Wii U Is Unlikely To Hit Target Even As Sales Double

After months of struggling, there is finally some good news for Nintendo’s Wii U console.

Between July 1 and September 30 of this year, the Wii U sold 610,000 units. That’s more than double what the current gen console managed in the same period in 2013. That brings the platform’s life-to-date sales to 7.29 million in total. What makes these figure even better is that the Wii U managed this with only one major release, Hyrule Warriors. 

However, despite this increase the console is still predicted to miss Nintendo’s expectations of 3.6 million sales this financial year. Over the past 6 months the Japanese company has only sold 1.12 million units. Nintendo will be hoping that their Amibo collection and the upcoming Super Smash Bros. game will have a huge impact on Wii U sales this holiday season.

Figures for the 3DS were even worse as the handheld only sold 1.27 million units this quarter, down from 2.49 million sales in the same period last year. That’s a 50% decrease Year-on-Year, despite the success of Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Tomodachi Life which have sold 3.22 million and 3.12 million worldwide. The Nintendo 3DS has sold over 45 million units altogether but it looks like it has reached saturation point. Unless the handheld is given a huge boost by the release Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, as well as by the Japanese and Australian launch of the New 3DS, it looks like the platform will also miss Nintendo’s target of 12 million sales this fiscal year.

Overall, Nintendo has made a net profit of ¥14.3 billion ($131.5 million) over the past 6 months, mostly thanks to a positive exchange rate. Still, that’s a lot better than the ¥0.6 billion profit made in the first half of last fiscal year.

Are you planning on picking up a 3DS or Wii U this holiday season? If not, why not? Let us know in the comments below.