It's come that time again. A new generation of console is upon us, and that means it's time to make a financial decision. While many consumers are busy figuring out if they want to buy the next Nintendo console on day one, others are deciding whether or not their Wii U is going to come along for the ride.
Choosing whether or not to sell a Wii U is a big decision, and we want to provide you with everything you need to know before you make a move.
Hello, Nintendo Switch
First, we need to address the elephant in the room, the Nintendo Switch. Arriving in just three months, it will bring with it an entirely new generation of Nintendo entertainment. At this point it's difficult to gauge how well the "mobile console" concept works (watch its appearance on Jimmy Fallon for the best look), but it appears at the very least promising in a way that appears more utilitarian than the Wii U.
The Switch is going to bring several notable games with it, including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and an unnamed Pokemon RPG, but it isn't going to solve everything. There are still going to be game droughts, third party support isn't destined to be great, and graphics will fall behind what the PS4 and Xbox One are already doing. However, just like the Wii U, when it launches it will be the hot new thing.
The big decision to make is whether or not you want to keep the Wii U around in a world where the Nintendo Switch exists. The answer to this will depend upon your preferences, and more specifically how much enjoyment you get out of the Wii U in its current state. Assuming any part of you is considering moving on, let's talk about selling the Wii U.
How Much You Can Get
Like most Nintendo consoles, the Wii U does a decent job of holding its value. Auctions for the console without games are trending in the $185 to $190 range. Chances are you want to get rid of your games as well, in which case the auction will more than likely end up in the $270 to $290 range.
Considering that these values are less than the $299 MSRP that the console has been at for several years, you may feel like you're going to take a big hit by selling your Wii U. It's a tough pill to swallow but you're never going to recuperate your investment. There are simply too many new Wii U's sitting on store shelves for you to get demand at near MSRP.
The good news is that used Wii U's sell at a fair rate. In-fact, hundreds of them are sold on eBay every day. There is a large population of people who have never owned a Wii U, but know that they love Nintendo consoles. These people will ensure that if you do decide to sell the console, you won't have to wait long.
The Outlook
There is a ton of resale data available for prior generation consoles. These trends indicate that nearly all consoles, even some of those considered rare, continue to reduce in value over time. Although this doesn't guarantee that the Wii U will follow the same pattern, it is more than likely.
The most impactful element of this will be the increase of supply on auctions once the Switch is closer to launch. Demand will shift almost entirely onto the Nintendo Switch as it hits headlines during launch month. The price of the Wii U should plummet, even if only for a short period of time. Knowing this, you may want to make a move sooner rather than later to maximize your returns.
In the event that you do sell your Wii U, the money that you get will go a long way toward investing in the Nintendo Switch. The upcoming console is rumored to MSRP at $300, although it may not include a free game at launch. If true, you will need to fork out another $60 for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or another game that you're interested in. When all is said and done, your WIi U will pay for more than 50% of your transition to the newer console generation. Is that enough?
Maybe You Should Keep It?
The Wii U is a very unique console. Not only is it the first of its kind in terms of a screen being on the primary controller (GamePad), but like the Sega Dreamcast it didn't sell all that many units. If you're into collecting consoles or at least revisiting them long in the future, it might be worth keeping around even if it sits around collecting dust (and if you have a black console it definitely will).
Beyond this, the main attraction of keeping a Wii U is for local co-op games. Whether it be Super Mario 3D World, Mario Kart 8, or Super Smash Bros, the Wii U is in a league of its own when it comes to entertaining family and friends on the couch. In this way it is similar to the Nintendo 64, which a surprising number of people have kept around and plugged into the TV through the ages.
But maybe you're like me and you don't enjoy having tons of clutter around your home. An older console, with all its peripherals and cables, is just one of many ways things get messy fast. Because of this I always prefer to sell consoles once they are considered last-generation.
Whatever you decide to do, try not to forget all the good times you had with the Wii U, and let's all hope that the Switch lives a much greater life.
Be sure to check out our Top 5 Reasons Why The Wii U Failed to get an idea of what happened with the Wii U, and why it sold so poorly.
