The holidays weren't too kind to Nintendo's latest hardware launch, according to an investor note published Thursday from Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia.
Pointing to the availability of Wii U hardware at the nation's largest video game retailer -- Gamestop -- Bhatia asserts both hardware and software sales during the key holiday shopping season were below expectations. Both the $299 and $349 consoles are both available online and for in-store pickup in many locations.
Shortages are common during console launches, but Wii Us have been seen in the wild across the country since its Nov. 18 launch. According to a Nintendo press release, the console sold 400,000 units in its first week. Nintendo has yet to release any regional breakdowns of its sales figures, aside from its first week in Japan, which saw sales of 308,570 units.
Bhatia asserts the $350 Wii U is selling better than the basic version, presumably due to its better value. The more expensive package comes with 32 GB of storage and a bundled copy of "Nintendo Land." The analyst also believes the software attach rate for the console is extremely low.
"Our conclusion is the Nintendo Wii U launch has been slightly disappointing," Bhatia said.
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