Wow – now isn’t this ironic. Anyone’s who’s followed the drama surrounding Rayman Legends since February or so will no-doubt be familiar with the changes it’s undergone in that time. Namely, Ubisoft delayed the game by an unheard-of 8 months, all in the name of a multiplatform release. The Wii U has been struggling ever since, so nobody can really fault the company for its choice, but in an odd twist the Wii U version is dominating the game’s overall sales thus far in the UK.
According to sales figures posted by ChartTrack, the Wii U version of Rayman Legends accounts for about 45% of the game’s total sales at this point. In other words, that’s almost as much as all of the other systems combined managed to pull off. This could easily be because there was so much more time for the Wii U edition to amass pre-orders, or because there are Wii U-only features, or because the game has an art style that appeals more to youngsters – but no matter how you slice it, it’s pretty darn impressive.
Overall, Legends is selling faster since release than its predecessor Rayman Origins did by now, so that can only be seen as a good sign. The Xbox 360 and PS3 sold the second and third most copies respectively, with PC in dead last at a measly 1%. Of course, that doesn’t yet include digital copies, so that number is likely higher all said and done.
Could Rayman Legends be a crucial piece in Nintendo’s Autumn-long attempt at a Wii U revival after all? Well, between the recent price cut, respectable Pikmin 3 sales, and substantial game releases each month from now into 2014 and beyond, it certainly will have a chance to help move consoles. Only time will tell – my copy’s sitting in its shrink wrap as we speak, so I’ve done my part. Save the Wii U and do yours!