Nintendo Wii U: UK launch date revealed!

The Gadget Show  Thursday 13 September 2012

We knew the Nintendo Wii U would be out this year, but at long last, the Japanese gaming giant has told us just when it goes on sale. Read on to find out exactly when the first in the next generation of games machines hits our shores…

Speaking to journalists in a web conference this afternoon, European boss Satoru Shibata confirmed that the Nintendo Wii U will go on sale 30 November. There will be a white 8GB model, and a more expensive black version with 32GB of flash storage and a copy of Nintendoland included. A separate limited edition black Wii U will go on sale the same day, bundled with the Zombie U game.

Nintendo also confirmed that the Wii U GamePad will also be sold separately, and that New Super Mario Bros Wii U will be available on launch day. What Nintendo has yet to reveal however is European pricing. Earlier today, Nintendo revealed the Wii U, which has a funky gamepad with a touchscreen built in, would go on sale in the US on 18 November, priced up at $299.99 for the entry level model (about £185) and $349.99 (About £220) for the premium model. It appears it’s going to let retailers set their own prices, which may end up at around this sort of level – just a bit more than an entry level Sony PS3 or Xbox 360.

Check out our video preview of the Nintendo Wii U now

There’s a lot riding on the Nintendo Wii U. With Microsoft and Sony reportedly gearing up to unveil their new consoles next year, the Wii U is the vanguard for the next generation of games machines. Nintendo far outsold its rivals with the Wii, but can it pull off the same trick twice and get your families gaming together once again?

We’ll find out soon enough – in the meantime let us know what you make of the pricetag – is it what you expected?

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