The upcoming Nintendo Wii U will cater to core gamers first, and mass market second. That’s according to Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata. It’s no denying that the Wii U is targeting a much more mainstream audience than the Wii — the Wii U packs HD graphics and powerful hardware, making it ideal system for core gamers who want the “big experience” and HD visuals.
Speaking to investors after the recent Nintendo financial report, Iwata said that the company is targeting the core gamers first with the Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U. Iwata mentioned how Nintendo offered games to “core” gamers with the 3DS launch, games like Zelda, and that the company intends to use the same method for the Wii U. Iwata said:
“In promoting the Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U, we have announced that we would like ‘width’ and ‘depth’ to coexist. Our approach for the Wii U is basically the same. By doing so continuously, we are expecting that the number of game users per household will increase and as the gaming population increases, we believe we can create a sustainable video game market.”
So far the only semi-confirmed Wii U launch game is Pikmin 3, which can’t be said to cater to the “core” or hardcore gamers. However, several other games will be part of the Wii U launch lineup that might incite those kind of gamers to give the system a try, games like Assassin’s Creed 3, Killer Freaks From Outer Space, and Ghost Recon Online. Nintendo is working on a Wii U Zelda game, which they showcased at E3 last year. However, it’s unknown whether this new Zelda title will be available later this year when the console launches.
