Finally, we have a scrap of good news to grasp at regarding Wii U sales. Or at least, Nintendo is making it sound pretty good. According to the Japanese hardware and software giant, sales of the near-literally flailing Wii U console have experienced a drastic 685% spike in the UK, following the release of superb remake The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD. Holy percentage points, Batman.
Of course, a given percent increase is relative only to the original sales numbers themselves, and Nintendo has yet to release what their new numbers actually are. Still, a boost this drastic can only be a good thing, and head of UK consumer marketing James Honeywell certainly sounds relieved.
We have long believed that software sells hardware, and it’s great to see that reaffirmed this week with an uplift of Wii U hardware sales to coincide with the launch of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD.
Way to keep it brief, Honeywell! His short words pretty much tell the story, though – if gaming history has taught us anything, it’s that the platform with the best games will win. The Wii U doesn’t yet have the best games, but it finally has in its possession some very, very compelling ones.
Of course, Nintendo’s philosophy also ties right in with the recent launch of Pokémon X and Y. In this case, Nintendo is using hardware, to sell software, to sell hardware. Pokémon is great software that will move 3DS hardware units, but in case it doesn’t, Nintendo is releasing a cheap new hardware unit with the 2DS to move software units. Software units that were originally released to help move hardware units.
Nintendo is so meta.