The Wii U – When Nintendo‘s Magic Faltered

The Wii U, launched in late 2012 as the Wii‘s successor, profoundly underperformed expectations due to a variety of factors. Within just 5 years, the Wii U was discontinued and replaced by the Nintendo Switch, a radical new system that learned from its predecessor‘s mistakes. How did Nintendo‘s fortunes fall so fast, and what changed to put them back on top?

Fated for Failure – The Wii U‘s Fundamental Flaws

Nintendo expected their new GamePad tablet controller to spark developers‘ imaginations as much as the Wii‘s motion controls had. But in reality, most saw it as an underpowered, expensive accessory that represented play ideas consumers didn‘t strongly want.

The Wii U was only marginally more capable than the 6-year-old Xbox 360/PS3. With 50% less processing power and memory than the new Xbox One and PS4, almost no third-party studios supported it with key gaming franchises. There simply wasn‘t a big enough technical leap over previous consoles to convince consumers to upgrade.

Its naming and marketing also critically undermined potential buyers‘ understanding. Surveys found under 50% of consumers understood it was a new console, not just another Wii version. First year sales limped to just over 3 million units compared to the original Wii‘s 7 million.

Table: Key Tech Specs Comparisons

This weaker hardware combined with ongoing consumer confusion meant few gamers saw compelling reasons to buy in. Lacking the breakout appeal of Wii Sports‘ motion innovations, the Wii U‘s fortunes only deteriorated further from its launch.

Betrayed by the Basics – Games and Marketing

The Wii U‘s flagship launch game, a 2.5D sidescrolling Super Mario Bros, showcased almost no meaningful GamePad integration. Why buy this expensive controller when Nintendo themselves seemed uninspired by it?

And shockingly for a Nintendo console, major first-party franchises went years without making appearances. There was no Zelda, Metroid Prime sequel, or follow-up to Wii Sports‘ magic. An average first-party release rate less than half the previous consoles‘ pace meant Wii U owners faced long software droughts.

Table: Notable Franchises‘ Absence From Wii U

*Metroid Prime 4 for Nintendo Switch, not Wii U

When even Nintendo fails to support a platform with its best IPs, why should any third-party studio bother developing for it? Despite creators‘ initial excitement about the GamePad, by 2016 over 90% of publishers had ceased Wii U development.

For potential buyers, the ongoing lack of killer games joining the murky console premise offered little motivation. Even Nintendo pivoting to emphasize the Wii U‘s value as a lower-priced secondary console with aging 360/PS3 ports failed to find an audience.

The Switch – Learning From Failure

Clearly understanding the Wii U‘s deep-rooted flaws, Nintendo completely changed course for their next console. The Nintendo Switch refundamentally reimagined their approach to hardware capabilities, mobility emphasis, and software support strategies.

An Intriguing Hybrid Design

The Switch‘s hybrid portable+TV modes resonated immediately with critics and consumers. Play flexible full console games on the go and at home? This felt truly unique compared to stationary rivals. Reviewers almost across the board praised its potential.

Backed by Nvidia‘s powerful yet efficient Tegra chipset, the Switch felt world‘s apart from Wii U‘s anemic performance. Games like Zelda: Breath of the Wild delivered stunning open worlds that simply wouldn‘t have worked on Wii U. Strong launch hardware proved far more future-proof, able to deliver great-looking multiplatform ports for years and tempt major studios‘ support again.

Table: Nintendo Switch Tech Specifications

Most importantly, Nintendo stuck the landing on an easy-to-communicate central premise – now consumers and game-makers immediately grasped the value proposition. Reviewers praised the Switch as feeling like the magical early days of the Wii again, but buffered by the lessons of that console‘s decline.

Software and Support Done Right

Intent on avoiding its predecessor‘s pitfalls, Nintendo ensured a steady stream of first-party heavy hitters for the Switch from launch onwards. Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, multiple Pokemon games, Animal Crossing, and more headlined a nonstop barrage of exclusives to drive hardware sales.

In another reversal, Nintendo also embraced indie developers, for the first time enabling breakout hits like Stardew Valley and Hades to release first on a Nintendo platform, not just belated ports. This built tremendous goodwill and PR momentum.

Table: First-Party Nintendo Switch Games By Year

Strong early adoption by gamers and consistent critical acclaim for the Switch‘s hybrid premise and ever-growing catalogue has put sales on a record breaking pace. It overtook the Wii U‘s lifetime figures in under a year and recently surpassed the Xbox One. Current projections forecast potentially exceeding the Wii‘s 101 million units sold, assuming the cadence of compelling first-party exclusives persists.

Key Takeaways – Learning From Both Successes and Mistakes

The Wii U represented Nintendo straying from proven formulas in pursuit of trends like second screen gaming that, in hindsight, lacked sufficient market demand or console capability support. BUT Nintendo deserves credit for being willing to completely self-reflect, absorb harsh criticism, and dare to try new ideas after a failure.

The Switch crystallized lessons about the vital importance of both mainstream-enticing hardware as well as supporting bold hardware introductions with beloved exclusive software. This hard-won perspective shift seems to have paved the way for a potential return to their glory days.

Only time will tell, but initial indicators point toward the Switch on track to restake Nintendo‘s position as a leading light guiding the gaming industry‘s future. For their next trick, might we see a proper handheld successor to the 3DS, or an evolution of the Switch concept itself towards VR capability? Those remain exciting open questions, and if Nintendo retains the transparency to their missteps shown through the Wii U to Switch transition, I‘m optimistic their next moves can build on their regained momentum.