The Wii U Looks Like It’s Finally Getting Its Sales Footing

Has Nintendo finally found a winning formula for the Wii U. The Wii U was the first “next generation” console to hit the market, beating both Sony and Microsoft by almost a full year. Despite that fact, the Wii U has been suffering from bad sales numbers almost from the start, but new numbers seem to indicate that the console is finally making a bit of a charge.

While the reasons behind the resurgence of the Wii U can’t be pinpointed entirely, there are a number of factors that might finally be leading to the console becoming more popular. One big reason is Nintendo seems to finally understand the audience. Instead of trying bring over third party games like Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag and Watch Dogs, the company has almost made the Wii U a Nintendo exclusive.

At the same time, Nintendo has started offering up better games for the console. There are a number of titles coming this year for the Wii U, and only for the Wii U, that has people plenty excited. Some of the games are throwback titles like Punch Out!! and the Metroid Prime Trilogy. There are also plenty of big time new titles coming in 2015 including a brand new Legend of Zelda and Mario Party 10.

According to Arstechnica, whatever the reason behind the console finally getting some love, the news that it’s getting any love at all has to be welcome. If there is one thing that probably still has company big wigs scratching their heads, it’s that the Wii U is still not doing all that well in Japan, especially when compared to better sales numbers in the “Americas.”

Reports indicate that sales for Nintendo’s console were up by 16 percent in the 2014 Holiday season when compared to 2013. That number means just over 1 million units sold over the three month period. In Europe and Australia, the console actually saw a 23 percent increase over the previous year. All of this sounds like 2015 could be the year of Nintendo’s flagship console, except that the device is struggling mightily when it comes to Nintendo’s home country for reasons passing understanding.

While units sold in the Americas and Europe saw a nice uptick over 2013, in Japan the console saw a drop in sales of more than 47 percent. It is the performance in Japan that made the overall sales numbers look rather flat for 2014. If the company can figure out a way to crack Japan and the rest of Asia, then 2015 really could be the year of the Wii U.