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Reggie: Wii U name not responsible for console's problems.

T

TheDrowningMan

Member
StickSoldier said:
It certainly doesn't help.

Nintendo's lack of creativity is what's hurting them the most though. They're too afraid to try something new with their main IPs.
Click to expand...

That is not as big a problem as having the mass-market think your console is a monstrously priced peripheral. Most people buy Xbox for licensed games and CoD now it's at mass-market level. If Nintendo really don't think the name is a problem, there's no hope. It should be changed or emphasised on every single piece of marketing the company does.
 
Z

zma1013

Member
I'm hoping they have the intelligence to understand that while it's not the biggest problem with the Wii U, it's still a problem. He's right in the lack of software is the number one issue, but saying the name doesn't cause doubt in people's minds is rather, umm, dumb.
 
N

Not

Banned
Sorry Reg, but the average consumer still doesn't know the Wii U is a new console. Hang out in a Target for an hour
 
Z

zma1013

Member
rhoq said:
Lack of consumer education led to the confusion over whether the Wii U GamePad was an add-on for the original Wii or part of a new system. That and the lack of decent software are the Wii U's biggest problem. Had the machine been named Wii 2, consumer eduction wouldn't be necessary since that name would have made it pretty clear that this is the Wii's successor.
Click to expand...

I agree with you. They really need to re-launch the Wii U under the Wii 2 name. Take all current stock and place a "2" sticker over the letter "U" and then create a new advertising campaign with the Wii 2 name. Drastic times call for drastic measures. Obviously though, they need to do this when they get more compelling software as that's number one priority. I'd say around the time a new 3D Mario or 3D Zelda comes out might be a good time.
 
S

Second Circle Pad

Banned
"The consumer understands that we have a new system. But the consumer is saying: 'What am I going to play? And what am I going to play that's a new and unique and compelling experience vs. what I can do today, whether it's on the Wii or any other system?'
Click to expand...
Well, majority of consumers want CoD multiplayer and they will get X360 because all of their friends have it.

Besides, isn't WiiU version gimped? It's not being made by the same developer that is making PS360 version.
 
G

geek_box12

Banned
Or how about crap hardware that feels extremely underpowered, constant freezing, releasing year old games and selling them at full price, releasing new games with features removed an charging full price, no variety of games, confusing tablet controller, no account system, no online infrastructure, high price, and the list goes on an on.
 
P

PhoenixDark

Banned
Fox318 said:
The whole system is the problem.
Click to expand...

Pretty much, but the gamepad and the name are some of the big problems outside of software output. Many people don't understand this is the "next" Wii. I'd love to know what their focus groups said when they tested WiiU v Wii2.

It's just not good hardware, and that will become more apparent over the next year or two. And I'm not convinced Nintendo can keep the software output consistent, because lord knows third parties won't be there to fill in the gaps.
 
R

RumblingRosco

Member
I know there is a chalkboard image of things that will save the Wii U (which are being crossed off one-by-one).

Can someone make a new one with a list of things that are the reasons for the Wii U failing, with each one crossed off one-by-one as Miyamoto/Iwata/Reggie state "that's not the issue"?

So far, they've said 1) price is not the problem and 2) the name is not the problem. I'm sure there are more. EDIT: Oh, Reggie did say the opposition's line-ups are "meh" so maybe we can also cross off the competition as a potential problem.
 
B

BigDug13

Member
I didn't know what it was for awhile. You see it in the store and it looks like a Wii console in a box with a tablet controller and Wii-mote support.

The name by itself might not have been a problem, but the console looks almost exactly like a Wii. Players 2-4 use the exact same controller as the Wii. The commercials even amplify that fact, and you have companies like Target who can't even figure it out when they put a picture of the Wii console next to the Wii-U controller on their print ads for the Wii-U.

Put all that together and you have a recipe for disaster.
 
C

casmith07

Member
My brother is actually considering selling his Wii U. Does anyone know the proper method for ensuring that it's wiped clean for resale? No, he is not trading it in at GameStop.
 
Duxxy3

Duxxy3

Member
If you listen to the PR, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Wii U. It's just not selling for some mysterious reason that they just can not grasp.
 
C

casmith07

Member
TAS said:
The decision to drop the price was excellent. Now all they have to do is change the name to Wii 2. Honestly, how much time, effort and money would that require? I'm guessing close to nothing in the grand scheme of things. With the new $299 price tag, a killer lineup of exclusives for the holidays and the Wii 2 name--it would be like a second launch for the console. Do it Nintendo!
Click to expand...

If I were them I would shoot for a re-launch NEXT fall. Boost the hardware specs (make it a Wii U on steroids) and make it backwards compatible with all existing Wii U games, but with significantly more power to once again catch up to the competition and therefore attract better third party support.

Re-launch in September or October 2014 as the "Wii 2" then with new branding, or with an entirely new name all together. All subsequent re-prints of Wii U games will include the new name, just like when Sony changed the PlayStation 3 logo.
 
M

MarkusRJR

Member
casmith07 said:
If I were them I would shoot for a re-launch NEXT fall. Boost the hardware specs (make it a Wii U on steroids) and make it backwards compatible with all existing Wii U games, but with significantly more power to once again catch up to the competition and therefore attract better third party support.

Re-launch in September or October 2014 as the "Wii 2" then with new branding, or with an entirely new name all together. All subsequent re-prints of Wii U games will include the new name, just like when Sony changed the PlayStation 3 logo.
Click to expand...
Fragmenting the audience isn't a good thing at all.
 
Z

Zombie James

Banned
SeventhSon said:
It's a problem.

(that's not a Wii U console in the ad)

target-ad-wiiu-wii.jpg
Click to expand...

Wow, when major retailers can't even get it right...
 
K

Krakn3Dfx

Member
I wonder how many calls Reggie gets from Japan a week where his only response is, "Wait, what? Really? Are you sure about that, I dunno about that...alright."

Then shakes his head, walks off to the his private restroom and masturbates furiously for 3-4 minutes just take the edge off.
 
B

Bear

Member
Not said:
Sorry Reg, but the average consumer still doesn't know the Wii U is a new console. Hang out in a Target for an hour
Click to expand...

You mean the same crowd that asks about getting the new Mario for their kid's Sony?

The average customer can't tell the difference between most of these machines anyway, regardless of what they are called or even who makes them. The way past that is a breakout hit gets people talking on daytime TV and in their social circles, and the Wii U has no such game.
 
B

Bizazedo

Member
Seik said:
Plz stahp.

I love off-screen play, in fact it's the thing I used the most since I have it.
Click to expand...

Off-screen play is the only thing it's been shown to be really good for, though. I mean look at The Wonderful 101. The very first defenders of it I saw stressed against drawing on the screen and to use the sticks to use the moves....
 
D

Dragonborn

Member
I think they should drop the gameplad, rebrand it Wii 2, make it $250 and market it using Wii would like to play... 2 (too), or something like that. Would that work or would it just make things worse?
 
BigTnaples

BigTnaples

Todd Howard's Secret GAF Account
All of them? No.


Many of them? Yes.



No one I know in real life knew that the WiiU was not just an addon to the Wii. Not a single person.


That is a problem. Especially when many of them bought the Wii.
 
O

opticalmace

Member
I wonder how things would have played out if they had chosen a name not related to the 'Wii' branding at all. Like, the Nintendo Atom or something.

Too bad we'll never know.
 
E

EvB

Member
When I bought a Wii U last month, both a female colleague of mine (who owns a ps3) and my GFs sister (who is 26) asked what it was. I was properly suprised.

That's what Nintendo's problem is, nobody know what it is and as Reggie says, without that killer app (wii fitness, brain training, Wii sports) they don't have a relevant way to draw attention to it.
 
A

alan666

Banned
the WiiU's problems stem from,
the name,
price,
number of games for the system,
type of games for the system,
lack of choice of games (no third party support) ,
no MUST buy games,
lack of marketing,
lack of investment in R&D,
lack of direction,
poor digital market system where games are tied to the console,
the main selling point (gamepad) is not used & seems to be a gimmick,
poor online gaming set-up,

another issue is & i know i will get slated for this, but the system power, GPU, CPU, RAM, HD is not on par with the PS4 & X1, especially for people who do not know their stuff, whenever next-gen games are mentioned the WiiU is not mentioned alongside the PS4 & X1, now obviously everything is dandy in hindsight but Nintendo must of known that Sony & MS were going to go down the power route this coming generation because it is what everyone has been crying out for, yes ok power is nothing if you don't know how to use it, but not being x86 is just one issue in the hardware stakes, of course Nintendo didn't know that the PS4 would have 8GB GDDR3 RAM & that Kinect could detect your heartbeat but the lets go small & low power has left Nintendo on their own, but is it the was forward, no, the size of a console doesn't really matter as long as it is not huge then any size is ok & as long as it doesn't need a mega-watt of power per hour to run it makes no difference how much power it uses, ok if you have to put a dollar, pound,yen, euro in the meter every hour to play on your console, but how many have to do that, yes it is good that there is the tech to do this, but that is just like saying there is more tech & power in my iphone than took man to the moon, well lets see you go to the moon using your iphone then !

there are just too many problems with the WiiU & no one person or company can sort them out, Nintendo should of learned their lesson with the 3DS release because the WiiU has the same problems the 3DS had in its early days, but don't forget that games have been moved to the 3DS or ported to the 3DS from the WiiU, so is there really any point in a WiiU when you can just get a 3DS/2DS ?

i had a WiiU since release day & do i regret buying one, yes i suppose i do because i feel let down by Nintendo mostly, they promised so much with the WiiU & have not delivered.
 
M

Mokujin

Member
Its part of the problem.

Reggie saying name is not the problem and Iwata that the price isn't, even is software is the BIG problem, the above are also hindering Wii U situation from the start, cant see how they cant see it or dont want to...
 
1

18-Volt

Member
Leondexter said:
Please rank:

Gamepad weird/misunderstood - Nintendo's consoles have always been misunderstood, GBC games and NES/SNES for example
Name confusing - It has little to do with sales, people were expecting Wii HD, but they got "U"
Price - A new console, nobody expected it to be dirt cheap
Power - Serious issue, nobody wants to buy dated hardware, ESPECIALLY in 2013
Lack of publisher support - Another serious issue, not everybody has chance to own 2 consoles at same time
Lack of Nintendo support / no "killer app" - The issue affects the sales the most. Lineup was full of sequel, nothing original, nothing shows system's true power or capabilites. Same NSMB, same Mario 3D, same Donkey Kong. Needs a big, brand new title with a "Wow" factor
Ill will from last gen / Wii brand name - Wii name actually has positive effect for the masses, like iPod does. It only repels "true core/violent/online" gamer
Poor media relations / coverage - Irrelevant, Nintendo never needed such relations in the past. Fallon and movies are more than enough.
Lack of advertising / poor advertising - Again, irrelevant. Companies responsible for this doing a great job. The software advertised fails to attract. Nobody cares for Pikmin 3.
No account system / Nintendo's "behind-the-times" image - The wider audience doesn't care about this, Wii proved this. It's all about the software. New stuff always attract people. Neither NSMBU, Pikmin 3, Wii fit U or DKC are new stuff. They're all re-telling of what's been already done.

Did I miss anything? I wonder how many of these Nintendo thinks are not problems...and how many agree with them. They really did almost everything wrong with this thing.
Click to expand...

They did some stuff wrong but Wii U was classic Nintendo case. They did what they think right, and it had true potential, but they wasted with wrong software. They sold 100 million Wii's to non-gamer audience but with Wii U, they totally missed the point of "non-gamer" audience. They never fall same trap twice.
 
F

Freezie KO

Banned
Leondexter said:
Please rank:

Gamepad weird/misunderstood
Name confusing
Price
Power
Lack of publisher support
Lack of Nintendo support / no "killer app"
Ill will from last gen / Wii brand name
Poor media relations / coverage
Lack of advertising / poor advertising
No account system / Nintendo's "behind-the-times" image

Did I miss anything? I wonder how many of these Nintendo thinks are not problems...and how many agree with them. They really did almost everything wrong with this thing.
Click to expand...

Good assessment. I'd put software/support at the top and something like account system at the bottom, but everything else in between is pretty fluid.
 
R

rpmurphy

Member
Look at the software sales numbers of the Wii U. Not even people who bought the system (who I assume are part of the group who know what a Wii U is) are buying software for it. It's not the name.
 
V

Vinci

Danish
People aren't going to pay $300 for a system they paid $250 for years ago. Which is basically what many think Nintendo is asking them to do with this thing, if they've heard about it at all.

1. The system needs more visibility.
2. It needs to get the right visibility, not this Wii peripheral stuff.

Until they get at least these two things right, it is completely unfounded to say that the other 'issues' are keeping the mainstream audience away. They may be issues, but people have to at the bare minimim know that the thing exists and what it is.
 
D

dubq

Member
Bizazedo said:
Off-screen play is the only thing it's been shown to be really good for, though. I mean look at The Wonderful 101. The very first defenders of it I saw stressed against drawing on the screen and to use the sticks to use the moves....
Click to expand...

Off-screen play, yes.. but certain games utilize the gamepad as a secondary screen very well, IMO. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate.. having the HUD and everything on the gamepad instead of the screen is amazing for an uncluttered view of the action/exploration.
 
Petrae

Petrae

Member
Perhaps the name of the console wouldn't be so much of an issue had Nintendo spent more than a token effort in marketing it. The WiiU got dumped on shelves, supported by terrible advertising that never clarified what the platform is.

Like so many others, I've heard consumers asking what WiiU is. Many of these people believe it's just a tablet add-in for their Wii consoles. When you explain that it's a new system, that leads to more questions about portability, games, why a tablet, additional tablets, and more.

Before I bought a Wii in 2006, there were mall events that rolled out the system. People could play it, see it, find out more about it. Wii got traction because it was something relatively new for the time (motion control) but also because Nintendo actually expended effort in getting the message out there. I went from "What's a Wii? Really?" to scavenging around on launch day to find one because Wii Sports hooked me.

When there's no message-- or a relatively limited message-- after nine months, it's tough to rope consumers in. And now that the competition is just weeks away, that challenge gets even harder.

I know there are other problems, too, like pricing that's perceived as being too high and software support that was nearly non-existent for much of 2013... but this lack of effort when it comes to marketing WiiU is the one the befuddles me the most. It's as if Nintendo just assumed that we'd all buy in, because Wii. Maybe there is a bit of hubris there, maybe Nintendo was too busy trying to fix 3DS, I don't know. It's just too bad, because I would've liked to have seen how the platform works have fared if sent to retail with more of a fighting chance.
 
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