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Nikkei: Nintendo Ceasing Wii U Production At End Of Year

Respected Japanese news publication The Nikkei is reporting that Nintendo is ceasing Wii U production at the end of the year to presumably make way for their next platform which is simply known as the Nintendo NX. The publication cites poorly selling software and a lack of interest in the hardware as the reason why production is ceasing.

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104 thoughts on “Nikkei: Nintendo Ceasing Wii U Production At End Of Year”

      1. True to some degree. To Nintendo “supporting simultaneously” has always meant ‘were still going to be selling the product.’

        Games?, now that’s a different story.

  1. So, that makes the Wii U last like, 4 years or so? the shortest amount of time of any console generation, too bad, but I hope this info is false, because it would damage the NX and nintendo fans on the short and mid term.

    1. Wii U will last till 2017, which is a 5 year life cycle. Even if Nintendo stopped making more Wii U systems at the end of the year there would still be a game or 2 in 2017 for Wii U.

      1. They barely make any games for it now. Bought one for my kids a year ago and we have a total of like 6 games. The same 6 everyone has. Super Mario 3D, Mario Kart 8, Mario Maker, NintendoLand, Minecraft & Rayman.

        1. I have way more than 6 Wii U games, but only 4 of the ones you listed (one of those being NintendoLand- a pack-in, and another being my 3rd purchase of Minecraft, to support the Wii U version). Either way you should check out Splatoon if you haven’t already, your kids may enjoy it.

          1. I think he just pulled up a random number. He has a point, I also have the same game that everyone has, i.e. Mario Kart, Super Mario 3D World, Smash Bros. The usual games that everyone has. There’s no real variety, if that’s the correct word to describe it. On the other hand, my XB1 and PS4 library will definitely have different titles when compared to another’s library. When I compare my Wii U library, it’s almost always the same.

            1. Because the Wii U had crap 3rd party support so it seems like a lot less variety. But compare hardcore Sony fans’ first party PS4 games and a lot of them will be the same- Uncharted, TLoU, etc. I think for an underselling, “underpowered” console that the internet wanted to see die Nintendo put in a decent amount of work building a catalog. I don’t think it’d be wise to keep spending millions of dollars and hundreds of hours making triple A software for a console that will never really take off and earn them all that money back. Besides, at this point i’d rather my favorite Nintendo franchises jump to a new, more modern machine with more power, better online functionality and better 3rd party support. I hope that’s what the NX is, but only time will tell.

              1. (Also yes, I believe Naughty Dog is more like 2nd party? Either way I mostly wanted to point out that exclusives tend to be very popular on a platform and all Wii U really has going for it is exclusives so it makes sense that as Wii U owners we’d have a lot of games in common…)

    2. The Virtual Boy had a 1 year life span. Nothing wrong with 4 years, although, I honestly hope they don’t make us REBUY virtual console games for the next console. That seriously bothers me, it’s a digital game, one purchase should work on any other console that has the same game on virtual console, it’s only fair (you actually have to buy the same game twice to play them on both 3DS and Wii U).

        1. He’s likely talking about emulated games, like NES, SNES and N64 titles, and he’s absolutely correct. I bought lots of PSone Classics on my PSP, they’re totally playable on my PS3 and my Vita. Not playable on PS4 yet, which is why I’m not too happy with that system, but Nintendo doesn’t support this in any capacity. That’s awful.

      1. Good point, but to be fair, the OG XBOX came in late during that generation. The Wii U not only came in early, but its dying early as well. At least if these rumors are to be believed.

          1. No you’re right, for some reason I was thinking it released in 99. I probably thinking of the Dreamcast. But you are right, it did release in 2001.

  2. Sometimes you have to just rip the tape right off…if it is failing, it is failing and best to just getty up with what’s NeXt.

    I’ll buy it and since most Wii owners didn’t get the Wii U, they didn’t burn too many bridges and I at least felt as though I got my money’s worth and will continue to play the Wii U for years to come.

    1. I really hope it’s not a VR consolr because I will boycott that mofo. But I know for sure that I will cave as soon as the next Smash is out -_- I always have with Smash.

  3. I find it weird that they would completely cut off production rather than just slow it down but whatever. Im extited for the NX and im one of those guys who upgrades to the newest console ASAP even if i just bought the older one 1-2 yrs ago. I feel like i have gotten way more than my moneys worth for my Wii U, ive put thousands of hrs into it and still play it for hrs almost every day. If the NX is backwards compatible than its a day one for me, otherwise i’ll wait till a cool game comes out and keep my Wii U.

    1. Very well said, Caped Crusader! I’ve been a die-hard Wii U owner for the past three years. I have been having a blast playing fun, challenging, and unique games from mostly Nintendo and indie developers. Nintendo supporters like Platinum Games (The Wonderful 101, Bayonetta 2, and Star Fox Zero), Bandai Namco (Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Pokkén Tournament), Koei Tecmo (Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge, Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water, and Hyrule Warriors) and Shin’en (Nano Assault Neo and FAST Racing Neo) have truly pushed the envelope on not just HD graphics… but also gameplay mechanics and unlimited fun factor. I’ll continue having fun playing games for Wii U and NeXt!

  4. Captain HollowGrapeJ

    If this NX is supposedly going to release next year, what exactly is their plan going to be? As much as I would rather have the next system, isn’t it going to backfire if they release it that early? We still have a good 3-4 years before Sony and MS’s next consoles arrive. Are they planning on releasing something new again in the middle of that generation too?

    1. {{Nintendo Tri-Force Hero Kokiri Kid adventurer}}

      Who cares when Sony and Microsoft release their products. If Nintendo makes a product people want then it will sell. No matter what time of year.

      1. Actually they should care. If Sony and Microsoft releases a better, more powerful console than NX shorter after, Nintendo is shit out of luck. Not even Nintendo’s exclusives could save NX if that happens (let’s be honest, they didn’t even come close to saving the Wii U either).

        1. {{Nintendo Tri-Force Hero Kokiri Kid adventurer}}

          So what would you do if ran Nintendo? Would you wait until word of Sony releasing PS5 before releasing Nintendo’s next console?

          1. That’s not a bad plan actually. However the better you know your competition, the better chance you have at beating them. That includes releasing a console at the right time.

            1. And while they wait, they could be doing things to help the Wii U like revive marketing for games that didn’t sell so well on the Wii U like Bayonetta 2, Wonderful 101, Hyrule War–oh wait! It’s got that 3DS port so that’s probably a dead end at this point.

              1. Not to mention, those are T or M rated games. Nintendo can’t advertise to anyone other than their precious kiddies who don’t even play on their latest console- think of the scandals, the outcry, the heresy!

        2. This is more likely the scenario, which is crazy if it happens that way. Unless Nintendo plans to release a newer home console around the time of the next Xbox One 2! And PS5! Drop, idk. This is all so odd ball!!!

    1. I don’t think the NX will be backwards compatible. It is being heavily rumored that it will have x86 architecture by various sources so in order for the NX to run Wii U games Nintendo would have to customize the architecture with PowerPC which will be very expensive in manufacturing costs alone. However, Nintendo may have a plan in place to offer a similar service to PS Now to where you can download Wii U games from the cloud or at least that should be the compensation if the NX isn’t backwards compatible

    1. {{Nintendo Tri-Force Hero Kokiri Kid adventurer}}

      ~ that statement sounds worse than if you had just said, “bullshit”. Haha

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  6. It would be STUPID of them to keep producing any more Wii U. If the rumors concerning the specs of the NX are true, then there would be absolutely no reason what so ever to buy a Wii U over an NX, especially if they give it good launch titles. But that’s wait and see.

  7. The Wii U was a huge failure. Of course they would want to stop taking a loss on such a laughably outdated console ASAP. And that bullshit about supporting the Wii U along with NX? lol they’ve lied to us about that with other consoles before too.

    1. The Wii U wasn’t the hugest failure of all time. Look at Philips CD-i and the short lived Virtual Boy.

      1. Are you delusional? He never said anything about it being the hugest failure of all time! lmfao Where did you get that assumption from? Earth-2!?

        1. Senator Knowles stated last year that it was indeed the “Hugest Failure of All Time!” after snatching the microphone from NoA President Swift.

    1. Except it’s not officially confirmed by the company. Don’t believe in rumors like you believe in TMZ.

  8. If this is true, I give the Wii U 6 months to a year after production of new ones stop before you can’t find anymore Wii U consoles in stores that are brand new. Looks like the NX is definitely coming this year or next year. If people actually bought the “we’ll still support the Wii U & 3DS even after NX releases”, just shows they don’t know Nintendo at all since they said the same thing with GBA only for the DS to completely replace it.

    1. Well, here in America, at least. Mother 3 came out in 2006, two years after the DS launched; I can’t think of any GBA games that came out here in the States since 2005. Then again, Japan is their home territory, and Mother is still (unfortunately) extremely niche, so perhaps this whole point is moot.

      Good ice breaker at parties, though.

  9. Ironic twists of fate; Wii U becomes super rare and desirable and sales for $1,500-$2,000 on EBay. Especially when everyone finds out NX WILL NOT be backwards compatible and the only way to play Wii U games is with a Wii U.

  10. {{Nintendo Tri-Force Hero Kokiri Kid adventurer}}

    I’m worried for Zelda. I’m starting to think it won’t release on Wii U.

    1. I can’t help but think that would put a major end times type of nail in Nintendo’s coffin. I’ll say this much, if Zelda Wii U doesn’t happen, Wii U will be my last Nintendo console of any form. That would be to big of a slap in the face to the fans begging for tidbits of information, let alone a for sure sign Wii U is still getting proper Zelda treatment.

    1. Captain HollowGrapeJ

      At least there are skins. Not as good as an official different color, but it’s the closest you’re going to get. Some of them look really nice too. But I agree, I would’ve wanted one in my favorite color.

  11. I’m glad Nintendo is finally killing the console. As a Day 1 owner, I’ve been very disappointed with the Wii U. No new Zelda, Metroid, F-Zero, and no real 3D Mario title. It did have it’s games, like Mario Kart, Smash 4, DKC Tropical Freeze, but I’m not sure if it’s enough to warrant the $350 purchase back when it came out. It’s a shame that the Wii U has been very lackluster, especially considering the fact that it’s predecessor had a ton of great games.

      1. I played the first Xenoblade on the New 3DS and didn’t like it. The pacing was slow and the combat felt clunky. From what I’ve seen, it looks like more of the same. The aesthetics and soundtrack in Splatoon are a bit of a turn-off for me. It’s too bright and quirky, which I get, a lot of people like. It’s just not my cup of tea. Thanks for the recommendations though! The only two games in my Wii U library that I don’t see in others as often are Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate and Black Ops 2. I’d definitely recommend both, since they offer superb multiplayer. Black Ops 2 even features 2 players local playing online. One player uses the TV, and the other on the gamepad.

        1. Coincidentally, I tried MH4U on my New 3DS and I didn’t like it. I just can’t get into it- it felt like just trying to find even common monsters came down to luck. I sensed some serious weapon lag as well- the training session with a gunlance took 40 minutes alone because I simply couldn’t get the timing right.

          As for BO2 which is CoD, I stopped looking at it as a game because of how soulless the series has become, but if I were forced to play it, I would need motion controls or mouse and keyboard because I cannot play dual stick to save my life. I will remember this conversation and your recommendations however, same as you do mine.

  12. Wow, shocking – Nintendo goes back on their word again. News at 11.

    This is still all in line with my predictions months ago about the NX coming out this year and simply reinforces them. You’ll see Nintendo start to really pull back on any first party support for the console (they’ll probably release another fluff Sonic and Mario game or something similar to make it look like they haven’t totally abandoned it yet) while they focus on NX support as well as their Miitomo crap, including getting Zelda ready for launch. As for Zelda, it might be a nice show of thanks to Wii U owners for it to be the last big game on the console, but most people will get the NX version.

  13. “The publication cites poorly selling software and a lack of interest in the hardware as the reason why production is ceasing.”

    Ohhhhhh, gee Nintendo, I have no ideas about what could have helped you there…

  14. Whatever, I have my console and most of the games I want for it. As long as I can play Splatoon online for a few years after the NX comes out, I’m fine (or until Spla2n comes out- you KNOW it’s gonna happen after the wild success of the current one).

  15. I wish I knew if the NX would be backward compatible with Wii U games? If it is, then I would skip getting an external hard drive for my Wii U and I’d just wait until I bought the NX to play all of my unplayed Wii U games. I don’t want to put anymore money into a console that won’t be around much longer.

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