The launch date for Nintendo’s upcoming Wii U console looks set to be 18th November for North America, if rumours are to be believed.
During a presentation at the GameStop managers’ conference in Texas the Wii U launch date was leaked by an employee of PDP, who make gaming accessories. PDP’s community manager went into damage control mode, however, and later denied knowledge of the exact launch date.
It’s likely that we will not know the Wii U’s launch date for certain until Nintendo’s press event in New York on the 13th September. Your friendly neighbourhood Nintendo Life will be attending, so stay tuned for more news at that time.
Until then feel free to speculate, does a November 18 launch seem likely to you?
[source kotaku.com]
Comments 87
I'd believe it.
I just want to preorder the damn thing! D:
My guess was November 18th awhile ago, and I will throw in a bonus and say at $300.
Awesome!!!!! November 18 is the day after my birthday!
2013 for me.
I wouldn't be surprised if this was true. Many others including myself have thought this for a while. I guess we'll know for sure on September 13th.
This lines up with their other release dates, so I'd believe it.
That's right around when the Wii launched, so it makes sense to me.
Seems like a likely date. Bring it on!
5 days after black ops 2 is released.
Remember, remember, the 18th of November...
Ugh.. now it will be a even older game system once I get it next year... I hope you all enjoy the wii u. (curses) I'm just faking the curses because bad words for me will remain pointless to say for the rest of my life... one of the glad things is that nintendo will finally trump xbox 360 and PS3 with its legendary system.
If its 5 days after BO2 is release no one will buy the WiiU version because everyone who will want BO2 will have it, but I agree NOV 18 seems right
Please let them hit $250 mark... But it will probably be $300 +
I can not get it cause I will get Pokemon Black 2 or maybe Pokemon White 2.
The year anniversary of skyward sword and super mario 3d land in europe
Just tell us the price so I can decide to get the WiiU or the limited editon Halo 4 Xbox 360 console.
I don't really think its a surprise to anyone really. That will probably be the date. I just wish they would announce the price already. That would've been a better leak!
@Happy_Mask
@Hybrid17 Why get an Xbox? It has Halo... that's it. Sure, it's good for fps, that seems to be all it's good for, but if you want everything the xbox has (minus Halo, being the only good thing they have) and a heck of a lot more, then you might as well get a PS3 or the WiiU. The Xbox is the console for casual gamers.
Wasn't it already a thought it would be released November 18th? Anyways, I'm less anticipating the release date and more so the price of the Wii U. The release date makes no difference to me.
I want to believe that a 11/18/2012 release date is a good choice to announce when the Wii U would launch. But tbh, I really don't buy into this unless info comes from Nintendo themselves. For all we know, it can be right near the very beginning of December 2012. Lots of these companies who make accessories and stuff like that for different consoles have a habit of getting info like this wrong A LOT!
seems quite possible, guess we'll find out soon enough...
It should be in November as many rumours account for. If it came on the 20th that would be on my bday and 1 year annivarsary of Zelda SS!!
Released on my birthday.
Cool. That gives us roughly a month to play it before the world ends.
It'll be around £250 so I'd expect the same kind of set up will be $350 in USA. Also, since Nintendo said the launch date will be mid november - early december and since we know that all new games are released on fridays, there were only so many to choose from.
Eh, I kinda expected to be sometime in November anyways.
nov 18th for 18 dollars
@SilverBullet89: No, there's absolutely no reason at all whatsoever to buy a 360. Oh, wait, what's this?:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_games_exclusives_(seventh_generation)#Microsoft_Xbox_360http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Xbox_Live_Arcade_games
Nah, never mind, absolutely nothing anyone could possibly ever enjoy on there.
/sarcasm
I'm actually less concerned about the date and more about the price. We'll know for sure soon enough.
That reminds me, they didn't say anything about the price did they?
To answer the last question of the article... yep. Overall, if the date isn't spot on, then it will likely be a little sooner, but I think November is just right for the hype, the buying serge, and the momentum going in Black Friday. A final price would be nice though, and I'm pretty sure we will know very, very soon per Nintendo tradition. I'm still thinking between $300-350... It's gotta be at least $100 more than the 3DS XL, and whether it comes with a pack in title (crosses fingers for Nintendo Land or even SMBWiiU) will determine if if it's $350 or not.
Fours days before my birthday...MAKE IT HAPPEN NINTENDO!
I doubt me or my parents will be able to get this. They aren't getting much money right now.
December 26, $699.
@Wheels2050 You're right, compared to the list of exclusives that belong to Sony and Nintendo there is absolutely nothing anyone could possibly enjoy out of that list, unless you're a casual gamer. You know, there's a reason not even xbox fans know about all the xbox exclusives, because about 90% of them suck if not more. That's just me being kind. Not to mention that most of them are fps, which to me is the most unintelligent form of gaming. No serious strategy, just running around shooting and the stories always suck (yes, even Halo. Sure, it has the best story of any fps, but compared to games exclusive to Nintendo and Sony it's nothing). When people think of Xbox, they think of 3 franchises: Halo, Fable, and Gears of War... and only one of those two do most Xbox fans even say are good. Tell me, other than those three Franchises what else does Xbox have as a "long term" franchise? Xbox has 1 feature character in general, not just as a mascot. Sony is stuck between 3 for just its mascot (Ratchet and Clank, Sly Cooper, Jack and Daxter) although its other characters are easily associated on a global scale with Sony, and although Nintendo has Mario as a mascot every other exclusive character Nintendo has is also easily associated on a global scale with Nintendo. Microsoft admits and constantly proves that all they care about is online features (which makes sense because they're a computer company), and when they do focus on games it's almost certainly a fps. Heck, their buttons are even called triggers. Not hating on the Xbox, because it plays games so that's awesome, I'm just saying there's reason to associate it with casual fps gamers and not as much for hard core gamers as Sony, and hopefully Nintendo with the release of the WiiU.
Called it!
College students beware, you won't be eating for a whole month if you buy this!
I don't see why sites make articles for Launch Rumours. It gets annoying.
@SpaceKappa ditto man!!!!
@SilverBullet89: If you actually believe that, well, I don't know what to say.
At least I know to disregard your opinion in future!
@Wheels2050 What do you possibly have to prove me wrong? The facts all add up.
I don't see any facts, just a heap of unsubstantiated opinions.
For the record, I don't own an Xbox. Nice try, though.
@Wheels2050 Only one thing I put on there was my opinion, and that's how I feel about fps games, nothing else was an opinion. They were facts based on the majority of Xbox gamers, the company's focus, and the over all types of games that sell the most for the console.
The hell did this turn into an xbox-or-not argument for? @Silverbullet89, Hybrid17 just wants to know what the Wii U will cost, and that's all. there are plenty of reasons for an interested party to potentially pick up an xbox, and you haven't posted any 'facts' — just unsolicited opinions as to whether or not a given game franchise 'sucks'. can we please go back to discussing the Wii U now?
it appears you've misunderstood my request to stay on-topic. this goes for both sides, btw, so it's not just you — TBD
Sounds close to me consider that SEGA Racing Transformed is known to be releasing for all consoles on the 20th of Nov. (Sumo slipped by including Wii U in their original announcement of the release date for SEGA Racing Transformed. They quickly changed it to say that Wii U is TBA.)
There would be some advantages to launching it on Black Friday instead of just after it. For one thing, it would likely be sold at lower than MSRP, but the retailers are the ones that discount their prices for Black Friday so Nintendo would still be making money off of every unit sold! The downsides: the possibility of a public opinion of the value of the Wii U being lowered, and very few people would make it outside of the stores alive with their new consoles.
@Jukilum Holy cow. That would be one doozy of a Black Friday lol.
This date sounds about right to me, but give or take maybe a couple of days would be all. As for price, I'm guessing $300 as well, though if we are lucky $250.
But Just Dance 4 is announced for Nov. 9. It is illogical we get the a Wii U game before the system.
@Tasuki Spot on.
@DarkEdi Actually, this happens all the time. Vita games hit shelves before the Vita system even this year.
Seems about right.
Just as predicted.
I expect no less of Just Dance 4. It's that kind of series.
Wouldn't really shock me if it were to come out on this date.
If it's not Nov. 18 it'll be pretty close to it. I'm still predicting $250-$300. I'm hoping Nintendo Land gets bundled in but won't be surprised if it's not.
Great day. Gives me time to save and it IS around the holiday season but with the added bonus of me being able to buy it and not look selfish at Christmas time.
Gonna be strapped for cash after the release, buying that and Epic Mickey 2 which releases the same day aswell as some launch titles sure is gonna be pricey.
Dang! I was gonna save for a computer, but a Wii U and a computer seperately are both too much to ask for christmas, normally all my presents cost less than a computer or the Wii U...
It says "Oops" I assume that means someone was dumb enough to take what a gamestop employee said for granted.
Seems legit to me but we won't know for sure until Nintendo officially confirms the date on September 13th. It is good to have an estimate though. Now what I really want to know is the price. I'm hoping for $299.
it's gonna come then. There's no way around it. They would have to try committing sales suicide in order to not release it in 2012 with all of those games.
yay I've heard this, and I hope it's true! Now there bigger questions:
1/ How much this sucker gonna cost
2/ When can we pre-order? Seriously, I want one lol (I think this might be Nintendo's biggest pre-order on a console to date)
3/ Can we get it in black and white? Or do we get white than black later?
Still some questions, can't wait till Sept. 13!
I hope it comes with the works. Black, Wiimote PLus with nunchuk, the Pad, and some significant storage option. A power cord would also be nice.
@FJOJR lmao you are so right, but it's Nintendo, so it's not going to happen. I think I will wait until the black one comes out this time around, considdering all of the GREAT games will come out around the same time.
If true, just in time for Black Friday.
I guessed the 18th. I can't wate to get the Wii U (hopefully in black) but I wish it came out the week before or the week after because I'm going on a cruise during Thanksgiving. The whole week. Me being a huge fan of Nintendo and not being able to play the Wii U on the day it comes out, knowing that others in north America will be playing it. This will ruin about 30% of my vacation. I hope I can find a way to get the Wii U on the day it comes out but not have it interrupt my vacation? Mama Mia
I hope the WiiU sales great... I believe this console has the potential to make or break Nintendo. November 18th sounds legit, but it doesn't matter to me, because I'll be waiting a year or two to see how things play out.
Until there's a leak for a Star Fox Wii U game, I'm not all that concerned with a Wii U release date. I expect it to cost too much and I need a few more games before I'll pick it up.
could be truth. what worries me is European launch date. I hope it's in simmilar time
I'm worried that the European launch will drag out until early 2013.
I can see this going the same way as the wii launch. Here in the uk we will get it beginning of December but there will be massive shortages for months after.
On a side note, we will also get a few people trying to get money out of Nintendo by going to the papers claiming the gamepad broke their tv!
That probably means December for Australian :[
@Super-Mario-Fan mine too. my b day is on the 19th
Ah it's a Gamestop news.
Sounds feasible, but we'll see.
Who knows. Could be real or it could be someone just pulling what the Internet has been guessing is the most likely date.
To me, the exact launch date isn't news - it'll be out by Xmas, and I try to hold off at least a few months - launch systems are always a little less reliable.
I want some juicy price rumors to hold me over until the 13th. It would also be nice to see what Wii games will look like on the system. I know they're not being truly upscaled, but if HDMI cables improve the picture significantly, I would be a lot more interested in buying early. With the launch lineup it looks like either way I'll have some time to keep working on my Wii backlog.
day before my birthday. perfect timing. of course ill still be paying for it
It better be out in October, so I can finally take my Crap-Tastic launch-day Wii out-back and shoot it! It won't read Sd cards, devistating!
Yo dije esta misma fecha desde hace mucho tiempo!!!
If it does come out on that date, any hope of me getting this system before the end of the year just hit the dirt. But I'll still be getting one!
I promise all of you that the Wii U will come out on November 18th. I knew this from the beginning really. First of all, both the GCN and Wii were released on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Secondly, in America, it's best to have your product on store shelves before Black Friday, as that constitutes a fairly large portion of the entirety of Holiday sales. Lastly, historically speaking, Nintendo usually has released key products in the middle of November, both in terms of hardware and software.
MAKE IT HAPPEN NINTENDO
@BudDudSlash lol betcha those sold well
well, no one would find me outside during Christmas
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