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The One Failure That Changed Nintendo Forever
By KAYLA DUBE
One of the biggest brands in gaming, Nintendo saved video games by reviving the failing home console market with the creation of the Nintendo Entertainment System. Although most of its innovative history comprises smash hits, not everything the brand’s released has turned to gold — for instance, the Wii U, Nintendo’s follow-up to the Wii console.
Released in 2012, six years after the Wii hit the market, Wii U was one of the company's worst-performing consoles due to a poor marketing strategy, consumers’ misunderstanding about the new gamepad controller, and lack of first-party launch titles. After disappointing sales, Wii U was discontinued in 2017, giving Nintendo time to regroup.
Nintendo decided to take the Wii U's gamepad controller and completely revamp it into both a handheld and a TV console, thus, the Nintendo Switch was born. The company also learned from its marketing mistakes and had plenty of launch games ready to go. Ultimately, the Switch became the best-selling console in all of Nintendo’s history.