Nintendo's Wii U has gone from rumor to reality this year, but we won't even see the final version until E3 2012 next June. However, we've been able to get our hands on the unique tablet controller and try a few demos, and details about the console continue to trickle in. Stay informed with the latest updates here.
Wii U: latest news, launch date, and hands-on preview
Wii U games and 'New Super Mario Bros. 2' to be sold digitally through retailers
Nintendo has announced plans to start selling digital copies of Wii U and 3DS games through current retail channels. The first title will be New Super Mario Bros. 2 for 3DS in August, and Onitore (temporary name), the next game in the Brain Age series featuring Professor Kawashima, will also be sold digitally. Wii U games will also be subject to the scheme from the system's launch later this year. Retailers will be able to set their own prices for titles, expected to be in line with the boxed...
Wii U graphical power about on par with Xbox 360 and PS3, suggest developers
There's been a lot of chatter lately about Sony and Microsoft's rumored next-generation consoles, but the only company that actually announced its next hardware is Nintendo. In our time spent with the Wii U, it's obvious this console packs far more graphics power than its predecessor, and appears to be on par with the Xbox 360 or PS3. However, we're starting to hear conflicting reports as to just how the Wii U stacks up. Several anonymous developers have told Gamesindustry that the Wii U is...
Nintendo reportedly courting content providers for Wii U multimedia features
To the chagrin of some Nintendo fans who've watched the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 become multimedia powerhouses — complete with streaming video, online media stores, and social gaming features — Nintendo has stayed relatively laser-focused on gaming with the Wii. According to an Adweek report, this may change: Nintendo is currently courting major media companies for content distribution deals for its next generation console, with the company specifically looking to follow the lead of...
Team Ninja: Wii U is 'very easy to develop for'
In a recent interview, the developers of Ninja Gaiden 3 discussed the ease of developing the title for the Wii U. The game's director, Fumihiko Yasuda, told Nintendo Gamer the console was "very easy to develop for... We're finding it very similar to develop for Wii U as for Xbox 360 and PS3." The head of Team Ninja, Yosuke Hayashi, added that Nintendo has been very responsive to developers' requests, and that the hardware is still changing.
"They've asked us what we would like to see from...
Nintendo Wii U controller will include near-field communication
Nintendo's ramping up for a big re-reveal of the Wii U video game console at E3 2012 — the device will ship by the end of the year — but company president Satoru Iwata is already spoiling surprises this evening. Not only might the Wii U finally ditch friend codes, but its hefty touchscreen controller will also support near-field communication (NFC). Iwata revealed the new functionality in a Q3 financial presentation, explaining that there are several potential uses for the tech:
By...
Nintendo Network official, will start on 3DS and extend to Wii U
We wondered what that Nintendo Network logo on the Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy box was all about, and now we know for sure. The company has confirmed that Nintendo Network is the new name for its online service on the 3DS, and that it will extend to the Wii U when the home console launches this year. That's all well and good, but are there any new features to go with the new brand? As it happens, Nintendo also announced user accounts for the Wii U, one of the more requested features since its...
Wii U to launch in US, Japan, Europe and Australia by end of 2012
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has told reporters that the Wii U will launch in the US, Japan, Europe, and Australia for the end of 2012. While the system was previously pegged for a 2012 release, this is the first time we've got confirmation that it'll make it in time for the holiday season in all major markets. The 3DS launched last year in February in Japan and March elsewhere, meaning it likely got off to a slower start than if it had been available before Christmas. The announcement...
Nintendo Wii U video walkthrough: Chase Mii, Battle Mii, the Zelda HD experience, and more!
For the less gaming-focused tech enthusiasts that missed the E3 2011 debut, Nintendo has brought its Wii U hardware to CES this year. It's the exact same demo we saw back in June, albeit as two editors capturing shaky DSLR video in the midst of a very loud show floor. This time, fortunately, we had an awesome video crew with us to capture the moment in more quiet, intimate (aka dimly lit) environment. With a little help from future Vox Games Editor-in-Chief Chris Grant, I find a way to...
Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge will be a Wii U launch title
The Wii has unsuccessfully battled a reputation as a console of sunshine and lolipops, but the Wii U might change that with Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge bringing some impressive violence to the console's launch, according to a Tecmo Koei earnings presentation. Nintendo's Wii successor is unlikely to launch before the final version appears at E3 in June next year, a few months after the February release of Ninja Gaiden 3 on PS3 and Xbox 360, but it's good to see a major title (with ninjas)...
Wii U might allow two touchscreen controllers, contrary to initial reports
When Nintendo announced the Wii U, people were surprised it would only support one of the unique touchscreen controllers at a time. While no official statements have been made indicating this would change, an anonymous tipster alerted Develop that Nintendo was close to overcoming the technological limitations behind this and that the Wii U would support two controllers at a time.
Develop's source found this information within the Wii U's codebase, and also was careful to note that there was...
Wii U to launch sometime after April 2012
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said during a dreary financial briefing that the Wii U will not launch until its next fiscal year beginning April, 2012 and that the successor to the Wii would be shown off in final form at next year's E3 show. Given that E3 2012 takes place in early June, we won't likely see the device on sale for at least another eight months, which gives Nintendo a year between E3 showings to work on perfecting the console.
"As we learned a bitter lesson with the launch of...
Live Q&A on the Nintendo Wii U at 6:30PM ET!
You're probably already aware that E3 is going on, and that Nintendo has just unveiled its next generation gaming console, the Wii U. Though our esteemed editors and friends Paul & Ross Miller (no relation) have been hitting the show floor pretty hard all day, they've decided to take a break from the gaming grind to answer your questions about the Wii U live, at 6:30PM ET (also known as 3:30PM PT). We'll open the questions up about 15 minutes beforehand (that's 6:15PM ET if you don't care to...
Nintendo Wii U preview: specs, games, and everything in-between (video)
Rest assured, there will be no arm flailing with the new Wii U controller. Arms flailing, maybe, in unison, but we'll get to that later. Nintendo's successor to its massively-popular home console caused quite a commotion — dare we say, a pure bedlam — following its unveiling yesterday, and we managed to get an extensive look at the controller and all the software it was showing off. Check it out after the break!
Update: Now with Ross' (less enthusiastic) take. Check out our live Q&A...
Nintendo Wii U demo games shown today were actually Xbox 360 and PS3 versions
In a bizarre twist to an otherwise exciting news day, during an interview today just following Nintendo's showing of its new Wii U system and games, company honcho Reggie Fils-Amie told GameTrailers that the sizzle reel of games shown today were not actually from the Wii U. Instead, when asked if they were from PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, Reggie replied "Absolutely, because we're talking a year away from when the console will launch."
It's a little odd that Nintendo wouldn't have any actual...
Nintendo Wii U: the games
Nintendo just wrapped up its keynote unveiling of its next console, the Nintendo Wii U. While we haven't yet gotten an in-depth look at a ton of the gaming action for the Wii U, there were a good number of titles announced and some which we got a sneak peek of. We're hoping to grab video of these and more, but in the meantime, here's what we know so far.
Update: Surprisingly, we just found out that almost none of the footage shown of game play on the Wii U is real. As noted by a commenter...
Nintendo Wii U announced, coming in 2012 (updated with pictures, video, and specs)
The device previously known as Project Cafe -- the successor to the Wii teased by Nintendo in April -- is now official today at E3 in Los Angeles. The name? "Wii U," which Nintendo says underscores the fact that the gaming experience is all about you. As expected, a 6.2-inch integrated touchscreen display (bundled with a stylus) is a big part of the product, acting as an augmented display that can be used with games in a variety of ways -- as a rifle scope, for instance, or even as a golf tee...
Nintendo pre-announces its Wii followup for 2012, rumors unlikely to get less bizarre
It's never boring with Nintendo, is it? The company is addressing rumors of an upcoming Wii successor head-on (rumors that have spawned the insane mockup you see above), with a comically short press release stating that the new system will be unveiled in playable form at E3 in June this year, and then ship in 2012. Now, this is a fairly odd format for announcing that you're working on a brand new home console -- a statement that's usually reserved for a big gaming expo -- but Nintendo...
