"The Wii U Was On Life Support" - Reggie Restates The NES & SNES Classic's True Purpose
Reggie Fils-Aimé discussed the strategic launch of the NES and SNES Classic systems during a challenging period for Nintendo. He acknowledged that these mini consoles were intended to bridge the gap between the Wii U's decline and the upcoming Nintendo Switch. The successful sales of these systems helped sustain the company's business until the Switch gained traction.
- ▪The Wii U era was marked by declining sales for Nintendo.
- ▪The NES and SNES Classic systems were launched as a stopgap measure to boost holiday sales.
- ▪By late 2019, the NES and SNES Classics had sold over 10 million units combined.
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| Original publisher | Nintendo Life |
| Canonical URL | https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2026/05/the-wii-u-was-on-life-support-reggie-restates-the-nes-and-snes-classics-true-purpose |
| Publication time | Mon, 25 May 2026 10:30:00 GMT |
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NewsNintendoNESSNESReggieBusiness "The Wii U Was On Life Support" - Reggie Restates The NES & SNES Classic's True Purpose Holiday magic by Jim Norman4 mins ago Share: It's no secret that Nintendo was in a bit of a dark time at the end of the Wii U era. With sales down and everyone awaiting the next console (or should we say 'NX console'?), the company needed something to bring in the big bucks over the holidays. The answer, alongside amiibo, was the NES and SNES Classic systems, and boy, did they work. Ever ready to give a cracking PR response, Reggie was ready for the mini systems' launch.
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