How the Failure of the GameCube Led to the Wii & DS

A past console struggle changed Nintendo’s design strategy forever. Here is what happened.

A Nintendo 3DS in a 3D grid environment with a red background.

Published: Jul 28, 2026, 4:34 pm Updated: Jul 28, 2026, 4:34 pm

Primary Subject: Nintendo Console History (GameCube / Wii / Nintendo DS)
Key Update: Nintendo executive Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed that the commercial struggles of the GameCube led Nintendo to fundamentally pivot its hardware philosophy, directly inspiring the Wii and Nintendo DS.
Status: Confirmed
Last Verified: July 28, 2026
Quick Answer: In a Famitsu interview, Shigeru Miyamoto revealed the GameCube's lower sales pushed Nintendo to abandon complex controls and create accessible systems like the Wii and DS.

If anyone knows me, it's that the Wii and the DS are my top two favorite consoles. Mostly because of nostalgia, but also because of how fun the games were on those devices.

Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary game designer and one of Nintendo's executive directors, hinted that the DS and Wii were created following the market failure of the GameCube.

Curious about his comments? Here's what he had to say.

Nintendo Director Shigeru Miyamoto Reveals How the Wii & DS Were Made

During an interview with Japanese media Famitsu, Miyamoto revealed that the failure of the GameCube led to the creation of both the Wii and the DS.

He stated that before the Wii and the DS were a thing, they created the GameCube, which was something affordable, versatile, and something any software market could easily develop for. However, it was not as successful as they thought. At the time, they were up against the PS2, which people bought to watch DVDs and play video games.

He stated, "While some game consoles were popular, many people purchased them primarily to watch DVDs. In contrast, only gamers purchased the GameCube. That was one explanation for why the sales numbers were lower than those of another game console at the time. 'The world still hasn't reached the point where 'playing games is just a normal part of everyday life, has it?' I recall saying to Mr. Iwata during our conversation."

A white Nintendo Wii console flanked by two white Wii consoles and a Wii remote in the center.

After much thought, they came to the conclusion that if they kept making controllers more complicated, people who never played games would be less likely to buy their consoles. Their goal now was to be a company that creates entertainment for a broader range of people.

Miyamoto stated, "We were attempting to quickly introduce a new form of play using game systems throughout society with the DS and Wii, and since that was somewhat successful, the notion that designing the interface itself could also be enjoyable spread. That, in my opinion, was a really important thing."

Ultimately, the Nintendo DS was released at the end of 2004/start of 2005 and became the best-selling portable (until the Switch dethroned it). The Nintendo Wii came out at the end of 2006 and has sold more than 100 million units worldwide to date.

It's safe to say Nintendo's new path and design philosophy was the correct choice.

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