Originally Posted by sasukekun Hopefully they announce a new zelda/metroid!

I really hope that Nintendo pulls an N64 and gives us two 3D Zelda games this generation.

If they announce a Zelda or Ness game, I would be ecstatic.

They will announce Call of Duty Black Ops 2 at this Conference.

Report: New Potential Wii U Release Details Appear

An entry on the website of Amazon's distribution company has revealed three bundles and a November release date.


by Luke Karmali
September 4, 2012




New details have leaked about potential SKUs, prices and dates for the release of the Wii U which seem to conflict with what we’ve previously heard.
While we’ve heard multiple reports in the past that suggest Nintendo’s console will arrive in North America on November 18, today’s listing suggests it’ll actually be on November 11.
That's according to a listing spotted on Video Product Distributors, which is a distribution company that supplies Amazon, Blockbuster and Overstock.
According to an entry on the site, the Wii U will become available in North America on November 11. Three SKUs are listed:

• WIIU SYSTEM - GM - 11/11/12 $249.99
• WIIU SYSTEM W/ - GM - 11/11/12 $299.99
• WIIU SYSTEM 349 W/ - GM - 11/11/12 $349.99

While we don't know precisely what each one involves, presumably the $299.99 and $349.99 versions will contain either some extra games or other peripherals like an additional GamePad to justify the beefed up price. To see the entry you'd normally need a trade login, but thankfully a YouTube user has recorded a shot of the page that reveals all.
We've been hit by a slew of information previously that the Wii U would launch on November 18, but this was thrown into confusion last week when peripheral maker PDP denied it had knowledge of the console's release date.
So where does this leave us? Well, it may muddy the waters as to the exact release date of Nintendo's new console, but it seems increasingly likely that the Wii U is destined for a November release. Both November 11 and 18 are Sundays as well, which has been the day that Nintendo traditionally favours for console releases: the Wii launched on Sunday, November 19, 2006 while the GameCube debuted on Sunday, November 18, 2001.
With a Wii U press event taking place in New York on Thursday, September 13, it thankfully doesn't seem like we'll have to wait much longer for some concrete answers.

Thanks, NintendoLife.
Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Editorial Assistant. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

by Luke Karmali
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I can't see Nintendo releasing more than one sku at launch. They have never done it as far as I know.

Either way we will find out in 9 days.

A second Gamepad makes no sense since there will be no support for that. I'd echo what Josh says - that I really doubt they'd have more than one SKu to start off. Keep it simple.

But who knows, they continue to defy logic .

By the way, I played the WiiU a bit at PAX. The controller is great - not at all heavy or awkward or anything. However, most of the games there didn't make much use of it. They did tell me Pikmin 3 would have a Gamepad option even though their demo did not have that option. It was still pretty neat to have the map show on the Gamepad - as it shows where your ship is and even shows the items being carried back by your Pikmin so you can monitor where they are and when they are done - pretty cool.

NSMB Wii U looked great of course (being in HD). I got to play with the Wii Remote and then again with the pad. All you do with the pad is create blocks for the others sto jump on and such. It is a neat thing, and I'm sure my kids will have fun with it.

I didn't play ZombieU but it seemed to have pretty good lines (nothing like Borderlands 2 or Halo 4 but a decent showing nonetheless).

Originally Posted by Josh5890 I can't see Nintendo releasing more than one sku at launch. They have never done it as far as I know. Either way we will find out in 9 days.

Multicolored Gamecubes? Dunno if they had different SKUs but I don't think it's totally unprecedented. MS and Sony did it this generation and it... worked (?)

I came close to grabbing Darksiders 2 at TRU this week thanks to the current deal but I realized that I really want to wait and see how it and other current HD twin titles wind up looking on the Wii U.

I'll preorder one if I can do so without camping out (assuming there's a desirable SKU at $300 or less). Make it so Nintendo.

You could definitely buy an NES alone, with the Zapper and with the Zapper and R.O.B. - not sure if exactly at launch but definitely within the first year. I got mine in August of 1986 and I paid $80 for just the control deck.

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Well I know with the NES they had to kind of sneak it in as a game system with R.O.B. ROB was the toy you were buying, because at that point no one wanted to touch game systems.

I can see Nintendo doing the bundles for online retailers or like for gamestop. Maybe stores like wal mart and target only get one model.

Either way if it is indeed $250, I will be buying one most likely. $250 is nothing for me nowadays since I have a real job. Besides I can claim it as my birthday gift because it is so cheap and my birthday is end of October.

If true, the bundles would be an interesting way to improve margins on a product that is sometimes sold with thin margins. It would be a variant on Apple's strategy with the iPhone and iPad. The extra cost for more storage between the models is something like $18 dollars, yet they sell the upgrade for $100.

Nintendo effectively did this with the Wii game series bundling controllers with Wii Play, ect.

In the case of the Wii U I could see bundling the Pro Controller and/or another gamepad with the system. An extra gamepad would require there being a game that actually has a use for two gamepads though... I dont think a single game has been demoed showing support for two as of yet.

Originally Posted by Sir_Fragalot $250 is nothing for me nowadays since I have a real job.

I wish I had this mentality. I hate spending money even though I can afford to. I'll probably buy a WiiU eventually but only after they release a proper Zelda and Mario... or at least 5 exclusive games I want to buy/play.

Originally Posted by foltzie If true, the bundles would be an interesting way to improve margins on a product that is sometimes sold with thin margins. It would be a variant on Apple's strategy with the iPhone and iPad. The extra cost for more storage between the models is something like $18 dollars, yet they sell the upgrade for $100. Nintendo effectively did this with the Wii game series bundling controllers with Wii Play, ect. In the case of the Wii U I could see bundling the Pro Controller and/or another gamepad with the system. An extra gamepad would require there being a game that actually has a use for two gamepads though... I dont think a single game has been demoed showing support for two as of yet.

I can afford to buy this at launch, but I am a cheapass, and I almost never buy products as soon as they are released, because I KNOW there will be at least a 6-12 month game drought for this system after launch titles. I also don't like paying full for launch titles, as they most always drop in price. Based on Nintendo's other recently released products, I am not finding much I like about them, especially after the drastic 3DS price drop, so this will probably be an I will buy it in 5 years if they have some Pokemon games for it approach for me. At minimum I would wait 2 years before buying this. If they had a Pokemon MMORPG at launch with a heavy online presence and linkable with my Pokemon DS games, it would be a system seller for me and I would buy it right away without even thinking about it, but last gen's Pokemon console offerings were extremely thin and not desirable.

Last time I checked the system couldn't even support 2 gamepad's simultaneously unless something has changed. This could be a retailer specific bundle though.

I think more likely one bundle will be the base system with the gamepad, and one will be the system with the gamepad and pro controller, with the pro controller also offered as a stand alone product but possibly a small discount off the retail price if you buy it bundled with the system at launch. Moreover since the system is said to be compatible with Wii remotes I wouldn't be surprised if they had a bundle that included a Wii remote or 2 for those that don't have them yet. This is of course, if they even have different SKU's.

^They finally came around and announced that they got 2 pads running on the system. I think there may still be some speculation that it impacts the max framerate though.

Some indications were that Nintendo wanted 4 gamepads at the same time, but couldn't get it to work. 2's fine though.

Originally Posted by KingBroly Some indications were that Nintendo wanted 4 gamepads at the same time, but couldn't get it to work. 2's fine though.

Makes sense, developer indications are that using two Gamepads will drop the framerate to 30fps. Implying that four would have meant 15fps.

Not sure it works that way exactly...But it's probably for the best, even 30FPS looks unnatural and awful in this day and age.

Originally Posted by Javery I wish I had this mentality. I hate spending money even though I can afford to. I'll probably buy a WiiU eventually but only after they release a proper Zelda and Mario... or at least 5 exclusive games I want to buy/play.

It's funny. Usually I am a cheap ass, but when it comes to electronics, I tend to not resist. I mean I shelled out $250 for a nook color that I almost never used after a few weeks after buying it .

I can definitely live with 249.99. Fingers crossed.

i already know i'll end up buying the most expensive version. smh at myself.

Originally Posted by KingBroly Some indications were that Nintendo wanted 4 gamepads at the same time, but couldn't get it to work. 2's fine though.

This could get expensive, at least with 2 you could have a friend come over who also has a Wii U and they could connect their gamepad.

I still want to know what kind of battery life this thing's gamepad will have (actual reports from actual users, not company estimates which are almost always on the too high side), you can play with it plugged in though, so it shouldn't be a problem. If I had one I would probably always just plug it in though, killing the battery, but at least I wouldn't have to worry about running out of battery in the middle of a game and charging yet ANOTHER device. As if I don't have enough things that need charging already...