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Wii U Sales Slumping in Japan

By - Source: BGR

Wii U sales figures aren't looking great according to Famitsu.

Though the Wii U had decent initial sales from its launch through the end of 2012, numbers from Famitsu indicate that the new console is experiencing a sale slump. Recent figures show that the Wii U went from selling 70,000 units in a week to 21,000 the next in Japan, matching the PlayStation 3's sales.

Though there's certainly cause for concern, Nintendo's not under too much hot water just yet. Though Sony and Microsoft are expected to unveil their next-gen consoles in the coming months, it'll still be time yet before they hit store shelves. Not to mention, Nintendo's bread and butter has almost always been its first party titles, which most have yet to hit the console. There's no doubt that sales figures will rapidly pick up once Pikmin 3 or the new Super Smash Bros. rolls around.

Nintendo's 3DS wasn't performing to expectations when it first launched, but with a price drop and good releases, the handheld's sales have picked up extraordinarily. Hopefully for Nintendo, the Wii U will be able to make the same kind of bounce back.

 

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There are 17 Comments.
Top Comments
  • 10
    computerguy72 , January 24, 2013 10:13 PM
    The fact only 1 tablet is supported as the controller in the console is just a deal killer. 1 person gets the cool controller and 3 get stuck with the wimotes. So many awesome gaming opportunities lost with their bad design. Could have had support for games with more than 4 players, everyone gets a tablet. I'm not sure what they were thinking at all.
Other Comments
  • 2
    redgarl , January 24, 2013 8:42 PM
    Booboo...

    3DS anyone? There is no games, so of course it is happening. Thing will be different when Zelda and Mario will be out. Even there, Nintendo is the only one of the 3 who can live with their first party library alone. They did it with the N64 and the GC.
  • 8
    scottinks , January 24, 2013 9:04 PM
    For the first time ever I have no desire to get the newest Nintendo system.
  • 8
    ironmb , January 24, 2013 9:05 PM
    I can tell you right now, i live in Japan, and nobody really cares about the Wii U... honestly. Most japanese children are still well-beyond attached to their 3DS'. And as a parent, i really dont trust my children to hold a tablet that's half the size of them. During new years (which is like christmas/black friday in japan) Nobody was sitting there waiting in line to buy a Wii U..
  • 1
    jn77 , January 24, 2013 9:25 PM
    Sometimes "Gimmicks" just don't pan out..... Get a real gaming system.... its called PC
  • 4
    jkflipflop98 , January 24, 2013 9:43 PM
    Super-expensive tablet controller hooked to a system designed for small children? Nah, there's no issue there. . .
  • 10
    computerguy72 , January 24, 2013 10:13 PM
    The fact only 1 tablet is supported as the controller in the console is just a deal killer. 1 person gets the cool controller and 3 get stuck with the wimotes. So many awesome gaming opportunities lost with their bad design. Could have had support for games with more than 4 players, everyone gets a tablet. I'm not sure what they were thinking at all.
  • 4
    DRosencraft , January 24, 2013 10:20 PM
    Things will change come June. After the huge pre-announcement of games yesterday, things will turn around. They have a WindWaker remake, an HD Zelda game on the way, Smash Bros., and Mario Kart. These are Nintendo's traditional bread and butter, and exclusive to Nintendo, so it should reignite a sizable portion of the console gaming market. I'll be getting one to play Bayonetta 2 as well.
  • 0
    fuzzion , January 24, 2013 10:56 PM
    redgarl3DS anyone?


    I would if the resoulution of the screen didnt challenge a Potato
  • 5
    stevo777 , January 24, 2013 11:13 PM
    Just a hunch, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a 50 dollar price drop in the fall ahead of any other console launch.
  • 1
    Jarmo , January 24, 2013 11:36 PM
    Remakes and traditional games don't cut it this time around.
    Nintendo needs to justify that completely unappealing controller with a game really, really making use of it.

    I'm looking at the controller wondering what the heck were they thinking. Big, clumsy, ugly, expensive.
    And they are not answering.
  • 5
    ddpruitt , January 24, 2013 11:43 PM
    DRosencraftThings will change come June. After the huge pre-announcement of games yesterday, things will turn around. They have a WindWaker remake, an HD Zelda game on the way, Smash Bros., and Mario Kart. These are Nintendo's traditional bread and butter, and exclusive to Nintendo, so it should reignite a sizable portion of the console gaming market. I'll be getting one to play Bayonetta 2 as well.


    I don't know why thought out comments are always turned down. This happens to every console a huge launch followed by slowing sales. Once better games designed for the system start coming out and the price drops sales will pickup again and will level out.
  • 3
    kinggraves , January 25, 2013 1:38 AM
    JarmoRemakes and traditional games don't cut it this time around.Nintendo needs to justify that completely unappealing controller with a game really, really making use of it.I'm looking at the controller wondering what the heck were they thinking. Big, clumsy, ugly, expensive.And they are not answering.


    Why would they answer you, you clearly haven't used it. While it is big, it's pretty light and comfortable. What, no games that "use it"? Zombi U uses the gamepad as the menu, inventory, radar, scanner, map. It uses it pretty well.

    Either way, the answer here is pretty obvious, and it isn't "Wii sux buy PC LOLOL." Wii U has pretty much nothing new until spring. There's a lot come spring, but until then it's been dead since launch. If you didn't buy one at launch, might as well wait. 3rd parties may even be waiting until E3 before they announce anything solid. They may even be waiting to see if XBox and PS4 will block used game sales (which will really impress publishers, even if it doesn't impress the consumer).

    Another thing to consider is that most of the popular games for it at the moment are not games that sell well in Japan. 3DS on the other hand is pretty popular there with an increasingly powerful lineup of JRPGs. Nintendo is still profitable at home.
  • 1
    JacekRing , January 25, 2013 3:01 AM
    computerguy72The fact only 1 tablet is supported as the controller in the console is just a deal killer. 1 person gets the cool controller and 3 get stuck with the wimotes. So many awesome gaming opportunities lost with their bad design. Could have had support for games with more than 4 players, everyone gets a tablet. I'm not sure what they were thinking at all.

    Just imagine the great games they could have if it supported multiple tablets.

    BATTLESHIP! each player can see his ships, but they can't see the other players and on main monitor have like the board with only the hits/misses recorded and animations for firing and stuff.

    Texas Holdem multiplayer! You see your cards on your tablets.

    there's so many fun multiplayer opportunities missed.
  • -2
    lpedraja2002 , January 25, 2013 4:14 AM
    computerguy72The fact only 1 tablet is supported as the controller in the console is just a deal killer. 1 person gets the cool controller and 3 get stuck with the wimotes. So many awesome gaming opportunities lost with their bad design. Could have had support for games with more than 4 players, everyone gets a tablet. I'm not sure what they were thinking at all.


    Wow that's a huge CON right there, I can't believe this isn't announced more. Next you'll tell me that the tablet doesn't even save your game files? So I can't just take it to another WiiU and play with my profile ?
  • 2
    old_newbie , January 25, 2013 7:44 AM
    ddpruittI don't know why thought out comments are always turned down. This happens to every console a huge launch followed by slowing sales. Once better games designed for the system start coming out and the price drops sales will pickup again and will level out.

    +1. Agreed. Anyone who's been around more than one generation knows this is the common lifecycle of a console. So be at ease youngsters, you can stop predicting the end of Nintendo. Nothing to see here. Move along.
  • 1
    shadowfamicom , January 25, 2013 10:14 AM
    lpedraja2002Wow that's a huge CON right there, I can't believe this isn't announced more. Next you'll tell me that the tablet doesn't even save your game files? So I can't just take it to another WiiU and play with my profile ?


    The controller is a touch screen, not a tablet. There are no CPU in the tablet, all the data is sent to it from the main unit with wireless tech. Also Nintendo said several times that at launch it will only support one WiiU controller with a screen. Implying that down the line it will be able to use two.
  • -1
    eiskrystal , January 25, 2013 3:11 PM
    Quote:
    Agreed. Anyone who's been around more than one generation knows this is the common lifecycle of a console.


    Given that the upcoming titles are remakes and rehashes done multiple times before, this time may actually be different... Let's also not forget that the tablet market is starting to encroach too.
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