 4 225,324 (2,542,114)
2. PS3 Final Fantasy XIV 22,807 (217,644)
3. PSV Ragnarok Odyssey Ace 6595 (46,788)
4. PSV Killzone Mercenary 6403 (18,582)
5. PSV Sen no Kiseki 4489 (93,674)
6. PS3 Jojo's Bizarre Adventure 4411 (447,385)
7. PSV Musou Orochi 2 Ultimate 3853 (24,825)
8. PS3 Musou Orochi 2 Ultimate 3833 (82,986)
9. 3DS Animal Crossing 3806 (44,579)
10. PS3 Dead or Alive Ultimate 3262 (24,781)
--. PS3 Sen no Kiseki 1691 (71,868)
--. 3DS Mario & Luigi RPG4 2264 (49,905)
--. 3DS Youkai Watch 1175 (37,493)
--. WiiU Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD 2659 (31,154)

Oct:
1. 3DS Pokemon X&Y 33911 (2,953,059)
2. 3DS Monster Hunter 4 30,879 (433,365)
3. PSV SakaTsuku 7462 (40,795)
4. PS3 Final Fantasy XIV 6516 (13,681)
5. PS3 Jikkyou Powerful Pro Basegall 2013 6201 (84,103)
6. PSV Danganronpa 1&2 Reload 5697 (88,334)
7. PS3 SakaTsuku 5614 (91,085)
8. PS3 Blazblue Chrono Phantasma 4156 (85,285)
9. PSP Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball 2013 3104 (37,982)
10. PS3 Fairy Fencer F 2971 (48,190)
--. PS3 Rain 36,488 (-)
--. PS3 GTAV -- (437,593)
--. PS3 Tales of Symphonia Unisonant Pack 2585 (100,926)
--. 3DS Sentouchuu 1601 (62,444)

 

[Chris1964]

Very good news for Vita. Starting the year healthy sales wise.

Sony really needs to get on the phone with some japanese developers and say something like, " alright guys, we have momentum building for the Vita platform, we can work together to make sure you are still profitable. Let's just get some big third party games out! "

I would be on the phone quickly with Capcom working out a deal to get Monster Hunter 4 onto the system by the summer, and working with Square Enix to get some Dragon Quest onto the system.

Then work with GungHo to build a version of Puzzle and Dragons : Battle Tournament to the Vita as the widescreen layout of the Vita is perfectly suited for the new board style of that new Arcade game ( which looks awesome btw ). Lines were what, 2-3 hours long to try that out in Japan arcades recently?

Get those 3 titles onto the system, build on the momentum and you will start seeing more and more devs sending titles to the platform as WW sales rise and rise.

Oh and for some who say this is what usually happens. Says right there the LYTD was only 31,000. So during this time period, the Vita sold 31,000 last year. Big difference.

Don't wait anymore, call Sony and tell them your plan.

Let's hope it doesn't turn out like Nintendo's master plan last year.

 

[Sammy Samusu]

Very good news for Vita. Starting the year healthy sales wise.

Sony really needs to get on the phone with some japanese developers and say something like, " alright guys, we have momentum building for the Vita platform, we can work together to make sure you are still profitable. Let's just get some big third party games out! "

I would be on the phone quickly with Capcom working out a deal to get Monster Hunter 4 onto the system by the summer, and working with Square Enix to get some Dragon Quest onto the system.

Then work with GungHo to build a version of Puzzle and Dragons : Battle Tournament to the Vita as the widescreen layout of the Vita is perfectly suited for the new board style of that new Arcade game ( which looks awesome btw ). Lines were what, 2-3 hours long to try that out in Japan arcades recently?

Get those 3 titles onto the system, build on the momentum and you will start seeing more and more devs sending titles to the platform as WW sales rise and rise.

Oh and for some who say this is what usually happens. Says right there the LYTD was only 31,000. So during this time period, the Vita sold 31,000 last year. Big difference.

Nintendo should have made that call too when Wii U sold 120k a few weeks ago.

 

[ZhugeEX]

I think they're going to be released monthly.

They are, but they publish the download sales in the actual magazine.

It's a separate chart, but we have the full physical retail figures so it doesn't matter.

That's good to know.

Cheers guys

 

[cafemomo]

The Nintendo / Sony collaboration

Sotendo?
Nintony?
Yintesno?
Hirawata?

 

[Fisico]

Very good news for Vita. Starting the year healthy sales wise.

Sony really needs to get on the phone with some japanese developers and say something like, " alright guys, we have momentum building for the Vita platform, we can work together to make sure you are still profitable. Let's just get some big third party games out! "

I would be on the phone quickly with Capcom working out a deal to get Monster Hunter 4 onto the system by the summer, and working with Square Enix to get some Dragon Quest onto the system.

Then work with GungHo to build a version of Puzzle and Dragons : Battle Tournament to the Vita as the widescreen layout of the Vita is perfectly suited for the new board style of that new Arcade game ( which looks awesome btw ). Lines were what, 2-3 hours long to try that out in Japan arcades recently?

Get those 3 titles onto the system, build on the momentum and you will start seeing more and more devs sending titles to the platform as WW sales rise and rise.

Oh and for some who say this is what usually happens. Says right there the LYTD was only 31,000. So during this time period, the Vita sold 31,000 last year. Big difference.

"IAmRandom"

Genius

 

[Nirolak]

Well, even if Wii U recovers a bit (I can't see it being the biggest home player, not even in Japan, let alone in the West), it'll still be a major failure compared to the Wii, and something that will bring changes in internal policy; something has already started, with the unification of home and portable teams, also R&D. That's a change compared to the past, a major one, and an answer to a major Nintendo issue, first party droughts and platforms being too different in features between each other, not allowing for the creation of a Nintendo general ecosystem.

To be honest, I feel Iwata being now NoA's COO as well is another move in that sense, and some results have already been seen (3DS deals being much more frequent, Amazon selling 3DS again - even if they seem to have stopped again ;_; -, 3DS ads, and shop presence: Toy'r'Us kiosks, Gamestop digital titles shelves, etc.).

But many other will have to happen, looking also at the current market reality, and, frankly, I feel some of them will happen, especially on the portable front.

Right, I have confidence they will definitely do something. While I think they're stubborn, I don't believe they're actually stupid.

At this point it's mostly managing what they have now the best they can and preparing something that's hopefully really good for the next go around.

 

[Booty Patrol]

Why is the Wii U suddenly not doing completely horrible?

 

[Nirolak]

Why is the Wii U suddenly not doing completely horrible?

Nintendo historically has a lot of sway in the holiday season because they're by far the best family option and also timed a lot of price/bundle initiatives and game launches to coincide with the season.

The real test though will be how they fair the next three weeks as it's when hardware normally plummets post holiday.

 

[Chris1964]

Why is the Wii U suddenly not doing completely horrible?

Because suddenly it does.

 

[CrisKre]

Why is the Wii U suddenly not doing completely horrible?

Holidays+popular games+advertisements=sales

who would have thought?

 

[Aquamarine]

Why is the Wii U suddenly not doing completely horrible?

Nintendo has significantly ramped up marketing in this quarter. Combine that with strategic launches of key IPs and you get somewhat decent holiday performance out of a dying console.

If there is one thing Nintendo is good it, it's that they know how to work the Japanese holiday season to their advantage.

 

[Mpl90]

Very good news for Vita. Starting the year healthy sales wise.

Sony really needs to get on the phone with some japanese developers and say something like, " alright guys, we have momentum building for the Vita platform, we can work together to make sure you are still profitable. Let's just get some big third party games out! "

I would be on the phone quickly with Capcom working out a deal to get Monster Hunter 4 onto the system by the summer, and working with Square Enix to get some Dragon Quest onto the system.

Then work with GungHo to build a version of Puzzle and Dragons : Battle Tournament to the Vita as the widescreen layout of the Vita is perfectly suited for the new board style of that new Arcade game ( which looks awesome btw ). Lines were what, 2-3 hours long to try that out in Japan arcades recently?

Get those 3 titles onto the system, build on the momentum and you will start seeing more and more devs sending titles to the platform as WW sales rise and rise.

Oh and for some who say this is what usually happens. Says right there the LYTD was only 31,000. So during this time period, the Vita sold 31,000 last year. Big difference.

Sony: "Hei, Capcom!"
Capcom: "Oh, Sony! Congrats for PS4! Amazing! We're so excited: otherwise, we wouldn't have put our top online team on it for a brand new esclusive IP"
Sony: "Thanks! Now, about Vita, we have momentum: we sold over 80,000 in the first week of the year. Now, you have something interesting: MH4. You know that"
Capcom: *closes phone*
Sony: "...That was fast"

Sony: "Hei, Square!"
Square: "Oh, what a pleasure! I wanted to warn you that we're working on a brand new All The Bravest, and these time we're putting all our efforts in giving users lots of possibilities of being mil..."
Sony: "Square...it's me, Sony"
Square: "Sorry, I thought you were Apple. We receive costantly calls by them. Ok, tell me"
Sony: "Well, we have momentum with Vita, and we think it's time for you to put something more on the system. Vita is the future champion, you can't deny that! We deserve a Dragon Quest of some sorts. And that P&D: Battle Tournament. Nomura is one of us, after all. I mean, blablabla"
Square: "...Oh, sorry, I'm literally running now. I don't know if we can release next SaGa on iOS, and I have to see a fortune teller. She's my guide! Byebye!"
Sony: "But, the opportunity...Square!"
Square: "tututututu"
Sony: "No one wants to develop for #thechamp"

 

[cafemomo]

and I have to see a fortune teller.

heh

 

[Minister of the Dog]

yup looks like L5 finally found the new successful cross-media property they've been struggling to concoct for a while now

I read on Siliconera that Youkai Watch is apparently getting either a sequel or an enhanced version à la Bravely Default. I hope it makes it to the west, even if just as a DD title, that one and Beyond the Labyrinth are the Japan-only titles I'm most interested in right now.

 

[BlackJace]

I forgot the poster's name (tehrik something), but he or she made an interesting post about Nintendo and possibly emerging markets.

Do we know how Nintendo, and Sony as well, feel about that? Nintendo in particular could stand to have a new base of people they can pitch to, considering they're getting pushed out pretty fast in regions like NA and Europe.

 

[IAmRandom31]

Sony: "Hei, Capcom!"
Capcom: "Oh, Sony! Congrats for PS4! Amazing! We're so excited: otherwise, we wouldn't have put our top online team on it for a brand new esclusive IP"
Sony: "Thanks! Now, about Vita, we have momentum: we sold over 80,000 in the first week of the year. Now, you have something interesting: MH4. You know that"
Capcom: *closes phone*
Sony: "...That was fast"

Sony: "Hei, Square!"
Square: "Oh, what a pleasure! I wanted to warn you that we're working on a brand new All The Bravest, and these time we're putting all our efforts in giving users lots of possibilities of being mil..."
Sony: "Square...it's me, Sony"
Square: "Sorry, I thought you were Apple. We receive costantly calls by them. Ok, tell me"
Sony: "Well, we have momentum with Vita, and we think it's time for you to put something more on the system. Vita is the future champion, you can't deny that! We deserve a Dragon Quest of some sorts. And that P&D: Battle Tournament. Nomura is one of us, after all. I mean, blablabla"
Square: "...Oh, sorry, I'm literally running now. I don't know if we can release next SaGa on iOS, and I have to see a fortune teller. She's my guide! Byebye!"
Sony: "But, the opportunity...Square!"
Square: "tututututu"
Sony: "No one wants to develop for #thechamp"

lmao

Probably exactly how it goes too.

Without any sort of big japanese franchise on the Vita it will never begin to sell like it probably eventually could, so Sony is going to have to force the issue at some point.

 

[ZSaberLink]

Does Aqua or anyone have the weekly sales numbers for Mario Sunshine by any chance?

 

[Pie and Beans]

I forgot the poster's name (tehrik something), but he or she made an interesting post about Nintendo and possibly emerging markets.

Do we know how Nintendo, and Sony as well, feel about that? Nintendo in particular could stand to have a new base of people they can pitch to, considering they're getting pushed out pretty fast in regions like NA and Europe.

Sony and MS seem to be ahead in that area (China ban lift for instance), but Iwata did mention in the last investor Q+A that the topic of emerging markets is one they would revisit this year. Although I expect the same level of commitment follow up as Miiverse on Smartphones.

 

[boyshine]

How's the stock situation been for Wii U the last couple weeks in Japan? One would think that a lot of stores would underestimate the demand based on pre-december sales.

 

[bigbaldwolf86]

Those Vita sales are looking good. Especially YoY.

FFX/X-2 is doing really well and that's just physical sales. Let's hope it's successful in the west and then SE can make FF XII

 

[BlackJace]

Sony and MS seem to be ahead in that area (China ban lift for instance), but Iwata did mention in the last investor Q+A that the topic of emerging markets is one they would revisit this year. Although I expect the same level of commitment follow up as Miiverse on Smartphones.

I don't know, a quick, decisive action to gain a new audience was the at the crux of the strategy with the Wii, so one would think that they would work pretty hard to get to that.

Some people here have even surmised that their recent stock uptick was in response to the ban lifting.

But it's Nintendo, so who the hell knows.

 

[Alrus]

Well those digital charts will finally prove that a title that isn't in limited supply/high demand is still not seeing particularly great digital sales.

 

[hongcha]

How's the stock situation been for Wii U the last couple weeks in Japan? One would think that a lot of stores would underestimate the demand based on pre-december sales.

It's been in stock pretty much everywhere throughout the holidays. Amazon JP never sold out, and all hardware SKUs are now out of the Amazon JP top 100, drifting further and further away with every passing day.

 

[Aquamarine]

Does Aqua or anyone have the weekly sales numbers for Mario Sunshine by any chance?

Super Mario Sunshine:

2002-07-15	1	280,610	280,610
2002-07-22	1	102,576	383,186
2002-07-29	3	59,975	443,161
2002-08-05	3	39,562	482,723
2002-08-12	1	43,921	526,644
2002-08-19	4	22,794	549,438
2002-08-26	4	18,588	568,026
2002-09-02	6	13,739	581,765
2002-09-09	8	9,891	591,656
2002-09-16	12	8,929	600,585
2002-09-23	15	8,820	609,405
2002-09-30	15	6,827	616,232
2002-10-07	15	5,927	622,159
2002-10-14	16	6,146	628,305
2002-10-21	26	5,194	633,499
2002-10-28	26	5,112	638,611
2002-11-04	22	4,366	642,977
2002-12-23	0	0	677,440
2003-12-22	0	0	761,798
2004-12-20	0	0	789,989
2011-10-31	0	0	789,989

Super Mario 3D World:

Week 47 (Nov 18 - Nov 24) - 02./00. [WIU] Super Mario 3D World <ACT> (Nintendo) {2013.11.21} (¥5,985) - 106,967 / NEW <40-60%>
Week 48 (Nov 25 - Dec 01) - 05./02. [WIU] Super Mario 3D World <ACT> (Nintendo) {2013.11.21} (¥5,985) - 39,306 / 146,273 <60-80%> (-63%)
Week 49 (Dec 02 - Dec 08) - 09./05. [WIU] Super Mario 3D World <ACT> (Nintendo) {2013.11.21} (¥5,985) - 39,298 / 185,571 <60-80%> (+0%)
Week 50 (Dec 09 - Dec 15) - 06./09. [WIU] Super Mario 3D World <ACT> (Nintendo) {2013.11.21} (¥5,985) - 60,318 / 245,889 <60-80%> (+53%)
Week 51 (Dec 16 - Dec 22) - 07./06. [WIU] Super Mario 3D World <ACT> (Nintendo) {2013.11.21} (¥5,985) - 92,993 / 338,882 <60-80%> (+54%)
Week 52 (Dec 23 - Dec 29) - 08./07. [WIU] Super Mario 3D World <ACT> (Nintendo) {2013.11.21} (¥5,985) - 71,159 / 410,041 <60-80%> (-23%)
Week 01 (Dec 30 - Jan 05) - 05./08. [WIU] Super Mario 3D World <ACT> (Nintendo) {2013.11.21} (¥5,985) - 60,397 / 470,438 <80-100%> (-15%)

 

[metalslimer]

Super Mario Sunshine:

2002-07-15	1	280,610	280,610
2002-07-22	1	102,576	383,186
2002-07-29	3	59,975	443,161
2002-08-05	3	39,562	482,723
2002-08-12	1	43,921	526,644
2002-08-19	4	22,794	549,438
2002-08-26	4	18,588	568,026
2002-09-02	6	13,739	581,765
2002-09-09	8	9,891	591,656
2002-09-16	12	8,929	600,585
2002-09-23	15	8,820	609,405
2002-09-30	15	6,827	616,232
2002-10-07	15	5,927	622,159
2002-10-14	16	6,146	628,305
2002-10-21	26	5,194	633,499
2002-10-28	26	5,112	638,611
2002-11-04	22	4,366	642,977
2002-12-23	0	0	677,440
2003-12-22	0	0	761,798
2004-12-20	0	0	789,989
2011-10-31	0	0	789,989

Super Mario 3D World:

Week 47 (Nov 18 - Nov 24) - 02./00. [WIU] Super Mario 3D World <ACT> (Nintendo) {2013.11.21} (¥5.985) - 106.967 / NEW <40-60%>
Week 48 (Nov 25 - Dec 01) - 05./02. [WIU] Super Mario 3D World <ACT> (Nintendo) {2013.11.21} (¥5.985) - 39.306 / 146.273 <60-80%> (-63%)
Week 49 (Dec 02 - Dec 08) - 09./05. [WIU] Super Mario 3D World <ACT> (Nintendo) {2013.11.21} (¥5.985) - 39.298 / 185.571 <60-80%> (+0%)
Week 50 (Dec 09 - Dec 15) - 06./09. [WIU] Super Mario 3D World <ACT> (Nintendo) {2013.11.21} (¥5.985) - 60.318 / 245.889 <60-80%> (+53%)
Week 51 (Dec 16 - Dec 22) - 07./06. [WIU] Super Mario 3D World <ACT> (Nintendo) {2013.11.21} (¥5.985) - 92.993 / 338.882 <60-80%> (+54%)
Week 52 (Dec 23 - Dec 29) - 08./07. [WIU] Super Mario 3D World <ACT> (Nintendo) {2013.11.21} (¥5.985) - 71.159 / 410.041 <60-80%> (-23%)
Week 01 (Dec 30 - Jan 05) - 05./08. [WIU] Super Mario 3D World <ACT> (Nintendo) {2013.11.21} (¥5.985) - 60.397 / 470.438 <80-100%> (-15%)

I have to admit the gap is not nearly as big. I mean of course the next 100k is going to take a pretty long time, but it should get to 600-650k in the end. And if there is a bundle it will probably surpass Sunshine.

 

[boyshine]

It's been in stock pretty much everywhere throughout the holidays. Amazon JP never sold out, and all hardware SKUs are now out of the Amazon JP top 100, drifting further and further away with every passing day.

What's the percentage of console purchases (total) retail vs online in Japan for 2013? Are those numbers available?

 

[Alrus]

It's been in stock pretty much everywhere throughout the holidays. Amazon JP never sold out, and all hardware SKUs are now out of the Amazon JP top 100, drifting further and further away with every passing day.

Yeah it's not like you've been posting the same thing about the massively sales relevant amazon ranking over and over and over...

 

[leatherhat]

Sony: "Hei, Capcom!"
"

This whole thing implies sony actually cares enough about the vita to call devs.

 

[ZSaberLink]

I have to admit the gap is not nearly as big. I mean of course the next 100k is going to take a pretty long time, but it should get to 600-650k in the end. And if there is a bundle it will probably surpass Sunshine.

I think so far 3D World has done what it could basically by itself (along w/ the bundles + Taiko) in Japan.

I personally thought that before these holidays, Nintendo had an awareness issue with the Wii U in 2013. Seeing as the console sold during the holidays partly due to their marketing campaign, could this at least translate into a more active userbase? I thought that part of the problem is that the software sales for the Wii U were fairly pitiful. If these holidays resulted in a more active userbase, it could at least starting spurring some Wii U software sales. Some software sales might at least give Nintendo a little bit of leverage to get a third party title or two.

 

[test_account]

This whole thing implies sony actually cares enough about the vita to call devs.

Why wouldnt they? But what would they say?

EDIT: It goes for Nintendo and Microsoft too.

 

[fred]

Nah, he was just guessing. And he guessed too high. He's not "privy" to anything.

Sorry but that's a ridiculous sales forecast. There has to be a reason why he would forecast that a console that at that time had only sold 3m since launch would triple its userbase. And why Iwata said that the Wii U would quadruple it before the end of the financial year.

There has to be something big coming before the end of the financial year, otherwise those two forecasts don't make any kind of sense at all.

 

[Boy Wander]

Well, even if Wii U recovers a bit (I can't see it being the biggest home player, not even in Japan, let alone in the West), it'll still be a major failure compared to the Wii, and something that will bring changes in internal policy; something has already started, with the unification of home and portable teams, also R&D. That's a change compared to the past, a major one, and an answer to a major Nintendo issue, first party droughts and platforms being too different in features between each other, not allowing for the creation of a Nintendo general ecosystem.

In addition to the reasons you state above, I also think the consolidation is necessary to keep them profitable in the future. i.e. if you can't sell as much of a product, make it cheaper with less resource burn. The moves they've made in the areas you mention should help them to achieve this.

 

[Cosmo Clock 21]

Would be interesting to see if anyone has the data, did last years Jan Direct do anything for Japanese WiiU sales in the two weeks that followed ?.

It did very little IIRC.

 

[Entryhazard]

Would be interesting to see if anyone has the data, did last years Jan Direct do anything for Japanese WiiU sales in the two weeks that followed ?.

As you can see from aqua's post

Wii U, 1st Holiday:

Week 49, 2012	1	12/3/2012	308,570
Week 50, 2012	2	12/10/2012	130,653
Week 51, 2012	3	12/17/2012	122,356
Week 52, 2012	4	12/24/2012	76,760
Week 1, 2013	5	12/31/2012	70,662
Week 2, 2013	6	1/7/2013	21,489
[B]Week 3, 2013	7	1/14/2013	16,635
Week 4, 2013	8	1/21/2013	12,335
Week 5, 2013	9	1/28/2013	11,714[/B]
Week 6, 2013	10	2/4/2013	11,092
Week 7, 2013	11	2/11/2013	10,167
Week 8, 2013	12	2/18/2013	9,495
Week 9, 2013	13	2/25/2013	9,528
Week 10, 2013	14	3/4/2013	9,089

The Jan direct happened on Jan 21st and was extremely uneffective on immediate sales

 

[Busaiku]

Sorry but that's a ridiculous sales forecast. There has to be a reason why he would forecast that a console that at that time had only sold 3m since launch would triple its userbase. And why Iwata said that the Wii U would quadruple it before the end of the financial year.

There has to be something big coming before the end of the financial year, otherwise those two forecasts don't make any kind of sense at all.

At this point, without knowledge of how it did in the US in the last month, there is no way it will hit Mr. Pachter's target, let alone Mr. Iwata's.
They both simply misread the market, to varying degrees.

 

[metalslimer]

Sorry but that's a ridiculous sales forecast. There has to be a reason why he would forecast that a console that at that time had only sold 3m since launch would triple its userbase. And why Iwata said that the Wii U would quadruple it before the end of the financial year.

There has to be something big coming before the end of the financial year, otherwise those two forecasts don't make any kind of sense at all.

Er...no just because people make ridiculous forecasts does not mean there is a reason

 

[Apophis2036]

Sorry but that's a ridiculous sales forecast. There has to be a reason why he would forecast that a console that at that time had only sold 3m since launch would triple its userbase. And why Iwata said that the Wii U would quadruple it before the end of the financial year.

There has to be something big coming before the end of the financial year, otherwise those two forecasts don't make any kind of sense at all.

Price drop to $249 and MK8 in the first week of March would be the only things possible of generating those kinds of numbers.

Looks like the Directs have zero effects on sales lol...

 

[Tripon]

hopefully there's a big drop for the Wii U and Vita next week.

Why do you want to see the world burn?

In these days, it's quite difficult to understand if someone's joking or if he's serious.
Unfortunately for humanity, AzaK's serious. :lol

Has AzaK already turned Nintendo Heel or is he's this year version of DragonSworne? =P lol.

I made the post after people posted that Wii U wouldn't have games on January. Not that I want the Wii U to sell sub 10k, I was saying that it's possible on a platform where's nothing is getting released.

Wonder what would have happened if Nintendo offered a double retail pack of NES Remix & Dr. Luigi for fairly cheap, like 3,000 yen during Jan. Seems like a missed opportunity.

Then again, those games are there to try to get more people to use the eShop.