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Nintendo Ends Production of Wii U Console in Japan
posted on by Egan Loo
As of this week, Nintendo updated the Japanese web page on its Wii U game console lineup to report that production has ended on both currently available console sets. The listings for both the Wii U Splatoon Set and the Wii U Premium Set state that they "ended production (in Japan)." Nintendo does not list new sets to replace these sets.
Nintendo's English website does not list an end to Wii U's production in North America.
The Japanese financial newspaper Nikkei reported last March that Nintendo would cease production of the Wii U within the year. Nintendo responded later that month that it planned to continue production on the Wii U in the current fiscal year or later. The current fiscal year in Japan is between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017.
Nintendo launched the Wii U system in 2012 and has since reported weak sales for the Wii U compared to its predecessors. As of the end of December, the Wii U had sold 13.56 million units and 96.52 million software copies worldwide, compared to the Wii's 101.63 million units and 917.34 million software copies worldwide. The Wii had surpassed 70 million units by its fourth year.
Nintendo revealed more details on its next generation platform, codenamed "NX" and now known as the Nintendo Switch, in October. Company president Tatsumi Kimishima said that the hybrid home/handheld system will not be the successor for Nintendo's existing game hardware. Nintendo did confirm that the Switch will not be compatible with Wii U game discs or Nintendo 3DS cards, but did not comment on the possibility of the Switch running purchased downloads of Wii U or Nintendo 3DS software.
Nintendo revealed more information on the Switch this month, before its launch on March 3. Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime confirmed at this month's Nintendo Switch launch event that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will be Nintendo's last title developed for the Wii U.
[Via Hachima Kikō]
