Why is Nintendo so much less popular in the UK?

[CM30]

This is something I never quite understood. Over in Japan and the US, Nintendo games and consoles tend to sell many millions of copies and succeed pretty much instantly, yet it seems over here they rarely enter top ten lists or end up becoming quite as popular.

I mean, look at the difference between the US and UK Wii U launches:

http://mynintendonews.com/2012/12/03/wii-u-sells-40000k-units-in-uk-during-its-opening-weekend/

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-12-03-wii-u-titles-miss-out-on-uk-top-ten-in-launch-week

In the US, it sold quite a lot better and had many of its games enter the top ten, yet in the UK it seems like the console was much less popular off the bat. Heck, New Super Mario Bros U and Nintendo Land didn't even reach number ten in the sales charts so far, coming in at places 14 and 11 respectively.

Additionally, it seems like the experience of people here is that they get a lot less 3DS StreetPasses than people in the US or Japan. Not to mention I saw a lot less Nintendo consoles and games back when I was in college and university, not exactly the same as how US universities seem to have a whole ton of Nintendo fans and gamers (for comparison sakes, how many times did I see someone use a 3DS in my three years of study? Once).

And heck, not once have I seen a Nintendo game sell out in game stores or require pre ordering, with perhaps the exception of the Wii console and Wii Sports. Here, it seems you could walk into GAME one day and walk out again with the latest Mario game, the latest Smash Bros game and the latest Pokemon game without pre ordering any of them.

So why is Nintendo seemingly less popular in the UK? Maybe it's because Nintendo didn't have as much of an impact of the industry here (we never had a video game crash or much of an arcade culture)? Or I don't know, maybe because it seems gaming never really took off as much until the Nintendo 64/PS1 era? Heck, we never had Mario Mania either, I'm fairly sure the Super Show/cartoons and Mario comics were never shown or released over here.

What do you think? Are there any other UK gamers here who can explain why Nintendo games seem to be less popular in this country?

 

[jd1990]

maybe people in u.k arent that much of gaming fans

 

[kunino-sagiri]

What do you think? Are there any other UK gamers here who can explain why Nintendo games seem to be less popular in this country?



I can. It's because most of the points you make are based on either false or lacking evidence.

First off, it didn't sell 'a lot better' in America. The US games market is worth roughly 10 times as much as the UK one, so the Wii U selling a tenth as many consoles in the UK is about right.

Secondly, the reason that the Wii U games didn't make much of a dent in the top 10 (or even top 40) is becuase it's the Christmas games rush, and in the past few weeks a lot of big-budget big-name games have been released (among them some of the biggest UK game launches of the year), released for consoles that already have install bases in the millions, so it stands to reason that all of those games would sell better, and thus block the Wii U games from charting very high. Had the Wii U been released in, say, July, when there is far less competition, then several games would have made the top 10.

Third, the reason Nintendo games never sell out, and thus never need pre-ordering, has absolutely nothing to do with inadequate sales. It is simply because Nintendo actually provide enough stock to make sure they don't sell out.

All big-name game releases are the same. Black Ops II hasn't sold out anywhere, neither has Assassin's Creed III or FIFA 13. You could walk into GAME on day 1 and buy any of them. You never need to pre-order any big-name game, as it will always have enough stock that it won't sell out. This is not unique to Nintendo.

The reason that it perhaps seems as though Nintendo is less popular in the UK is because video games in general are less popular in the UK than in America, where in turn they are less popular than in Japan. The video games market (per capita) is that much smaller in the UK than it is in America.

 

[Moclon]

maybe people in u.k arent that much of gaming fans



You just pulled that up your arse, didn't you?

Not even gonna bother explaining, just, know that MMO's and Sony/Micro are doing good in the UK, unlike NIntendo.

 

[Zamurick]

What do you think? Are there any other UK gamers here who can explain why Nintendo games seem to be less popular in this country?



I can. It's because most of the points you make are based on either false or lacking evidence.

First off, it didn't sell 'a lot better' in America. The US games market is worth roughly 10 times as much as the UK one, so the Wii U selling a tenth as many consoles in the UK is about right.

Secondly, the reason that the Wii U games didn't make much of a dent in the top 10 (or even top 40) is becuase it's the Christmas games rush, and in the past few weeks a lot of big-budget big-name games have been released (among them some of the biggest UK game launches of the year), released for consoles that already have install bases in the millions, so it stands to reason that all of those games would sell better, and thus block the Wii U games from charting very high. Had the Wii U been released in, say, July, when there is far less competition, then several games would have made the top 10.

Third, the reason Nintendo games never sell out, and thus never need pre-ordering, has absolutely nothing to do with inadequate sales. It is simply because Nintendo actually provide enough stock to make sure they don't sell out.

All big-name game releases are the same. Black Ops II hasn't sold out anywhere, neither has Assassin's Creed III or FIFA 13. You could walk into GAME on day 1 and buy any of them. You never need to pre-order any big-name game, as it will always have enough stock that it won't sell out. This is not unique to Nintendo.

The reason that it perhaps seems as though Nintendo is less popular in the UK is because video games in general are less popular in the UK than in America, where in turn they are less popular than in Japan. The video games market (per capita) is that much smaller in the UK than it is in America.


Where did you come from? You're well informed.

If you asked me, I'd say it's because the PS3 and 360 have better games. Trollolol.

 

[one_eye]

What do you think? Are there any other UK gamers here who can explain why Nintendo games seem to be less popular in this country?



I can. It's because most of the points you make are based on either false or lacking evidence.

First off, it didn't sell 'a lot better' in America. The US games market is worth roughly 10 times as much as the UK one, so the Wii U selling a tenth as many consoles in the UK is about right.

Secondly, the reason that the Wii U games didn't make much of a dent in the top 10 (or even top 40) is becuase it's the Christmas games rush, and in the past few weeks a lot of big-budget big-name games have been released (among them some of the biggest UK game launches of the year), released for consoles that already have install bases in the millions, so it stands to reason that all of those games would sell better, and thus block the Wii U games from charting very high. Had the Wii U been released in, say, July, when there is far less competition, then several games would have made the top 10.

Third, the reason Nintendo games never sell out, and thus never need pre-ordering, has absolutely nothing to do with inadequate sales. It is simply because Nintendo actually provide enough stock to make sure they don't sell out.

All big-name game releases are the same. Black Ops II hasn't sold out anywhere, neither has Assassin's Creed III or FIFA 13. You could walk into GAME on day 1 and buy any of them. You never need to pre-order any big-name game, as it will always have enough stock that it won't sell out. This is not unique to Nintendo.

The reason that it perhaps seems as though Nintendo is less popular in the UK is because video games in general are less popular in the UK than in America, where in turn they are less popular than in Japan. The video games market (per capita) is that much smaller in the UK than it is in America.


Where did you come from? You're well informed.

If you asked me, I'd say it's because the PS3 and 360 have better games. Trollolol.


No that's wrong! PS3 got no game! 360 degrees walk away!

Nintendomination!

Who even plays on anything but a Nintendo system?

 

[Nintendan95]

Going to honest here, I think it's because of how infested the UK is with all these violent chavs. CoD fanboys etc.

It's very different to other countries where being a Pokémon fan or a Mario fan is awesome. Over here, anyone will just point and laugh, which is pretty sad.

 

[kunino-sagiri]

Going to honest here, I think it's because of how infested the UK is with all these violent chavs. CoD fanboys etc.
It's very different to other countries where being a Pokémon fan or a Mario fan is awesome. Over here, anyone will just point and laugh, which is pretty sad.


I would suggest that you either live in a bad area or are just overly self-conscious, and simply imagine that people would react that way.

I live in the UK, I openly play Pokemon whilst on my breaks at work. No one laughs or mocks. Most are either broadly indifferent or slightly interest, and a couple play Pokemon games themselves (although not at work).