Analysts weigh in on the Wii U’s future

E3 2012 is drawing ever nearer, the last weeks before its arrival can seem like years but before the Wii U is shown at E3 analysts have been giving their predictions.

In an interview with Gamer Industry, several analysts have given their opinion on the Wii U and its future, including everyone’s favourite analyst, Michael Pachter. Some of the predictions are positive and others not so much. Have a peak at this summary of their predictions and share your thoughts.

First off, Ted Pollak believes that though it is assumed that Nintendo are way behind on the technology front their actual strategies are quite clever.

This is a recurring theme. Technology changes and Nintendo looks like they are falling behind. Nintendo always claims their focus is on game play. However they actually have a smart technology strategy that most people don’t detect.

Analyst Michael Pachter is not so sure and explains what he thinks will happen if Sony and Microsoft’s next home consoles are significantly more powerful.

If that is right, the Wii U will have limited appeal, and ‘Xbots’ and Sony fanboys will just wait for the upgrades to their favorite systems. I really think the key is third party support, and from what I’m hearing, it is very light so far. Nintendo will be all right, they have a ton of cash, but I don’t think they will get to the sales levels they are accustomed to with this device. I’m most interested in third-party support, and we should get an idea of that at E3.

Another analyst, Colin Sebastian isn’t sure about the Wii U’s unique controller and is worried about Nintendo’s next home console’s online abilities.

Based on what I’ve seen of the platform, the games look fun, but I am not convinced the tablet controller is a ‘killer app’. And Nintendo is really still lagging in terms of online services, which are important to consumers, so hopefully we will hear and see more about that at E3.

Parks Associates, Pietro Macchiarella, seems to believe that marketing the Wii U at $300 may be too much.

For the Wii U, a $300 pricing point would be very hard to defend in the market, especially with Xbox + Kinect already being sold at that price point and likely to go lower once the Wii U comes on the market. I think the Wii U sales will struggle if priced at $300 and at that point even Mario would not be able to help

It will be interesting to see how the Wii U does in comparison to these predictions and how much these predictions will change at E3 with the release of more information on the console.

We can deliver all the latest Wii U news straight to your inbox every morning. Want in?

Comments, Reactions, and General Hooliganism

  1. Captainhowdy

    I think the Wii U will be fine. Idon’t know what Pachter is talking about: THQ, Ubisoft, EA, Sega, and Gearbox, have given support to the Wii U.

    • RockD79

      The fact is Pachter doesnt know much more than we do on the matter. However, based on previous Pachter comments it almost seems he has slightly changed his tune. Which is a smart move on his part. He bases his opinions on yesterdays news though. Things have changed over the past several months and less info is being leaked out. His idea is if he doesnt hear it then it doesnt exist. Heck, the Japanese developers havent made a peep about anything in the past few months. Some to this day even deny they have kits. That coming from top Japanese brass sounds hard to believe. There is definitely product in the works from those developers. Nintendo has got everyone on gag order till E3. If you put your mind to it you can pretty much guess whats coming besides whats already been announced. The only games that are definitely not coming to Wii U are the ones that the developers have made very clearly are not coming. All the other games that developers have made half ass responses to are still a great possibility. This launch is going to be nucking futs. Trust me… Im gonna need a second job just get the games I want this fall Lol!

    • abe

      patcher is usually pretty wrong, he claimed borderlands 1 was sent to die being released between COD and Dragon Age when in fact borderlands sold out across america and britan.

      when it comes to predictions a magic 8 ball is more correct that patcher

    • Dark Michael Pachter

      Yah!!!!

  2. peter pan

    Now, i think is the most exciting time for nintendo. And with power house cpu leak, nintendo will find third partys knockin. Everything looks good. It actually would be a good time for investors to invest while stocks are low, because they have something real good im betting that will apeal to core gamers. Even if tablet not so much, they said normal controlers option. I think we will be very surprised and everyone will like them and no critics.

    • RockD79

      Theres a tiny chance Nintendo may wet our appetites during the investor meeting in a few hours. Just a chance… Iwata may try to use some sort of early announcement to pacify the investors. Not trying to get anybody too excited. He has however, made some announcements during this meeting in the past. Keep your fingers crossed. Maybe a screenshot or two or a name would be enough for me.

  3. AndyG

    There isn’t a huge desire for kinects at the moment

  4. crackkat

    these people are mentally disabled

  5. WiiU

    The Kinect guy is stupid. Beecause it will be more powerful than 360.

  6. Totoro

    Analysts remind me of meteorologists, amirite? On a side note, I would never listen to Pachter, but even less to a person who called the wii u controller a “killer app”. A term only douchebags with an iphone who masturbate to angry birds while saying that the future of gaming is those cringeworthy 99cent games whose appeal is only enough to be used for keeping you entertained while you take a shit or make a hot pocket. Analysts nowadays forget one thing, they are getting older, therefore less time for gaming. You need a console that can keep the adults entertained as well as appeal to the more time-free younger audience. And constantly telling nintendo to pull a crApple is ignorant, because they did just that with the Wii and its countless amount of shovelware titles that I am ashamed to say we disgusting piles of turds priced at full retail, just like the iOS market with its countless turds which vastly outnumber Wii shovelware, circulating it at 99 cents. Nintendo tried a similar approach but in the end, a phone is a phone, a console is for entertainment.

    • Wii U Dragon

      Don’t underestimate these mobile games. I was such a critic of angry birds, always slagging it off until I actually played it… for free (on chrome) it was quite a good game…

  7. Nintendoftw

    Please don’t listen to Pachter…