​

Following rumors of an early end and being swiftly denied by Nintendo, it seems like the WiiU could indeed meet its end in 2018.

Following today's financial report, Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima has revealed that production of the WiiU could cease in March 2018, a year after the release of the NX.

This might come as a surprise since the general trend that the company has followed with previous consoles was to keep the old generation around for a while. However the WiiU hasn't been the big N's best-selling console and it probably wants everyone to move on.

SOURCE

 

[mgrev]

However the WiiU hasn't been the big N's best-selling console and it probably wants everyone to move on.

Yeah, the wii u is kinda lacking. Lacking everything in fact. Keeping the wii u longer would be stupid

 

[Judas18]

Quite sad but I suppose it has to happen. Once word of the NX meets the general public properly WiiU sales will drop even further.

 

[Xzi]

Awesome. I won't mind picking up a used WiiU in a few years for less than $100, and hacking it for free games. Same thing I did with Wii, although that was only like $40.

 

[Wellington2k]

A bit sad to see, but I had fun with the console, and that's all that matters. The Wii U was a success in my book. All the fun memories playing on the console with friends is proof of that.

Still, a 4-5 year life cycle is pretty normal for Nintendo consoles, anyway.

 

[CathyRina]

I mean at this point it shouldn't surprise anybody.

 

[BurningDesire]

Spring was never waiting for us, Nintendo It ran one step ahead As we followed in the dance Between the parted pages and were pressed In NXs hot, fevered iron Like a striped pair of pants the Wii U is melting in the dark All the sweet, First party Software flowing down Someone left the Wii U out in the rain I don't think that I can fake it 'Cause it took so long to gain respect it And I'll never have that system again, oh noooooo I recall the orange light updating my system like a wave On the ground around your knees Birds like tender babies in your hands And the MLG playing SMB4, by the GameCube

In reply to that picture. I use to listen to the original version of this song all the time it's Macaurthor Park or something like that

 

[osaka35]

Awesome. I won't mind picking up a used WiiU in a few years for less than $100, and hacking it for free games. Same thing I did with Wii, although that was only like $40.

Agreed. With nintendont and everything else, it's a brilliant emulation machine. Since the new console will most likely move to a x86 architecture, my Wii U is going to be in use for a long long time.

Since there's so much doom and gloom with the Wii U, hopefully that'll translate to a cheaper machine after the new one comes out.

 

[Viri]

I'd buy a 100 dollar Wii-U in a heart beat. Hell, if it ever gets hacked, and allows Gamecube games to be played on that comfy as fuck controller, then it's 100 dollars spent well!

 

[migles]

what if wii u becomes one of thoose high priced consoles because it will be somewhat rare?

well, if NX will kiss goodbye to retrocompatibility (and most likely it will) someone warn me when its the best time to get a wii u.
want to play wind weaker extra pixels version and some 1 or 2 other games

edit: this is bullshit, where is the last breath wii u edition? (like gba micro and wii mini)

 

[Saiyan Lusitano]

For a console that was DOA it sure is lasting longer than it should, the Wii U is admittedly one of the worst Nintendo consoles out there but can't deny it has the best (imo) Mario Kart to date.

 

[WiiUBricker]

Cut the crap. Wii U is doomed for one reason and one reason only: No Metroid!

 

[Saiyan Lusitano]

Cut the crap. Wii U is doomed for one reason and one reason only: No Metroid!

People still think the Wii U is an add-on for the Wii or that the GamePad aka "tablet" plays gamecards. Solid marketing there, Nintendo.

 

[Se7ensinsMods]

WiiU didn't suck until developers stop producing games. The big problem is that Nintendo need to get there head out of there ass and start making games that people would like to play like GTA etc and stop censoring games then people will buy wii u games. Nintendo NX is going to be same shit cause every game they make is same stupid and boring. Playstation and Xbox has more games then Nintendo Wii/Wii U. Ports are not hard to do like Call of Duty Mods work On Wii/Wii U just got to modified the buttons. Xbox and Wii/Wii U controlls r same but backwards. Can't understand it i tried.

 

[Deboog]

It makes sense. I just wish Nintendo didn't lie so much. How much you wanna bet they could have put Zelda out in 2015 like they said they would (or more realistically mid 2016) but delayed it to port it to the NX, and pretended like they had technical difficulties?

I just have to trust the rumor mill more than Nintendo itself these days. Being honest with customers clearly means less than a few extra bucks to Nintendo.

 

[Saiyan Lusitano]

WiiU didn't suck until developers stop producing games. The big problem is that Nintendo need to get there head out of there ass and start making games that people would like to play like GTA etc and stop censoring games then people will buy wii u games. Nintendo NX is going to be same shit cause every game they make is same stupid and boring. Playstation and Xbox has more games then Nintendo Wii/Wii U. Ports are not hard to do like Call of Duty Mods work On Wii/Wii U just got to modified the buttons. Xbox and Wii/Wii U controlls r same but backwards. Can't understand it i tried.

Publishers/Developers want to make money not lose which is why they've ditched the Wii U.

 

[Logan Pockrus]

WiiU didn't suck until developers stop producing games. The big problem is that Nintendo need to get there head out of there ass and start making games that people would like to play like GTA etc and stop censoring games then people will buy wii u games. Nintendo NX is going to be same shit cause every game they make is same stupid and boring. Playstation and Xbox has more games then Nintendo Wii/Wii U. Ports are not hard to do like Call of Duty Mods work On Wii/Wii U just got to modified the buttons. Xbox and Wii/Wii U controlls r same but backwards. Can't understand it i tried.

Well, Nintendo likes to avoid the "dudebro" games (GTA, Call of fucking Duty, etc.), which I applaud them for. I really, sincerely hate "mainstream" games, because they're all rehashes of their predecessors. I know Nintendo doesn't always provide the most original content (*cough* 2D Mario games *cough*), but I truly believe that they provide better content above the rest (at least when you play Mario or Zelda - their biggest cash-cows - there's some innovation, some change - the same can't be said for a multitude of games on the X-Box and PS4). And don't call me a fanboy, because you're dealing with someone who owns all three main current-generation consoles, plus PC games occasionally (my PC isn't the greatest for games, but it gets the job done).

(Moving away from that ramble.)

As for the cease of production, it comes as no shock. Every console must have a cease in production; the company can't make it forever, especially when the console didn't do so well and they're working on a new one, all while trying to maintain continuous support support for a tremendously well-selling system (the 3ds). I'm legitimately surprised that support and production has lasted thus far, much less for two more years.

EDIT: And you clearly don't understand how long it takes to port games. Think of it this way; the Wii U is Power PC based, and the PS4/X-Box are based on complete other things (AMD x86). So, you must rewrite tons of code just to manage running it on the Wii U. But that's not all! You also have to take into account graphics modifications, hardware limitations, and so. Much. More. Please, don't think it's just about remapping a button here and a button there (although they must do that too, which adds to the process even further). It's not that simple!

 

[Sheikah Impa]

Another family aimed console with wacky mechanics. I don't despise the Wii U, but I see where everything kinda crashed for it. But let's be honest..Do you really think Nintendo is going to learn from it's mistakes? It will be another system with a gimmick, a weird controller, and it'll probably be hard on 3rd party developers. The only thing different is that it's going to have (Perhaps) better graphics. Some have even said, better than the ps4? Yeah, no...They should stick with the handheld game and continue thinking about ideas.

 

[RustInPeace]

I remember Nintendo having a banging 2014, at the very end of it, was when I finally bought the Wii U, and got the games that made that year big. Bayonetta 2, Smash 4, Mario Kart 8. On the 3DS side, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. It's as if that was their peak, and pretty much went downhill. Nowhere else to go but down. They went down enough to greenlight a new console.

 

[Logan Pockrus]

I remember Nintendo having a banging 2014, at the very end of it, was when I finally bought the Wii U, and got the games that made that year big. Bayonetta 2, Smash 4, Mario Kart 8. On the 3DS side, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. It's as if that was their peak, and pretty much went downhill. Nowhere else to go but down. They went down enough to greenlight a new console.

They've been working on the NX since the Wii U hit retail stores. It's what companies do. Do you really think they say "our console's not doing well, so fuck it, let's make another one!" Well, they don't. What you say isn't coincidental, however. They have been working hard on the new console, which in turn leaves less time to work on their other platforms that are by no means new. It's the way of the industry:

1.) Make/finish a console (theorize new console).
2.) Make some games for that console (start production of new console).
3.) Drop support for current console, and subtly direct the public's attention to the new one (effectively sweeping the other under the rug).
4.) Back to step 1.