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Earlier this week, Nintendo confirmed that it was ceasing production of the Wii. You probably don't need reminding of its successes, just as Nintendo likely doesn't need reminding of the shadow it has been operating under with its successor. The Wii U, according to every sales report since its release late last year, has been a disappointment and, if you've an inkling for melodrama, something of a disaster. The common consensus is that Nintendo blew its 12-month head start.Yet in spite of weak messaging and third-party support that has already been dramatically reduced, something amazing is happening: heading into the first Christmas where it will be toe to toe with the Xbox One and PS4, the Wii U isn't just sizing up to the opposition - it's fast becoming, I reckon, the best next-gen proposition over the coming months. Maybe Nintendo didn't blow its lead after all - maybe it's been using the time wisely.
It's not exactly a turnaround, but rather a small congress of circumstances. Firstly - and most importantly - there's the software. The removal of Watch Dogs from the Xbox One and PS4's launch line-ups revealed one of the underlying problems with the new round of next-gen launches: that mantra of games, games, games rings hollower by the day when there's only a handful of titles worth playing, and not much at all to get really excited about even within that.
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