Wii U - thread 3

[gIzzE]

You're missing the point completely, no one is saying someone would buy the Wii thinking it was a Wii U, or they would buy a Wii U game for their Wii.

The point is, when they look so similar, and the name just has a U on the end, which means absolutely nothing to anyone (I haven't got a ****in' clue what the U stands for even, Universal???) it is not good marketing.


Having very obvious differences in design makes it feel like a next gen console rather than a slightly updated one, which is what many think it is.
The fact the machine is no better in many respects as the 7 year old consoles that are about to be replaced doesn't help either, to many the Wii U is simply a slightly enhanced Wii, so there is not the mad desire to rush out and buy a Wii U.

If it had been a completely new design that would look funky under the TV and it had been called 'Wii HD' as we all know the general public like anything with HD blasted over it, I do think it would have sold far better.
I have loads of mates with young kids (teenagers I call young btw), and none of them seem fussed about the Wii U, even they just think of it as a slightly updated Wii, surely they are the ones Nintendo really need to want it, to crave it, to badger their parents for it, but they don't.


Don't get me wrong I love it, but I don't think it is has become a desirable product for most out there.

[J0e Musashi]

I'm not missing the point at all. If people are aware that they are two separate consoles, then how is it bad marketing? If it was called Wii HD, people would still think it was just an enhanced Wii, exactly the same as they do now according to your last post. The CVG article states that people are unaware that Wii U is a new console, so it would appear that you are missing the point as you are talking about something entirely different to what I am.

People have been fine with re-designs of the PS2, PS3 and Xbox 360 (which weren't even new consoles) and not been confused. How can they all of a sudden not think "Wii and Wii U, that sounds like two different names to me"? I don't believe people are that ignorant. If that were true then Microsoft have committed corporate suicide with the naming of their new console. Any new console is an updated version of the one prior. Wii and Wii U is as obvious as PS3 and PS4 IMO.

[chipsgravy]

I have been asked countless times "whats a Wii U?" by my non gaming friends. Its not just the fact they look alike and sound alike that's the problem. Its that no one knows about it. Its the best kept secret by Nintendo. Those that have vaguely seen it at best think its a Screen controller upgrade. Or at worst just another Wii. Casual gamers don't get it. Thats a fact. And thats a huge problem as that was Nintendo's biggest audience last time around.

[J0e Musashi]

edit. game related question, is monster hunder 4 on wiiu and 3ds or just 3ds, did a quick search and it just showed 3ds.

MH4 is 3DS only.

[J0e Musashi]

I have been asked countless times "whats a Wii U?" by my non gaming friends. Its not just the fact they look alike and sound alike that's the problem. Its that no one knows about it. Its the best kept secret by Nintendo. Those that have vaguely seen it at best think its a Screen controller upgrade. Or at worst just another Wii. Casual gamers don't get it. Thats a fact. And thats a huge problem as that was Nintendo's biggest audience last time around.

Its the lack of advertising that seems to be the problem I think. Nintendo need to make people aware of the Wii U, and that it is a new console entirely. They can push BC as a selling point to Wii owners. I don't think I've seen a single television advertisement for Wii U so far.

[chipsgravy]

People have been fine with re-designs of the PS2, PS3 and Xbox 360 (which weren't even new consoles) and not been confused. How can they all of a sudden not think "Wii and Wii U, that sounds like two different names to me"? I don't believe people are that ignorant. If that were true then Microsoft have committed corporate suicide with the naming of their new console. Any new console is an updated version of the one prior. Wii and Wii U is as obvious as PS3 and PS4 IMO.

This could be part of the problem. People HAVE been fine with redesigns, in fact its now standard. So this has had a knockon effect. It didnt matter which version of PS2 they bought. They all did the same. XB360 the same so Wii (u) yea same. Now if Nintendo had gone for the well known method of numbering instead of naming. Wii 2. It would have been much clearer.

[J0e Musashi]

I think that's what it is myself. Wii 2 or something entirely different would have made the public aware of a new console.

[gIzzE]

Joe, I give up.
Changing a design of a current machine is not an issue, it is just a newer design. Irrelevant.

Not changing the design of a new console is not sensible, we like shiny new things, this doesn't look new to anyone other than you.



Calling it Wii HD would make it more appealing to more people, those that just want a console to have under the TV or for the kids, not just gamers.


To me the U on Wii U just confuses things, it is a marketing balls up of the highest order. Should have been Super Wii, Wii HD, Wii 2, anything but U.

What does the U stand for J0e?

[gIzzE]

Wii 2 or something entirely different would have made the public aware of a new console.

We have lift off!!

[J0e Musashi]

The design shouldn't come into it at all. It's a standard looking black box, and in line with people's sophisticated living room set up. A purple cube wouldn't go down well at all nowadays. How else should or could they have designed it?

I don't know what the U stands for. Wii was a play on We, as in it's designed to be played in groups. Now it would seem like it's designed to be played in groups, but by yourself. It's an odd choice. When lettering something, X is usually the letter of choice. Wii X. Although that would have had too much association with Xbox. Personally I'd have called it Super Wii. They could have followed it up with Wii 64 and WiiCube that way.

[Colin]

Maybe people just don't want to play the billionth version of Mario.

[fishbowlhead]

Maybe people just don't want to play the billionth version of Mario.

How very dare you sir!

[J0e Musashi]

Just the millionth version of COD.

[Colin]

That's the thing, I had a good read of the sales figures for games on all the major systems this week and it makes for sad reading. Games that are raved about on this forum don't translate in to sales for pretty much every platform while utter ****e does. Gaming is in a sad state really.

[fishbowlhead]

Just the millionth version of COD.

How do Wii games look on the U? Any problems with picture quality over hdmi?