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Is The Wii U Next-Gen Enough To Make A Difference?
Though he thinks it's ambitious, Wedbush game industry analyst Michael Pachter questions the chops of Nintendo's new console.
In his monthly Pachter's Podium Q&A on IndustryGamers.com, the media friendly industry forecaster was asked what Nintendo needs to do to deliver a hugely successful launch and right the ship. His response points to the tough sell Nintendo may have on its hands.
"It's a new console, with new controls and architecture, but it's not quite "next" generation," he said. "Developers have to contend with differences between the Wii U and current generation consoles, then have to figure out what to do with the controls. The timing is still up in the air, and as far as I know, there are no significant third party exclusives; instead, we'll see iterations of third party games already on the market, which is unlikely to drive significant hardware sales."
If it's true that Nintendo is playing catch-up on old game titles with the new console instead of leading with innovative experiences you can't find anywhere else, Pachter may be right. Consumers may balk if they can just go get the PS3 or Xbox 360, which have much more established game libraries, online marketplaces, and multimedia options, and potentially more attractive price points. If Nintendo truly wants to make a splash, Pachter recommends another strategy.
"In order for the launch to be "hugely successful," the console will need three things: a competitive price, compelling first party launch titles, and compelling third party launch titles. We don't know if the Wii U will have any of these, so it's quite difficult to predict a hugely successful launch."
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