Nintendo Wii U Release Date Slated for November 18; $299-$349 Price Tag
The next big platform to come out of Nintendo is just around the corner.
The highly anticipated Wii U has been announced to be released in the United States on November 18.
There's still much to be decided on how well the product will be received by consumers who are still interested in seeing how well the "second screen" built into the controller will work.
Two versions will be available: a basic version for $299 as well as a "deluxe" for $349 that includes more memory, a stand and charger for the GamePad and "NintendoLand" game.
The Wii U is also set to function with another new device: Nintendo TVii. The company introduced the Nintendo TVii at a press conference in New York showing its features as a free TV and movie service that uses the Wii U as a controller.
Reggie Fils-Aime, President of Nintendo of America, talked about the Wii U saying that it "will change the way you play games, how it will connect your gaming friends and how it will change the way you watch television." He added: "The agent of that change is the Wii U GamePad -- a second screen that does not exist anywhere else."
The Nintendo GamePad has a 6.2-inch touchscreen and is designed with features such as showing additional single player content as well as having one player use a TV screen and another use the pad.
A new addition to the "Mario Bros." franchise, around 50 games will be available upon the launch for Wii U by March. Nintendo will try to attract more hardcore gamers with titles such as "Call of Duty: Black Ops2", "Mas Effect III," and "Assassin's Creed III."
It's still too early to see if the new system will help bring hardcore gamers back to the company or whether the Wii will remain in the realm of a family gaming unit.
