Topic: Nintendo: Fire Emblem on Wii U Would Need to Sell 700,000 Units to be Worth It

[smallsharkbigbite]

More importantly, while Wii U is in dire need of games and Nintendo has absolutely dropped the ball so far, ask yourself if Fire Emblem is really the kind of game that will satisfy the masses. It's a good game to have, but it's one meant to supplement an already healthy lineup, not be an unhealthy one's cure. Sure, this shouldn't be an issue, but it is and there's nothing to be done with what's already done. How do you fix it? Not with Fire Emblem. If Nintendo is going to spend years developing a game, ideally they want one that reaches as many people as possible. Intelligent Systems wouldn't be sitting on their hands, doing nothing. They would be making something that hopefully has longer legs than Fire Emblem.

I think the "system seller" is an overrated concept. Very few people would buy a wii u for one game ($410).  People buy a game system because of the experience, or collection of games available. Games like this push people over the top, and you absolutely need a lot of these games to move systems. Pikmin 3, which is about as popular, pushed me over the edge towards buying a system and I'm sure I'm not the only one. A games problem can only be solved with games and everyone has unique tastes so bringing variety is important. . NSMB Wii sold something like 33 million and is about as mass market as Nintendo has and that's not moving Wii U's.

[Adrock]

I didn't say "system seller." I said "[a game] that reaches as many people as possible" which refers mainly to people who already own the console. I'm all for variety, but Fire Emblem reaches a much smaller number of people than many of Nintendo's other IPs.

[smallsharkbigbite]

I didn't say "system seller." I said "[a game] that reaches as many people as possible" which refers mainly to people who already own the console. I'm all for variety, but Fire Emblem reaches a much smaller number of people than many of Nintendo's other IPs.

The xbox 360 averaged 10 retail games a month for 8 years. I'm tired of 1 game/month release schedule for the wii u. What would make me happy as a wii u owner is a consistent release schedule with a variety of games. If Nintendo is unwilling to work with third parties to fill the gaps I think they absolutely have to find ways to bring these types of games to the market in-between more mass market releases because I want unique experiences on the wii u. Mass market games miss a big portion of your userbase and lead people like Ian to see Wii U as Wii HD system.

I'm just tired of excuses why there arent any games. Its Nintendos job to figure out how to bring games.

[Luigi Dude]

The xbox 360 averaged 10 retail games a month for 8 years. I'm tired of 1 game/month release schedule for the wii u. What would make me happy as a wii u owner is a consistent release schedule with a variety of games. If Nintendo is unwilling to work with third parties to fill the gaps I think they absolutely have to find ways to bring these types of games to the market in-between more mass market releases because I want unique experiences on the wii u. Mass market games miss a big portion of your userbase and lead people like Ian to see Wii U as Wii HD system.

I'm just tired of excuses why there arent any games. Its Nintendos job to figure out how to bring games.

And they are bringing a unique gameplay experience that isn't aimed at mass market audiences for the Wii U.  It's called Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem.  Seriously, some of you keep saying Nintendo isn't supporting the Wii U with games because we aren't getting a Fire Emblem.  But keep ignoring the fact they are releasing a Fire Emblem game of some kind on the system anyway. 

It's getting kind of insane at this point when people like yourself have even acknowledged the fact that this game exist, but still continue to act like Nintendo isn't releasing these types of games on the system, even though they are.

[smallsharkbigbite]

It's not a true Fire Emblem, and that's not really the point of my argument.  One game isn't going to solve the Wii U's game issue and I never pretended this release would.  It's a broader lack of games, and the fact that the Nintendo needs to broader the appeal of the Wii U.  The SMT spin off doesn't appeal to me, much like no one game is going to appeal to everyone.  That's why you need a healthy amount of each genre so that each customer is interested in a few of them and sees the value in the Wii U.  After this holiday season, it looks like the release schedule could dry up again.  It's hard to give credit to Nintendo for bringing one game to a system that is need of many games. 


If I'm so insane, and Nintendo is fulfilling consumer demand for games, why is the Wii U selling so poorly?  You'd probably counter with Nintendo's big hitters coming, but I don't just don't see them bumping Wii U sales to the point of relevance in the next generation of sales.  So we'll probably have this conversation in a year after the big hitters come and see if it solves the Wii U's sales issue. 

[UncleBob]

I was curious about the "Nintendo fulfilling demand" for games comment.

I'm not sure if I purchased any 3rd party games by this point with the Wii (skimmed through my collection and I don't think so), but, by this point, I had purchased six games.

Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Wii Play
Super Paper Mario
Mario Party 8
Big Brain Academy
Wario Ware: Smooth Moves

Currently, I have the following Wii U titles
New Super Mario Bros. U
Nintendo Land
Skylanders: Giants
Need For Speed: Most Wanted U

If you want to count the downloaded New Super Luigi U and the fact I haven't picked up Game & Wario yet (it's on my list, but with Animal Crossing and NSLU, and now, the new StreetPass games... it's pretty low on my list), then I'm even - although, the argument could be made that two of those games aren't made by Nintendo, so they're not keeping up.

I think one of the biggest problems is that Nintendo treats the gaming ecosystem like everyone has their console and their handheld (and everyone should! ).  If you have both, there are *plenty* of games to keep you (and your wallet) busy.  If you're trying to go with just one or the other, there tends to be some dry spells in between.

This is the issue that keeps coming up - Nintendo just doesn't have enough development studios under their belt.  Forget third parties (because they forgot Nintendo a long time ago), they're not going to make up for spaces in the line up.

I do believe this is why we see Nintendo courting all the indy developers.  I think we'll start seeing some of these teams come under Nintendo's wing as they start helping to mold them into Nintendo-game-making machines.  The only question would be - will Nintendo buy them out, or will they let them remain independent, so that the studios can later take everything Nintendo brought to the table and make games on other platforms.

[Luigi Dude]

If I'm so insane, and Nintendo is fulfilling consumer demand for games, why is the Wii U selling so poorly?  You'd probably counter with Nintendo's big hitters coming, but I don't just don't see them bumping Wii U sales to the point of relevance in the next generation of sales.  So we'll probably have this conversation in a year after the big hitters come and see if it solves the Wii U's sales issue. 

Considering the DS and 3DS were selling like **** their first years like the Wii U until the big games were finally released, yeah I'm going to say the Wii U hasn't been selling because of no games.  You're telling me the over 8 million people and counting who currently own 3D Land and Mario Kart 7, aren't going to care that improved sequels to both are being released on the Wii U?  The over 5 million that bought Donkey Kong Country Returns 3 years ago, aren't going to care for a new 2D Donkey Kong?  The over 2.5 million that bought the last Mario & Sonic at the Olypmics won't be interested in the newest game this Fall either?  Seriously, I could go on.

The only game currently on the Wii U that has any kind of selling power is NSMB U, which we've gone over a million times were hurt by the fact Nintendo released a similar game only 3 months earlier on a much cheaper system.  Of course even that game will start having more selling power soon because the 2D Mario games have some of the best legs in the industry and many of the people who bought NSMB 2 last Fall are going to eventually want to play the Wii U game as well.

Seriously, take a basic marketing course.  Popular brands like Nintendo has don't just suddenly disappear.  Nintendo's made many of it's series more popular then ever last gen and as a result strengthened many of their brands.  This has already been proven with the 3DS where their games have been selling just as good or even better then their DS counterparts.

[smallsharkbigbite]

No need to be rude and misrepresent my points.  Nintendo first parties will sell great and push consoles, but what is good sales?  Microsoft and Sony are aiming for 100 million in console sales of this generation.  Right now I'm hoping that the Wii U will hit 50 million but I have my doubts. 


It's clear that a 3d Mario, Mario Kart, and SSB, couldn't carry a console during the Gamecube era.  Yeah, they sold millions and were great games.  The Wii success was based in part because of those games but really driven by a unique experience and other brands WiiSports/Fit, etc. 


You're simplifying the DS/3DS success to only Nintendo games made those consoles successful.  Go look at the Japan sales thread.  The chart is filled with 3DS games.  New 3DS games are jumping in all the time.  That is what a successful console looks like.  It helps extremely that the handheld market has no legitimate competition which results in 3rd parties flocking to the 3DS.  Nintendo games will sell but they will only sell to a portion of the market and won't bring bring widespread consumer interest. 


My argument was never that Nintendo brands will just disappear.  I disagree that they were strengthened last gen.  Nintendo was able to get people interested in the Wii, because motion controls were so unique.  Many of those people picked up other Nintnedo games.  These people will not pick up a Wii U unless another unique experience comes about that convinces them to buy one. 


You are trying to portray my argument as an extreme that Nintendo games don't sell and won't move consoles and that is never where I've been.  That's just an easier position for you to argue against.  Nintendo games will sell and will move hardware.  The question we disagree with is how much of a bump will they give Nintendo consoles and how long the bump will last?  And my belief is that without a consistent release schedule (which the Wii U doesn't have) the console bump will not last a long time and sales will return to the base they are at now (which is poor) sooner.  Again, look at the sales chart in the sales thread.  New games high on the sales chart lead to a bump of hardware.  As they games fall out of the chart and aren't replaced, console games go down.  I was never arguing their would never be a bump, I was arguing that the Wii U's lack of success would limit the bump and return to a norm more quickly.


Your argument appears to be on some game sales 3DS sequels > DS games, so Wii U sequels > Wii games.  I don't think is a strong argument as I believe the markets to be drastically different.  You also don't take into account the damage Nintendo has done with the Wii U brand, you'd just like to shrug it off as the 3DS started poorly and recovered so there is no reason the Wii U can't.  It's too simplified of an argument and the 3DS was never in as bad of a position as the Wii U. 

[Wah]

It is still the best game on 3ds! it got solid numbers there! If it came out on the wiiU i would buy it!
in my opion it is one nintendo's greatest creatition!