“From Disasters to Duds: The Failed Products That Tanked Giants’ Fortunes”
Virtual Boy, Nintendo’s VR Failure
In 1995, Nintendo released a 3D game console called Virtual Boy. The console looked like a modern VR set, with red goggles and a controller. Twenty-two games were available for Virtual Boy, but the console left the shelves in 1996.
The technology was not good enough for what was essentially virtual reality. Virtual Boy only showed red and black colors, and players suffered from eye strain. Only 770,000 copies sold before Nintendo switched focus to the N64.
Life Savers Soda Tasted Like Candy
It seems that almost every food company dipped its toes into the soda industry. In the 1980s, Life Savers invented sodas that mirrored that candy flavors–pineapple, lime, grape, etc. Although the beverages fared well during taste tests, they didn’t perform on the market.
Life Savers Soda rarely sold because customers couldn’t separate the candy from the drink. Many claimed that the drinks were like “liquid candy.” You will not be able to find any Life Savers drinks today.
Lululemon’s Translucent Astro Pants
Lululemon is known for pricey, high-quality athletic wear. But in 2017, their new yoga pants landed them in hot water. The $92 Astro Pants pants were see-through, according to dissatisfied customers.
In response, Lululemon recalled the pants and re-released them. But the new Astro Pants were still too sheer and maintained the $92 price tag. To make matters worse, co-founder Chip Wilson claimed that the pants became sheer because of “rubbing through the thighs.” Sales plummeted, and the Astro Pants are no more.
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