In the 13 years since the Wii U was released on November 18, 2012, the console has sold 13.56 million units. According to Nintendo's data, the Switch 2 has nearly matched that number in just under four months. We know that 10.36 million Switch 2s have been sold as of September 30, so it's likely to pass the Wii U's lifetime sales by the time 2025 is over.

Ahead of the Switch 2's release, I remember being nervous about whether or not the Switch 2 could recapture the magic of its predecessor, or it'd wind up a disappointment like the Wii U. Less than half a year into the console's lifespan, it looks like Nintendo is in for another successful console generation. That's why I want to use this anniversary to look back at the Wii U and what Nintendo learned from that ill-fated console so it didn't make the same mistake twice.

The Wii U was full of unrealized potential

Good ideas weren't enough to make up for hardware shortcomings and a lack of games

I have a soft spot for the Wii U, as this is the console generation where I really became an active fan of Nintendo as a company. I played a lot of Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, and Wii growing up, but those systems and games were gifts. The Wii U was the first Nintendo console I bought, and I actively followed each new release over its five-year lifespan.

There's a lot to like about the Wii U console. It was the first HD device Nintendo had released. The dual-screen GamePad setup was novel and used effectively by games like Pikmin 3 and Affordable Space Adventures. Being able to play games solely on the GamePad felt like magic, at least until you stepped too far out of the room and lost connection.

The Wii U was ultimately let down by a couple of factors: its name, its game library, and its tech feeling more like a gimmick than a meaningful new way to play. I wholeheartedly believe the console would've done better if it had been named the Wii 2, and if the console itself hadn't looked like a Wii with a new peripheral that only a few games used.

And while some fantastic games were released during the Wii U era, Nintendo's marquee franchises just weren't consistent enough to sustain a steady stream of hubbub for the console. Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival is no New Horizons, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild did not arrive until it could also serve as a launch title for the Nintendo Switch. The Wii U era is full of missed potential for Nintendo, but that's a situation the company hasn't found itself in again.

The Switch and Switch 2 have not repeated the Wii U's mistakes

In fact, they built on the best aspects of that console

13 years later, it's easy to look back on the Wii U and see all of its shortcomings. I see a stepping stone that ultimately got Nintendo to where it is with the success of the Switch and Switch 2. On the hardware front, some valuable lessons were learned. Nintendo committed to making the Switch a fully portable console, completely revitalizing the gaming handheld market as a result.

It also learned to differentiate its hardware names. Wii U showed the dangers of getting cute with your console name. While somewhat boring, the Switch 2 is better off being a numbered follow-up to the Switch than something with a snazzier, but more confusing title like the Super Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch Advance.

Nintendo has also worked out the kinks in its game release calendar. While many of its most popular franchises didn't feel well serviced in the Wii U era, almost every known Nintendo series has gotten some love on Switch or Switch 2. The Switch 2 in particular is seeing dedicated Mario Kart, Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, and Metroid within its first six months.

The upgrade from Switch to Switch 2 also felt more seamless and natural than the Wii-to-Wii U jump, thanks to the modern iterations of Nintendo Accounts and their digital libraries. While the Wii U stumbled in its attempt to reinvent how casual audiences play games, the Switch 2 just doubles down and builds on what people like, making it even better than before.

The Wii U was an important learning experience for Nintendo

Switch 2 is thriving because of the struggles the Wii U faced

Nintendo has given its fans reasons to keep buying its new hardware, whether that be because of design innovations or great exclusives. While I liked the Wii U, many did not see a reason to upgrade from the Wii and skipped a console generation. The same thing could have happened with the Switch 2, but Nintendo prevented that from being the case.

People are encouraged to buy a Switch 2 because it's an improvement over the Switch on a technical level, already has a solid library of exclusives, and offers features like portability and mouse controls that feel more useful than playing on a giant tablet. Wii U is still a clear failure 13 years later, but it's a failure Nintendo learned all of the proper lessons from.