That Momentum
It is no secret that the Nintendo Wii U had a pretty bad start when it first launched. From confusion woes due to the odd name of the console to many not wanting to be burned by another gimmick problem after problem surfaced. Its low sales caused pretty much all of the larger publishers to pull back support and others to never even give the Wii U a passing thought. Going into 2014 it seemed as if Nintendo’s latest machine was taking its final breaths, but then something amazing happened.
Actually several amazing things happened last year: Mario Kart 8, Hyrule Warriors, Super Smash Bros. Wii U, Captain Toad Treasure Tracker, and the list goes on. Nintendo finally made good on its promise to deliver some of the best gaming experiences around. Once they started, it became apparent that they had absolutely no plans to stop.
Momentum is one of those forces that can make or break a console cycle. When the Wii U appeared on the market ahead of its competition the lack of momentum caused sales to stagnate almost immediately. The launch of two powerful opponents lit a fire under the Wii U’s ass and now it is running at full speed. The momentum it has generated has been so powerful that it has managed to provide most of the top rated gaming experiences of the past year. This positive upswing is more than enough reason to hop on that Wii U bandwagon.
Wii U Price
When the Wii U launched back in 2012 it came in two different SKUs. You had the basic 8 GB console for $300 and a deluxe version that came with a 32 GB console, a game, and other goodies for $350. Even those these were competitive prices with older 7th Generation consoles at similar price points they just weren’t able to bring in the buyers. It took some time but eventually the Wii U Basic Set was scrapped and the Deluxe Set was reduced to $300, making it even more appealing.
Even with the competition toying with prices in order to generate sales, the Nintendo Wii U still remains the cheapest of the generation 8 consoles. Both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One sit at a hefty $100 more than the price of a Wii U. Add this to the fact that Nintendo is finally providing a steady stream of high quality and highly anticipated titles and it can be argued that it is well-worth the price of admission.
Gaming is far from a cheap hobby if you want to do more than play on your phone. Even if you purchase only during sales, hardware can break the bank of many people. Getting in at a low cost is always a good thing, and doing so without sacrificing memorable experiences is even better.
Return of the Support
Nintendo took a major blow when a lot of the larger publishers and developers decided to cut back on support or deny it altogether. While many cried foul you can’t deny that business is business. The Wii U just wasn’t selling enough consoles to justify the costs of developing games, especially exclusive titles, solely for Nintendo’s machine. On the plus side, most of the companies were very public in stating that they would renew their support once the console found its footing and started moving units.
Fast forward to today and you will see a scenario that sounds a lot like what these publishers were requesting. The Nintendo Wii U is selling consoles and have released many games that just keep fans coming back for more. They have managed to prove that they are still a contender even with the presence of both Microsoft’s and Sony’s gaming consoles. Faith has finally been renewed after a very long and arduous two years.
Having some of the highest rated exclusive titles can definitely help a console like the Wii U stand out, but having some of the largest third party studios creating content for your machine tends to grab the attention of those on the fence. With Nintendo slowly working its way back into the good graces of well-known publishers, the future begins to look even brighter.
2015 Wii U Lineup is Looking Great So Far
If you’ve been following the list, then you may have noticed a small pattern showing games are important to a gaming console. First party titles are a must if you want to foster an identity for you gaming machine and third-party support is necessary to bring in gamers who you didn’t grab with your own software. Popularity of a console can only bring it so far, eventually the consumers who purchased the hardware are going to want shiny games to play on it. Luckily, Nintendo has no plans of letting their recent good fortune go to waste.
There are many huge titles coming to the 8th generation consoles next year and they are all vying for your attention. After Nintendo’s stunning 2014, it is no surprise that some of their titles are being counted among those to watch out for this year. Splatoon looks to put a family friendly spin on multiplayer combat. The next Star Fox game plans on bringing a beloved, classic franchise to new gamers. And then you have The Legend of Zelda Wii U which has everyone around the world picking their jaws up off the ground after seeing the amazing visuals it has to offer.
There are also many other titles in the works that have been announced for this year. All of them are shaping up to be top notch games that you will be able to enjoy solely on a Nintendo Wii U making the console a must have. With all of these shiny exclusives on the horizon the future for Wii U bandwagoneers is looking pretty bright.
Is there anything about the Wii U in the coming year that has you excited? Planning on picking one up? Or do you already have one? Feel free to share. For more information on the Nintendo Wii U check out the official website.
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