Nintendo’s Wii U has been struggling in 2013. Worldwide sales for the console have been sluggish, and analysts and industry insiders don’t see this changing until more games are available on the platform. While some think that a price cut could help the console, Michael Pachter thinks otherwise.
‘Even if Nintendo decides to drop the price, there are an insufficient number of core titles’
“Its fortunes appear unlikely to improve for several months,” explained Pachter in recently released research notes. “Even if Nintendo decides to drop price, as there are an insufficient number of core titles that are generating interest in the console. We think that core gamers are far more likely to turn their attention to the PS4 (due in the holiday season) and the next Xbox, which we believe will be unveiled before E3 and have a launch alongside that of the PS4, and believe that the long-term appeal of the Wii U will be severely limited by the perception that the PS4 and next Xbox will be much more powerful with greater online integration and multimedia functionality.”
Pachter has been bearish on the console for some time, and thinks that the Wii U could be in dire straights if the PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 are reasonably priced. “Should the new consoles from Sony and Microsoft be price competitive, we think that Wii U sales may continue to stagnate.”
Later this week, The NPD Group will release its latest sales data, where analysts expect to see a significant decline in month over month sales for the console.
