Nintendo ceasing Wii U production at the end of the year

Nintendo ceasing Wii U production at the end of the year

Nintendo is going to end production of it’s latest home console, according to a report from Japanese newspaper Nikkei. This will essentially put the struggling system out of its misery as the gaming company shifts from Wii U and the aging 3DS handheld to mobile games (like Miitomo) and its upcoming dedicated NX device. The report goes on to say (as translated by gaming analyst Serkan Totoof Kantan Games) that Nintendo has already stopped making certain Wii U accessories. This makes sense. The Wii U has fallen far behind its Microsoft and Sony competition despite having a one-year head start. In a gaming industry worth $99.3 billion, Nintendo doesn’t want to give up any more ground while putting money into a sinking platform.

All eyes are now looking forwards. If Nintendo is going to halt production on their current generation console, this would seem to suggest that something new is on the way. There have been rumors that Nintendo’s new NX would be announced soon with a launch window of late 2016 or early 2017.

Check out some of the tweets:

“According to a Japanese report, Nintendo is ending production on the Wii U at the end of 2016.

A Nikkei report, translated by Dr. Serkan Toto on Twitter, revealed the news. We’ve reached out to Nintendo for comment.

The paper said Nintendo has already stopped making some Wii U accessories, with the company planning to deplete its inventory by the end of the year.”

Full Press Release – Source