[Feature] 3DS Parallels – Nintendo’s extraordinary rescue of 3DS, and whether they can do the same for Wii U

Unfortunately, even with a price drop and great games, the situation with Wii U is not as simple as it was with 3DS. At its launch and going into its first holiday season, 3DS had little to no competition from Sony’s Playstation Vita; Wii U is already competing with PS3 and Xbox 360, but come this holiday season it will also have to stand out amongst the likes of Playstation 4 and Xbox One, which will not be an easy task. Conventional wisdom might tell people that software lineups should drive sales, and since the Wii U’s upcoming games are hands and feet above what PS4 and XBO have at lauch, it should pull out ahead in a side-by-side comparison.

When it comes down to it, however, games are only one of the many factors that go into purchasing a new system, the biggest of which is simple excitement. Wii U has no palpable excitement surrounding itself going into the holiday, so despite a great lineup of games and a lower price it still has to fight an uphill battle against the enthusiasm of gamers regarding PS4 and Xbox One.

Nintendo says: Two months ago Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said the following:

“We just don’t care too much about what other companies are doing or are trying to do. Our primary focus is to think about and actually carry out something which other company’s hardware can never realize. We are trying to provide consumers gaming experiences that can only be available on Nintendo platforms.”

“Software sells hardware. The number of hardware selling and the number of people who can experience the unique attractions of the Wii U are going to increase, and thereby the knowledge and the understanding about the Wii U system shall naturally expand.”

Austin says: As much as I wish software alone sold hardware, I’m not sure that that’s the case at console launches. Hype is a fast moving train, and trying to beat it to the station with an engine powered by software– while not impossible– is tough.

The fate of Wii U is one tough to predict, and I would be a fool to attempt to deliver prophecy so far out from its upcoming trials and tribulations. It’s an interesting subject to think about though, and one that is ripe for discussion by us enthusiasts. Anyone who puts even an ounce of thought into the situation can agree that Nintendo certainly won’t go under– or go third party– because of Wii U, but I’m curious whether they’ll end up truly competing with Sony and Microsoft economically, or if this will be another N64/Gamecube.

So, I open the floor to you:

What do you think about Wii U’s future? Does the system have any “system seller” games yet, or are we still waiting? Does it need a price drop? Will it get one regardless?

Let us know in the comments. I’ll be around to discuss.