Wii U Production to End This Week
Ashley Allen / 8 years ago
Following the reveal of its new console, the Switch, Nintendo is expected to cease production of the Wii U this week, according to multiple sources (via Eurogamer). Nintendo’s Japanese production line took its final orders on Tuesday (1st November) – thought to be only a few units – which it will fulfil on Friday (4th November).
Nintendo launched the Wii U in November, 2012, selling 3 million units by the end of that year, though by the second quarter of 2013 sales had fallen by 51%. Interest in the console was renewed in 2014 with the release of Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, but it was not enough to help the console rival the popularity of its predecessor, the Wii. As of 30th September, the Wii U has shipped 13.36 million units; by the end of its life, the Wii had sold 101 million units.
While fan reaction to the new Nintendo Switch has been largely positive, the market has responded with caution – probably due to the relative failure of the Wii U – which caused the Japanese company’s shares to drop not long after the initial reveal of the console. Nintendo is expected to reveal the hardware to the press on 13th January (on Japanese time, 12th January US time), 2017.