No Wii successor "any time soon"

By Tom Bramwell Published 25 February, 2010

Dunaway also questions Ubi PS3/360 shift.

Nintendo's US marketing boss Cammie Dunaway has said that we won't see a successor to Wii for a while.

"I don't think it will be any time soon," Dunaway told GameSpot (thanks VG247), explaining that comparing the US sales of Wii to PS2 suggests there's still a lot of headroom to explore.

"That being said, part of Nintendo's heritage is to always be looking at innovation and to start working on new hardware as soon as we launch a platform, so we'll have it ready when we think the time is right."

An earlier answer offered additional insight into Nintendo's attitude to hardware. "At the end of the day people don't care about the technology, they care about what you can do with it," Dunaway remarked, "and I think that no one's better than Nintendo and being able to create these kinds of immersive experiences that consumers love."

The Nintendo exec also commented on Ubisoft's recent decision to refocus on PS3 and Xbox 360. The French publisher had referred to the PS3 and Xbox 360 as "the two consoles which are expected to see sales growth in games for gamers in 2010".

"I think that they're always juggling resources and juggling their choices," Dunaway said of the Ubisoft comments, before detailing the Wii and DS installed bases: 27m Wiis in the US, 67m worldwide, 30m DSes in the US, 125m worldwide.

"You just can't ignore those installed bases, and I think that smart developers, smart publishers will continue to put a focus on developing for our platforms," she said.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (32) 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • peteb #1 2 years ago

    "You just can't ignore those installed bases, and I think that smart developers, smart publishers will continue to put a focus on developing for our platforms," she said."

    Well, yea you can, if none of them are buying your fucking games!
    Edited by 1 at 25/02/10 @ 09:02

  • KDR_11k #2 2 years ago

    That's more a problem with their games though.

  • peteb #3 2 years ago

    Good point :)

  • Kratos1986 #4 2 years ago

    Ubisoft are not known for their overwhelmingly intelligent decisions. In fact they have struggled to make consistent profits for years now. Just last year they reported losses of over 50 million euros for the first half of the year alone.

    Ubisoft are in such a desperate situation they had to go begging to Disney to make a Prince of Persia movie and then rush out a game hoping they can catch some of the limelight and sell a few more copies.

    A lot of developers are struggline nowadays with making meaningful profit but I think due to Ubisofts stupid practises theyll be one of the first to sink.

  • Loghorn #5 2 years ago

    Ditto, peteb!

    Just because you have a larger installed base doesn't mean crap when a lot of people don't buy games other than the ones that Nintendo themselves made. Nintendo, your time is running out. People are getting bored to death of the gimmicks, & it's now wearing thin. Very soon, both Microsoft & Sony will see more of their console sales go through the roof.

  • BartonFink #6 2 years ago

    @KDR - Not really - even if the games are good/great on Wii they still don't sell. Ubi and a few others have realised this and done the sensible thing and gone where the money is.
    Edited by 1 at 25/02/10 @ 09:10

  • kinky_mong #7 2 years ago

    @Loghorn: It would be nice to see that happen but I imagine once the shit-munchers have got bored of flailing their arms about they'll move on to some other fad rather than buying a 360 or PS3.

  • Stompy #8 2 years ago

    Loghorn: "People are getting bored to death of the gimmicks, & it's now wearing thin. Very soon, both Microsoft & Sony will see more of their console sales go through the roof."

    If we keep saying things like this then it will become real! That's the mindset I've adopted ever since the Wii came out!!!

  • TonyHarrison #9 2 years ago

    "Just because you have a larger installed base doesn't mean crap when a lot of people don't buy games other than the ones that Nintendo themselves made."

    Did you know that there are more third party million sellers on Wii than first party million sellers?

    54 to 22.

    There are also more third party million sellers on Wii than PS3 by a comfortable distance...
    Edited by 1 at 25/02/10 @ 11:04

  • GamesConnoisseur #10 2 years ago

    Ubi is not the only company who is questioning rationale of doing business on Wii, Capcom had commented on their disappointment at like for like sale of RE Umbrella as first game sold many time more than sequel.

    Also Sega for disappointing sale of hardcore MadWorld and the brilliant House of the Dead Overkill. EA's even better Dead Space Extraction also performed very poorly.

    Mature and hardcore doesn't do well on Wii and ergo becomes MORE niche as casual/family oriented market.

    We will see less third parties mature/hardcore games and that will damages Nintendo's long time relationship with avid gamers who purchases loads of games. People like me who stuck with them in bad days doesn't feel any better now that Nintendo the top dog and yet doesn't give the breadth of titles I would want.

  • Stompy #11 2 years ago

    @TonyHarrison:

    You have blown my mind.

    Even though two of those million sellers are presumably Carnival Games and its sequel, my mind is still blown.

  • Murton #12 2 years ago

    Actually a smart developer/publisher will see that their titles are being lost in a sea of shovelware and failing to meet targets as a result. It's then that they are faced with the difficult decision of whether or not to continue the support for the platform, it was only a matter of time until someone packed it in as a bad job and concentrated on the other platforms where the visibility concerns are much lower.

    But to Dunaway I say this. Install base doesn't mean as much as you think. By your logic publishers should abandon video games altogether and make board games instead as there are many more tables than consoles in the world.

  • makeamazing #13 2 years ago

    Did you know that there are more third party million sellers on Wii than first party million sellers

    How many of them are fitness, dance or what i would class as leisure products rather than games>? I'm not trying to troll, just asking that question.. would be interested to see that list.

  • Alterego-X #14 2 years ago

    @Loghorn: "Just because you have a larger installed base doesn't mean crap when a lot of people don't buy games other than the ones that Nintendo themselves made. Nintendo, your time is running out."

    So, people buying loads of Nintendo's games, and they hate third party games, and it means Nintendo is doomed? LOL

    It's not like Nintendo NEEDS third party games for themselves, their own software alone sells more than first and third party COMBINED on any other system, and it moves lots of Nintendo hardware.

    Meanwhile, third parties are all making huge financial losses. They can finally figure out how to sell games as well as Nintendo does, or they could go bankrupt. It's that simple.
    Edited by 1 at 25/02/10 @ 13:30

  • Eraser #15 2 years ago

    "Did you know that there are more third party million sellers on Wii than first party million sellers? "

    Playing devil's advocate here, but absolute numbers don't mean a thing. If there's 10 times the number of 3rd party titles as there are 1st party titles, then having twice as many million sellers under third party games as first party games is a bit of a disappointment.

    The Wii's install base is important though. If you develop a crap game and historic statistics tell you that 1% of any group of people would buy a crap game anyway (because they are little Timmy's parents who have no idea), then 1% of 125m DS's is twice as much as 1% of 67m Wii's. I'm using DS vs Wii numbers here because I don't know the actual install-base of PS3 and XBox 360, but the point is still valid.

  • Collymilad #16 2 years ago

    "That's more a problem with their games though. "

    And how's that? technically you are right in a way, but it's not really their games. The problem is that the type of games they make don't appeal to the Wii userbase, however their games are quality and perfectly fine - and people with PS3/360 buy them in droves, hence the refocus.

    I for one hope Ubi doesn't change to focus their efforts on making throwaway turds so that they can sell millions to Wii gamers. Wii owners tend to buy games based on crap like how the cover looks, and as someone else said good games get lost in a see of sh*t.

    And no, i'm not talking about the few Nintendo hardcore left that wait patiently for the AAA first party titles - I'm talking about the people that make up most of the Wii's userbase, people who play games for 20 mins a day (if that) and don't really care about them, they just want a quick blast before they go and do the things they actually do give a crap about. Companies like Ubi will always have trouble selling games to these people.
    Edited by 2 at 25/02/10 @ 13:37

  • TonyHarrison #17 2 years ago

    Another interesting thing is that as of right now the same percentage of the Wii userbase has bought Just Dance as they did Call of Duty: World at War.

    It is not the same people that make up the audience to those two games, which suggests room for both types of games (kind of like the PS2 had), yet only one of those audiences has got a decent amount of titles to buy based on their needs. If you're wondering, no, it isn't the COD audience.

    I would also question when exactly it was that Ubisoft focused their big games on the Wii audience, seeing as we haven't had a Wii version of Assassins Creed, no doubt due to 'technical constraints' (they didn't have trouble getting it on the PSP though!).

    Furthermore, examples of 'big' games that have 'flopped' in this comments section are flawed. People bought RE: Umbrella Chronicles because they thought doing so would get Capcom to give the Wii audience RE5. Instead they got another light gun game and the audience reacted to that by not buying the sequel. Similar can be said of Dead Space. People were hyped when it was first announced and it was thought to be a port of the original. And then it was revealed to be another light gun game and the hype was killed in microseconds. By the time HOTD came along, the market for light gun games was completely saturated. As for MadWorld, it's from the same dev team that gave us Bayonetta, Okami, Viewtiful Joe and God Hand. None of these games have gone past 500k worldwide on a single platform despite all of them being critically acclaimed, so they should be used to it.

  • SpaceMonkey77 #18 2 years ago

    Underneath, their fine suits and nice smiles, Nintendo are panicking, even though they are getting money. I find it funny with Nintendo announcing these few games yesterday. There's next to nothing in that line up and they know it. And why didn't they save this info of games until GDC? Its clearly been staged to make things look like something positive is happening, when in truth the Wii release games list beyond Mario Galaxy etc, is bleak like the desert. Nintendo used to do this same PR crap back in the N64 and GC days too, but the gaming masses won't realise this.

    When your console can't court third parties well enough, for a significant third generation on, there's certainly a big problem elephant in the house, but Nintendo, in their very japanese way, continue to deny its not there. Remember, this stuff with third parties was happening long before Wii came out, and a real shame many have to make an exodus from Wii development. Some good Wii games have been made.

    Indeed, it matters not how many Wii consoles are shifting, if not enough sales of games are shifting too, (this is a GAMES industry) and even in the grand scheme of things, Nintendo's first party games are not enough to keep games store etc open for business. Some will claim, Nintendo are growing the market. Thats was the case at first, but things change and if casuals buy very few games (casual or core games) its counter productive for the whole industry. With Nintendo benefiting largely alone, I can totally understand many wanting Wii to fizzle out in a dark lonely corner, arms waving.

    With 360 and PS3, there's much more chance for a developer/publisher to make their cash back. Spread your game over three formats (PC or PSP) and its even a better possible return (even with piracy thrown into the equation). While many used to say 300.000 in sales of a game might be poor, they should count their chickens, as focused Wii sales would potentially be a hell of a lot lower.

    I can't wait for GDC, and for someone to finally stand up and have a rant at Nintendo Wii being junk, without reprimand. If wishes were horses, eh.

  • Moz #19 2 years ago

    The Wii has lost it's install base advantage now that devs (well most) have got to grips with porting games between 360 & PS3.

    So buy making games for PS3 & 360 you have access to the same install base as the Wii. plus PS3 & 360 gamers tend to buy more games then Wii owners making the pentential to sell "hard core" games alot higher on 360 & PS3 then the Wii.

    Whilst Nintys choice to go for cheaper hardward paid off initially it's put them at a totally different hardware level to everyone else making it impossible for 3rd parties to make a game for Wii & PS3/360 using the same assets which bumps up the cost of putting the game on all three system (if it's even possible).

    Nintendo NEED a "Wii HD" a system as good as 360 & PS3 if they wont to stay in favour with the big publishers. But the question is do they care? They can make plenty of money by making their own hardware and games they don't need 3rd party support. But if they want to make even more money from being the console of choice across next gen they need to keep those 3rd parties sweet.

  • SpaceMonkey77 #20 2 years ago

    @Moz

    If Nintendo no longer care about the rest of the games market, with the intention of only catering to Wii's hive, then its a dark day for the home games market. Their underpowered Wii will stumble even more as the PS3 and 360 devs keep pushing the boundaries of games. No Wii HD, then expect sales to slip.

    I'm sure their handheld efforts will be cool enough, but until their home market is dealt with properly, third parties will shun them with whispers and ten yard stares. Dunaway has clearly been blinded by her Nintendo paycheck.

  • malexous #21 2 years ago

    "PS3 gamers tend to buy more games then Wii owners"

    The last NPD tie ratio report shows that on average PS3 owners buy 0.3 games more than Wii owners. That was about 10 months ago though so a new report is due in about 2 months.

  • MattyD #22 2 years ago

    Perhaps if Ubisoft's Wii lineup didn't consist entirely of shovelware crap, they'd sell more games.

    That said, this *is* the Wii we're talking about.

  • Alterego-X #23 2 years ago

    " PS3 & 360 gamers tend to buy more games then Wii owners"

    Except that they don't.

    http://i2 2.photobucket.com/albums/b312/g...
    Edited by 1 at 25/02/10 @ 18:43

  • Mono_X #24 2 years ago

    Poor poor Nintendo, they've got it all wrong. Their massive sales and profits just show how wrong they've gotten it!

    What they really need to do is listen to geeks on forums - that'll work.

  • hilts #25 2 years ago

    Exactly mono_x !!! Some deluded people here!!

  • JohnnyWashnGo #26 2 years ago

    I want my WiiHD

  • SpaceMonkey77 #27 2 years ago

    @ Mono x and Hilts

    Lol, not at all, they have it right for themselves. If Nintendo are in profit, that's great for them. However, they can't expect others who aren't, to stick around and develop for Wii with deminishing returns. They all have to look out for number one, just like Nintendo.

    That's my view on it, anyway. If you have a counterpoint to offer, feel free to do share it, with the rest of us lowly nerds (pot calling kettle black, much).

    @Otogozoshi

    And do you have confirmed release dates for all those games? Nintendo announced some, but where's the rest or those listed? Most more than likely have TBA next to them.

  • Alterego-X #28 2 years ago

    @SpaceMonkey77: The problem is, that those companies are not making money anywhere else either. Activision reported losses, EA reported losses, Ubisoft reported losses.
    And that's with already treating the Wii like crap.

    Of course they have the RIGHT to ignore 50% of the market, but they simply can't survive on its other half, for their very survival, they should soon figure out how to sell games on the Wii.

  • penhalion #29 2 years ago

    So it will be announced at E3 then ;)

  • Markusdragon #30 2 years ago

    I struggle not to think of Cammie Dunaway as the Sarah Palin of Nintendo.

  • Mono_X #31 2 years ago

    @Spacemonkey77

    I'm as big a game geek as anyone here, but you have to realise that the majority of views expressed on this (and all) forums probably represent no more than a tiny percentage of the what the games market is. These are certainly not the views of the average consumer.

    As TonyHarrison said, there are 54 3rd party games that sold more than 1 million copies each on the Wii, so clearly some 3rd party are having success. If Capcom, Sega or Ubi or whoever can't sell games then they need to work harder.

    It's funny that when Bionic Commando and Dark Void bombed on the HD consoles so badly that Capcom were forced to re-evaluate their entire global strategy no one said. "Oh noes - it's the end of teh hardcorez HD consoles.". But you get a flop on the Wii and it's...... doooooomed!

  • Vixremento #32 2 years ago

    As an outsider (well someone that owns one of the other consoles but not a Wii) I think that a lot more people have bought Wii consoles because it does come across as more fun when compared to the others...this doesn't make them into a gamer though meaning that the number of titles they buy is surely going to be less than the numbers of titles a typical gamer would buy (my brother as an example bought the Wii for Wii Fit - not for anything else...it's the only title he has together with what came with the Wii. He now no longer uses it at all because he just has never been one to buy a lot of games before).

    Now if they had the same titles I typically get on my PC/other console (not a "Express" edition) with comparable features combined with the controller stuff then I'd have bought it instead of my other console...perhaps they should push for a newer hardware release sooner than they think.