Only A Single Nintendo Wii U Was Sold In September

Even after all this time, there’s someone out there who wants to experience the Wii U as one of those consoles managed to sell in the US last month. Industry analyst Mat Piscatella revealed an interesting sales fact. stating that this was the first time a Wii U was sold since May 2022. Furthermore, the last time a new PSVita was sold was in November of 2021, with three handhelds being purchased during the transaction.

1 new Wii U was sold in the US in September. First time a new Wii U sold since May 2022. Last time a new Vita unit sold was in November 2021, when 3 (!!) were purchased.

Is any of this at all meaningful? No. Sales fun facts that do not matter.

— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) October 13, 2023

The Wii U was Nintendo’s answer in the eighth generation of home consoles, competing against Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One. After the success of the original Wii and its DS & 3DS family of handhelds, the company faced an underwhelming launch. While the idea behind Nintendo’s device was rather profound, it failed to truly capitalize on its potential and push it forward.

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Several factors contributed to the commercial failure of the Wii U. While criticism was directed towards its user interface and the GamePad’s short battery lifespan, its low sales were credited to a weak lineup of launch titles. This was further compounded by limited third-party publisher support and poor marketing, including an identity crisis with the Wii U’s GamePad.

Despite having drastically low lifetime sales, the Wii U is fondly remembered by fans. In a 2017 interview with Times Magazine, Reggie Fils-Aimé commented that the console was “a necessary step, in order to get to Nintendo Switch.” Even though it wasn’t one of Nintendo’s shining moments, it managed to deliver a sufficient amount of support before phasing out the device, releasing many of its exclusives for the Switch.

As the Nintendo Switch comes to the end of its cycle after a phenomenal run, rumors about its successor are flying around constantly. There’s yet to be any sort of official statement or reveal but many believe the console will be shown at some point in 2024.