Rumours of Nintendo's new console started circulating before E3, and the system's basic concept leaked out long before Reggie Fils-Aime rolled the tape. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata spoke to investors recently and admitted that the console's big reveal E3 was a little earlier than then company would have liked.
Iwata revealed that although the worldwide interest in what Nintendo would do next was very flattering, it presented an "information management" challenge. With chopping chatty employees' hands off generally frowned upon, Nintendo took the second option and showed off its work to the world:
Unless we officially informed the public of the overall configuration of the system, we knew that fractions of information would spread in a way we did not intend, and as a result, we would not be able to present the product as intended. Therefore, it was slightly early but we announced the basic configuration of this system at E3.
Many Nintendo fans will nod their heads in agreement here: Nintendo had several technical demonstrations to show off but nothing concrete, and all the third party footage was running on other consoles. When can we expect to hear more about the machine, then? Not for a while yet.
This year is a very important period for us because we can say it is a challenge for the Nintendo 3DS, and since we have announced that the Wii U will not be launched by the end of March next year, I do not intend to speak about it any more in detail, but I would like to speak about it more when the appropriate time comes.
Sit tight.
[source nintendo.co.jp]
Comments 42
Poor Iwatawa I"M NUMBAH ONE!
Better early than late, I suppose...
Which means it could be coming out Fall 2012 at the earliest
It would be foolish to have it release before E3 2012; it's the ideal platform to hype it and make up for this year's lackluster presentation.
Show us you're sorry, Iwata !
Give us free goodies !
Didn't the exact thing happen last year with the 3DS?
I don't see this coming out in 2012. The console isn't even completed. I'm not Nintendo bashing here, it's just I don't want to see this thing rushed. Take your time and come out with a finished product, Nintendo. You know I'll buy it.
That it was earlier then expected isn't really a surprise.
Dang. TWO mistakes in a row! First the 3DS with fewer sales than expected, then Wii U being revealed earlier than expected. Is Nintendo going downhill? I really hope they can pick it back up again.
The final product better be WAAAAAY better than what they showed at E3 this year, otherwise, I am not interested.
Who would have guessed?
Yeah, I remember at E3 when he said he'd discuss it more later in this year then decided to reveal it later.
Interesting tactics.
(And here we go with the "Nintendo is doomed" nonsense again. Really Internet? Really?)
I THOUGHT So!
Hopefully they named it earlier than intended too.
Can't wait for Nintendo's Fall Summit this year then
Yeah you could tell. Unfortunatley I guess they didn't have much choice after the info got leaked.It was either reveal it or leave it down to the rumour mill of the internet. I'm still hoping they change the name though. After the confusion of the 3DS among more casual gamers surley they will reconsider.
Ah well I'm in no rush for a new console anyway,there is enough games coming out for the 3DS and 360 over the christmas period to last me till next christmas.I mean Skyrim alone will probably last me 6 months!!
Have I mentioned that I really appreciate the genuiness and unfeigned demeanor of Iwata's recent statements? I < 3 Nintendo!!
That explains the slightly fishy presentation. To be honest, this seems like good news to me, if Nintendo takes its' time making some needed improvements then I'll be a very happy camper.
And in between this announcement murdered the Wii. It is one bad movement after another and another, and the only consecuence is a reduction of his multimillionary salary ...
If they hadn't announced it this E3, there would have been nothing left to announce at next E3 because everybody would already know what Wii U is. Also, if they'd demonstrated the Wii U at next E3, wouldn't it be launched within the next 6 months latest?
....Didn't they say this already? lol
At the very least Nintendo is getting feedback from the press and gamers on the console. This wasn't the best reveal, but it may help in the long run.
Why would you do an early reveal anyway? The game presentations, lack of console and proper games made the Wii U's reveal quite crap... hopefully it's better next year.
Good thing they had the Wii U to present at E3 this year becuase they had nothing Wii related.
I thought we all knew that? Guess not.
This doesn't surprise me at all due to how lacklustre the e3 showing for the wii U was. If third parties hadn't almost completely abandoned the wii, I bet Nintendo would be supporting it much more than they are now and they probably would've focused on the wii much more than the wii U or wouldn't show the wii U at all until next years e3. if the third parties were still strongly supporting the wii.
Just as I thought: Because of all the talk about the controller before E3, Nintendo was forced to show it this years E3.
Ah well, next E3 we will see some actual footage!
Eh, one can assume this was to kind of build up hype, too bad Nintendo overestimated consumers' cognitive abilities and somehow didn't make it clear that this is a new console....
No duh.
I think Nintendo wanted to set the record straight for exactly some info about the WiiU, before the (both true/false) rumors took away people's interest in it. This also has a side effect of less, or non-informed gamers being less aware of the system's soon-presence, & these gamers will continue their focus on their Wii systems.
Edit: I too, want the name to be changed. Or Nintendo should really play up it's name, & make ppl like the name.
I think Nintendo just really wanted everyone to know a new console was coming. Not anytime really soon though, the 3DS just came out. It's like when you have a really good idea and you can't wait to tell someone. That's probably how it feels.
So Nintendo's just going to let the Wii die without any new games for an entire year before the Wii U is released?
It's good they got information out there, rumors, good and bad, obviously needed to be put to rest, but they didn't execute very well. It's totally understandable that with an early reveal things aren't going to go off 100% but the fact that a lot of people were confused or in the case of myself and several people I know, left underwhelmed, says Nintendo could've done a much better job. I hope they show something at E3 2012 to get me excited for the system. Right now with how pitiful 3DS' early months have been and even more ridiculous the putrid handling of Wii's final year, I'm not very high on Nintendo at all.
I'm impressed by how much they were able to prepare in time.
Sounds good. Now they can fix the shoulder button configurations and maybe move the Start/Select/Home buttons closer to the right side buttons.
Also if they hadn't showed it, imagine what their E3 presentation would have looked like.
(bloody awful)
Also reminds me how unpleasant it was to first be shown Lego City Stories during the Wii U showtime. I anticipated something completely different by more third party support.
We could tell. Corbs' impressions suggested that too. Still impressed and excited with it.
That explains why there was so little to be shown for the console, since they weren't planning on showing it until footage was leaked. That makes me happy to hear that what little they had at E3 were just rushed prototypes, and there will be plenty more polish to come.
I think with all the rumours spilling out Nintendo had to do something.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Now with everyone knowing and talking about the Wii U while there is still a long way to go in its development, it gives Nintendo a chance to find out what everyone thinks of what they're doing so far and they can adjust bits and pieces if necessary and hopefully it'll lead to a more polished final product.
I can't wait for the Wii U, it can't come soon enough... Although, at the same time, I'd rather them take their time to make it the best console they possibly can.
The early reveal was totally worth it just for that HD Zelda footage! Looked amazing!
I'm hoping for a simultaneous release of the new Xbox and PS systems. Let's see if they can do their homework on what their competition is doing.
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