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Wii U Will Cater To The Hardcore Gamers First, Mass Market Second

Nintendo has revealed that it plans to dazzle hardcore Nintendo fans with the Wii U rather than the mass market. Iwata explained that the company has learned lessons with the Wii and won’t be focussing all their efforts on trying to win over casual gamers with Wii U. Iwata admitted that Nintendo had struggled to get core gamers to take the Wi platform seriously, but they plan to amend this with Wii U when it launches later this year.

“The Wii was able to reach a large number of new consumers who had never played games before by bringing hands-on experiences with its Wii Sports and Wii Fit,” he explained.

“However, we could not adequately create the situation that such new consumers played games frequently or for long, consistent periods. As a result, we could not sustain a good level of profit.

“Moreover, regrettably, what we prioritised in order to reach out to the new audience was a bit too far from what we prioritised for those who play games as their hobby. Consequently, we presume some people felt that the Wii was not a game system for them or they were not willing to play with the Wii even though some compelling games had been released.”

“Once consumers have a notion that ‘this system is not for us’, we have learned that it is extremely difficult to change their perceptions later,” said Iwata.

“Therefore, in promoting the Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U, we have announced that we would like ‘width’ and ‘depth’ to coexist.

“With the Nintendo DS and the Wii, the approach of ‘width’ was well accepted by many people; however, what we did in terms of ‘depth’ was not satisfactory for some consumers. This time, we would like consumers to be satisfied in both aspects.

“In order to do so, we started to work on the ‘depth’ aspect first, and the current and existing software you can see for the Nintendo 3DS is based on that idea. In the future, the approach will evolve,” he continued.

“Our approach for the Wii U is basically the same. By doing so continuously, we are expecting that the number of game users per household will increase and as the gaming population increases, we believe we can create a sustainable video game market.”

172 thoughts on “Wii U Will Cater To The Hardcore Gamers First, Mass Market Second”

    1. I’m supporting too! So since I’ve been hardcore Nintendo all my life, lets see the games they need to make:
      F-Zero
      Baten Kaitos
      Mario Kart 8
      SSB4
      Legend of Zelda
      Metroid
      Fire Emblem
      Eternal Darkness 2
      Pokemon Stadium 3 (no I’m not joking)
      Star Fox for U
      One of the Mario RPGs
      New Mario Experience
      and of course a new IP

      And if they have 3rd party support, I don’t see any reason why anyone should hate the Wii U. Either way, day one!

  1. Good luck Nintendo! It’s good to admit to your mistakes! Let’s hope you can show those naysayers that the Wii U is awesome!

    1. Yes it is good to admit your mistakes. Now if we could get other companies to do so *cough* sony *cough* capcom…..

  2. Im so excited for Nintendo to get back to satisfying serious gamers. I admire how they handle business. Honest. Well done on the words and plan. Now get it done.

      1. heck yeah…i was playing it today on psp and it was fun BUT imagine they had it on wii u that would be amazing

  3. If it weren’t for people like Satoru Iwata, I’d be digging ditches. Thanks to Iwata for making Nintendo the choice for games… especially to the hardcore gamers.

        1. Just want to make sure… and I somewhat agree to you. The “Wii U” name isn’t gonna attract consumers and find it misleading. Maybe the Big N should change the name if the 8th gen console the “Ultra Famicom” (Japan)/”Ultra Nintendo Entertainment System” (North America). It’s up to Iwata and Reggie “My Body is Ready” Fils-Aime to make it happen.

          1. I love this news that Iwata is giving us. Wii U isn’t a bad name but the big N could do with giving it a better name. Something that sounds like a stronger name and doesn’t confuse anyone. Or a name thats more accurate to waht the system is and what it cane do. Like the gamecube getting it’s name cuz it’s about games and its a cube. N64, a nintendo home console with 64 bit graphics. SNES, a super version of the original NES. The name Wii U doesn’t really do this badass console justice.

          2. I don’t understand……seriously….why does everyone want that name? SERIOUSLY…? Can SOMEONE explain why UNES is such a good name…..?

    1. So you think the name “Wii U” is bad cuz it has the name “Wii” in it? Personally I don’t think it’s a bad name at all, as far as being associated with the Wii. Gamers wont find the name confusing because they are familiar enough with Nintendo to know it’s a whole new system. And casual gamers will gain trust in the system by knowing it is related to the Wii. Everyone knows what the Wii is; including my grandma, and she’s really slow.

  4. Sounds good. Price point and continuous third-arty support and I expect Wii U to bring Nintendo back on top.

    1. nintendo was already on top in terms of sales. i mean they just reported there first loss ever and they’ve been in business for how long? i mean don’t get me wrong i am very happy to hear about them catering more towards the hardcore this time around, but the wii wasn’t a bad console. it was just weak in terms of power and third party support.

  5. You will never reach the ‘hardcore’ gamers with a controller like that… Face it, what Nintendo is saying they want is a chunk of CoD’s market-share. NO CoD gamer will want to play on a controller with circle pads instead of analog sticks, SORRY.

      1. Says the Nintendo fanboy who can’t see that the guy is right.

        Who wants those circle pad pieces of shit?

        Analog is better and KB/M is even better.

        1. The Circle pad on the 3DS works perfectly. I originally preferred the grooved setting around the GC controller (as opposed the non-grooved PS3/360 controllers). But after using the circle pad seems to be perfectly fine to me.

        2. Winnie the Shithead… keep your panties on! Whether Nintendo will keep the circle pad or use the analog stick, the system will change. BTW, it’s just a prototype and hasn’t been finalized until their announcement June 5th at E3.

          1. My line :D
            It’s catching on! : ]
            (;___;) But it’s ever such a serious issue, so I can’t proud :(

            LOLOLALULILIMIK

        3. Says the guy who apparently didn’t see the controller used as a sniper scope – Fucking awesome, to have a weapon respond realistically.

          Infrared, x-ray, mapping,- the controller is going to be plenty innovative for a FPS.

    1. CoD gamers don’t have the mental capacity to enjoy Nintendo’s innovation until after it’s copied and marketed to their demographic by Sony or Microsoft.

      1. Exactly. Why would we or Nintendo want CoD retards playing in our soon to be Wii U online community?

        1. as a fan perspective I agree, but as a bussiness perspective you’re a moron. If nintendo is going to get back to the top it need these CoD fanboys because Soccer moms aren’t going to buy Call of Duty:(insert Number here), and lets face it, Nintendo Fanboys “hate” CoD or most shooters. But FPS’s SELL consoles.

    2. Yeah, but I going to play fps with the wii remote. Is much better than those shitty analog sticks, it feels in the same way as pc.

      1. Not trolling here, but seriously I think that the wii version of CoD has better and more engaging gameplay, but the only reason it fails is because of graphics and other features cut out in the version. I also loved RE4 with the wiimote.

        1. Take away my wiimote and I’m done with FPS. This is how I feel these games are best played.

          1. I agree, the Wii remote feels perfect on first person shooters! You have way better control over your guns then you do with analog sticks.

    3. apparantly you havent noticed that nintendo truly doesnt give a rats ass for any big FPS franchise especially cod, they made because they wanted to on their own account like us true nintendo fans give a shit for the difference between the analog sticks and circle pads, in fact i like the circle pads more. there are tons of hardcore gamers out there that like games other than the trigger happy moron that jerk off to gun porn. sorry nintendo isnt microsoft and nor is it sony, Nintendo is Nintendo and it will always be Nintendo and no it will never be a another Sega.

    4. @ Nathon…

      Stop being silly. But lets say the Wii U controller does not work well… you do realize that all Wii accessories (which include the classic controller) will work with the Wii U without any issues. I for one like a company that gives you options.

      I currently have a PS3 and that controller is a pain to use with shooters BFBC series). Just not very accurate at all.

      1. Most likely you’ll be able to use the new controller, wiimote, or classic controller pro. So their is no real reason to complain when you can play shooters and other games the way they suit you.

    5. Because the casuals who play COD are who Ninty always appealed to, right? Besides, if you want to play a shooter, use a pointer or a mouse…

    6. The tablet design is absolutely superior for RPG’s and think about how some games need a keyboard because of how many fucking buttons it needs, with a tablet, you can literally design any keyboard map for any game. Immediately forcing 1337 into the world.

    7. What a bunch of pussies. Are you seriously whining about the texture of a control stick on your finger? Obviously the result of a fanboy running out of things to whine about. If you’re so tough playing your “serious” games on a “serious” console, you’ll man up and use the damn circle pads.

  6. I’m so very glad to hear Iwata say this. That means the Wii U will have a lot more adult oriented games. You know what could help with that? A new Eternal Darknes, Resident Evil 6, GTA V and an effective online system. I really hope these things are being put in place.

    Leave luck to heaven.

      1. Really? Are you serious? I would have never guessed. Holy shit. I really like Rich’s reviews he’s cool, calm and makes good points. Sex E Coco was annoying. I had no idea Rich could do voices like that. I only recently started wathing ReviewtechUSA’s videos so I’m new to it.

        And how were you sure that I was the same donzaloog from youtube? I’ve never had someone come to this site to correct me for something I said on youtube.

        1. The fact that Sex E Coco IS annoying is supposed to be part of the joke. We’re not supposed to totally understand what he’s saying cuz half the time “he” doesn’t know what he’s saying either, with all his “pricilizations” and “PS triples”. LOL. It’s a satire, basically.

          And there’s not many people in this world who has a handle based on an awesome yet not mainstream Yugioh monster. Not to mention you talk about almost the same stuff related to Nintendo whenever you comment on a youtube video. ALSO not to mention that your manner of speech in the youtube comments is almost identical to how you post on this website. All that was missing was your “sig”. In a way, your consistency helps to remind that you are a person, and not just another random dude.

          1. Damn, Ive been outed as a Yu-Gi-Oh! nerd. The fact that I know it was a satire makes me appreciate it more. Now that I’m in on the joke maybe I’ll like it better. It just makes me love Rich more to know he has that weird side to him now.

            There was this one guy on youtube, who has a video that starts “When my smartphone has more memory than the current generation of consoles, it’s time for a motherfuckin’ upgrade! U MAD? *obnoxious laugh* Shut the fuck up!” That kind of video pisses me off. I couldn’t listen to it past that. That kind of behaviour is repulsive, can you imagine being freinds with someone like that?

            I like gguru and Shokio and Rich, guys who can make their points well without having to resort to the lowest common denominator.

  7. no call of duty please, i want more work on the big numbers i want another pokemon Colosseum game please, japanese go japanese only and leave the other to PC and Xbox please.

    1. If they announce Star Fox, Metroid or F-Zero for Wii U I will drop college, and I’m just 1 year away from graduation.

  8. There’s something familiar in all this…
    NES = Wii
    SNES = Wii U
    Bring the BIG guns now Nintendo!

    1. if this is history repeding like
      ps3=atari
      xbox=sega
      wii=nintendo
      will there be an console war if all new next gen console are the same?

  9. In fact Mr Iwata, you should change the strategy and looks for good costumers not the so called ‘hardcore’ or ‘casual’, that at the defintive hour… always have cold feet with the company and never ‘trust’ Nintendo(say someone who bought a N64 over a PS1).

    In general the Control was the best step to a innovative thing, regardless how the console is called… i want to see the next generation of game take advantage of the controller(in A RPG if you use both screen mode, you can use the pad screen for the menus and have a ‘clean’ screen of the game in the tv one).

  10. Shut up and take my money Nintendo :P You already got it for Mario, Zelda, Kirby, Metroid, Starfox and whatever else you push out

    Leave luck to heaven

  11. Man, Iwata hit the facts right on the head. I hear those exact phrases from said gamers all the time, and it does frighten me whenever they say they would never touch another Nintendo game. It just seems so ignorant and arrogant, but one can only hope they actually give the WiiU another glance

  12. As I understood it, it was always sort of Nintendo’s plan to attract a wide audience with the Wii to begin playing video games then introduce those new gamers to a “more involved” gaming perspective with the Wii U.

    Maybe they just went a *little* too far.

  13. Speaking of wanting people to take it seriously; CHANGE THE NAME. He said it himself: once gamers make up their mind, it’s pretty much set. Ergo, people who viewed the Wii as being a system that “isn’t for them” will be more than a little reluctant to take another console with a similar name seriously as well.

    True, the games will speak louder than the console name will, especially to “hardcore” gamers. But a lot of folks will write it off from the start simply based on the name. Is that justified? Maybe, maybe not. But Nintendo can avoid that all together by just naming it something else; preferably something not so silly sounding. Perhaps “Nintendo HD”? Or the Nintendo GamePad. I’m not the best at thinking of names, but you get the idea. The “Nintendo HD” sounds neutral; it’s enough to let the “casual” audience know it’s a trusted Nintendo product, as they are familiar with the Wii, but also not so silly sounding as to ward off the “hardcore” crowd.

    Thr console name may only be a fraction of help when compared to needing better 3rd party support and better online structure, but after the failure of the Wii with the “hardcore” crowd, Nintendo needs all the help they can get to win them back.

    A few names I though of, both good and terrible alike (just spitballing here):

    Nintendo HD (self explanatory)

    Nintendo U (as in Universe, or Universal, meaning “for everyone”, or just as in “You” meaning it’s a console tailored to you as a gamer)

    Nintendo GamePad (a bit lame, but it focuses kn the new controller functionality)

    Nintendo Stream (again, self explanatory and focuses on the controller functionality)

    Nintendo VI (being that it’s the 6th home console they’ve made; also could be Nintendo 6, instead of a Roman numeral)

    Nintendo Vue (I don’t know, maybe as in “view” as in “a new way to look at video games”; just sounded cool to me)

      1. I never said they cared. But you don’t understand the power of marketing. Companies like Nintendo and Apple do, however. The name doesn’t sell te product, but of can definitely hurt or encourage sales, depending. It’s more of a thing of confusing people or playing into a sort of stigma that a name may have. When people think “hardcore gaming,” they don’t automatically think “Wii”. Right there, that’s a roadblock. Also, trying to explain how a console called “Wii U” is “hardcore gamer friendly” is really tough BECAUSE it’s so closely related to the original Wii, which was anything BUT “hardcore friendly”.

        It’s a subconscious/marketing thing, mostly. Yes, many “hardcore” gamers will buy it regardless of name or look if the games are great and they play well (e.g. controls, et cetera). But not everyone. And why take that chance if there’s even a fraction of a chance that the Wii name will detour consumers?

      1. Even defining the U in Wii U as Ultra, would be awesome. Just imagine, instead of calling it the silly Wii U. Wii Ultra.

    1. Nintendo HD : Eh…..not enough “oomph.”

      Nintendo U: Hm……maybe.

      Nintendo GamePad: This would probably be more fitting for a handheld.

      Nintendo Stream: YESSSS I loved this name……

      Nintendo VI: The Nintendo vee-ai? Hm…..has a nice ring to it

      Nintendo Vue: I thought this name would sound cool too….

      Reply ↓

      1. There are a few names we could think of for Nintendo’s new console– Nintendo U-Nit, Nintendo Streamline, Nintendo Bluewave, or NU (Nintendo Universe).

  14. Pingback: Wii U, 3DS, Wii, DS, DSi, Videojuegos y Consolas Nintendo – Nintenderos.com | Iwata: Wii U/3DS se centran en los jugadores habituales y luego en el mercado casual

  15. If they anounce Killer Instinc 3 I will marry a man and will dance over Metroid Prime Phazon ….. O.O … (howls….. far away and loud)

    1. ive been asking forf that game for a long long time lol… i bought Killer instinct for my SNES bought two months ago lol

      1. C-C-C-C-C-C-C-COOOOMBO BREAKER!!! … geez … I miss that SO badly… :( … bring KI to life for the Wii U

        1. jaja.. i did that last time.. and an ULTRA Combo.. never done that when i was a kid cuz i suck at fighting games.. but bought it cuz its just that good

    2. I'm freaking out because I just beat Battletoads.

      WHY NOT BRING BACK A GAME THAT WAS JUST AS AWESOME LIKE BATTLETOADS? HAVE YOU EVER PLAYED A GAME WITH MORE GAMING ELEMENTS THAN BATTLETOADS?

      1. those where hard games.. i dont thinkg the “hard Core” gamers this gen can handle those games we grew up with lol

  16. In one way the wii was an increedibly successful system that I will always love and remember but in another way it was a weak system that was disapointing to a lot of people, not to me though.

    1. They were playing with wallets … now they are playing with bank accounts!!! SUPER POWER ACCOUNTS!!!

  17. That’s great news, and I support Nintendo on their decisions. I do think that it was a good idea to win over casuals and non gamers, as that increased the size of their audience. Nintendo has more than just hardcore fans now, so is say the Wii definitely did what it set out to do. Now its great to hear Nintendo going back to the hardcore crowd, but I can’t help but think the Wii can still go on. Nintendo created a new mass market, a new fanbase if you will, and though its important to concentrate on hardcore now, I still think Nintendo could still appeal to their casual crowd. It only mean more profit, and I believe that the Wii and Wii U CAN exist together at the same time. Appeal to the mass market of casuals with Wii, and appeal to us with Wii Ui think this would be a wise move, and it wouldn’t hurt us at all, since they’d be focused on us, while making casual games for the Wii on the side.

  18. Sounds good to me. I’m a diehard Nintendo fan and we still don’t have a new F-Zero or Starfox game to play on my Wii. When Nintendo neglects some of its popular franchises it’s a sure sign that those of us who pursue these games as a hobby are being placed second to those who buy shovelware for their kids at Kohl’s.

    1. So according to that logic, Nintendo abandon gamers when the N64 & Gamecube had no Metroid & Kirby platformer respectively. Right……..

      1. I'm freaking out because I just beat Battletoads.

        YES THAT SHIT DID PISS ME OFF SO BAD. OTHER THAN THE CRYSTAL SHARDS WHICH IT SEEMS YOU FORGOT ABOUT BUT WHATEVER THAT KIRBY RACING HORSESHIT ON THE DOLPHIN SUCKED SO BAD

  19. “NES Stream”
    “Nintendo Stream”
    “Nintendo Advance” (LoL)
    “Nintendo Prime”
    “NES X” (LoL)
    “NINTENDO SIXTY FAAAAAAAWWWWWRRRR!!!” hahahaha

  20. WiiU should be renamed:

    Nintendestructivortexenomassdiogoretron!!
    Or, just NES. Just go back to the Original Name. Launch a Reboot.

    These are big words, if Nintendo doesn’t deliver, there will be hell to pay. If they DO deliver… Damn, it’s going to be one hellava ride to the top!

      1. Oh… You thought I was serious… So sorry your sarcasm meter’s batteries are low. (Not really a fan of you using “Gay” as a negative remark, but whatever)

        I’m not a fan of WiiU either… but it is another iteration af the Wii… Just like the 3DS. It may be a bigger ass-kicker, but it’s still a DS.

        Oh well. I’ll be there at midnight.

        1. I am a fan of Wii U. You are just a fucking fag. I bet you will be there at midnight. Like most normal people, I will preorder it and get sent to my house. Get a job nerd, and pretending you have a job wont work on me….stop fucking moaning in every post. it is boring all of us….and your sarcasm is shit… try harder next time. I will assess it next time and will probably find out you are still a moaning lil shit.

          yours trollfully,

          Troll

    1. I’m pretty sure this confirmed with the recent “Rayman Legends” trailer that was leaked. Showed two controllers playing together. Besides, I bet that tablet is one of the most expensive game peripherals ever. I wouldn’t have more than one. They also promised better online gaming so you can play with your friends from wherever.

  21. Funny part is that even the Wii had more “Hard-core” titles than the PS3 and 360… Just saying, not hating…

    1. If you define “hardcore” as in how much you use your brain, then yes it did :P If you define “hardcore” as how many explosions can go off in one second then Nintendo was a little on the weak side.

  22. Pingback: Wii U Discussion/Speculation Thread - Page 102 - Nintendo 3DS Forums

  23. If that’s REALLY true, then Nintendo best be releasin’ a new Wavebird for SSBU. NO EXCEPTIONS OR SUBSTITUTIONS.

  24. YES!! They learned their lesson that nobody’s interested in shit like Nickelodeon Fit or Just Dance Kids! Wii U will be a hardcore console. YES!!

  25. Good, but risky, choice Nintendo. They are so right about getting those gamers back quick so they don’t lose them forever, but they have to do it right. Third Party support and getting good hardcore sequels is the key to success. Just make a few Mario titles here and there to keep the casual gamers buying ;)

  26. Pingback: Wii U, 1er enfoque en Hardcore Gamers | TierraGamer

  27. I hope we can still use the Classic controller or that they make the controller smaller, Cause God damn, I hated using my original Xbox controller cause it so huge, and this tablet makes it look small in comparison.

    1. u can use the classic controller…u can use ALL wii controllers. the tablet is also very comfortable according to many devs and journalists

  28. well Fire Emblem Awakening is considered a title for the hardcore gamers, so just make the announcement of the USA release!! please Nintendo!!

  29. Catering to the hardcore gamers is foolish because of how incredibly unstable they are. Just look at the Ruin FOREVER and Unpleasable Fanbase pages from TV Tropes, and you’ll see that hardcore gamers have no idea what they want in their games.

  30. I love Nintendo, I think they’re one of, if not usually, the best gaming companies, innovators, etc, but I think they’re going to have a hard time convincing anyone not a diehard fan who already owns a 360 or PS3 to buy a WiiU too. On the surface, it seems gimmicky and a cheap cop in to get hardcore gamers to buy their stuff since the casual market has dried up for the Wii. I wish them the best of luck, and Zelda WiiU better be the best damn Zelda because Skyward Sword was lacking in so many little areas that it detracted from the overall game.

  31. Pingback: Nintendo will aim the Wii U at hardcore audiences before focusing on casual gamers | NintendoGlobe

  32. Heres hoping. With how expensive everything is getting I get the feeling I’ll only be owning 1 next gen console, atleast for a long time anyway

    To be honest, they only really need two things: increased 3rd party dev support and a better developed online infrastructure – and they seem to be working towards both of those things.

  33. I for one can’t wait to see if the 3ds and wii u will be able to communicate together in some way, maybe even something like the pokewalker, send a file or game to the 3ds to play in a new way

  34. Pingback: La batalla imposible de la Wii U | GamerFocus.CO

  35. I’m glad they’re realizing this and they’re working on more things then just the expanded market. The over all experience in EVERY area matters, not just getting more people to play with a new input. Input is important but so is online, so is in system advertising, so are demos, and so is securing solid 3rd party titles that push the system.

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