Nintendo’s Japanese website suggests today that manufacturing of the original Wii console will soon come to an end as the company shifts focus onto the questionable future of the Wii U.
The Wii was launched globally in late 2006 and proved to be Nintendo’s game changer and the must-have sell-out Christmas item of that year. The console reinvented (or Wii-invented) Nintendo’s commitment to its legendary multiplayer and party games while incorporating physical activity like never before with games such as Wii Sports, this thanks to the addition of the motion sensor and Wii-mote.
Currently the news is contained to the company’s Japan website but is expected to spread overseas soon. Nintendo’s announcement comes as a surprise, what with the previous Wii still said to be attracting more interest than the current Wii U.
Nintendo admits the inclusion of the GamePad with the Wii U seems to be a cause of the apprehension from consumers, some of whom are not aware that the Wii U is a completely new system and also game developers who question the longevity of the platform up against the future gen consoles, the PS4 and Xbox One, coming our way next month.
Most notably Nintendo has lost major support from E.A Games since the launch of the Wii U at the end of last year and production of the Basic 8GB console came to an end earlier this year, now sadly followed by the departure of the much-beloved classic Wii. In an update for Wii U made available yesterday, the GamePad will now display our old Wii games.
Our choice of Nintendo home console hardware will be more limited as we approach the New Year as the company forces us to accept the Wii U Premium as the current and only standard.
Goodbye old friend, Wii will remember.