Wii U to beat Wii's launch records, but not its tail - analyst

The Wii U will sell hugely at launch but fail to live up to its simple forebear, according to one analyst firm.

The Wii U consoles will sell 3.5 million units worldwide before the end of December this year, according to IHS Screen Digest, as reported by Forbes.

The Wii sold 3.1 million over a similar period in 2006, so that's a 12% increase, which IHS believes may lead to stock shortages.

Unfortunately, IHS isn't back the console to continue this momentum; it predicts about 53.2 million sales in its first four years of life, just 70% of the Wii's 75.9 million.

“This time around, Wii U’s pure innovation, coupled with a limited volume of high-quality Nintendo software, will not be enough to drive the ongoing sales momentum we witnessed with the Wii console, especially at a higher price point,” IHS senior principal analyst Piers Harding-Rolls explained.

“Long-term success depends on ongoing consumer engagement delivered through the constant release of high-quality content from both first and third parties, a competitive non-games entertainment proposition and a sound digital and online strategy to go along with such innovation. Nintendo is still some way short of delivering a comprehensive engagement-led value proposition at the launch of the Wii U.”

The Wii is the best-selling console of this generation, with close to 100 million units sold worldwide. The Wii U launches on November 18 in the US and November 30 in Europe and beyond.

Thanks, GamesIndustry.