Relaunching a Console

[IceDoesntHelp]

With talk of the Wii U possibly being relaunched during/after E3, I was wondering if any console/handheld has been relaunched before? If so, how did it turn out for the company in the long run?

 

[Astral/H3X]

3DS. Amazing.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

3DS.

Though that was faster, more aggressive, and not nearly as dead.

 

[H_Prestige]

3DS. Amazing.

Price cut = relaunch?

 

[Green Biker Dude]

i thought the wii u was the second relaunch of the gamecube. did i miss something

 

[ascii42]

The PS3 was, with the slim. Even changed the game label. Worked out well, mostly because it brought the system to a reasonable price.

 

[Espresso]

3DS was re-launched? Do you mean by Nintendo's releasing of the XL model?

 

[Manmademan]

With talk of the Wii U possibly being relaunched during/after E3, I was wondering if any console/handheld has been relaunched before? If so, how did it turn out for the company in the long run?

who is talking about this? who would be insane enough to try to relaunch a struggling console against the massive marketing budget and hype machines of the XBONE and PS4?

If it was ever going to happen, it would not be this year.

 

[soxinthebox]

3DS. Amazing.

How was the 3DS a 'relaunch' and not repricing and advertising - something that can be done at any time for an existing product? Like the PS3 and 360 being repriced through their lifetimes wouldn't mean they relaunched the product would it?

Actually what do people even consider a 'relaunch'?

 

[KojiKnight]

who is talking about this? who would be insane enough to try to relaunch a struggling console against the massive marketing budget and hype machines of the XBONE and PS4?

If it was ever going to happen, it would not be this year.

A relaunch at E3 would beat xbone/PS4 launch by 4-5 months... It's actually about the only chance Nintendo will get to try it.

 

[pixlexic]

3ds was easily a relaunch. They dunk out for a while then put together a whole mario land/ mario kart / price reduction campaign

 

[hamchan]

3DS was re-launched? Do you mean by Nintendo's releasing of the XL model?

Yep, that and a price drop and an overload of games really helped bring the platform back.

 

[ascii42]

who is talking about this? who would be insane enough to try to relaunch a struggling console against the massive marketing budget and hype machines of the XBONE and PS4?

If it was ever going to happen, it would not be this year.

Well, it would be better than being completely ignored this holiday. It needs to get some momentum going.

 

[Extra Sauce]

i thought the wii u was the second relaunch of the gamecube. did i miss something

As a Nintendo fan, I give this post an A+.

 

[IceDoesntHelp]

who is talking about this? who would be insane enough to try to relaunch a struggling console against the massive marketing budget and hype machines of the XBONE and PS4?

If it was ever going to happen, it would not be this year.

People in this thread.

 

[Bulbasaur]

What actually constitutes a relaunch?

 

[Astral/H3X]

If the 3DS, with the price cut, advertising, XL, and games in short sequence wasnt a relauch, then what you guys would call a relaunch is actually just rapid succession.

 

[Manmademan]

How was the 3DS a 'relaunch' and not repricing and advertising something that can be done at any time for an existing product? Like the PS3 and 360 being repriced through their lifetimes wouldn't mean they relaunched the product would it?

Actually what do people even consider a 'relaunch'?

I can see a renaming/redesign as a relaunch, but those aren't that common. It usually only happens with successful platforms.

Sony did it with the PSone, PS slim model of the PS2, and the slim redesign of the PS3 (complete with font changes, etc for marketing).

Nintendo did it with the gameboy pocket and the DS lite.

other than that? I'm drawing a blank.

edit: oh, maybe things like the intellivision II and III, and the Master System 2. But there's a reason companies don't pull shit like that anymore.

People in this thread.

that's just nintendo pulling a bundle from shelves that was literally collecting dust. Anyone who thinks that's a sign of a redesign is high as a kite.

 

[Gucci Messiah]

A price cut is not a relaunch

 

[Colonel]

There's never been a relaunch only change's like they way they market there system and place more ad's. If they only advertised the Wii U more, like they did the Wii they may get somewhere.

 

[kswiston]

I don't think you can actually relaunch a static tech product, but they could do a rebranding (in addition to a price cut) ala the PS3 slim. That worked out pretty well for Sony given their start in 2006-2008.

 

[hamchan]

What actually constitutes a relaunch?

Probably just a combination of a new marketing campaign, maybe a new redesigned system, a price drop and a ton of new games announced/released.

Though an aggressive new marketing campaign is the most important I reckon.

 

[Gucci Messiah]

There's never been a relaunch only change's like they way they market there system and place more ad's. If they only advertised the Wii U more, like they did the Wii they may get somewhere.

Advertising is just one of many problems

 

[Zoc]

A relaunch more or less amounts to spending lots of money on a new marketing campaign, doesn't it? Helped along by things like price cuts/console redesign/new colours/big drop of new games.

If anything, I think the DS lite was the most successful relaunch, since it successfully shifted the target market away from young boys to everyone.

 

[Marmaladefire]

They need to rename it, if anything.

 

[Mikey Jr.]

PS3 was more of a re-launch than 3DS by a HUGE margin.

-$299 price.
-New ad campaign (Kevin Butler)
-New box titles
-New font
-Redesigned console

 

[McHuj]

What actually constitutes a relaunch?

Wishful thinking. There's no such thing.

 

[KojiKnight]

They need to rename it, if anything.

Yes... because it's the name that screwed them over and not the game drought right at the start, the "too high" price, and the fact that there are still some people that think the controller is an accessory instead of a console.

 

[Halifirien]

I don't know if Nintendo will truly relaunch the console, but I won't complain if they decide to create a Wii U Ambassador program for early adopters. I've certainly enjoyed playing Metroid Fusion on my 3DS.

 

[Marmaladefire]

Yes... because it's the name that screwed them over and not the game drought right at the start, the "too high" price, and the fact that there are still some people that think the controller is an accessory instead of a console.

Well obviously, though a lot of the "it's an accessory" comes from the name. After Udraw (Wii U? Nintendo U draw right?) and the balance board, etc people are used to the wii having huge, mildy stupid looking peripherals. This would just be a proprietary on in the box. The third party support issue won't be fixed until they have a higher install base, which won't happen until people realize the thing exists.

And yes, it needs a price drop, bad. I'll amend my statement to say that it needs a rename and a price drop. The game drought is not immediately fixable, but I'm sure current owners will be more optimistic by the end of the Nintendo direct during E3 giving them information on more titles.

 

[AJTsuki]

Everybody here is thinking like a gamer. We've already shown Nintendo we're wary of the system. They'll definitely engage gamers, maybe put together some form of Ambassador program-esque nod to the "hard core"... but, what's important to consider is who Nintendo really wants to sell their console to, especially in the States... Parents.

I imagine they're gearing up a strategy where they'll position the WiiU as the cheapest, the most family-friendly and the most living room-ready next-gen console (despite it not being very next-gen, parents don't care). They'll wait until MS and Sony announce $400 systems and then begin a holiday marketing push that relies heavily on a price drop & Mario to drive it.

I also imagine it won't work as well as they hope. Every 10 year old in America wants an iPad. That's why Tim Cook always appears to be grinning.

They won't rename it, either. That would be like adding a second circle pad on the 3DS XL.

 

[Zabant]

I would call the DS Lite a bit of a relaunch, the original console looked god awful and put me off buying the thing.

Now that I think about it, I could say the same of the GBA to GBA SP, though to a lesser extent.

 

[Infernal Monkey]

Yeah, the introduction of the DS Lite felt like a complete system relaunch to me. It was such a massive improvement from the regular DS, and it was around the time Nintendo were kicking off the hugely successful Touch Generations! brand with stuff like Brain Training.

 

[Anticitizen One]

PS3 did it successfully

 

[Chinpoko_Master]

PS3 was more of a re-launch than 3DS by a HUGE margin.

-$299 price.
-New ad campaign (Kevin Butler)
-New box titles
-New font
-Redesigned console

Yep. While not really a relaunch, the 360 did something similar around the time Kinect launched with new boxes and the slim 360 model.

 

[Iacobellis]

Yep. While not really a relaunch, the 360 did something similar around the time Kinect launched with new boxes and the slim 360 model.

Difference is, the 360 never needed it.

 

[Gucci Messiah]

Yes... because it's the name that screwed them over and not the game drought right at the start, the "too high" price, and the fact that there are still some people that think the controller is an accessory instead of a console.

You can't deny that the terrible name isn't part of the problem as well

 

[Mysterious]

PS3.

 

[Galang]

who is talking about this? who would be insane enough to try to relaunch a struggling console against the massive marketing budget and hype machines of the XBONE and PS4?

If it was ever going to happen, it would not be this year.

The coming of PS4 and XB1 is more reason for the Wii U to relaunch. It would be more insane to wait until next year.

 

[Novocaine]

Does the Neo Geo X Gold count? I mean technically it plays the same games as the AES, just in a different media form.

 

[goomba]

new marketing style, lower price and new game lineup is all that really matters. wii u hardware is already as slim as it needs to be

 

[ant1532]

PS3 duhhhhhhhhhh

 

[krae_man]

The DS got relaunched with the DS lite.

 

[Gucci Messiah]

new marketing style, lower price and new game lineup is all that really matters. wii u hardware is already as slim as it needs to be

It looks like a super long Wii (get your laughs out now), the box needs to be different

 

[thekonamicode]

Saturn was relaunched with free games.

 

[Paracelsus]

3DS is too easy, no competition. PS3 more than re-launch was a resurrection.

 

[Gucci Messiah]

3DS is too easy, no competition. PS3 more than re-launch was a resurrection.

I think you have that backwards

 

[goomba]

It looks like a super long Wii (get your laughs out now), the box needs to be different

I think the box is good , what else do you suggest ?

 

[Mysterious]

edit: meep

 

[NewGame]

What do you guys think?

I vomited a little in my mouth.