News: GameStop Blames Marketing for Nintendo Wii U Disappointment Page 1

GameStop Blames Marketing for Nintendo Wii U Disappointment

GameStop CEO was quizzed once again on how well the company has been performing, highlighting a Wii U slump since the beginning of the year.

In an interview with GameStop Paul Raines did feel the initial launch period up to Christmas was better than the retailer's initial expectations, however slipping into 2013 it's been "disappointing".

He feels there are two significant reasons for the Nintendo Wii U's performance being sub par. The first is, and seems to be the case globally, marketing the device. Nintendo have managed to persuade early adopters that the GamePad concept works, but for the general consumer "we still have an education process we need to go through".

Raines noted how GameStop feels Wii U marketing has "not broken through the way that it needs to".

Aside from promotion, the lack of newer titles since Super Mario Bros. U and Nintendo Land have also hindered sales, Raines concluded, "we're seeing the ramifications of that today".

What do you think of Raines' comments - how can Nintendo remedy with the Wii U situation with retailers in the US?

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Mandown 28.03.2013#1

I think the reasons are numerous. Definitely not just one thing.

JoshSL 28.03.2013#2

Marketing is the main reason. It has absolutely no presence and the average consumer still has no idea what it even is. Pricing doesn't help, but more expensive things have sold because of pure marketing hype.

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jb 28.03.2013#3

Definitely, definitely marketing. I think Apple has proven people will pay above the norm for products deemed good with solid marketing and good word of mouth.

Wii U has none of that, shit all adverts, no ideas on how to get across the concept. Highly paid advertising numpties that's what. What's the money spent on? Nintendo 3DS games people would buy regardles...

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JoshSL 28.03.2013#4

Exactly, iPod is the ultimate example because you can get superior hardware for cheaper on weaker advertised brands. The WiiU could be a plain stick with the right marketing and it'd still sell better than it is now.

There are so many things they could advertise? "Wanna watch Netflix, Hulu, Youtube, all rolled into one, and the carry on when you left off if the TV is being used?" Nintendo TVii has that feature, it's so marketable, what the heck are they doing?

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jb 28.03.2013#5

The problem is that unfortunately Off-TV play isn't a global function, so I think Nintendo might fall into a trap - big, big problem that should be addressed. Playing older Wii games on the pad would have been a big selling point imo.

When will they advertise it? So, so frustrating when the focus is still on the 3DS and on the DS to an extent.

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Yienwae (guest) 03.04.2013#6

This company is like a broken record. They said something similar about the 3DS back in May 2011...

GameStop president Tony Bartel has revealed that the company is overall disappointed with sales of the Nintendo 3DS in North America. Whilst the gaming emporium was initially extremely excited when the Nintendo 3DS made its immensely popular début, it is now convinced that it's going to have to lower overall sales expectations for the 3D gaming device.

Full article: http://mynintendonews.com/2011/05/20/nintendo-3ds-gamestop-is-disappointed-with-nintendo-3ds-sales/

Well, we see the 3DS 2 years later and it is doing fine with a strong library. I'm not worried about the U.