UK retailer ASDA suspends sales of Wii U (update: Morrisons too)

[cidbahamut]

Re: UK retailer ASDA suspends sales of Wii U (update: Morrisons too)

So basically the Wii-U is going to be losing shelf space because the units aren't moving even after slashing the price. That's pretty damning.

[Firewind]

Re: UK retailer ASDA suspends sales of Wii U (update: Morrisons too)

Morrisons, while they mostly sell chart titles, bargain titles and shovelware, dropping support is notable actually. They only deal in software and don't sell consoles. So this means they are dropping Wii U support entirely and not just the consoles.

[Malacite]

Re: UK retailer ASDA suspends sales of Wii U (update: Morrisons too)

Ouch.

[Icemage]

Re: UK retailer ASDA suspends sales of Wii U (update: Morrisons too)

Morrisons, while they mostly sell chart titles, bargain titles and shovelware, dropping support is notable actually. They only deal in software and don't sell consoles. So this means they are dropping Wii U support entirely and not just the consoles.

What are the other major retailers in the UK, Firewind?

I know Tesco and Sainsburys are the big guns on the supermarket side. HMV and GAME on the tech/game side. Any others we should be keeping an eye on?


Icemage

[Firewind]

Re: UK retailer ASDA suspends sales of Wii U (update: Morrisons too)

Interbrand Best UK Retail Brands Report 2013 - Tesco holds on to top spot with ASOS debut as the first online retailer to make Top 10 - Campaign Brief UK
Top 50 online retailers in the UK: Argos reclaims second place from Apple - Digital Intelligence

Not all of those sell video games, quite a few are clothing chains, drug stores, home improvement stores or furniture stores.. But if you spot a retailer on the list that has dropped Wii U support then it is probably notable.

Seeing someone like Tesco, Amazon, Play.com, Argos or Currys/PC World (I'm not sure about Sainsbury's but I'm sure a quick website search will answer that for you) drop Wii U support should set off alarm bells since those are the main ones that still support the Wii U that isn't dedicated to video games. Plus Zavvi and Gamespot, purely online are ones to watch out for since they do have a decent market chunk though it isn't like that Amazon or Play.com have.

[Firewind]

Re: UK retailer ASDA suspends sales of Wii U (update: Morrisons too)

Posting this because it is relevant.

So this is what Wii U ads are like in the UK:

While I found it pretty funny with the self-depreciating humour, it still sends out a silly message since they are trying to say:

1. Great games don't need a gamepad.
2. You need a gamepad for maps.
3. You need a gamepad for real time weapon changing without a menu.
4. NEW CONSOLE! it's for old Nintendo games in HD with maps and real time weapon changing.

If I'm honest, a lot of less savvy gamers and consumers still think that the Wii U is just the gamepad and not a new console. While a few don't even know it's separate from the Wii and think that the gamepad is an upgrade for the Wii.

I mean I thought the advert was funny but they seem to be undermining their own product here in a market that has little interest in the product precisely because of this kind of marketing.

[Icemage]

Re: UK retailer ASDA suspends sales of Wii U (update: Morrisons too)

Maybe I'm not in the target demographic for that ad, but it seems to me like it sends mixed signals. "We have a gamepad... but it's not necessary!"


Icemage

[cidbahamut]

Re: UK retailer ASDA suspends sales of Wii U (update: Morrisons too)

On the other hand, that perfectly sums up the Wii-U.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: UK retailer ASDA suspends sales of Wii U (update: Morrisons too)

Gamers with a 3DS don't really need to be told the virtues of a always-on map or quick access to inventory, its just a highlight to point out to non-gamers, but probably best to do so without directly condescending to either demographic.

Off-TV Play? Good to highlight for the families in which the TV is a contested resource, but not much further than that.

Talking up Miiverse might have been wise, if only because it gives you instant access to a game's community playing a game and getting questions answered there.

its hard to explain the value of something with an unlimited user interface in a really brief way. I really just see it as bringing DS functionality and all its benefits to a game console. Maybe I would have called it the Nintendo Home DS.

[Firewind]

Re: UK retailer ASDA suspends sales of Wii U (update: Morrisons too)

I do get the message it is trying to put out but I do think it will fly over a lot of heads. Personally I think they should really focus on the games, media capabilities and the advantages of Off-TV play, which the UK should eat up on paper. Properties are small in the UK and a lot of consoles are used in the living room as a media hub of sorts to save space. One of the main reasons why Tablet Computers and Laptops are very popular here is that you don't need to find room for a PC, desk, chair and peripherals; all you need is a relatively flat surface and (preferably) access to the mains, or none at all if you use a tablet. Space being a premium is why the "all in one media hub" angle is actually a pretty successful way of marketing over here. The problem is is that with how they currently do things, Nintendo aren't showing us why we should be using the Wii U over other consoles.

But really should be doing is pushing Off-Screen play. A lot of families and couples will seriously love that aspect alone. No more fighting over the TV, or even needing to be in the same room as the console would be a very popular feature here. But Nintendo simply aren't marketing that.

"You can play games in bed while your partner is sleeping."
"The kids can still play Mario in another room while you watch the TV and keep control over the console and how long they play for."
"You can play games during commercial breaks and not miss your show because you can play Off-TV."
"Here's some actual commercials for games."
"It's like an iPad but not shit."

Those are the kind of messages that the UK would like. Nintendo should really be pushing for more Third Party games to support it as well as working out a standardised way to activate it. It is one reason why I think they released it way too soon, they should have basically made an idiot proof way of activating it and made sure that more devs would hop onto it, especially when Sony is promising that all PS4 games will be Remote Play compatible. Nintendo could really score big against the others by pointing out that you only need the Wii U console itself to be able to do that, rather than having to buy a PS4 AND Vita or XBox One AND Windows 8 Tablet/Windows Phone. You can have Off-TV play out of the box at no additional cost.

[cidbahamut]

Re: UK retailer ASDA suspends sales of Wii U (update: Morrisons too)

Off-TV Play? Good to highlight for the families in which the TV is a contested resource, but not much further than that.

I've never understood how this is supposed to be a selling point. You have this whole system where the games are supposed to be incorporating this secondary screen on the pad and then suddenly remove that functionality entirely by transferring the main screen to the pad.

That and if the family wants to use the TV you just go boot up your handheld console. You don't sit there and try to enjoy your game through the cacophony of whatever movie they're watching, and goodness knows I don't trust wireless input to be lagless through several walls and a fair distance.

[Icemage]

Re: UK retailer ASDA suspends sales of Wii U (update: Morrisons too)

Off-TV is useful in two situations:

(a) More than one primary device is connected to one screen in your home. Lots of people have multiple TVs, and of the ones that don't, how many proportionally have the disposable income and desire to purchase a game console? But for the people with one primary TV and roommates/children/etc. the feature makes a lot of sense. It doesn't add gameplay, but it does add convenience.

(b) Portable console. This is actually pretty neat because you can play Wii U anywhere that you have a power outlet, without worrying about connections or anything else.

The trouble with off-screen play is that it somewhat restricts what developers can do with the gamepad. If they support off-screen, that means they can't put critical game functions on the gamepad, because the gamepad might actually be the primary display. They can support both modes, but that's extra development time.

Portable console is, in fact, extremely cool, but subject to two limitations. First, you're going to need to bring discs with you because the internal storage is too small to hold any reasonable library of digital games (or you'll have to bring an external hard drive, which uses up a similar or higher weight allowance to discs). Second, you're limited to whatever games support off-screen play (see above).

Is the convenience trade-off worth the hefty price premium of the GamePad? So far, the market has shrugged its shoulders and said no. Nintendo's got a long slog in front of them to get people to even consider the convenience factor into a purchasing decision.


Icemage

[cidbahamut]

Re: UK retailer ASDA suspends sales of Wii U (update: Morrisons too)

The trouble with off-screen play is that it somewhat restricts what developers can do with the gamepad. If they support off-screen, that means they can't put critical game functions on the gamepad, because the gamepad might actually be the primary display. They can support both modes, but that's extra development time.

Exactly, the console is working against itself with its own features.

[Icemage]

Re: UK retailer ASDA suspends sales of Wii U (update: Morrisons too)

So UK residents over on NeoGAF are currently comparing notes and noticing that pretty much every retailer is scaling back Wii U shelf space.

UK: Nintendo Shelf Space Severely reduced in Tesco - Now part of 360 Section - NeoGAF

Tesco and Sainsbury's are mentioned here, with supporting pictures.

PS Vita is also mentioned as losing much/all shelf space.


Icemage

[Firewind]

Re: UK retailer ASDA suspends sales of Wii U (update: Morrisons too)

Okay Tesco rolling back support is BIG. They are basically the biggest supermarket that stocks video games and they usually offer a pretty big selection rather than say, just a Charts section and budget game selection in the DVD/Music section like Asda, Morrisons or Sainsburys do.

Yeah this is basically our equivalent to Walmart or Best Buy dropping Wii U Support.

- - - Updated - - -

EDIT: It's the same in GAME too. The Wii U sections have been rolled into the second hand Wii/PS2 games section to make room for PS4 and XB1 stuff in November.