Wii Sells 30 Million in U.S., Signals the End of the Geek



In a sign that computer geeks no longer rule the Earth, Nintendo's Wii, the console that it couldn't even keep in stores for most of its life, has sold 30 million units. Still not impressed? That figure is for the U.S. only. Worldwide sales to the end of March this year were 71 million.

The Wii is 45 months, or almost four years, old, making it the fastest-selling console of all time, and something of a money-spinner for Nintendo.

But why? Why has the Wii sold so much better than the objectively more powerful, "serious" consoles from Sony and Microsoft? Because it appeals to the mainstream market. Us geeks are no longer the target customer of tech companies. Normal, non-nerds are buying more gadgets than we ever can, and it is changing the kind of gadgets that are being made.

The Wii's appeal is obvious. It has that neat controller than anyone can pick up and use, and it was marketed from the start to parents, kids and people who don't play videogames. It doesn't hurt that Nintendo itself has consistently been the best first-party games-designer since Jumpman first kicked Donkey Kong's ass, avoiding games that appeal only to the teenage boy.

We can see the shift elsewhere. Take Apple, for instance: Despite what whining, protesting nerds might think, Apple doesn't care about us anymore. If you know what a file-system is, or care what interface your peripherals use to hook up to your machine, the iPad isn't for you. It's for people who don't use or like "computers," just like the Wii is for people who don't play "videogames".

It's great that nerds like me and (some of) you also love the simplicity and reliability of the iPad, but we don't matter either. We're mere tinder to the market: As we show our new toys to our family and friends, we will light the fire of the real tablet market, which will surely grow much bigger than the "real computer" market just as the Wii has continually outsold the "real" consoles.

Expect this trend to continue. Enjoy the last few years of being a geek as our interests become the norm. Look at the bike for an example. Thrill-seeking cyclists used to be club-joining enthusiasts in spandex. Now, the bike is just another way of getting around. Even fixed-gear bikes, once the preserve of racers and bike messengers, have become so commonplace that you can buy them in Wal-Mart.

Read more about the games that made the Wii the fastest-selling console over at our sister blog, Game|Life.

Nintendo Wii Sales Reach 30 Million In U.S. [Information Week]

Photo: Shayne Kaye/Flickr

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