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Super Smash Bros. For Wii U Pre-Orders Boost Past Mario Kart 8
Nintendo America president Reggie Fils-Aime says that the company's biggest fall release, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, is tracking ahead of even its strongest performer. The upcoming mascot fighter is bringing in pre-orders that surpass even Mario Kart 8.
In its mid-year financial earnings report, Nintendo says that almost 3.5 million copies of Mario Kart 8 have been sold. This puts the game's attach rate at an extremely high 47.8 percent.
In previous console cycles, the racer has taken the checkered flag when it comes to sales. “The launch of Mario Kart 8 has essentially doubled our Wii U sales year-on-year,” Fils-Aime said in a Bloomberg interview. “Our expectation is that the sell-through for Smash is going to be very strong, certainly on par with what we saw with Mario Kart 8. We think the impact on hardware will be similarly dramatic.”
Strong sales of Super Smash Bros. and the related accessories (Gamecube controllers and adapters) as well as the Amiibo figurines would do a lot of good for Nintendo's bottom line. The question is whether Super Smash Bros. will motivate new console sales in the way that the Mario Kart series typically does (and has for the Wii U).
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is out alongside the controllers and Amiibo toys on November 21. Future waves of figures have been announced for December and February releases.
[Source: Bloomberg via Joystiq]
Our Take
Even if Super Smash Bros. doesn't keep even pace with Mario Kart 8, this is big news for Nintendo. Pumping up the Smash attach rate would go a long way on the financial front, but Nintendo also needs to use it and Mario Kart in concert to incentivize sales of the console. It's not just about selling to the converted. Nintendo's strategy needs to include aggressive adoption strategies.
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