Wii U

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Wii U
WiiU.svg
Wii U and GamePad.jpg
A white Wii U console (right) and Wii U GamePad (left).
Also known as Project Café (code-name)
Developer Nintendo IRD, NTD
Manufacturer Nintendo, Foxconn, Mitsumi[1]
Product family Wii
Type Home video game console
Generation Eighth generation
Release date
  • US|CA November 18, 2012
  • JP December 8, 2012
Other regions: see [note 1]
Retail availability 2012 - present
Introductory price US$299/¥26,250 (Basic Set)
US$349/¥31,500 (Deluxe/Premium Set)
Units shipped Worldwide: 7.29 million
(as of September 30, 2014)[5]
Media
Operating system Wii U system software
Power 75 W power supply
CPU 1.24 GHz Tri-Core IBM PowerPC "Espresso"
Memory 2 GB DDR3
Storage Internal flash memory:
8 GB (Basic Set) / 32 GB (Deluxe Set)
SD/SDHC card
USB storage device
Display Wii U GamePad (FWVGA)
Graphics 550 MHz AMD Radeon "Latte"
Sound 5.1 Dolby Digital/Linear PCM, Analog stereo
Controller input

Wii U GamePad, Wii U Pro Controller,
Camera 1.3 Megapixels (Wii U GamePad)
Touchpad Resistive touchscreen (Wii U GamePad)
Connectivity Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0[6]
4 × USB 2.0
Online services
Dimensions Width: 17.2 cm (6.8 in)
Height: 4.6 cm (1.8 in)
Length: 26.9 cm (10.6 in)
Weight 1.5 kilograms (3.3 lb)
Best-selling game New Super Mario Bros. U, 4.16 million
(as of March 31, 2014)[7]
Backward
compatibility		 Wii, Virtual Console
Predecessor Wii
Website www.nintendo.com/wiiu

The Wii U (Japanese: ウィー ユー Hepburn: Wī Yū?, pronounced /ˌwiː ˈjuː/) is a home video game console from Nintendo and the successor to the Wii.[8] The system was released on these dates: November 18, 2012, in North America; November 30, 2012, in the PAL regions; and on December 8, 2012, in Japan.[9][10] As the first entry in the eighth generation of video game home consoles,[11][12][13] it directly competes with Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One.

The Wii U is the first Nintendo console to support high-definition graphics. The Wii U's primary controller is the Wii U GamePad, which features an embedded touchscreen. The screen can be used either as a supplement to the main display (either providing an alternate, asymmetric gameplay experience, or a means of local multiplayer without resorting to a split screen), or in supported games, play the game directly on the GamePad without using the television it is connected to. Games can support any combination of the GamePad, Wii Remote, Nunchuk, Balance Board, or Nintendo's more traditionally-shaped Wii U Pro Controller for input. The Wii U is also backwards compatible with most games released for the original Wii. Online functionality on the Wii U centers around Miiverse, an integrated social networking service which allows users to share content with other players in game-specific communities.

The Wii U was released to mixed reception: critics noted issues with certain aspects of its user interface, a weak lineup of launch titles, and the fact that the Wii U—while more powerful than the Wii—was not as powerful as competing eighth-generation consoles. Due to these shortcomings and poor sales, critics began to question the future viability of the console, and some third-party studios (including, most prominently, Electronic Arts) began to downplay their support for the console in comparison to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. However, sales of the console would begin to gain momentum following a price cut in August 2013, and the release of several major first-party titles throughout the remainder of the year and in 2014, including new installments in the Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. franchises—which both set sales records for Wii U games in the United States.

History[edit]

Development[edit]

The system was first conceived in 2008,[14] after Nintendo recognized several limitations and challenges with the Wii, such as the general public perception that the system catered primarily for a "casual" audience.[15] With Wii U, Nintendo explicitly wishes to bring "core" gamers back.[16] Game designer Shigeru Miyamoto admitted that the lack of HD and limited network infrastructure for Wii also contributed to the system being regarded in a separate class to its competitors' systems, the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.[17] It was decided that a new console would have to be made to accommodate significant structural changes.

Ideas on which direction to take for the new console led to a lot of debate within the company, and the project started over from scratch on several occasions.[18] The concept of a touchscreen embedded within the controller was originally inspired by the blue light on the Wii disc tray that illuminates to indicate new messages.[19] Miyamoto and his team wanted to include a small screen to provide game feedback and status messages to players (in similar vein to the VMU for Sega's Dreamcast). Much later in development, this was expanded to a full screen that could display the game being played in its entirety, a concept which was suggested but not financially viable earlier in the project.[19]

Pre-announcement[edit]

Initial beliefs about Wii's successor were that the new console would be an "enhanced version" named the "Wii HD." Many journalists speculated that it would have a high-definition video output along with a Blu-ray Disc drive built in with a release sometime in 2011.[20][21] However, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata later stated that he saw "no significant reason" to include HD into the Wii and that such an addition would be better suited for a successor.[22] Shigeru Miyamoto also expressed Nintendo's interest in working with HD graphics but clarified that the company is primarily focused on the gameplay experience.[23] In October 2009, Miyamoto said that they had no concrete plans about a successor yet, but knew that the successor would possibly still feature motion controls and they expected its interface to be "more compact" and cheaper.[24] Iwata also mentioned that the Wii's successor might be 3D-compatible but concluded that the adoption rates of 3D televisions should increase to at least 30% first.[25]

In 2010, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé commented that he felt "confident the Wii home entertainment console has a very long life in front of it" and declared that a successor would not be launched in the near future.[26] At the E3 2010 presentation, Iwata revealed to the BBC that they would begin announcing a new console once Nintendo ran "out of ideas with the current hardware and cannot give users any more meaningful surprises with the technology [they had]".[27] Later, at an investor's meeting, he disclosed that they were "of course studying and developing the next console to Wii", but they were simultaneously keeping its concepts secret because it was "really important for [his] business to positively surprise people."[28] Fils-Aimé commented in a CNN article and claimed that Nintendo's next home console would not likely feature stereoscopic 3D, based on the 3D technology Nintendo had experimented with.[29]

In April 2011, an uncredited source indicated that Nintendo was planning on unveiling the successor to the Wii during E3 2011, codenamed Project Café,[8] that would be capable of gameplay in HD resolutions[30][31] and would be backward compatible with Wii software.[32] It was also rumored that the console would feature an all new controller with a built in high-resolution screen.[33] The origin of the rumor for the codename (and many other details) was French technology publication 01net.[34] 01net had previously revealed the technical specifications of Sony's PlayStation Vita before it was announced.[35] The new machine was believed twice as powerful as the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.[32][36]

Many claims focused on the new controller, which would feature dual analog sticks, a standard D-pad, two bumpers, two triggers and "possibly more".[33][37] IGN compared the functionality of the new controller to that of a GameCube controller.[8] 01net claimed the controller would be "a touch tablet controller, with moderate graphic output", comparing the controller to an iPad with buttons. They also added that there would be a front-facing camera on the controller.[38] Supposedly, the controller would also feature six-axis motion controls that outperform a PlayStation Move motion controller in terms of fidelity,[39] as well as a built-in sensor bar.[38] The new controller features a 6.2-inch touchscreen.[40] 01net took the rumor a step further and claimed that the touchscreen would be single-touch.[38] Sources from CVG claimed that the controller featured a high-resolution screen.[33] IGN claimed that the controller would allow players to stream entire games to the controller from the console,[8] and that the console itself "is likely to resemble a modernized version of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)."[41]

According to Edge, software developer THQ's president Brian Farrell allegedly told investors: "We don't expect new hardware any time soon from either Microsoft or Sony. It's different on Nintendo – we'll let them announce their new hardware".[39]

Announcement[edit]

Wii U debut at E3 2011
The controller prototype originally shown at E3 2011.
A demonstration of the various uses of the Wii U's new controller.

On April 25, 2011, Nintendo released a statement officially announcing a system to succeed the Wii. They simultaneously announced that it would be released during 2012, and that playable console units would be present at E3 2011 (June 7–9).[42] Speaking at an investor's conference, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata stated the Wii successor would "offer something new for home game systems."[43] Iwata also confirmed that the successor to the Wii would not launch in the fiscal year of 2012, meaning that it would release after April 2012.[44]

On May 4, 2011, Kotaku reported that Project Café would have 8 GB of flash-based memory on board, with the assumed purpose of storing game saves. The game discs used by the console were said to be of a proprietary format, and to hold up to 25 GB of data, which is similar to the capacity of a single-layer Blu-ray Disc.[45] In early June, Nikkei issued a report confirming earlier rumors that the new console would feature a controller with a 6 inch touchscreen that would give tablet-like controls to games, as well as a rechargeable battery and a camera. Nikkei said the system would be released in mid-2012.[46]

A prototype version of the Wii U was showcased at E3 2011. The design of the console and controller were not definitive versions.[47] The controller demonstrated a touch screen of greater than 6 inches in width with a built-in microphone, speakers, gyroscope, accelerometer, rumble and camera.[48] All processing is done on the console itself, with the output displaying on either on a TV, the controller, or both simultaneously; however, the screen only supports single touch, not multitouch, going against a popular trend across the technology industry,[48] and, at the time of unveiling, the system only supported output to one tablet controller at a time. This was despite reports that Nintendo was looking into allowing such functionality in the final version of the hardware.[49] Nintendo also unveiled a number of first-party and cross-platform third-party titles for the console, including New Super Mario Bros. U and Pikmin 3, the latter of which was originally in development for the Wii but was later switched to the Wii U.[50][51][citation needed]

In the two days following the unveiling of the Wii U, Nintendo's stock value fell nearly 10 percent to levels not seen since 2006.[52] Some analysts expressed skepticism in regards to the addition of a touch screen to the controller, expressing concern that the controller would be less affordable and less innovative than the original Wii Remote.[53] When asked about whether or not the Wii U was going to support 3D, Iwata told San Jose Mercury News, "If you are going to connect Wii U with a home TV capable of displaying 3-D images, technologically, yes, it is going to be possible, but that's not the area we are focusing on."[54]

On January 26, 2012, Iwata told investors that the Wii U would be launched by the end of the 2012 shopping season in all major regions, and that its final specifications would be revealed at E3 2012.[55] Furthermore, Iwata stated that the console would feature a unified online system known as Nintendo Network, which would feature user account support as opposed to the use of friend codes. Nintendo Network would also provide the framework for online multiplayer interactions, add-on content sales, as well as online distribution of applications and video games.[56] Moreover, Iwata mentioned that the Wii U GamePad would support NFC, which would allow the system to wirelessly interact with figurines and cards created by developers. It would also allow for microtransactions to take place wirelessly using credit cards that have NFC support.[55]

On September 13, 2012, during a Japanese Nintendo Direct presentation, Nintendo announced that the new console would launch in Japan on December 8, 2012.[57] Later that day, Nintendo announced that the North American launch date would be November 18, 2012.[58] Nintendo of Europe and Nintendo Australia also announced that the Wii U would be released in both regions simultaneously on November 30, 2012. In an interview with GameSpot the next day, Nintendo of America's Senior Product Marketing Manager Bill Trinen admitted that Nintendo's pre-launch marketing and presentations of the Wii U had placed too much of a focus on the GamePad, to the extent that some consumers mistook the device as an accessory for the existing Wii rather than an entirely new platform. Trinen ensured that future promotional material for the console, including its packaging, would emphasize both the Wii U console and GamePad.[59]

Launch[edit]

The Wii U was originally released in two bundles: the Basic bundle and the Premium (WW) / Deluxe (US) bundle. The Basic bundle contains a white Wii U with 8 GB of on-storage, a white Wii U GamePad and stylus and an HDMI cable, while the Premium (WW) / Deluxe (US) contains a black Wii U with 32 GB of internal storage, a black GamePad and stylus, an HDMI cable, and adds a Nintendo Network Premium subscription, the Nintendo Land game (except Japan), as well as stands for the console and controller and a sensor bar (except Japan).[60][61] On November 18, 2012, the Wii U launched in North America, price at US$299.99 for the Basic Set and US$349.99 for the Deluxe Set. The system was scheduled to launch on November 25, 2012 in Mexico, however, it was delayed to November 29.[3] On November 30, the system launched in Europe, Australia and South Africa, with European pricing set by individual retailers.[2][62] On December 8, 2012, the system launched in Japan, priced at ¥26,250 for the Basic Set and ¥31,500 for the Premium Set.

On July 13, 2013, Nintendo released a white version of the Premium Pack (32 GB) in Japan, as well as an official battery pack and charger dock for the Wii Remote. The battery pack is capable of lasting 13 hours of gameplay before needing to be recharged. Additionally, on July 25, the company released an improved battery pack for the Wii U GamePad. In contrast to the standard 1500mAh battery bundled with the console, the new 2550mAh battery pack will increase its longevity to between five and eight hours before needing to be recharged.[63]

On August 28, 2013, Nintendo announced that the Premium (WW) / Deluxe (US) 32 GB model would get a price drop from US$349.99 to US$299.99 in North America. The price drop took effect starting on September 20, 2013.[64] In Europe, Nintendo didn't confirm a formal price cut due to the fact that, in the region, individual retailers set their own prices. However, starting October 4, 2013, the company reduced the wholesale trade price of the system to retailers.[65] Coinciding with the system's price cut, Nintendo released a limited edition The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD Wii U Deluxe Set bundle. The bundle included a black Wii U console with 32 GB of internal storage, a black Wii U GamePad decorated with a golden Triforce and other thematic symbols, a download code for the game and, in North America, a digital copy of The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia, a collector's book about The Legend of Zelda series.[65][66] In Europe, Nintendo also released a limited edition Lego City Undercover Wii U Premium Pack bundle. Both European bundles also featured a 7-day trial of the Wii Karaoke U service.[65] Despite doing so in other regions, Nintendo did not cut the price of the Wii U in Australia or New Zealand nor did it release any of the previous bundles in the regions.[67][68]

On October 31, 2013, Nintendo introduced two new Wii U Premium Pack bundles in Japan, called Family Set. The first included either a black or white Wii U console with 32 GB of internal storage, a black or white Wii U GamePad, New Super Mario Bros. U and Wii Party U preloaded, a black or white Wii Remote, a Wii Sensor Bar, and a 30-day trial of the Wii Karaoke U service. The second bundle included all of the previous one's contents, additionally preloaded with Wii Fit U and including Nintendo's official Fit Meter pedometer (with the Wii Balance Board available separately).[69]

On November 1, 2013, Nintendo released a Mario & Luigi Deluxe Set in North America with the intent of replacing the original Wii U Deluxe Set, which included a copy of Nintendo Land. The Mario & Luigi bundle contains both New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U packaged as a "2 in 1" disc alongside a black Wii U console with 32 GB of internal storage and black Wii U GamePad controller.[70] The bundle was later released in Europe on November 8.[71] On November 14, Nintendo released a Just Dance 2014 Basic Pack bundle in Australia and New Zealand. It contains a white Wii U console with 8 GB of internal storage, a white Wii U GamePad and Wii Remote Plus controllers, a Sensor Bar, and disc versions of both Ubisoft's Just Dance 2014 and Nintendo Land.[72] The bundle was later released in Europe on November 22.[71] On November 15, Nintendo released a Wii Party U Wii U Basic Pack bundle in Europe. It features a white Wii U console with 8 GB of internal storage, a white Wii U GamePad and Wii Remote Plus controllers, a Sensor Bar, and disc versions of both Wii Party U and Nintendo Land.[71] On November 15, Nintendo also released a Skylanders: Swap Force Wii U Basic Set bundle in North America. It contains white Wii U with 8 GB of internal storage, Activision's Skylanders Swap Force game, a Portal of Power, three Skylanders figures (one of which has an exclusive color variation), a collector poster, trading cards and sticker sheets, and a Nintendo Land game disc.[73] The bundle was later released in Australia and New Zealand on November 21.[72]

On November 26, 2013, the Wii U was released in Brazil. However, the system is only available in the black Deluxe Set in the region.[4]

On May 30, 2014, Nintendo released a Mario Kart 8 Premium (EU/AUS) / Deluxe (US) Set bundle in Europe and North America. It features a black Wii U console with 32 GB of internal storage, a black Wii U GamePad, a copy of Mario Kart 8, a Sensor Bar, and special edition red Wii Wheel (in North America only). Additionally, registering the game on Club Nintendo before July 31, 2014 presents the buyer a free Wii U game from a selection of four in North America and ten in Europe.[74][75][76] The bundle was later released Australia and New Zealand on May 31.[77]

Hardware[edit]

See also: Espresso (microprocessor) and Latte (graphics chip)
An illustration of Wii U's MCM without heat spreader. The smaller chip, lower right, is the "Espresso" CPU made by IBM. The other chips are the "Latte" GPGPU (large chip) from AMD and an EEPROM chip (tiny) from Renesas.

The Wii U uses a custom multi-chip module (MCM) developed by AMD, IBM and Renesas in co-operation with Nintendo IRD and Nintendo Technology Development. The MCM combines an "Espresso" central processing unit (CPU) and a "Latte" graphics chip (GPU), as well as an SEEPROM memory chip.[78][79] The Espresso CPU, designed by IBM, consists of a PowerPC 750-based tri-core processor with 3 MB of shared L2 cache memory and clocked at approximately 1.24 GHz.[80][81][note 2] Despite belonging to the PowerPC family, the Espresso also shares some architectural concepts with the POWER7 architecture such as the use of eDRAM cache and being manufactured at a 45 nm node.[82][83][note 3] The Latte graphics chip contains both a "GX2" GPGPU, which runs Wii U applications, and a "GX" GPU, which enables backwards-compatibility with previous generation Wii games. The GX2, designed by AMD, is based on the Radeon R600/R700 architecture and is clocked at approximately 550 MHz.[79][81][note 2] It is manufactured at a 40 nm node and contains 32 MB of eDRAM cache memory, which can also act as L3 cache for the CPU.[note 2] The GX, originally designed by ATI Technologies, contains a 1 MB and a 2 MB banks of eSRAM cache memory.[79] The Latte chip also includes a secondary custom ARM9 processor with 96 KB of SRAM memory that handles system tasks seamlessly in the background during gameplay or while the system is in sleep mode, and dedicated hardware audio DSP module.[79]

The console contains 2 GB of DDR3 system memory consisting of four 512 MB (4 Gb) DRAM chips with a maximum bandwidth of 12.8 GB/s. This is 20 times the amount found in the original Wii.[84] However, 1 GB is reserved for the operating system and unavailable to games. The memory architecture allows the CPU and GPU to access both the main DDR3 memory pool and the eDRAM cache memory pool on the GPU, removing the need for separate, dedicated memory pools.[85] The console includes either an 8 GB (Basic) or 32 GB (Premium (WW) / Deluxe (NA)) internal eMMC flash memory, expandable via SD memory cards up to 32 GB and USB external hard disk drives up to 2 TB.[86][87]

The Wii U features 802.11 b/g /n wireless network connectivity and support for Fast Ethernet with an accessory, Bluetooth 4.0, a total of four USB 2.0 ports, and an SD/SDHC memory card slot.[6][88] An additional power port is also included to power the Wii Sensor Bar, an auxiliary infrared emitter used by Wii Remote peripherals for motion tracking. Video output options include 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 576i, 480p and 480i, through HDMI 1.4 and component video (YPBPR, D-Terminal and RGB SCART) or 576i, 480i anamorphic widescreen through composite video (S-Video, SCART and D-Terminal). Audio output options include six-channel 5.1 linear PCM surround sound or analog stereo. The console also supports stereoscopic (3D) images and video.[54][80]

Controllers[edit]

An illustration of the Wii U GamePad (White)

The Wii U GamePad is the console's primary controller: its main feature is a built-in 6.2 inch (15.7 cm) resistive touchscreen, which can be used as a companion to a game being played on a television, or as a means of playing games solely on the GamePad itself without using the television. The GamePad is designed to enable a concept referred to by Nintendo as "asymmetric gaming": in multiplayer games, a player using the GamePad may have a different gameplay experience and point of view than other players.[89][90] The GamePad's display contents are rendered on the Wii U itself, and streamed wirelessly as video to the GamePad.[91] The GamePad also supports near field communications;[92] cards and specially-designed figurines, such as Nintendo's Amiibo line, can be used with the GamePad to interact with games. It can also be used for contactless payments from Nintendo eShop with compatible cards; as of May 2014, this functionality can only be used in Japan with Suica cards, but similar functionality will be deployed in other regions in the future.[93][94][95] [96]

A white Wii U Pro Controller

A new Pro Controller was released alongside the Wii U. The Pro Controller is an updated version of the Wii's Classic Controller that is designed to appeal to "hardcore" players, with a more traditional gamepad design that resembles those used by the PlayStation and Xbox lines (and in particular, the Xbox 360's controller), and a claimed 80-hour battery life.[97][98][99][100][101] The Pro Controller is compatible with supported Wii U games, but is not supported by Wii games.[102]

The Wii U is compatible with existing Wii Remote and Wii Remote Plus controllers, along with their Nunchuk and Classic Controller attachments. A combination of up to four Wii Remotes or Pro Controllers can be used at a time, and the console can theoretically support up to two GamePads.[103][104]

Software[edit]

Main article: Wii U system software

The Wii U's user interface focuses on two main components: by default, the GamePad displays a main menu consisting of a grid with shortcuts to games and apps, while the television screen displays WaraWara Plaza, a lobby populated by other users' Miis that displays content from Miiverse. Users can switch the two displays between the GamePad and TV.[105][106][107]

Pressing a controller's "Home" button suspends the current game or app and opens the Home Menu: it shows basic information (such as the current time, battery levels, and notifications), and allows access to several "multitasking" apps, including the Nintendo eShop, Miiverse, download manager, a web browser,[108] TVii, and the user's friends list. To play Wii games, the user must enter "Wii Mode", an emulation of the console's system software and Wii Menu interface. Initially, Wii Mode could only be used on the television screen, but the October 2013 firmware update enables Wii Mode to be used off-TV. However, games can still only be controlled using Wii controllers.[109]

Online services[edit]

The Wii U uses the Nintendo Network platform for online services (replacing the friend code system of the Wii), enabling online multiplayer, downloading and purchasing games or apps via Nintendo eShop, video chat using the GamePad's camera and the Wii U Chat service, and other services.[110] Up to twelve accounts can be created per-console.[111]

The console integrates with a social networking service known as Miiverse, which allows players to interact and share content with other users and game-specific communities using their Mii as an avatar. Miiverse allows users to share accomplishments, drawings and hand-written notes, and screenshots with other users. Select games are integrated with Miiverse, where social interactions can also occur within the game.[105] Miiverse is moderated through software filtering as well as a human resource team in order to ensure that the content shared by users is appropriate and that no spoilers are shared. In order to facilitate this, it was stated that comments posted could take up to 30 minutes to appear on Miiverse.[112]

Multimedia integration[edit]

The Wii U provides integration with online video on demand services and television providers through the Nintendo TVii app. TVii aggregates content from television channels (as indicated by a user's choice of provider) and online services such as Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Instant Video, into an electronic program guide with recommendations. An IR blaster in the GamePad allows it to serve as an universal remote to control a television set-top box, and tune it to a specified program. The app also provides a second screen experience on the GamePad: it can integrate with websites such as IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, and Wikipedia to provide additional information about a program, view news and scores from sporting events, and interact with a program through either Facebook, Twitter, or Miiverse. The app will also be able to integrate with TiVo digital video recorders.[113][114]

The TVii service is currently only available in selected regions. TVii was made available with the Wii U's release in Japan on December 8, 2012,[115] and in North America on December 20, 2012.[116] The service was to be released in Europe sometime in 2013, but has since been delayed indefinitely: Nintendo UK stated in January 2014 that it would provide details on the service's European launch in the "near future".[117] The Wii U also supports other video services through apps, such as Netflix and YouTube.[118] and Nico Nico Douga in Japan.[citation needed]

The Wii U does not support the playback of DVD or Blu-ray Disc; Satoru Iwata explained that the decision to exclude these formats were motivated primarily by patent licensing fees, and that such functionality would be redundant to dedicated Blu-ray and DVD players a user may already own.[119]

Games[edit]

Main articles: List of Wii U software and List of best-selling Wii U video games
An opened Wii U Optical Disc case, without its paper cover and instructions. The eco-friendly design uses less plastic, reducing manufacturing waste. The Recycle logo does not appear on European or Japanese cases. These cases are identical to common Wii cases made for Nintendo-published titles released since circa 2010, save for having Nintendo's own logo embossed above the disc area instead of Wii's logo.

Wii U games can be obtained digitally through Nintendo eShop, or at retail on physical media. Retail copies of Wii U games are distributed on Wii U Optical Disc, a proprietary high-density optical disc format co-developed with Panasonic. The format is very similar in physical design and specifications as Blu-ray Disc, with a capacity of 25 GB per layer, but the discs themselves have a soft, rounded rim.[120][121][122] Unlike previous Nintendo consoles, game manuals are only available digitally through the Home Menu. The console is region locked; software purchased in a region can be only played on that region's hardware.

New games in Nintendo's flagship franchises (including Super Mario, Donkey Kong and The Legend of Zelda), as well as several Wii series games (including Wii Sports Club, Wii Fit U and Wii Party U) have been released, in addition to many original titles and third-party-developed games. Nintendo has received third-party support from companies such as Ubisoft, Sega, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Activision Blizzard and Capcom, and various independent developers such as Two Tribes.

A total of 32.28 million Wii U games have been sold worldwide as of March 31, 2014,[123] with six titles surpassing the million-unit mark. The highest selling game is New Super Mario Bros. U at 4.16 million units, followed by Nintendo Land at 3.09 million units[124] and Mario Kart 8 at 2.82 million units. Mario Kart 8 is the fastest selling Wii U game as of June 30, 2014.[125]

Launch titles[edit]

The Wii U was launched with 23 games in North America,[126] 26 games in Europe, 25 games in Australia, and 11 games in Japan on December 8, 2012. Some download-only games were also available on launch day for the Wii U in North America, Europe, and Australia, via Nintendo eShop. An additional 30 games were announced for release during the system's launch window, which includes the three months after the system's launch date.

Key:

Virtual Console[edit]

Main article: Virtual Console

In January 2013, Nintendo announced that NES and Super NES titles would be made available for the Virtual Console service on the Wii U in April 2013 and would include the option to use Off-TV Play on the Wii U GamePad and the ability to post on Miiverse dedicated communities.[127] Game Boy Advance and Nintendo 64 titles will also be made available at a later date.[128] On March 26, 2014, Game Boy Advance titles were confirmed and started to appear on the eShop the following month.[129]

Backward compatibility[edit]

See also: List of Wii games

The Wii U is compatible with most Wii games, both on disc and download. Wii accessories such as the Wii Remote (Plus), Wii Nunchuk, and the Wii Balance Board also remain compatible.[130] It is also possible to move most downloaded software and save files from the Wii to the Wii U.[87] While original Wii games are playable on the Wii U console, they cannot be played on the Wii U GamePad.[131] However, the fourth version of the system software allows players to see Wii gameplay on the GamePad screen playing. The update also allowed for Wii Remotes to treat the GamePad as the default wireless sensor when in this mode.

Regardless of the Wii's general compatibility with GameCube games, the Wii U is not directly compatible with GameCube discs or accessories. A USB adapter for GameCube controllers was released exclusively for use with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U; it does not support any other titles.[132][133]

Reception[edit]

John Teti of The A.V. Club's Gameological Society considers the Wii U a compelling video game system which lacks focus, citing Nintendo Land as "ideas act[ing] in service of the technology" simply to show off features of the console.[134] Ben Gilbert of Engadget states that Nintendo delivers on its promise of releasing "a modern HD gaming console" but notes that "there are also some major missteps and half-baked ideas: a befuddling Friends List / Miiverse connection, a complete lack of many system-wide console standards (group chat, achievements, the ability to play non-game disc-based media) and a game controller that lasts only 3.5 hours", and stated that he could not give a complete assessment of the console with online components such as Nintendo TVii missing at launch time.[135] Similarly, TechRadar praised the system's GamePad functionality and HD graphics, but criticized the limited battery power for the GamePad, and the insufficient number of top-tier game titles available during the launch period.[136] Some industry figures do not consider the Wii U as an eighth-generation console,[137] with many citing the hardware's processing speed as the reason.[138][139] However, Reggie Fils-Aimé has noted that similar comments were made in 2006 when the original Wii first launched.[140]

By May 2013, Electronic Arts announced that it was reducing support for the console and had no games in development for it at the time,[141] but then partially reconsidered this decision a few days later, with EA's CFO announcing that "We are building titles for the Nintendo console, but not anywhere near as many as we are for Playstation or Xbox".[142] At E3 2013, Ubisoft revealed that they were not going to make any more exclusives for the Wii U until sales of the console improved,[143] though they stated shortly after that they are still "big supporters" of the Wii U, and plan to release as many Wii U games in 2013 as they did in 2012.[144] In July 2013, Bethesda Softworks has announced that they had no games in development for the Wii U, with Bethesda VP of PR and marketing Pete Hines explaining the decision: "It depends on the games that we are making and how we think it aligns with that console, and how the hardware aligns with the other stuff we are making".[145] This explanation was later refined to being largely due to the hardware.[146] Contrarily, Activision has stated that they will "do everything they can" to support the system and would continue to develop games for it.[147]

Following the launch of other eighth-generation consoles, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, in November 2013, it has been suggested by some critics that the Wii U would continue to struggle as it lacked the third-party developer support of its rivals.[148][149] However, New York Times writer Chris Suellentrop stated that the Wii U was the only new console with a video game worth playing, citing Super Mario 3D World as "the best Mario game in years". Despite the praise, he noted that "one great game won't save a console", and although other good games exist on the Wii U, he admitted that its lineup "is still pretty thin".[150] Time writer Matt Peckham said that the Wii U was the system of choice to pick up during that Christmas season, praising the console's first-party and indie games lineup, affordable price, Off-TV Play, the absence of subscription fees for its online services, backwards-compatibility and media features. However, he noted that the system still needs a new price cut and an improved first and third-party software lineup.[151] CNET also noted that the Wii U had a better lineup of games and lower price in comparison to its competitors, mainly due to its one-year head start.[152]

Sales[edit]

Life-to-date number of hardware and software units shipped, in millions
Date Japan Americas Other Total
Hardware Software Hardware Software Hardware Software Hardware Software
2012-12-31[153] 0.83 1.48 1.32 6.40 0.90 3.82 3.06 11.69
2013-03-31[154] 0.92 1.73 1.52 7.28 1.01 4.40 3.45 13.42
2013-06-30[155] 1.01 1.91 1.58 7.80 1.02 4.73 3.61 14.44
2013-09-30[156] 1.15 2.57 1.75 10.97 1.01 6.17 3.91 19.71
2013-12-31[157] 1.75 5.21 2.61 15.23 1.49 8.94 5.86 29.37
2014-03-31[123] 1.81 5.62 2.81 16.98 1.56 9.67 6.17 32.28
2014-06-30[158] 1.87 6.43 3.08 19.28 1.73 10.95 6.68 36.67
2014-09-30[5] 1.97 6.96 3.43 22.58 1.88 12.13 7.29 41.67

As of September 30, 2014, Nintendo reports 7.29 million console units and 41.67 million software units have been shipped worldwide.[5]

During its first week of release in the United States, Nintendo sold its entire allotment of over 400,000 Wii U units[159] and sold a total of 425,000 units for the month of November, according to the NPD Group.[160] It also sold over 40,000 consoles in the UK in its first weekend.[161] In Japan, over 600,000 Wii U units were sold during December 2012.[162] According to the NPD Group, nearly 890,000 Nintendo Wii U units were sold in the United States after 41 days on the market. [163] From the Wii U's launch till December 31, 2013, Nintendo reported that 3.06 million consoles and 11.69 million software units had been shipped worldwide.[156]

In January 2013, Nintendo sold 57,000 Wii U units in the US.[164] By comparison, the original Wii sold 435,000 in January 2007, also two months after launch.[165] Initial sales numbers in the US and other territories were lower than expected, resulting in Nintendo cutting sales projections for fiscal year 2013 by 17 percent, from 5.5 million to 4 million;[166] the system actually ended up selling 3.5 million units.[167] During the first quarter of 2013, Nintendo reported that 0.39 million consoles and 1.73 million software units were shipped worldwide.[154] From March to June 2013 the system sold approximately 160,000 units, which was down 51 percent from the three months prior.[168] During the second quarter of 2013, Nintendo reported that 0.16 million consoles and 1.03 million software units were shipped worldwide.[155]

At the end of July 2013, Walmart subsidiary Asda, the second-largest supermarket chain in the UK, confirmed that they had no plans to stock the Wii U, but would still stock games "on a title by title merit basis".[169] Despite this, many specialist retailers continued to emphasize their support, with Game CEO Martyn Gibbs saying "We fully support all Nintendo products, including Wii U."[170]

Following the system's $50 price cut and the release of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD on September 20, Wii U sales in North America saw a 200 percent rise over August.[171] From July to September 2013, the system sold approximately 300,000 units, which was up 87 per cent from the three months prior. Despite only having sold 460,000 consoles since April, Nintendo has maintained its 9 million Wii U sales forecast for the fiscal year through March 2014. Wii U software showed improvement in the Q2 period, reaching 5.27 million units - a 400 per cent jump on the previous quarter. Nintendo credited the software growth to key first-party releases such as Pikmin 3 and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD.[172] During the third quarter of 2013, Nintendo reported that 0.3 million consoles and 5.27 million software units were shipped worldwide.[156]

In October 2013, online retailer Play.com announced that its Wii U sales saw a 75 per cent sales increase. The company also predicted that the Wii U would be more popular than its competition, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, amongst children during the holiday season.[173] Following the release of Wii Party U on October 31 in Japan, weekly Wii U sales spiked to 38,802 units sold.[174] On November 29, 2013, Nintendo of France deputy general manager Philippe Lavoué announced that the Wii U had sold approximately 175,000 units in France since launch.[175] During the first two weeks of December, the Wii U was the top performing home console in Japan, with 123,665 units sold.[176] After one year in the market, the Wii U had sold approximately 150,000 units in the United Kingdom.[177] According to the NPD Group, Wii U sales in November increased by 340 percent over sales in October in North America, selling approximately 220,700 units sold in that month.[178] According to several publications, including NPD Group figures, December 2013, was the best-selling Wii U month in the US since its launch, selling around 481,000 units.[179] Independent estimates put the number of Wii U consoles sold by the end of 2013 between 4.5 and 5.2 million.[180] During the fourth quarter of 2013, Nintendo reported that 1.95 million consoles and 9.96 million software units were shipped worldwide.[157]

In January 2014, citing lower-than-expected sales during the 2013 holiday season, Satoru Iwata announced that Wii U sales forecasts for fiscal year 2014 had been cut from 9 million units to 2.8 million.[181] In light of this announcement, the Wii U's long-term viability, and its ability to compete with the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, have been called into question.[182] In February 2014, Nintendo revealed that the Wii U had improved about 180% in year-over-year sales in the United States due to the launch of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, which sold 130,000 copies, making it the number four best-selling SKU for the month.[183] By February 26, Wii U sales had surpassed those of the Xbox 360 in Japan.[184] In March 2014, Nintendo sold just over 70,000 Wii U units, tracking it down 50% less than the GameCube and 90% less than the Wii during equivalent time periods.[185] During the month, total worldwide sales of the PlayStation 4 surpassed those of the Wii U.[186] During the first quarter of 2014, Nintendo reported that 310,000 consoles and 2.91 million software units were shipped worldwide.[123]

During an annual investors' meeting, Satoru Iwata revealed Nintendo's projection of 3.6 million Wii U unit sales during the fiscal year of March 2014 (March 2014) to March 2015 (March 2015).[187] On May 22, 2014, Nintendo France announced that sales were 50% higher compared to the last in the region, and that lifetime sales of the Wii U in France were at 340,000 units.[188] With Mario Kart 8 being Nintendo's biggest game launch in all of Wii U history to date,[189] Wii U console sales reportedly increased by 666% in the United Kingdom, with the Mario Kart 8 console bundle representing 82% of the region's Wii U console sales for the week.[190] NPD Group reported that in the United States, when comparing the month of June 2013 to the same month in 2014, Wii U software sales were up 373% and console sales were up 233% (140,000 units).[191]

The record would be surpassed in November 2014 by Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, which sold 490,000 copies in the United States during its first three days of availability.[192] Nintendo France stated in mid-December that 490,000 consoles had been sold in the country since launch.[193]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Release date in other regions
    • ME November 29, 2012[3]
    • SA November 29, 2012[3]
    • BR November 26, 2013[4]
  2. ^ a b c Neither Nintendo, IBM nor AMD has revealed detailed specifications, such as the number of cores, clock rate, or cache sizes.
  3. ^ Official reports made by IBM only confirm that the chip contains "a lot" of eDRAM and "the same processor technology found in Watson".[83]

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