Ask any avid console gamer about the Sega Dreamcast and you’ll likely hear a story about how amazing the console was for the 18 months that it survived the video game market. During that time, the console only managed to sell 10.6 million units before Sega pulled the plug. When the Wii U began to falter in early 2013 with game drought, many expected the Wii U to end up in a similar situation.
Nintendo’s dogged persistence with the Wii U has finally allowed it to top Dreamcast sales, as revealed by Nintendo’s quarterly financial call. The Wii U has sold 10.73 million units to date, putting it over the line for Dreamcast sales. The difference here is that the Dreamcast sold that number in 18 months, while the Wii U has had just shy of three years now.
There’s no denying that we’re in the Wii U’s twilight years now, just three years after release. The console has some of the same problems the Dreamcast experienced early in its release cycle as well, including lack of third-party support. Still, Nintendo’s first effort into HD gaming will go down as selling better than the Dreamcast, if only by a small margin.
