The Modern/Current Era · 2012–today
Nintendo Wii U
Sought After?
Yes, somewhat unexpectedly — because it sold poorly, its library (especially first-party Nintendo titles like Xenoblade Chronicles X) is now scarce and increasingly pricey.
Downsides
Widespread consumer confusion about whether the GamePad tablet controller was a standalone device or an accessory badly hurt marketing and sales.
Why It Faded
It was Nintendo's biggest commercial disappointment in decades (only about 13.5 million units sold total), leading Nintendo to unify its handheld and home console lines into a single platform — the Switch.
Trivia
Because so many good games ended up "orphaned" on the underselling Wii U, several were later ported to the Switch (Mario Kart 8, Pikmin 3, Bayonetta 2), effectively becoming a testing ground for the Switch's eventual library.