Nintendo may have kicked off the next-gen console cycle early with its Wii U, but the real battle will obviously take place between Microsoft’s Xbox 720 (Next) and Sony’s Playstation 4 (PS4).
Sure, Nintendo’s Wii U is good for casual gaming, date night, and bored teenagers but the core crowd is clearly waiting for a more immersive (console) gaming experience that only the Xbox 720 and PS4 can offer – both in terms of hardware and big-name franchises.
So it comes as little surprise that GameStop recently confirmed it has experience “slower than expected” Wii U sales since Christmas.
“Following the holiday launch period, sales have been slower than we expected,” GameStop president Tony Bartel told Forbes.
“Nintendo plans on launching some of their biggest IP over the next few months which we think will increase gamer interest.”
So what are the upcoming games? Lego City Undercover, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate and Pikmin 3. Meanwhile, 3D Mario and Mario Kart games for Wii U will also be shown for the first time at E3 in June.
While those are some pretty sweet titles for die-hard Nintendo fans, it doesn’t seem to me that they will manage to attract the masses waiting for alternate consoles from Sony and Microsoft.
As Bartel notes, “Software will play a big role in each console’s success over the holidays. We’re already seeing great developer and publisher support for PS4, so Wii U will need some great titles, especially first-party titles, to compete… There’s also a need to increase consumer awareness of the new features available on the Wii U and its tethered tablet features.”
Of course, if the Wii U is experiencing less-than-stellar sales now, what exactly does Nintendo think will happen when the Xbox 720 (Next) and Playstation 4 (PS4) hits the market?
