Top 5 Reasons Why The Wii U Failed

Top 5 Reasons Why The Wii U Failed

[Rottypops]

As a lover of all things Nintendo, I think signs of the Wii U's failure lies 20 years ago during the SNES era. Most gamers that grew up around that time remembers those Sega commercials. "what Nintendont"

You know what Nintendidn't? Run competitor ads and smear campaigns against Sega. Nintendo didn't turn the other cheak. Nintendo just didnt care. Nintendo just did its own thing, and Sega came barreling in claiming they were rivals like some sort of cliche anime character, and Nintendo just went back to do its own thing.

Nintendo accidentally created Sony as it's console rival, but Nintendo did the same thing they did with Sega... nothing. Nintendo did it's own thing separate from Sony, and 3rd parties ported their games between systems when and where they could. If a 3rd party could make 90% identical games on both platforms without thinking they'd lose money, then they would have. This resulted in a fewer more ports between N64 and PSX than SNES and Genisis.

Then the Gamecube came along, and this is the exception to all of Nintendo's history. Not under Nintendo's design; the Gamecube was similar enough to competitors to allow 3rd party developers make games across an unprecedented amount of platforms. Several games on the Gamecube were also available on PC, PS2, and Microsoft's newest competitor. 3rd parties took advantage of this opportunity, and as a result, for the 1st and only time in Nintendo history, Nintendo's system had an inflated library full of cross-platform titles. This further-cemented an idea we planted in our heads as children that Nintendo was a competitor, and we've been clinging to that idea ever since.

Then Nintendo did what it has always done. Ignored the competition, and did its own thing. It made the Wii, a system that stands on its own, just like the N64, but was so different from the competition, it disturbed 3rd party developers to port their games over to Wii U. Even with 3rd party support lost, the gimmick of the system was interesting enough so that even non-gamers wanted a Wii.

The Wii U only continued the direction of the Wii. A console with a gimmick, during a time where PS3 was riding off the incredible success of the PS2, 360 established itself as a serious competitor, PC domiated it's own ecosystem, and practically everyone has a mobile or tablet device with ever-increasing gaming power.

The Wii U's failure is lack of 3rd party support, but that all started because Nintendo never saw itself how we've been seeing Nintendo since the Super Nintendo days. As competitors. Hardware specs doesn't make great games, talented game designers and studios do, but video games are a business, and its a poor business decision to port your games to an under powered system thats flopping financially; all because Nintendo doesn't treat itself as a competitor the way Microsoft and Sony do.

Now the Switch has me hopeful for Nintendo's success for cross-platform again. Particularly nVidia being under the Switch's hood. It's likely going to be an ARM processor, low-wattage, high yield Tegra has been known for. Probably not nVidia's greatest, but powerful enough for great possibilities that also allows Android-developed games and ports to be compatible with Nintendo Switch. Mobile gaming has evolved past Angry Birds, and it's only getting better by the year. Developers that make games on Mobile might see the financial reason to port games over to Nintendo Switch and vise versa. It would be very favorable for Nintendo to take greater-advantage of the ever-evolving indie-game scene. But as a almost 30-year Nintendo fan, I know how much Nintendo likes doing it's own thing and doesn't play ball with others. Its only a best case scenario for all of us for Nintendo to re-capture more 3rd party support. The cynical part of me tells me Nintendo will continue down their static path, hoping to make their money on Amiibos.

[ricardoortiz]

The last part where u said the name of the console. It is basically like comparing a PS3 to a PS4. Or even an Xbox 360 to an Xbox One.

[MDE]

I'm planning to sell Super Smash Bros. Wii U before I get Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.