Does the Wii U Need to Sell Well in Order to be a Success?

"This time around, Nintendo isn’t appealing to the hardcore. But lately, I’ve been thinking that they don’t have to. As long as the software continues to be successful, and the Nintendo hardcore base doesn’t shrink, the Wii U can be successful and profitable in its own way, and Nintendo will survive." -- GameDwellers

[IanVanCheese]

pretty sure you need to sell your product to make money off it.

[fr0sty]

Nintendo has usually done pretty well at always turning a profit with their consoles. That is why they don't put bleeding edge tech into them, they rarely ever sell at a loss and even when they do it isn't much of one, so they profit from their consoles very quickly.

They don't have to sell 80 million to turn a profit, but at the same time they need a large install base to attract developers. Good games make a good console, so that support is needed.

[xX-StolenSoul-Xx]

I think Nintendo Skipping E3 was bad idea. Could have really given people hope in the console and jumped to it. Mario Galaxy 3 anyone? They need more developers on board. We also have to remember Wii U is not doing anything game changing really, what sold the original Wii was the massive amount of casual players who jumped aboard the nintendo ship to play the casual games. Xbox and Playstation now offer their own alternatives to these "casual" games with the Kinect and Move. Some exclusives like Mario Galaxy also helped.

Does it need to sell well to be successful? Yes.

[ABizzel1]

For Nintendo yes, gamers not really although better sales means more developer support.

[_QQ_]

Pretty sure the gamepad is the most game changing thing about all 3 new consoles.Plus Nintendo isn't skiping E3, they just aren't Having a live Conference, They are having an hour long Direct then Reggie and Miyamoto will have a software presentation a few hours later. As far as the question goes, Even if they only get to 25million, i think that would be enough for them to make a proffit, Nintendo relies on Their own games to make them money, and we all know Nintendo's games sell the best, if only 25M own a Wiiu, and of those 25M, all 25M pick up Mariokart,14M pick up smash bros,12M pick up 3D mario, that is better than a console that sells say 60 Million units but 3 of their top games only sells combined of 20 Million copies.Mariokart Wii alone Sold more than every halo game released last gen Combined.More than all 3 Uncharted games combined. Consoles are usually sold for only small profit if not a loss, they are just means to sell games.

[shutUpAndTakeMyMoney]

"Does the Wii U Need to Sell Well in Order to be a Success?"

I would pay iwata $100 to say that at a share holders meeting!

Might lose his job and investors but that would be the funniest $100 he ever made!!!

[Dj7FairyTail]

not really. As long as it not below your expectation you still make profit off it even if it sells less than 30m.

GC and N64 were profitable both hardware and software.

[stuna1]

This is by far one of the stupidest question anyone can ask! You have to make some type of sell to make a profit.

[Kingthrash360]

lol dumb question of the week.

[gamer42]

It doesn't need to sell the best, but it has to make a profit to be considered a 'success'

[yugovega]

every system sold makes a profit. considering noone buys a system without buying at least one game for it. so in theory if it didn't sell 1 more system it made a profit.

[LOL_WUT]

Yep, and to get dev support ;)

[fr0sty]

Yeah, games are kinda important too. No dev support = no games.

[jakmckratos]

Yes. Yes it does.

[SonyPS4]

Doesn't have to be 1st place but it needs to bring in money to Ninty. This gen all three consoles are successful because they have become profitable.

[SuperSteve]

Sony AND Microsoft are both in the red this generation. Two years of meager profits doesn't make up for 4-5 years of bleeding cash.

[talocaca]

I think he is mistaking "good" with "successful"...

[andrewer]

It's a success for the ones who like it. Why people can't just get it I don't know :/

[Half-Mafia]

I think if Nintendo only sells 30m units over its life time. it will be a success for Nintendo, just Nintendo not 3rd party.

[Brazz]

well... for real, this is a good question. Look Nintendo have monsters IP that sell 5-10 million easy! more then this, even in the age of "not sucessfull" consoles like gameCube and N64 some Nintendo games maneged to catch 1/3 of the console life sales! this is Amazing, and, normaly, only Nintendo Ip in Nintendo system can do this!
In my opinion, Nintendo don't need things like +70 Milion sales! they only need a solid nunber, like 40-50 milion. Whit this nunber, and Ip sales like 1/3 of the life sales, they can do as much profit as MS and sony.
Nintendo consoles give them amazing 1º party sales, this is their strongest point and the weakest point at the same time, since this "nintendo caracteristic" in the major cause for weak 3º party support.
Edit: alas > Nintendo consoles genereta gigantic 1º party IP sales that make Nintendo profit, even if nintendo don't get amazing console sales.

[YoloSwag]

I consider the Gamecube a success and it didn't sell too well. Nintendo's first party titles simply don't disappoint (usually).

[George Sears]

Companies just want to be profitable. Success in being the one to sell more consoles is all relative. As long as the thing brings profit, it'll be considered a success.

[McScroggz]

Well I suppose every one's definition of successful is different. What most probably fail to realize is that when Nintendo says they only need to sell one game per console to make money, that isn't accounting for the manufacturing costs of all the consoles and games not purchased. That isn't taking into account the years and millions of dollars it took R&D to make the Wii U.

Right now Nintendo's DS and 3DS are making them a ton of money. There is no real reason to believe Nintendo couldn't continue these successes unless you believe mobile gaming will eventually eat away at that market - I'm not knowledgeable enough to know, so I'll assume Nintendo will continue handheld success.

However, I am sincerely concerned with home consoles. Every console after the NES sold fewer consoles than the last, and it's easy to forget that Nintendo was in legitimate trouble before the Wii and DS took off. I cannot foresee how the Wii U will sell, but I'm fairly skeptical. If (and I hope this NEVER happens) Nintendo continues to struggle with home consoles eventually they will have to either go the Sega route and create software or leave the console business for good.

So to me, the Wii U needs to sell to be successful. Nintendo can have a cycle or two of relative flops, but don't think they are infallible. Hell, though it's not the PS3's fault Sony is in financial trouble, just remember how dominate the PSOne and PS2 were.

Consoles need support.

[PerryCaravello]

This is EXACTLY what I'm talking about when I say "Standards for nintendo have hit the floor"

"Does the wiiu need to sell well in order to be a success"

Really? Really.... you have to ask whether a product has to sell, in order to be successful. Really? That's how BAD it is for nintendo in the marketplace...

Get the fuck outta here, you moron.

[V0LT]

I'll say this... You don't have to be #1 to be successful.

[Sy_Wolf]

As long as Nintendo makes money off the thing and pushes out good games that make money it's a success. It doesn't need to beat the PS2, just be profitable for the company.

[DivineAssault]

well, in order for publishers to WANT to make games for it, i think it needs to sell well.. If they know they wont be making any money, they wont push developers to create a quality product.. From a personal point of view, no, it doesnt need to sell well to be a success because im happy with the 1st party games alone.. However, others may not feel the same way & probably want many games from many developers so they will want it to sell well so more games can be made for it.. & so fans can boast about its sales

[project_pat36]

with fedbox around the corner, im quite sure wii u sales will skyrocket