220°

Wii U hardware sales expected to slump 17% in the US during March

Wii U hardware sales in the US for the month of March will slump to only 55,000 units, analyst Wedbush has forecast in its March 2013 NPD Preview.

55,000 units is a 17 per cent decline over the 66,000 units moved in February. The console sold 57,000 units in January, following the November/December 2012 tally of 463,000 units.

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videogamer.com
bicfitness4058d ago

What happened with MHU and Lego Batman boosting HW sales? If you listened to the N4G Nintendo pundits, those titles moved boxes like gangbusters.

That's quite a dreadful number if its true too, as the March HW tracking is a 5 week period, I believe.

xXxSeTTriPxXx4058d ago

This is like the 3rd remake of MH3, dont see how they thought thst lol.

loulou4058d ago

i doubt that the success of the wii will be replicated. what is about lightning striking twice??

i have bad feeling that nintendo are going to get stomped this gen.

dedicatedtogamers4058d ago

The only game moving the WiiU in great numbers (and I called this one prior to the WiiU's launch) is sidescrolling Mario. But even that isn't as potent as Nintendo would like, now that the market is starting to get saturated with sidescrolling Mario games as well as other sidescrolling games.

Nintendo Land is not Wii Sports, not does it appeal to the Wii Sports crowd. Nintendo's efforts to court 3rd parties on the WiiU has fallen flat on its face, and I doubt that will change any time soon. So, Nintendo's current spearhead into the "expanded audience" is as sharp as a loaf of bread. Contrary to what WiiU defenders claim, games like Pikmin 3, Wonderful 101, and Project X are not going to move the hardware in high or sustainable numbers. It will take a "new" Wii Sports title, more 2D Mario (this time a truly revolutionary sidescrolling Mario is needed), Mario Kart, and Smash Bros to get things moving. 3D Mario and 3D Zelda won't move the hardware in high or sustanable numbers, either, just like they didn't do so for the Wii or DS.

lilbroRx4058d ago (Edited 4058d ago )

I don't recall anyone saying Lego Batman would boost anything because its and old Wii game that most people already have. Also, it doesn't come out until next month I don't even see why that was released.

MHU did boost sales quite a bit so I don't know what you are getting at or this article.

The sales doubled in March. How did they come to the conclusion that they would slump?

Mr_Writer854058d ago

Maybe they doubled in Japan but this is on about the U.S.

And I think he meant Lego City. Which tbf a few deluded fanboys on here and other sites were claiming it was a system seller.

I think people need to stop thinking that everyone who bought a Wii is going to buy a WiiU. Once they accept that the WiiU won't be out selling the Nextbox and PS4 then things will calm down.

LOL_WUT4058d ago

Right about now would be a good time for Nintendo to drop the price. If not then I expect Wii U sales to plummet even more. ;)

Qrphe4058d ago

MHU was never going to boost sales significantly. It only sold 200,000 in Japan (the biggest market for such game). It sold 100,000 in NA and Europe combined.

Zhipp4058d ago

According to VGchartz, Wii U sales doubled(from 30k to around 64k WW) for a couple of weeks around the Lego city and MH3U launches, and the biggest sales increase was USA. I dunno how accurate they are, though...

Speaking of accuracy, the article says they got their estimates from Wedbush. Doesn't Pachter work for them? I hope they're more reliable than he is, heh.

TheDivine4057d ago

Moved about as many WiiU's as AC Liberation and COD moved Vita's.

Both systems need new games. Not ports, remasters, but new big games. WiiU has a killer lineup but most have no release dates. As soon as these games release the consoles will sell very well. Same thing happens with all consoles when there's few games early on. The 3ds started just as slow and now its on track to be the best selling handheld ever and it already has one of the best libraries ever. Hopefully Vita gets some big games announced at e3 also. Great system, no software.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4057d ago
jcnba284058d ago

People seem to foret that most of the world is in the middle of a recession, jobs are being lost everyday. Of course this is going to have an effect on sales.

jcnba284058d ago (Edited 4058d ago )

Excuse? Wow there really are a lot of pathetic people on this site.

pikey4058d ago Show
superterabyte4058d ago (Edited 4058d ago )

@jcnba28 yes it will take an effect you're right But that is not the reason the Wii u is failing I mean the last month or so vita has picked up sales especially in japan why you ask? because they have released games that are big in japan.

The Wii u is selling bad because it doesn't have games and if it does eventually get games (probably first party sequels) sales will pick up if it doesn't then it will fail.

p.s. also doesn't help that the hardware is not impressive at all

loulou4058d ago

bubbles + pikey.

but you forget to say unless that positive comment is about sony

Utalkin2me4058d ago

@loulou

Really? This coming from someone who only joined a couple of months ago. Should have been around when the PS3 first launched and the site was littered with 360 fanboys.

Ck1x4058d ago Show
Kiddcarter4057d ago

Not a bad argument, but come on now, the 360 and ps3 are doing very well in middle of the same recession, maybe people just don't want to buy Wii U's right now. As a Wii u owner i understand why its not doing well right now, there's nothing to play,i think once there's games, that even in this recession sales will pick up, but sales will never be like the Wii, and Nintendo fan boys and Nintendo themselves need to accept that, the Wii was a fluke system and it wont happen again

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 4057d ago
bicfitness4058d ago

Tablet and iPad sales are through the roof, and those don't come with retailer/ telecommunication markdowns and contracts. We're talking $250-500 pieces of tech with arguable usefulness. If a device is compelling, people buy it. Period. The Wii U isn't compelling, a more attractive price won't do anything without software either, so Nintendo is in a bit of a pickle till they sort that out.

DragonKnight4058d ago

That recession has been going on for years and hasn't prevented people from buying more expensive products like iPhones, iPads and other consoles. The Wii U interests no one. It's not the recession, it's the console. The casuals see no difference in it from the Wii and thus won't buy into it, the core remember how Nintendo abandoned them in favor of the casuals, and the diehard Nintendo fans are still waiting for LoZ and Metroid. That's just the facts. Stop looking for other reasons to explain the Wii U's poor showing so far and just accept that Nintendo didn't do enough this time around... yet.

mcstorm4058d ago

The problem with the WiiU at the moment is that Nintendo have let the 3rd party bring out there games before Nintendo have had any big hitters them selfs and because of this people will not buy a WiiU yet.

For example the biggest game of last year in terms of sales was BO2 but people already have a PS3 or 360 so they wont go out and spend £300 on a new console to buy the WiiU version.

This is the same problem Microsoft and Sony will have with there next consoles if games like COD are out on the 360 and PS3 as well as the 2 new consoles because people will not want to shell out £400 or more to play the same game on there current console.

Once Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo bring out there big names like GT, Halo and Mario Kart and the 3rd party stop supporting the current gen consoles then people will start to move to the new gen consoles.

People are forgetting that we are in a recession at the moment and people are finding ways to save money and this is part of the reason why the PSV is not selling to well at the moment.

The WiiU, Next Xbox and PS4 will all sell well in the next 2 years and I also expect sales will be closer between the best selling console and the lest selling console I don't think next gen will have an out right winner this time round.

famoussasjohn4058d ago

Definitely can't be for being overpriced.

dedicatedtogamers4058d ago

@ bicfitness and DragonKnight

"it's not the economy, it's the console".

Bravo. Bravo x10,000. People should be saying this over and over again, screaming it in Nintendo's face until they run out of breath. Nintendo made the same blunder with the 3DS, assuming people would go ga-ga over the glasses-free 3D. It wasn't until they stepped in with a course correction, a price drop, and a scramble to add more software support that the 3DS began to take off. WiiU is in need of the same emergency surgery, and the only people denying it are Nintendo themselves and their shrinking, blindly-loyal fanbse.

kenshiro1004058d ago

Are you serious? People rush and buy the new iPhones each day. This has nothing to do with a recession. Nintendo isn't delivering, plain and simple.

Mr_Writer854058d ago

Yet the PS3 manages nearly 1million a month.

The WiiU's market has shrunk. That's all nothing more nothing less. The people who bought the Wii are not gamers, they simply found a new fad, they then got bored and moved on.

I wonder if you compared the rise of tablet sales (you the know those things that cost almost 3 times the price off WiiU) from around the 2010 (the decline of the Wii) you will be able to see why the WiiU is struggling.

loulou4058d ago

indeed. but will we see this almost 1m per month now that the ps4 has been announced??

if i didn't already have a ps3, i certainly wouldn't buy one now knowing that the ps4 is coming..

Mr_Writer854058d ago

I doubt you will see that, but the matter of fact is there is a market for it still. There will be people who haven't bought one who maybe tempted once a price cut comes.

I mean knowing the PS4 won't play PS3 games might catch the eye of say some 360 gamers, or even PC gamers once the price hits sub £/$120.

And just like the PS2 many South American country's are yet to see a PS3.

Again small markets but a market none the less. The WiiU does have a market, but it's not the same as the Wii, and it doesn't appeal to the full Wii market.

miyamoto4058d ago (Edited 4058d ago )

"effect on sales"

Yeah the recession of 2008 really affected unit sales of video games hardware in favor of the Wii & DS because they are the cheapest in the market compared to other devices.

Yeah were are still in that same recession since that time but the Wii U strategy is very unlike the Wii strategy of old.

Its the most expensive HD console today and the games are not that easy to make as admitted by Nintendo themselves( http://seanmalstrom.wordpre... unlike the Gamecube/Wii SD games of old.

Nintendo is not ready to make HD games- games or lack thereof makes or breaks a platform. What Nintendo needs to do is Speed Up their HD game making process double time before PS4 games hit the market this holiday season.

edit:
Videogamer is a flame bait site like Kotaku

kneon4058d ago

The economy has little to do with it, otherwise you wouldn't see PS3 and 360 sales still doing so well. The Wii U basic is the same price as the PS3 bundles so price isn't the issue there, people just don't seem to want a Wii U.

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 4057d ago
lovegames7184058d ago

No hating but ever since the Wiiu came out fans have been saying every new release would sell units lol Not too long ago it was Monster Hunter and although it sold better then most games on Wiiu in Japan it didnt sell Monster Hunter numbers. I keep saying those games wont sell units the way Pikmin wont and Bayonetta 2 wont they are games that didnt even sell that much to begin with. Both games dont go past 1 million no matter what system its on.

Recession we already know is a dumb excuse especially since ps3 and xbox are still selling well above Wiiu and arent that much cheaper in price (at least ps4 isnt), not to mention Apple products keep selling through the roof.

200 price point with Mario Kart and Zelda releasing should do it for Nintendo and make sales wise otherwise its going to be a hard, bumpy ride.

apollo064058d ago

Not sure why.... Monster Hunter 3, LEGO City Undercover and Need for Speed Most Wanted U are all very good games and should've given the Wii U a bit of a sales boost... I guess people are just waiting for Nintendo to release their big guns.

Keep in mind the eShop has some AMAZING games as well.

PopRocks3594058d ago

Games of that nature haven't really moved the media or the public in any way. The Wii U needs some games that really grabs peoples' attention. For those who have adopted early, your point makes sense since there's some content to access on it, even if not a whole lot. As for people still waiting for a reason, it's understandable why someone may not dive in right now.

Theyellowflash304058d ago

This is surprising if true. I thought for sure sales of the Wii U would be higher with Monster Hunter and Lego City.

lilbroRx4058d ago

It was already confirmed higher by actual retailers. There was a 125% increase. I don't know where this article got its info from.

Theyellowflash304058d ago

This is American NPD, the 125% was Euro sales.

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20°

Nordic Game has just revealed the winners of Nordic Game Awards 2024

"Nordic Game has revealed the winners of this year’s Nordic Game Awards, which took place on Thursday, May 23, during NG24 Spring and streamed live from Slagthuset in Malmö, Sweden." - Nordic Game.

80°

The Indie Games Scene Is Carrying The Gaming Industry At This Point

Indie games are single-handedly carrying the gaming industry right now and it's about time they get their deserved recognition.

shinoff218319h ago

Idk about numbers but it certainly seems so. I'm cool with indies so no biggie.

anast17h ago

I'm cool too, but perception is just that.

150°

Sony CEO says although AI "has been used for creation," it's "not a substitute for human creativity"

"AI is not a substitute for human creativity. We position it as a technology that supports creativity. Creativity resides in people. We will continue to contribute to people's creativity through technology," the CEO said.

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gamesradar.com
1nsomniac1d 21h ago (Edited 1d 21h ago )

...not yet but 100% within the next 10 years!

..Then Sony will use it like the drop of a hat. They're no different to the others.

isarai1d 19h ago (Edited 1d 19h ago )

They used to be 😞 sure it was always a business, and money's always the priority, but they used to have a very strong stance on supporting artists and creativity. "Dont f#@k with the artist" was a phrase they touted a few times back in the ps1-ps3 era, a philosophy carried over from their music branch PlayStation was created from. It's not COMPLETELY gone, but it's barely there compared to what it was back then, i just want them to return to that.

Eonjay23h ago(Edited 23h ago)

I am highly encouraged by their statement about human creativity. "Dont f#@k with the artist" is exactly what they are saying. But at the same time, I don't think people understand that Sony is a corporation. If they don't realize growth, they don't get to exist. When you say 'Sony', you are talking about a bunch of investors. To speak about them any other way is a illogical and incorrect. They haven't changed. They have been a group of investors since they became a public business.

isarai1d 11h ago

Ugh, i really wish people would stop gambling people's livelihoods by turning a project/game into their political soapbox. Im all for statements and having your own opinion, but there's more people working on this than just druckman, ham fisting your political beliefs onto just seems inconsiderate for everyone elses job security when it can result in a failure due to people avoiding it for that reason.

I play games for escape, im so tired of nearly every AAA game blatantly dragging real world issues to shove in my face when I'm trying to take a break from it all. They don't even bother to be subtle about it, quite the opposite, it's blasted and force fed to you and it's just getting exhausting

Einhander19721d 2h ago

People are taking a whole interview and cutting it down to clips that make him look bad and take what he actually was saying out of context. For example he also said things like this AI has "ethical issues we need to address"

-Foxtrot1d 1h ago

@Einhander

Why defend him at this point?

It’s not taking things out of context, he said what he said.

Old ND would never talk about soulless AI taking over so many creative things they are well known for. The whole “ethical issues” is just a good PR spin people who push this crap fall back on to make their statements not seem as bad. So many AI lovers do this.

AI has no place is so many creative based things.

Einhander19721d 2h ago

Well yeah, because everyone else is using it so they need to stay competitive. It's the same as paid online, they didn't want to go that route but their competition was making so much money they needed to add paid online just to keep up.

RaiderNation23h ago(Edited 23h ago)

AI will never replace humans in game development in terms of conceptualizing new games. Humans still need to come up with the ideas and what they want to implement. However much of the day to day menial coding could be AI driven to reduce production time and team size. I could also see AI being used for bug testing/optimization that could lead to better quality games at launch. I'm actually very optimistic about how AI can positively impact game development.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 23h ago
XiNatsuDragnel1d 19h ago

Good statement but hopefully this holds up

NotoriousWhiz1d ago

People that aren't software developers just don't understand the benefits of AI. People who's only exposure to A.I is the Terminator movie and other related sci fi films won't understand the benefits it provides.

It's not about replacing human labor. It's about making human labor easier.

Many years ago, I had laser eye surgery done. It was performed by a robot. The doctor took my measurements and calibrated the machine to make sure it would do what needed be done. And then the robot corrected my vision in 10 seconds.

15 years later and I still have 20/20 vision.

Eonjay1d ago

AI in and of itself is not a 'bad'. Money is bad. Money is evil, and corporations will do whatever they can to get more of it. They will find ways to implement AI to replace as may jobs as possible. This isn't even up for debate. It is the charge of the corporation to maximize returns for the investors. They have no choice. I'm a developer and I know that my job will absolutely be replaced. Therefore, I have decided to become an AI dev. AI has a lot of potential to help us solve problem on a scale most can't even imagine. The issue, as ever is that our monetary system only ever allows us to focus on greed and fiscal growth.

But I am a pragmatist. Perhaps an AI model can be built to help protect us from our most dangerous instincts and habits. And perhaps Congress can pass laws to protect us from people who would use AI to manipulate and control us (spoiler: they wont).

RaiderNation10h ago(Edited 10h ago)

Progress is inevitable. Nobody driving cars today is complaining that the horse and buggy is no longer around. Yes, some jobs will be lost but guess what? With innovation comes new job opportunities. It's how the cycle of the job market works.