It seems as though everywhere you look nowadays there is someone declaring that the Wii U is a failed console. Granted, you would have to know the difference between a Wii and Wii U first (I kid, I kid!). Nintendo however isn’t the type of company that you can simply brush off as a failure.
Time and time again they have proven themselves to come back from economic hardships. Most recently the 3DS, who at first was seen as a lackluster device now even outsells both the PS3 and Xbox 360. The point is, Nintendo understands their business model better than anyone else and they will do what they seem fit to increase their revenue.
But just in case that they needed some quick advice on how to improve sales, here some ideas to help boost the Wii U market.
Focus on the Current Audience
Nintendo’s audience started to shift dramatically when the Wii was first released. Though to be fair you can make the case that it truly shifted with the release of the Gamecube. The audience was no longer the hardcore gamer that finds enjoyment from current games such as Call of Duty, Uncharted or Halo. Their main target is a more of younger audience that still finds enjoyment in classics such as Mario, Zelda, and Donkey Kong. That isn’t to say that there are no adults that are current owners or fans of Nintendo’s offerings. But it is hard to argue that their main target is a younger audience. Thus, it it is crucial that they don’t shy away from what’s making them currently successful. It would be wise for their focus to continue appealing to a youthful generation, and from what we've seen that’s exactly what they’re doing. Support your current audience and continue to focus on distributing the content that made the company great, and you will see Wii U sale growth.
Remember the Hardcore Gamer
Nintendo is already focusing on their core audience and that’s a great thing. The sales for the Wii U will indeed improve because of this. But remember when I said that the the company appealed to a younger audience? Well, that audience does grow up eventually. Thus this next idea could possibly be the long-term plan for the company in the end. That is to approach the younger audience now and remain with them until they grow into adults. However, just because your appeal is strongly focused on the youthful gamer, you can also develop a strong case for the Hardcore gamer to come back to Nintendo. Don’t forget that that this is the same company that released Goldeneye on the N64 and more recently it is the same company that revealed those great looking Wii U Pro Controllers. If Nintendo can once again reach out to the Hardcore gamer, they will indeed see sales climb for their console.
Now you might be saying to yourself, but didn’t Nintendo already try reaching out to the Hardcore gamer with Call of Duty and FIFA? Only to fail and even lose support from EA? Yes and no. Even though some companies have gone on to say that they won’t support Nintendo unless they start selling consoles, this can still be remedied by SELLING consoles. So with focusing on your market and reaching out to the Hardcore gamer, Nintendo could also…
Begin Branching Out to Indies and Third-Parties
Honestly, I think the biggest gripe that people have against Nintendo is that they leech the heck out of Mario, Donkey Kong, and Zelda. Granted, those are some excellent games but those titles can only carry you so far. Both Sony and Microsoft are already nailing the indie support and Nintendo just recently displayed interest in supporting indies as well. The fact of the matter is that indies have the potential to dramatically increase sales for the Wii U mainly because the future of gaming revolves around indies. Nintendo should also look to bring more third party support for their system. If I have a Wii U that can play my Call of Duty, my Battlefield, or my Madden, why would I need to have a Sony or Microsoft console? Bring back the indies and the third parties that made Nintendo the thriving company it is today and Wii U sales will indeed rise.
Bonus: Continue Being Nintendo (Original)
Here’s an intriguing thought. Even though it sounds as though I am trying to make the Wii U into a PS4 or even Xbox One, it cannot be. As long as Nintendo continues to be what it’s always been, Nintendo, it can never be Sony or Microsoft and that is a glorious thing! Recall what happened with the Wii console and how it sold incredibly well with people of all ages. Nintendo could have easily gone the same route as Sony or Microsoft but by proposing a different idea to gaming (motion sensor controls) they captured a market that had never been tapped. The rise of casual gaming basically began with the Wii system and it has become a market that competing companies try their best to attain as well. With the Wii U, Nintendo introduced a tablet controller that dramatically changes the way we play console games and even though it has met with troubling short-term success, its long term success resides on that tablet controller. In short, Nintendo has always been a company that takes risks with new consoles and in an industry that thrives on innovation it’s important for Nintendo to continue being Nintendo, or original.
With the new upcoming line of first-party games and even a price drop, Nintendo has a great chance of resurrecting the Wii U and making it into a formidable console. Though things right now appear grim for the console it still has the potential to rise. If it manages to follow a couple of these guidelines don’t be surprised if it ends up becoming, “the little console that could.”
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