Now that the holiday rat race is over for Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony, analysts are coming out of the woodwork to discuss how 2014’s holiday season impacted adoption rates, hardware sales, software sales, and the future of gaming in the living room. The NY Times has a report from several analysts, including Michael Pachter that discuss the importance of the holiday sales. As most know, Microsoft was extremely aggressive with its price cuts, offering an Xbox One bundle with two games for $349. The PlayStation 4 and Wii U did not see a price drop.
While Microsoft gained a lot of ground and was the best-selling console of the season, analyst David Cole stated that Nintendo is stronger than ever thanks to its strong software lineup that appeals to hardcore fans. Both Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart 8 have been a resounding success for Nintendo, but Mr. Cole worries that this success will be short-term given the amount of kids that still enjoy their games on tablets instead of a home console system.
Also troubling for the company is that children today are increasingly playing games on tablets and smartphones, where Nintendo has no real presence, rather than on Nintendo handhelds, an important business for the company.
“That’s the biggest concern with Nintendo is that they lose out on that audience,” Mr. Cole said.
Of course, the Wii U is no where near the success of the Wii that pulled in both children and seniors alike. It’s unlikely that Nintendo will ever see that sort of success again, thanks to the proliferation of mobile devices that provide the more casual experience that part-time gamers seem to crave.
