Wii U launch fails to generate excitement at launch

I've been a bit late in updating this blog and please be aware that two Harris Buzz reports from December have been released.

Of all the things we tested, undoubtedly the most interesting is looking at GB consumer awareness and excitement of Nintendo's Wii U console launch.

The figures from our Buzz survey aren't going to please Nintendo...

Let's take a look at where the Wii U ranks in terms of awareness and excitement, benchmarked against all the other releases and news items we've covered in Buzz over more than two years.

Firstly let's take a look at how the Wii U launch did at generating awareness, the prerequisite for success.

38% isn't poor awareness. But if you look at the most recent Buzz report, it ranks 114th out of the 287 releases and news items we've covered to date in our series of reports (see page 12).

What about excitement?

At 15%, this places the Wii U launch at joint 105th out of 287 releases and news items covered thus far.

Let's take a look at which other launches have been more (and less) successful than Wii U over the last couple of years in generating an Excitement Buzz. We look at lots of things in Buzz, so in this list we've only included device launches and game releases (so nothing about Saville, Oscars, Michael Jackson, or anything like that) so that we have a fairer comparison.

	Excitement
3D TV sets	29%
iPad 2	29%
iPhone 5	25%
The New iPad	25%
iPad	24%
Amazon Kindle Touch	23%
Nintendo 3DS	22%
Smart TV	22%
Xbox Kinect	22%
Windows 8 launched	21%
4G UK	21%
Call of Duty: MW3	21%
iPhone 4S	21%
Call of Duty: Black Ops	20%
iPhone 4	20%
iPad Mini	19%
Kindle Fire UK	19%
Samsung Galaxy Note	19%
PS Vita	19%
Amazon Kindle Fire	19%
Kindle eBook	19%
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2	18%
Nexus 7 tablet	18%
Samsung Galaxy S3	18%
Google Chromebooks	18%
Nokia E7 smartphone	17%
Sony Ericsson Xperia Play	17%
3D Blu-ray players	17%
FIFA 13	16%
BlackBerry PlayBook	16%
Samsung Galaxy Tab	16%
LA Noire	16%
Portal 2	16%
Nintendo Wii U	15%
Assassin’s Creed III	15%
Res Evil: Retribution	15%
HTC One launched	15%
Battlefield 3	15%
Nintendo  ‘3DS XL’	14%
Kinect: Star Wars	14%
Resident Evil 6 trailer	14%
Kinect for PCs launch	14%
Fable III	14%
Surface launch	13%
Batman: Arkham City	13%
Crysis 2	13%
Halo: Reach	13%
Halo 4	12%
Hitman: Absolution	12%
Res Evil 6 game	12%
Optimus 4X HD	12%
Microsoft SmartGlass	12%
Mass Effect 3	12%
HP TouchPad	12%
Motorola Xoom	12%
Far Cry 3 game	11%
Nexus 4	11%
Nexus 10	11%
Sleeping Dogs	11%
Max Payne 3	11%
Apple TV	11%
Fallout: New Vegas	11%
New Super Mario	10%
Lumia 920	10%
Darksiders ll	10%
Guild Wars 2	10%
Microsoft Xbox Music	10%
Project Glass	10%
Gears of War 3	10%
Sony Move	10%
Google TV	10%
Football Manager ‘13	9%
Madden NFL 13	9%
Diablo 3	9%
Rage	9%
Ouya Console	8%
Dishonored	7%
Deus Ex: HR	7%
Dell Streak	6%
NBA 2K13	5%
World of Warcraft free	4%

As you can see, the Wii U console launch puts in on par with some hefty big selling games, but it's way off the excitement levels we see for the illustrious handsets and tablets. It also trails the launch of the Vita and Kinect.

This is disappointing.

It's early days of course. The console battle is fought over years rather than weeks. My earlier post about the Wii being "doomed" generated a fair amount of criticism, especially as pre-sales were healthy boosted by an impressive range of launch titles. But more recent sales figures are suggesting the Wii U is struggling and with impending news of Sony's and Microsoft's next consoles for release later in 2013 can only make things worse for Nintendo.

So I go return to the theme from my earlier post: Is the Wii U doomed?

Well "doomed" is a bit melodramatic. It sold well at launch and it received plaudits as well as a little head-scratching by what it was all about. It may be that its killer apps are in development and we'll all be blown away by how creative the mixed use of controllers and tablets will be. And let's not underestimate Nintendo who have done more to pioneer in this industry than anyone else.

But the data is showing very clearly that it has not really caught the imagination of the the public. 

Not yet anyway.

Is the Wii U launch doomed? Research shows a lack of enthusiasm...

I recall when the original Wii console was released. I was exceedingly eager to get my hands on one but it was sold out everywhere - and I mean everywhere. 

The chap behind the counter at the HMV near my work told me to come by every day because there was a small chance that a pre-ordered console might be available if the person failed to collect it after a certain period. So I went there every day and was disappointed day after day to be told none was available. Then one lunchtime he said, yes, we had one. I bought it and I was happy.

This tells a great deal about the level of anticipation for the console. Never mind that it's gathered dust for most of its life (I'm a PC gamer at heart). At the time there was genuine excitement about the launch and I was one of millions across the world who couldn't wait to get their hands on the new console.

So what of the Wii U, its HD successor. I find it hard to believe that it's being released at the end of this month. Maybe things will ramp up, maybe a lot, but right now I don't see a great deal of anticipation in the general masses.

Perhaps most concerning is some evidence below taken from our Harris Heroes market research report. This looked at the best tech of 2012 and the most anticipated tech and entertainment releases coming up this and next year, all according to the GB general public. In this study we asked gamers about the most anticipated next-gen gaming console or device. See the candidates on the left.

Let's see what gamers said. Just look where Wii U ranks below and remember it's being released in just a couple of weeks...

While the Xbox 360 has done exceptionally well to make up ground and sustain its momentum through things like Kinect, there is no doubt that the Wii was the winner of the last gen launches. 

But look where it ranks for the next gen, a clear and rather lowly third place. 

And it needs to be pointed out again that it is being released in a couple of weeks whereas Sony's and Microsoft's successors are next year (and perhaps even later for the PS4).

This is concerning for Wii U. It doesn't seem to have a solid bedrock (and remember this question was polled to gamers only). The one glimmer of hope is that when we break down these results we see that female gamers are more inclined to rank the Wii U more highly - see the full report for more details - but this is only a glimmer.

Predicting the success or otherwise of tech products is a fool's game. Remember the launch of the iPhone and the iPad - for every expert predicting domination there was one predicting abject failure. When the Wii was first revealed, there was great uncertainty as to its success, mainly driven by uncertainty over its remote motion control style gameplay. 

But the time leading up to its launch, people saw the gameplay, they saw Wii Sports and they got excited. Anticipation was created. And it seems this is what is missing in the last few days prior to the launch of Wii U.

We shouldn't underestimate Nintendo. While there seems to be a distinct lack of anticipation for the launch of Wii U, it really only takes a small handful of killer, exclusive, must-have titles to turn this around, to create that urgency to go out and buy. 

We'll see...

EURO 2012 tops our buzz list for June and SmartGlass pips Wii U

Harris's latest Buzz report is available. Click here to download, it's free as usual.

Not only did EURO 2012 top our list for June, it also tops the our all-time list for excitement of everything we've covered in entertainment, media, technology and mobile in the last two years.

We also covered Microsoft's Surface, SmartGlass and Xbox Music, as well as the E3 reveal of the Wii U console. We'll cover these again closer to launch. In the report you'll see SmartGlass ahead of Wii U right now, but it's early days and I'll be blogging about this particular mini battle later this week.

Here's a full list of what we covered in late June. As usual the buzz report looks at awareness, level of discussion and excitement.

• Apple reveal a new line of MacBook computers
• Diablo 3 video game
• EURO 2012 football tournament
• Flame internet virus steals data from sensitive Iranian & Israeli organisations
• Internet “trolls” (people who abuse others persistently online) to be identified under new measures
• Microsoft announce SmartGlass for smartphones and tablets to work in union with an Xbox console
• Microsoft announce Xbox Music streaming service
• Microsoft reveal “Surface”, their own brand of tablet computer devices
• Prometheus movie
• Rock of Ages movie
• Stars perform at Queen’s Jubilee concert
• Stone Roses band reunite and tour for the first time in 16 years
• Wii U gaming console is revealed

Prometheus, Diablo 3, Wii U, SmartGlass, Surface and EURO 2012 all in the upcoming Buzz report

Here's a teaser for what we're including in the upcoming Harris Buzz report from Harris Interactive. It will be out in a week or so and as usual I'll post a link to the full, free report here.

Here's what we're asking the GB general public about:

• Prometheus movie
• Rock of Ages movie
• Diablo 3 video game
• Wii U gaming console revealed
• Microsoft announce Xbox Music streaming service
• Microsoft announce SmartGlass for smartphones and tablets to work in union with an Xbox console
• Apple reveal a new line of MacBook computers
• ATMs may soon operate without a card, using a smartphone instead
• Stone Roses band reunite and tour for the first time in 16 years
• Stars perform at Jubilee concert
• EURO 2012 football tournament
• Flame internet virus
• Internet "trolls"  to be identified under new measures

I will post a link to the report when it's ready on this blog. All the previous Buzz reports (all 15 of them) can be found here.

Tablet research - new Buzz report includes a tablet round-up

Click here to download the latest Harris Buzz report. Now in its 7th edition, like all prior Buzz reports, it looks at UK consumers' buzz for the latest devices and launches in entertainment and technology.

This new edition is a tablet special - including iPad 2, Motorola Xoom, PlayBook, HTC Flyer and Samsung Galaxy Tab.

But there is much more than tablets. We have a first look at the new handheld gaming platform, Sony Vita, plus a first look at the buzz for Nintendo's Wii U. We also look at the Apple iCloud announcement and a range of top video games, including LA Noire, Portal 2 and Fable III.

See the post immediately below for a full list of everything covered in the latest edition.

Hope you find it interesting. If you want more detail, feel free to contact me - details on right-hand pane.

Tablet research - Tablet special Buzz coming soon in early July

A quick post to alert you to the July edition of Harris Buzz. This will be a free report to download and I'll post a link on this blog for you to download.

The July edition of Harris Buzz is a bit of a tablet special. We have reprises of all the major competitors to iPad and iPad 2, both of which we covered in previous editions of Buzz and you can download any of the previous reports here.

In the July Buzz edition we will be looking at:

LA Noire video game

Portal 2 video game

Fable III video game

HTC Flyer tablet device

Motorola Xoom tablet device

Blackberry Playbook tablet device

Samsung Galaxy Tab tablet device

Nintendo 3DS

Orange/Barclaycard launch “pay-with-mobile” Quick Tap payment service

Twitter users warned over super-injunction infringements

Apple announce iCloud music streaming and online media storage service

Nintendo unveil new “Wii U” console (follow-up to Wii)

Sony unveil new “Playstation Vita” handheld gaming device (follow-up to PSP)

The report should be available to download for free next week.

Get in touch if you have any queries - my contact details are on the right-hand pane.