The Wii U might have been a solid console with some excellent games, but I don’t think that Nintendo is sad to see it’s time come to an end. With reports that production has ceased in Japan, the company has left us with one final figure that tells the whole story.
13.56 million lifetime units. It’s easily the worst selling console that Nintendo has ever put out.
The figure changed very little from the previous update last September, which sat at a mere 13.4 million. And for comparison’s sake, the next worst home system is the GameCube, which is also seen as something of a financial failure for Nintendo despite solid games. It sold 21.74 million units over its lifetime.
The Switch can and will do a lot better
Blame it on misreading the market, poor marketing, a shift in gamer habits, Nintendo’s struggle to adapt to modern day digital conveniences, or the incredibly lame name. The Wii U did not do nearly as well as it should have done given the excellent games available for it.
However, the Nintendo Switch will be different. Nintendo seems prepped to put itself back in the spotlight with this latest contraption, and its unique approach to game control will help it reach new audiences everywhere.
At least, it’ll sell better than the Wii U did.
