A Wii U ambassador program akin to the 3DS’s is undeniably in order.
In the wake of the latest news that Nintendo only mustered 160,000 Wii U sales for the months of April-June, it really made me kick back for a second and reflect on everything that has happened post-launch. But as I was sitting there, I realized that I couldn’t think of anything that happened, and that’s the problem: nothing has happened.
Please understand.
Now I know I’m not stating anything new here when I say the Wii U has been on one huge drawn-out game drought. Nobody can deny the lack of major titles that have come out for the system ever since the year 2013 hit. With the exception of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (great game) and Lego City, no note-worthy exclusives have hit the system, and even those two games aren’t what gamers would consider big titles or must-haves. They’re not the big-budget AAA titles that we bought the system for. We gamers went and shelled out $300-$350 for this console with the promise of Pikmin 3 and Wonderful 101 arriving in Spring of this year and yet they’ve turned out to be late Summer/early Fall titles. And although this wasn’t Nintendo’s fault, Rayman Legend’s massive delay definitely dealt a massive blow to us Nintendo faithful as well, as we were relying on that game to get us through February and last us until Monster Hunter came out.
There’s been literally almost nothing worth noting on the system thus far. And sure, they may have been some enjoyable multiplats with Trine 2, Ninja Gaiden, and Need For Speed being a few examples of definitive versions on the Wii U, but they are drastically out-weighed by the lazy and rushed ports such as the likes of Madden 13 with it’s lack of the Infinity 2 Engine, Injustice with it’s lack of private games options, and especially Sniper Elite V2 with it’s lack of…..well…..everything. So there’s been very minuscule incentives to even purchase the majority of multi-platform titles on the system, making the desert even drier.
But although we went out and supported this system, Nintendo has left us hung-out to dry. As a multi-console owner, it has never been too rough for me personally as I’ve been able to enjoy multi-plats not on Wii U as well as exclusives on the rival platforms, and because of that I have been patient (and still will be), but I still spent $350 on a box I expected to play certain games on. Our trust has essentially been betrayed. And while I understand that Nintendo has already explained the game delays (understaffed, 3DS development), the company’s manpower problem should have been already addressed before the system came out, not after. So I don’t feel that’s a valid excuse. Common sense should have told Iwata that moving from SD to HD would require much more work than before. Did they not see the growing pains developers had to go through with the 360 and PS3?
What I’m saying is, all of the Wii U’s problems have been caused by Nintendo’s incompetence, and could have easily been avoided. They have no reasoning that just leaves them 100% excused or justified for anything. And now us loyal Nintendo fans are suffering for it. And while I fully realize that this Wii U drought is slowly starting to come to an end with Pikmin, W101, DKC:TF, Sonic, and Super Mario 3D World, that doesn’t erase our past affliction.
Nintendo launched the 3DS Ambassador Program 5 months after the system’s launch in August – it’s been roughly 9 and-a-half months since the Wii U’s. Isn’t it time for a Wii U Ambassador Program? Should we Nintendo fans receive something in return for supporting the console early and sticking around this whole time? Even when games such as Smash Bros. 4 and Mario Kart 8 roll around, they’re not going to make up for the Wii U drought. Those games are expected Nintendo-console essentials. We shouldn’t forgive Nintendo for releasing games that were already coming in the first place. Therefor, they need to offer us something extra. Something exclusive to us early adopters.
A ton of eShop credit would be nice. Maybe some downloadable GameCube games (assuming they plan on bringing GCN titles to the virtual console)? And wait, what ever happened to the GBA games? Those are taking an exponentially long time to get here, and so is that highly-anticipated Summer update, which is now essentially a Fall update. The broken promises have been brutal, the delays have been infuriating. Nintendo, it’s time to apologize to your fans in more ways than Iwata bowing and saying “I apologize”. We need compensation in the form of something physical.
Nintendo, it’s time to give back to your fans, the same way you did with the 3DS.
EDIT: Some people have already made the point that the 3DS ambassador program was because of the price-cut, which is true. But what I failed to mention in this article is that there will be a price-cut for the Wii U this Fall. It’s definitely happening, no questions asked. Nintendo would not be foolish enough to not cut the price with a 3D Mario game coming with 2 competitor systems launching as well. But even if there won’t be a price-drop, I feel that a Wii U Ambassador Program should still be done. It was done for 3DS owners because Nintendo (unintentionally) betrayed it’s early 3DS adopters. Are they not doing the same with Wii U owners, just in a different way?
by 
PLEASE UNDAHSTAND
*PREASE
I totally agree. I actually never thought about them offering an ambassador program, but it makes total sense. However, the main reason the 3DS had an ambassador program, which you never mentioned, was because they significantly dropped the price of the 3DS after 5 months. The Wii U is still the same price. Again, I totally agree that we early adopters need some sort of compensation, but unless Nintendo announces a price drop soon, I unfortunately don’t think we’ll be seeing one. If anything, they might give us some VC games AT MOST.
i honestly would be content with a 50$ refund with eShop credit or something
Totally agreed. Bring the ambassador program and maybe I can forget the drought of Wii U games.
if it doesnt happen, its probably because they are already selling it at a loss
Did BlackB0nd help with this article? lol
But all jokes aside, I completely agree. I’m sick of “Please understand” and that’s why I want new leadership. Nintendo has to move on from the 90s. They aren’t the biggest name in gaming anymore. They can’t rely on their name alone anymore.
Thats not going to change anything. Look at EA, they changed leadership and they still suck. Same goes for Square Enix.
I think it’s best to trust Iwata, because he turned around the 3DS, and he’ll do the same for the Wii U
Changing leadership is a chance I’m willing to take. Keep the current plan for Wii U, but he needs to use the mountain of money he’s sitting on.
Iwata doesnt need to go. He’s alot more humble than Yamauchi was, he’s also a developer and a gamer so I feel he’s got a better feel and direction. Lets be honest here, most of Nintendo’s growing pains today stem from the trainwreck that was 2011, they had that earthquake, the 3DS needed revitalizing and they started the process of restructuring the company. They could have avoided a large majority of the growing pains they’ve endured with better direction I think but its not like there are people waiting around to get hired by Nintendo either.
Which is why they really need to buy Atlus. It’d be seriously stupid not to. (Although from what I read it seems like they’d end up with a lot of useless subsidiaries which they could probably flip for some cash XD)
You gotta give Nintendo credit for their patience though XD
Why would Nintendo release the Wii U if they had problems due to the earthquake?
Correction- Why would Nintendo release the Wii U if they knew they were still in a bad situation due to the earthquake?
Nah Iwata is better than Yamauchi, they’re also more humble.
Most of Nintendo’s issues stem from how things played out in 2011 from what I’ve seen. The earthquake, the rush to get the 3DS of its feet, the restructuring. They could have avoided alot of this nonsense had they had better planning, but I dont think there are people just sitting around waiting to get hired and start work at Nintendo either.
That said, they really should buy Atlus and that’ll be a truly inane stupid decision if they dont(though I hope they dont get sold the random subsidiaries, they could probably flip that part of index back for some cash)
The Wii was dead so they were rushing.
why are you owed free games?
Wii u will turn around this holiday. This doom and gloom bad journalism doesnt help
When did I even remotely say something along the lines of doom and gloom?
Because us early adopters supported the Wii U from the beginning. Nintendo has barely supported us, and have only started to put out games for their 9 month old console.
NIntendo hasn’t barely supported us,if they were barely supporting us we wouldnt be here.
You’re calling the entire first half of 2013 without a Wii U Nintendo game not barely supporting us?
They did release games, they didnt appeal to you. That’s all.
We had a drought in February. April was meh so was May(there were titles coming out )
I said a Wii U Nintendo game, meaning first party. Not published by Nintendo, but developed by one of Nintendo’s studios.
I don’t think the 0gb white model could handle this amount of memory huehue
Hmmm, I think maybe those .30 cent games were part of an “ambassador” program. Seriously though, don’t feel so entitled.
The same will happen with the Xbox One and PS4. Launch windows will be long and lengthy. Look at the PS3, didn’t really have that many influential titles until 2-3 years into it’s life span.
AND HOW can a company BETRAY you? It’s not like Nintendo stole your girlfriend from you. :
The .30 cent games were a PROMOTION for the Virtual Console, Nintendo never said it themselves. It had nothing to do with the Wii U game delays.
And what’s wrong with feeling entitled if we have indeed been wrong? Nintendo made a lot of promises with the Wii U, with a lot of them never coming to fruition. That’s not a betrayal?
Only the early adopters of the WIi U were able to get the promotion. No one will ever get those outside of that for the price.
We’ve been wronged. Oh boy…OH BOY. If we were treated to plentiful gifts for every company that has “wronged us” or “broken promises” we’d be swimming in a ocean of xboxes, playstations, tvs, phones, etc…etc..etc..
Betrayal is such a bloated overused word. If you felt so betrayed you would have already marched up to Gamestop with Wii U in hand and demand your money back.
Until then, you bought the product, heard the news, have a speck of what is going on internally and are told that the games are coming. Be patient.
Again, if you can’t be and feel so wronged and hurt about it, you’re just exasperating the situation by feeling oh so entitled and writing the same tired song and dance around Nintendo’s partially dug up grave.
@Yokijirou “Only the early adopters of the WIi U were able to get the promotion.” That doesn’t change a thing, you didn’t counter my point at all. The .30 cent games were to promote the coming Virtual Console, nothing more, nothing less.
“you would have already marched up to Gamestop with Wii U in hand and demand your money back.”
Except that’d be stupid. You can’t return a product after so long. By the time we figured out W101 and Pikmin were coming so late you wouldn’t be able to return. And I wouldn’t WANT to in the first place. Why sell a system that I WANT? It’d make no sense to sell it only to buy it later down the line. That’d be a waste of money.
You’re not making any sense with your suggestions.
But I guess judging by your responses, you’re A-OK with the Wii U so far? Has Nintendo done a great job? Are you truly 100% satisfied with your system?
I would love to know. Because I don’t see how any self-respecting Nintendo fan wouldn’t feel burned by Nintendo at this point.
“Please understand”
Yo shokio, we havent exactly been wronged, Nintendo for the most part does keep to alot of their promises(infact there were a couple articles written about that)
Yeah the WiiU’s had some pretty meh beginnings, but for the most part console launches have always been like this.
Gamecube had much better launch though lol.
Still doesnt change the fact that this is ridiculous but I see that kind of mentality as short sighted and limited in perspective.
Its really not good to leave your consumer dissatisfied either way.
I didn’t know who had a WiiU, BBC
You own a Wii U?
There already was an ambassador program. Remember the 30 cent VC games? HELLO
Oh, you mean that Virtual Console PROMOTION? Yeah, I remember that.
remember? good now deal with it. u already got free games
You fail to understand, those games had nothing to do witg early adooter compensation. The Wii U could have been flying off shelves and had 10 AAA games released in the Spring and that PROMOTION still would’ve happened.You really think 5-6 virtual console games is comoensation for 8 and a half months of virtually NO first-party titles on a brand new next gen console?
“All of Nintendo’s problems were caused by their own incompetence”
Haha ok I had to stop reading there. Then I see you think a price cut is the company “betraying” early adopters. You’re the kind of person that makes gamers look bad. I can’t believe you write for a website. You should just be ranting your BS on a tumblr that no one reads.
Are we getting legit mad over what another man has to say regarding videogames? You can express disagreement and calmly explain your reasoning, but getting bent out of shape over it like I insulted your mother is a bit overboard.
I never realized a game drought only pertains to grade-A (AAA) titles?! LOL There are a bunch of “lesser games” for it that are good entertainment. Take me: I’ve bought five.
You might say, “Oh, wow, FIVE?” And I’d say: yup. C’mon now, let’s be realistic…unless you don’t own ANY other console and you don’t have a life…those five are plenty.
As for an ambassador program for DELUXE owners only? I say it is a good idea!