When the Wii first came out, it was the console to end consoles. Nintendo billed the Wii as the one gaming console that wasn't like the rest, and it really wasn't. The Wii was fun, active, and interactive - it had kids and grandparents alike standing up, moving, and playing. But, now, that's all over.
Nintendo announced today (quite silently) that the Wii is no longer in production. You can chalk it up to poor sales or a newer audience, or you can blame it all on the Wii U, which is really lacklustre.
Wii U Sales Slump and Slump Some More
Nintendo's Wii U was meant to pick up where the original Wii left off. It was supposed to be the improved Wii console, and the one that people of all ages would love - it came with a separate tablet-like feature that let gamers play while someone else watched TV. It was supposed to be fun and come with fun games, but Nintendo let is all slide.
Instead of being released amidst a sea of really great games, the Wii U was released with some mediocre gaming titles in tow. Nintendo promised more (and better) titles would follow, but that didn't happen. Instead, the Wii U games available now are simply boring. Nintendo hasn't stopped Wii U production yet (and the company is still hoping that sales will pick up), but it was the one console that never really took off.
The again, most of the consoles on the market right now aren't attracting a lot of attention.
Is Console Play Dead?
The holiday season is coming, and that means that new gaming consoles are going to start popping up soon. But, it might be too late. Nintendo isn't the only company suffering right now. Sony and Microsoft are right up there amongst the ranks of the "has beens" when it comes to gaming. For some, companies got greedy by making older games incompatible. For others, the games being developed just aren't up there with games of the past.
But, console manufacturers aren't giving up just yet - they can't really. Today, Sony has released a new PS4 commercial that brings you back to yesteryear, and Nintendo hopes to narrow in on perfecting the Wii U by getting rid of Wii production. Hopefully, these companies have some kind of better game plan. Otherwise, it's game over for most big console manufacturers as we know them - imagine a world without Nintendo!
Your Current Wii Console
As you might have guessed, Nintendo's choice to stop producing Wii consoles means that the company will no longer be supporting Wii upgrades or customer service issues. So, if you own an original Wii, you're on your own now. Who knows, though, if you hang onto that console, you may be able to sell it for a lot of money one day!
As far as Wii games go, those will be drastically reduced throughout the upcoming weeks. Will Nintendo put out some better Wii U games? Are you still loving the Wii U? Hate it? Let us know!