http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/09/08/nintendos-imminent-wii-u-hurdlesThe biggest hurdle? Telling Ma and Pa consumer that this is different from the Wii and not an add on/new model. This was Nintendo's biggest problem with the 3DS I believe. I think that Nintendo in their head wanted the name "DS" to be like GameBoy was in the 90's. The problem with that is that there were TOO MANY regular DS models to confuse the consumers who are primarily buying the device-parents/family members with no knowledge about the device buying it for their child.
They don't understand the new tech under the hood. I don't believe GameBoy had this problem in the 90's with the confusion because all of the models of GameBoy were A) not released more or less all within a few years like DS, and B) the new model names were reflective on how each model was different. Game Boy Pocket was a smaller version of the original brick GB. GameBoy Color was in color. Game Boy Advance was a lot more Advanced than the GB and GBC. And each previous model was phased out of production by the time the new model came out. If little Johnny wanted a "GameBoy" for Christmas in 1993, there was only the Game Boy. If Suzy wanted a "GameBoy" in 1997, there was mainly only the Pocket. If Mikey wanted a "GameBoy in 1999, there was only the GameBoy Color. If Mary wanted a GameBoy in 2002, there was only the GBA. In 2005, only the SP. But if little Johnny wanted a "DS" in 2010, which do you get him? The DS Lite? The DSi? The DSiXL? All are a little different, but essentially the same. In 2011, there were still all three models available, along with the new 3DS. Just now Nintendo released the 3DSXL. They don't make the DS Lite anymore, but that is still 4 models of what parents might think are the same thing. 3D in their minds is a gimmick to fork over a few more bucks at the theater or for a new TV.
The Wii U might not suffer this same fate because the Wii has fallen out of popularity in the last 2 or 3 years, but this might present a new problem being "You haven't played your Wii in years, Why should I spend good money on a new one you won't play?" Nintendo needs to chuck the name of the Wii U while it still can. It's not too late. It won't come out until November (probably) and this so called "Wii U Preview Event" is a good time for Nintendo to actually drop the Wii U name and call it something better, something new and fresh that will get the buyers to understand that it is something new, and not a revamp of the old hardware, or new model. If a few months from now, and the Wii U isn't selling as much as they thought, and I hear moms at Best Buy at GameStop saying crap like "What is the difference?" and not understanding it, I'll be saying "I told you so" to Reggie (Well not actually, I would probably be like...whoa...you're Reggie...uhhh hi...)
Though it doesn't matter really, because I'll probably get one eventually (when I have a job, and money to spend on a new game system....and I would rather get a 3DS or Vita first...)
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