New Wii U Sales Forecast Pins Lifetime Sales at 25 Million or Less

The Wii U’s software is just starting to heat up, with Super Mario 3D World and Mario Party: Island Tour on the horizon. It’s one of the few bright spots on the console’s software calendar, but GameIndustry International’s early look at DFC Intelligence's new forecasts, which officially release on Dec. 3, indicates a continued fall the sales forecasts for the Wii U. Analyst David Cole now expects Nintendo’s latest console to reach just a fourth of the lifetime sales of the original Wii.

"We are once again lowering our outlook for the Wii U. Right now it is looking to do about what the GameCube did during its lifespan which is mainly be another system for Nintendo first party product," Cole said.

The GameCube’s lifetime sales? Just 22 million. Nintendo wouldn’t exactly see this as a success, but the Mario maker is doing its best to provide the best first-party software it can on the unique device.

"I think Nintendo is carving out a different audience. I think that being said, it is the right strategy,” Cole continued. “The audience they are going after is not the ones that Sony and Microsoft are going after. Right now they need to go after Nintendo fans first. They should have done that last year but better late than never. So in answer to your question it is the right approach but really Nintendo now is just trying to do as well as the GameCube so they have a base to sell first party software.”

It’s been a rough run for Nintendo, and unfortunately, few people think that things will get better anytime soon.