Wii U release date and price revealed (for US)

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That's right, Nintendo has finally announced the official launch details for the upcoming Wii U.

The console will be released in North America on November 18 and in Europe on November 30 this year.

There will be two bundles:

- The Basic 8GB console will be available for $299.99, and includes the console, GamePad, AC adapter, sensor bar and HDMI cable.



- The Deluxe 32GB one will be available for $349.99, and includes all the above + Nintendo Land, a charging cradle and stand for the GamePad, and a stand for the console itself.



Sadly, no official price was announced for Europe, but Amazon was asking £199 for the basic bundle in a -now removed- listing.

The full launch day software line up consists of: New Super Mario Bros U, Rayman Legends, ZombiU, FIFA 13 and Mass Effect 3 (the full list will be confirmed in the following days).Downloadable games available at launch are an exclusive version of Trine 2, Toki Tori 2 and trippy twin-stick shooter Nano Assault Neo.

Here's the official PR that Nintendo sent to us, which includes the full launch Window lineup (from November to March next year).

Nintendo Announces Nov. 18 Launch Date and Details for Revolutionary Wii U Console. More Than 50 Games Confirmed for Launch Window, Including Super Mario Bros., Call of Duty and Assassin’s Creed Titles New Nintendo TVii Application to Change the Way Viewers Experience TV and Video Content Using Wii U GamePad Controller REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Nintendo today revealed full details about how the new Wii U™ home console and its groundbreaking touch-screen Wii U GamePad controller can revolutionize not only video game play but also the way people find and watch TV and video content. The new HD system will offer entirely new ways for consumers to play games and enjoy their favorite programming when it launches in the Americas on Nov. 18. During the launch window, more than 50 games will be available for Wii U, which will be offered in two different colors and configurations. The Basic Set will be offered in white at a suggested retail price of $299.99, while the Deluxe Set, which includes higher storage capacity, additional accessories and the new Nintendo Land™ video game, will be offered in black at a suggested retail price of $349.99. At a special Wii U preview event in New York, Nintendo also unveiled Nintendo TVii, an application that will let Wii U owners in the United States and Canada find, watch and engage with their favorite video entertainment in fun new ways. Using the GamePad controller, Nintendo TVii lets viewers seamlessly explore available video content from a variety of sources – including live TV, their TiVo DVR and video-on-demand services such as Netflix – all in one easy-to-use interface. Additionally, Nintendo shared new information about dozens of games on the way for Wii U, including Nintendo Land, New Super Mario Bros.™ U, LEGO® City: Undercover, BAYONETTA 2, The Wonderful 101™, Capcom’s Monster Hunter™ 3 Ultimate and Activision’s Call of Duty®: Black Ops II. New Super Mario Bros. U offers unprecedented ways for friends and families to play together and explore Mario’s world using the GamePad. Nintendo Land, which will be available as a standalone game or included with the Wii U Deluxe Set, is a virtual theme park featuring a lineup of 12 playable attractions based on Nintendo’s greatest game worlds, including The Legend of Zelda™, Metroid™, Mario™, Animal Crossing™ and Donkey Kong™. As an added bonus for consumers, a Chase McCain LEGO minifigure will come as a special pre-order bonus for those who pre-order a copy of LEGO City: Undercover at participating retailers while supplies last. All of these games will instantly immerse players in a variety of new game-play experiences that are available only on Wii U. “The wait is almost over — in just 66 days, Wii U will arrive with the strongest lineup of launch software in Nintendo history,” said Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime. “With the integrated second screen of the included GamePad and features that instantly enhance the way people play games, watch video and interact with each other, consumers will see how Wii U delivers a completely unique experience and a remarkable value right out of the box. The new system also creates extraordinary new possibilities for game developers, bound only by the limits of their imaginations.” The Wii U Basic Set includes a white Wii U console with 8 GB of internal storage, one white GamePad controller, AC adapters for both the console and controller, a sensor bar and an HDMI® cable. In the Wii U Deluxe Set, components are black. This bundle includes all elements from the Basic Set, as well as the Nintendo Land game, increased console storage capacity of 32 GB, a console stand, GamePad charging cradle and a stand that allows users to place the GamePad vertically on a table. Consumers who purchase the Deluxe Set also will be enrolled in the Deluxe Digital Promotion, which lets Wii U owners receive points for each digital download and redeem those points for future downloadable content from the Nintendo eShop. The promotion is currently planned through 2014. Both configurations offer a wealth of one-of-a-kind entertainment experiences, including an online gaming community called Miiverse™ and the new Nintendo TVii application. Using the touch screen on the GamePad controller, Nintendo TVii users will be able to browse programming from sources they subscribe to, including cable and satellite channels, Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube and even their recorded TiVo shows – all from a single starting point. The selection of third-party games on the way for Wii U will include some of the industry’s biggest names and most beloved franchises. Activision is set to bring several of its leading properties to Wii U during the launch window, including Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Skylanders Giants™ and TRANSFORMERS PRIME™. Other third-party games coming soon to Wii U include Assassin’s Creed® III, ZombiU™, Rayman Legends® and Just Dance® 4 from Ubisoft, Madden NFL 13 and Mass Effect™ 3 from Electronic Arts, Scribblenauts™ Unlimited and Batman: Arkham City™ Armored Edition from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two from Disney Interactive. “The integrated second screen of the GamePad creates new possibilities for how games can be played, and further reflects the innovation Nintendo has poured into the Wii U,” said Eric Hirshberg, Activision Publishing’s CEO. “We’re excited for our fans to experience the biggest franchises, like Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Skylanders Giants and Transformers Prime, in new ways made possible on Wii U.” Below is a list of upcoming Wii U games that will be available on launch day or during the launch window*. (For information about third-party games, check with the individual publishers.) * Publisher Title - 505 Games Funky Barn - 2K Sports NBA 2K13 - Activision Publishing, Inc. 007™ Legends - Call of Duty®: Black Ops II - TRANSFORMERS PRIME™ - Wipeout 3 - Skylanders Giants™ - Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2013 - Rapala Pro Bass Fishing - Capcom Monster Hunter™ 3 Ultimate - D3Publisher Rise of the Guardians: The Video Game - Ben 10: Omniverse™ - Family Party: 30 Great Games Obstacle Arcade - Disney Interactive Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two - Electronic Arts Mass Effect™ 3 - Madden NFL 13 - EA SPORTS™ FIFA Soccer 13 - Frozenbyte Trine 2™: Director’s Cut - Gaijin Games Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien - Majesco Entertainment Zumba® Fitness Core - Maximum Games Jett Tailfin™ - NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT™ 2 Wii U Edition - TANK! TANK! TANK!™ - Nintendo Nintendo Land™ - New Super Mario Bros.™ U - NINJA GAIDEN™ 3: Razor’s Edge - SiNG PARTY™ - LEGO® City: Undercover - Wii Fit™ U - Game & Wario™ - Pikmin™ 3 - The Wonderful 101™ - SEGA Aliens: Colonial Marines™ - Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed - Shin’en Nano Assault Neo - Tecmo Koei America Corporation WARRIORS OROCHI® 3 Hyper - THQ Darksiders® II - Wheel of Fortune® - JEOPARDY! ® - Two Tribes Toki Tori 2 - Ubisoft Assassin’s Creed® III - Just Dance® 4 - Marvel Avengers™: Battle for Earth - Rabbids® Land - Sports Connection™ - Your Shape®: Fitness Evolved 2013 - ZombiU™ - Rayman Legends® - Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Scribblenauts™ Unlimited - Game Party Champions - Batman: Arkham City™ Armored Edition * Launch window is defined as the period beginning Nov. 18, 2012, and ending March 31, 2013. Broadband Internet access is required for online features. For more information, go to http://support.nintendo.com. Remember that Wii U features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu. For more information about Nintendo, visit http://www.nintendo.com.

source : maxconsole

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According to MCV:


Both retailers is currently taking pre-orders for all three SKUs: the Basic, the Premium and the special ZombiU pack.
Tesco is asking for £249 for Basic, £329 for the ZombiU bundle and £299 for the Premium model.

This is inline with estimates based on trade prices revealed by high-end retail sources, which we reported on earlier.

Amazon was offering lower prices, but has since bumped them up to £250 for the Basic SKU and £285 for the Premium. Interestingly, it doesn't seem to offering the ZombiU bundle at the time of writing.

Similarly, ShopTo has opted for a Basic price of £247.85, a Premium price of £279.85.

GAME has gone slightly higher at £259.99 (Basic), £309.99 (Premium) and £349.99 (ZombiU). The specialist is asking for a £20 deposit for each.

But it's SimplyGames that currently has the lowest prices, offering the Premium pack for a low £249.99 and the Basic pack for £209.99.

[greens117]

Is the wii u more powerful than the xbox360 or the ps3?

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk 2

[{{909}}]

who knows, Nintendo never release official specs. There are ports of current 360/PS3 games that are running at 60FPS at 1080p, so I would expect it does have some sort of edge.

[raelmadrid]

i've pre-ordered the zombi-u deluxe pack from tesco - 329.99

zavvi are doing the same for 299 http://www.zavvi.com/10639054.html

but been burnt with them in the past

[Bald Bouncer]

Is the wii u more powerful than the xbox360 or the ps3?

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk 2

Of course they are both running on 5 and 6 year old technology

[braymond]

From what I've read it has a better gpu but the CPU is rumoured to be less powerful. It has 1gb of ram too. Reading various articles it looks like it will be slightly more powerful than 360/ps3 , which considering they are so old isn't great. a large portion of the budget will have gone on the controller .

[{{909}}]

If it can truly do the Zelda demo they showed us at last years E3 I'd be happy, regardless of what the on paper specs say.

[SiE]

Looking at the launch titles its all very underwhelming. The launch video just shows a bunch of 2d platformers and titles that are also available on 360 and ps3.

[mysterym]

First Nintendo console since the nes that I won't be buying. How I yearn to have the feelings of the n64/mario 64 launch again.

Edit: price roundup can be found here: http://www.vg247.com/2012/09/14/wii-...-best-uk-deal/

No way I'm paying 250-300 quid on a console unless it's truly next gen. The wii was out for £180 ffs and that was during better financial conditions.

[Chubbs]

From what I've read it has a better gpu but the CPU is rumoured to be less powerful. It has 1gb of ram too. Reading various articles it looks like it will be slightly more powerful than 360/ps3 , which considering they are so old isn't great. a large portion of the budget will have gone on the controller .

It beats bolting two Gamecube processors like they did the Wii.

First Nintendo console since the nes that I won't be buying. How I yearn to have the feelings of the n64/mario 64 launch again.

Edit: price roundup can be found here: http://www.vg247.com/2012/09/14/wii-...-best-uk-deal/

No way I'm paying 250-300 quid on a console unless it's truly next gen. The wii was out for £180 ffs and that was during better financial conditions.

I've got consoles (non handhelds) at launch for years but I won't be bothering with this one.

I want to be excited with it but thinking about Nintendo - they've burned us for years, bring on the real next gen machines from M$oft, Sony and hopefully Steam.

Gamers can make do with phones and tablets rather than bother with this in the mean time.