Did Nintendo Just Screw Up the Launch of Wii U?

Who knew it could be so hard to unveil a new console? At last year's E3, Nintendo (NTDOY) made the impossible possible: it unveiled the Nintendo 3DS, the world's first glasses-free 3D device, without confusing the audience. The company did so with a slate of promising games and a plethora of Nintendo 64 ports that left us dreaming of the day the handheld would be released. Considering the success Nintendo had last summer, few would have believed that the company would struggle to properly promote the console once known as Wii 2 and Project Café. But when Wii U – the official name of the new Nintendo machine – made its debut in Los Angeles this morning, the Mario maker left more questions than answers, some of which the company didn't intend for us to ask: “Is this a new controller for the old Wii?” “Do I have to purchase a Wii to use Wii U?” The confusion stems from Nintendo's gameplay presentation, which showed one consumer with a Wii U controller, three consumers with old-school Wii Remotes, and several other peripherals from the Nintendo Wii family. Nintendo executives explained that all of the old Wii games would be compatible with the Wii U, which made it sound like Wii U could be a new system. But that was not a confirmation. Nintendo execs hyped the prospect of HD graphics, but all of the initial gameplay images were akin to those of the original Wii, adding to the confusion. When Nintendo demonstrated how the Wii U controller could be used with the Wii Zapper and the Wii Balance Board, it really began to appear that the company had simply unveiled a new controller – not a new system. To make matters worse, since the conference was an invite-only event, most did not have the luxury of seeing the Wii U presentation up close. Most of us had to view the video clips on a computer screen, which made it impossible to tell that the Wii-looking console sitting in the background was actually a new device that hooks up to your TV and is being specifically designed for Wii U. Only after seeing Ninja Gaiden 3 and other high-end Wii U games was it finally clear that this was, in fact, a brand-new console and not merely a controller upgrade. This is terrible marketing, to say the least. Nintendo's press conference should have been a fun and exciting experience, not a puzzle that consumers had to piece together. That, however, is ultimately what it became. But that's not the worst part. Where Are The Games? Nintendo was happy to announce that when E3 attendees hit the show floor today, they would be able to wrap their hands around Wii U for the very first time. The company also made it crystal clear that the playable content would consist of “tech demos,” not actual games. For those of you who are unaware, game companies use tech demos to demonstrate the potential of a new game concept or a new game console. They are most commonly seen on new Nintendo systems, but Sony SNE and Microsoft MSFT have been known to use them as well. While it is wholly possible that the Wii U tech demos are more exciting in person than on TV, the reality is that consumers play (and buy) what looks good. If I'm not excited to play the current crop of Wii U demos, what are other consumers thinking? To be clear, there was no one – absolutely no one – at Benzinga more excited for Wii U than yours truly. Today I came to the office dressed in a Mario hat and t-shirt, for Bowser's sake! But after seeing what Nintendo had to offer at E3, I was depressingly content with my situation. While I had expected to be deeply saddened by my inability to touch the Wii U myself, I'm actually okay. By comparison, if I hadn't been at E3 in 2006 to play the Wii for the first time, I would have been bawling. Seriously bawling, like a woman watching the end of The Notebook. But I was there. I was one of the first to touch the Wii remote. And I was in Heaven. Twelve Months For Copycats The only silver lining in all of this (other than the fact that I'm not on the floor in tears – hooray?) is that Nintendo has more than 12 months to prepare, polish and perfect a slate of games that will make Wii U a must-have console. Unfortunately, it also means that its competitors have more than 12 months to prepare, polish and perfect a slate of copycats. The easiest and most obvious could come from the company that inspired Nintendo's latest creation: Apple AAPL. It wouldn't be that hard for Apple to produce a third- or fourth-generation iPad that performs most of the interactive TV features that Nintendo demonstrated with Wii U. Likewise, Sony could add some of these features to the PS Vita and PS3, allowing the two devices to interact with each other in a similar fashion. Research in Motion RIMM and other tablet manufacturers may also take notice of Nintendo's accomplishments. Twelve Months To Move On Remember what I said about Nintendo jumping the gun? Nintendo's hype and release schedule (ex: announce a system today, release it 12 to 18 months later) is typical of the game industry, but it is also very risky. By announcing the Nintendo 3DS so far in advance of its release, consumers were given the chance to forget about it and move on. Judging by the sales figures, that appears to be what they did. If Wii U had a killer lineup of games, this may not be a problem. But right now, Wii U's lineup looks even worse than the 3DS. This does not bode well for Nintendo. Tomorrow's Remedies, Yesterday's Mistakes Nintendo is hardly a novice to poor console unveilings. While the Super NES and N64 had amazing premieres (and impressive launches), GameCube left a lot to be desired. The most troubling thing about Wii U, however, is the utter lack of games. You can argue “it's a new console” till you're blue in the face and that won't change the fact that Nintendo came to E3 without any impressive games to show. Even if the tech demos ended up being a remarkable taste of the future, the fact that they aren't actual games yet (and may never become actual games) is very distressing. So what's it going to be, Nintendo? You've made your big unveiling. You've gotten the world's attention. But do you have what it takes to sustain it?