Why The Wii U Will Struggle

        With less than a month to go until the Wii U's November 18th release date, there is much controversy regarding the success of Nintendo's latest console. The tablet-controlled home console brings HD gaming to a company whose gimmicky invention has held them back from producing a powerful console. The Wii U changes things drastically for Nintendo. Like many consumers, I bought the Wii U in 2007, a year after its release, played it for the gimmicks, and haven't touched it since. If Nintendo had released the Wii U in the first place, that would have been a revolutionary tactic, but splitting what should have been one console into two consoles, separated by six years of technological innovation couldn't possibly lead to success, could it? For Nintendo, success is unpredictable and relies on the faces of well-known franchises and the desires of children with good taste in mustached plumbers.

        Before and during the Wii's release, Nintendo constantly targeted families to be their number-one customers, persuading parents to buy the console in order to spend more time together as a family. With the Wii U, this doesn't seem to be the case. Nintendo is attempting the impossible: targeting both hardcore gamers and families with a completely different, unneeded experience that most people don't really want. Honestly, I'm still confused on why I would need the Wii U. Nintendo still hasn't responded to my confusion, nor my families' confusion on whether or not it's a completely new system or just a modified Wii. Regular people don't understand that you need a new system with new games in order to transition from a standard to high definition platform, and that's another fault that could cause problems for Nintendo.

        So, if people don't understand the need to transition to another console for high-definition gaming, then most consumers will feel that the only update from the Wii to Wii U is the addition of a tablet controller, whereas most families already own at least one tablet per household, and will find this innovation to be irrelevant. Nintendo made a huge mistake by only adding one letter to the Wii's title when naming their latest console, a mistake that will lead to at least one year of rough sales before they are forced into marketing the contrast between the Wii and Wii U. Sometimes, I feel as if Nintendo doesn't pay enough mind to commentators on sites such as IGN and GameSpot. These "trolls" who are constantly harassing Nintendo for the Wii U are actually bringing forth some valid points as to what the purpose of the Wii U actually is, and Nintendo has failed to respond.

        While I've yet to see any TV spots advertising the Wii U, I can only pray that for Nintendo's sake, they include major juxtaposition when explaining the differences between Wii and Wii U. They are actually far different consoles, but I can't see normal consumers understanding this like I do (because I'm a tech-writer and they aren't). I have to say I won't be buying the Wii U this year, but if by next year Nintendo gives me enough reason to make the purchase, I just may have to. The Wii U is available for pre-order at most retailers. ($349.99 for 32 GB deluxe set, or $299.99 for 8 GB basic set)