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[RAIDEN1]

Mario Kart will jump-start sales..but it'll take more than a brief "spike" to turn things around for the Wii U...it's a case of short-term gain long-term loss!

 

[meltingparappa]

The biggest names at games retail – talking under the condition of anonymity

All right, which gaffer was it?

Were you literally looking at that chalkboard.jpg during the interview?

 

[Starwolf_UK]

If I'm not mistaken it will still have lasted longer than the Gamecube even if it is dropped at MK8. I'm thinking Argos and DSG Group when I say that (they dropped the Gamecube within a year, well DSG was more a dusty controllers for £10 nobody wanted and dusty launch window games for £5 or less that nobody wanted lingering for a few years).

I would say it may be Game. My local one has a tiny WiiU section, and lumps the Wii games in the same place.

The small former Gamestation store I last went into during administration problems has a completely unchanged layout from those days. Where 360 was is now One and 360. Where DS and PSP was is now DS and 3DS. Wii likewise has both Wii and Wii U.

Same at my largest local Tesco. There are a total of 3 Wii U games nestled away amongst the old Wii section. There is no hardware or accessories for sale.

Some Tesco stores have Wii WiiU DS and 3DS in the same space. SD Cards and Skylanders toys of course get the most gaming space...

 

[fantomena]

I lvoe the device. Primarily because of the exclusives.

 

[MDX]

It's Nintendo sneaky long term plan. They've opened their own shop and have the eShop. Soon one will have to buy games only from Nintendo so they get all the profits (and The Hut too since they run Nintendo's web store).

I was actually thinking the same thing.

 

[PaulLFC]

WiiU and Mario Kart 8 for £99 would give them a good chance of getting decent sales if advertised properly, I think.

Can't see them pricing it that low even if they could, though. £150 at the absolute lowest (since that's what some retailers have cut the Nintendoland pack to in the past).

 

[Aostia]

Mario kart 8 will turn Wii U sales...UPSIDE-DOWN!

Spoiler

no

 

[Visualante2]

Games specific retail? Got to be GAME. Looking at their stores it's no surprise.

Nintendo is squashed out by team green and team blue.

Mario kart 8 will turn Wii U sales...UPSIDE-DOWN!

6 sales into a 9 sales maybe

 

[KennyLinder]

Important question: When the fuck is Mario Kart 8 out? March? April? May? So Wii U will be sitting on shelves until then in the hope it shifts units? Hmm I guess DK is February, right?

 

[Kai Dracon]

He is correct. Mario Kart is Nintendo's one true crossover game. It pulls in everybody at once, casual to hardcore. A Nintendo system isn't really launched until Mario Kart is out.

It is why Nintendo desperately needed Mario Kart out this past christmas. 3D World doesn't count. While 3D Mario games are beloved by the hardcore Nintendo fan, they have never pushed console sales outside of Mario 64 due to the shock value of seeing something in 3D for the first time.

Mario Kart may be Nintendo's last chance to build some sustainable momentum (if it hits it big and Nintendo follows up with a steady stream of games - a pretty big if, but it's there.)

 

[x-Lundz-x]

Am I crazy or does the girl in your avatar vaguely look like Loki?

On topic: I think it's already too late to turn the WIi U around... I don't think MK8 will amount to much in terms of sales. But we'll see.

LOL yeah I think your crazy. That's Rooney Mara.

 

[Jacobi]

“A sub-£200 machine will help, and Mario Kart is desperately needed to reach the fans,” said the games boss of one of the UK’s biggest retailers. “We also need something revolutionary that makes use of the second screen

Nintendo gotchu

*honkhonk*

 

[Jaded Alyx]

When Mario has failed your console more than once already, the only hope there is left... is more Mario.

Well it is the most popular form of Mario there is.

Unfortunately, we also have to consider that now, portable Mario kart is a main one, meaning this will be the second MK this gen..

This has always been the case.

 

[Riposte]

Ah, so they've run out of room on their chalkboard too.

EDIT: Since I think the Wii U has a great library, I agree with it being akin to the Dreamcast if it suddenly dies.

 

[evilromero]

Dreamcast had a significantly better library.

This. The Wii U is my least played Nintendo console ever (well, I suppose better than my Virtual Boy) while the DC had a solid year of constant support from the likes of Sega and Capcom. When I think of DC year one I'm thinking Soul Calibur, Sonic Adventure, Chu Chu Rocket, Jet Grind Radio, Shemue, Ecco the Dolphin, Seaman, VF3, Metropolis Street Racer, RE: Code Veronica and of course many more like Dynamite Cop and Toy Commander. I'm sorry, but it just embarrasses the Wii U in terms of variety. I can never have a fuzzy view of the Wii U since it still hasn't brought me the same level of enjoyment I've gotten out of my other systems one year after launch.

 

[KennyLinder]

Ah, so they've run out of room on their chalkboard too.

Nope! It can be flipped over for an all-new list!

 

[Koppai]

As long as we get these games this year the Wii U will not have been too bad of a system IMO.

Donkey Kong
Mario Kart 8
Yarn Yoshi
X
Bayonetta 2
Smash Bros.
Hyrule Warriors

 

[popeutlal]

Well how about that...looks like Nintendo will be the first console maker to go digital only soon.

Who could've imagined.

 

[Osiris]

WiiU and Mario Kart 8 for £99 would give them a good chance of getting decent sales if advertised properly, I think.

Can't see them pricing it that low even if they could, though. £150 at the absolute lowest (since that's what some retailers have cut the Nintendoland pack to in the past).

It didn't work for the Gamecube, can't see why it'd work for the Wii U

 

[Bjoern the Smexy]

If Mario Kart doesn't turn it around then I don't know what will.

Smash Bros is Nintendos REAL last chance.
If Smash Bros. won't sell consoles, then I don't know what will. Seriously.
I don't consider Mario Kart 8 a real system seller, though I don't know why, since Mario Kart is probably one of Nintendo's best selling game series' out there, but so is Smash Bros.

I really hope Mario Kart can turn things around a bit, though.

 

[Opiate]

Last chance for what? I would argue the "last chance" for major success has long since come and gone. The "last chance" to still be stocked on shelves? The "last chance" to avoid being decommissioned by Nintendo?

 

[TheGreatMightyPoo]

As long as we get

Donkey Kong
Mario Kart 8
Yarn Yoshi
X
Bayonetta 2
Smash Bros.
Hyrule Warriors

This year then the Wii U wouldn't have been totally purpose.

5 Game of the Year candidates out of 7, not too shabby.

 

[KennyLinder]

Last chance for what? I would argue the "last chance" for major success has long since come and gone. The "last chance" to still be stocked on shelves? The "last chance" to avoid being decommissioned by Nintendo?

This one is probably what they are saying.. The "last chance" to still be stocked on shelves?

 

[opticalmace]

5 Game of the Year candidates out of 7, not too shabby.

Let's just pick GOTY now, no need to bother playing them.

 

[TheGreatMightyPoo]

Let's just pick GOTY now, no need to bother playing them.

Bayonetta 2.

 

[meltingparappa]

Nintendo gotchu

*honkhonk*

If it was a giant "Hi, I'm Daisy" button, you know you'd need a hori screen protector from all the use it's going to get.

 

[Jaded Alyx]

Smash Bros is Nintendos REAL last chance.
If Smash Bros. won't sell consoles, then I don't know what will. Seriously.
I don't consider Mario Kart 8 a real system seller, though I don't know why, since Mario Kart is probably one of Nintendo's best selling game series' out there, but so is Smash Bros.

I really hope Mario Kart can turn things around a bit, though.

Well, MKWii sold something like 4 times what Brawl did, but we are certainly living in different times now.

 

[Dantis]

Last chance for what? I would argue the "last chance" for major success has long since come and gone. The "last chance" to still be stocked on shelves? The "last chance" to avoid being decommissioned by Nintendo?

Last chance to be relevant, I suppose.

 

[orioto]

Well it is the most popular form of Mario there is.



This has always been the case.

I don't think it's been so important before. I mean for most people, MK8 won't be so different than the 7th.. The difference between the nds one and the Wii one was pretty clear.

 

[DeFiBkIlLeR]

Mario Kart 8 is not going to cut it I' afraid.

It needs another Legend Of Zelda OOT level release to even have half a chance of prolonging it's life into 2015.

 

[TheGreatMightyPoo]

Well, MKWii sold something like 4 times what Brawl did, but we are certainly living in different times now.

I see Smash having the greater hype factor but Mario Kart 8 obliterating it in sales.

 

[Jaded Alyx]

I don't think it's been so important before. I mean for most people, MK8 won't be so different than the 7th.. The difference between the nds one and the Wii one was pretty clear.

I see what you're getting at, but I know a lot of people prefer the console versions simply because of the local multiplayer.

 

[evilromero]

Last chance for what? I would argue the "last chance" for major success has long since come and gone. The "last chance" to still be stocked on shelves? The "last chance" to avoid being decommissioned by Nintendo?

I interpreted it as "last chance that we'll continue to stock the damn thing."

 

[TwilightPrincess]

I think it´s over in UK, but theres hope for it in europe.

 

[H_Prestige]

There are no more chances for the Wii U. MK and Smash will change nothing.

I'm actually a little concerned that the system won't be stocked by the time Nintendo wants to release Zelda. Surely they have to be aware of that.

 

[KennyLinder]

There are no more chances for the Wii U. MK and Smash will change nothing.

I'm actually a little concerned that the system won't be stocked by the time Nintendo wants to release Zelda. Surely they have to be aware of that.

Who's to say the Wii U will still get a new Zelda?

 

[Canis lupus]

I don't know why anyone would refute that claim, as far as software goes, it's the only game left that is a sequel to games that have gone to sell 30 million units in the Wii/DS era. Bayonetta 2 isn't gonna save it, X isn't, Smash Bros isn't, Donkey Kong isn't.

 

[Carl]

If 3D World did nothing for WiiU, i don't expect MK to do any better

 

[Delio]

So how long until the US follows with this?

 

[jeffers]

Well how about that...looks like Nintendo will be the first console maker to go digital only soon.

Who could've imagined.

Do think they could go digital. change up the optical drive for a HDD in a new model. Just you miss out on that mum buying gifts/seeing it while at supermarket money.

 

[Newline]

So basically, here in the UK... it's over.

 

[cyberheater]

I think it´s over in UK, but theres hope for it in europe.

Really? I thought it was just about dead everywhere.

 

[Captain Smoker]

I don't know why anyone would refute that claim, as far as software goes, it's the only game left that is a sequel to games that have gone to sell 30 million units in the Wii/DS era. Bayonetta 2 isn't gonna save it, X isn't, Smash Bros isn't, Donkey Kong isn't.

It's not a single game that makes a system live or die in the long-term.

- Overall 1st Party Support
- Overall 3rd Party Stupport
- Concept of the System
- Price of the System
- Marketing
- Image
- etc.

There are a lot of factors. Obviously, Wii U struggles in several of those segments.

 

[Jaded Alyx]

If 3D World did nothing for WiiU, i don't expect MK to do any better

This doesn't make sense.

I'm not expecting a turnaround either, but surely you're aware that Mario Kart is more popular than 3D Mario?

 

[Mass Effect]

Well, if Mario Kart (or Smash Bros) can't "save" the Wii U, then absolutely nothing can.

 

[Aostia]

6 sales into a 9 sales maybe

honkhonk

 

[RaikuHebi]

If 3D World did nothing for WiiU, i don't expect MK to do any better

I can understand why it didn't appeal to the public tbh. The Galaxy games weren't big with them either. 2D perspective Mario was the one. Mario Kart was even more significant, in fact the most significant after Wii Sports IIRC.

 

[RagingAvatar]

It's over for the WiiU in the UK. Deader then A line flares with pockets at the knees.

Nice Red Dwarf quote there
I'm sad to say it but yeah, Wii U, it's over in the UK.
I love my Wii U but I'm glad I got a Japanese one actually, hopefully it'll last a little longer in it's native country.

 

[zomgbbqftw]

You have to consider that Mario Kart is a far bigger franchise now than 2001.

Obviously, one game won't turn around things, they need to combine this with a good lineup for the rest of the year, a good price, constant marketing, and so on, to achieve "ok" sales.

Was it the success of the Wii and DS that drove record sales of Nintendo franchises or the other way around. SM3DW will sell worse than Sunshine and that is after the phenomenal success of Galaxy and 3D Land, I don't see why MK will do any better than 3D Mario so my money is on the first option.

Wii U will never achieve "ok" sales. It is lined up beside Vita as a dead system that is being kept on life support so as not to irritate the few million people who already bought it.

 

[jeffers]

I don't know why anyone would refute that claim, as far as software goes, it's the only game left that is a sequel to games that have gone to sell 30 million units in the Wii/DS era. Bayonetta 2 isn't gonna save it, X isn't, Smash Bros isn't, Donkey Kong isn't.

I refute it in the sense I think retailers have already killed their support. So the claim doesnt mean a lot. (unless its GAME)