While today may have been branded as a 3DS Direct, the Wii U was mentioned and has enjoyed a bit of attention in the huge amount of information to come out of Nintendo since the broadcasts. One of these is an important one for the home console, with Pikmin 3 confirmed to arrive in North America on 4th August; Europe isn't quite pinned down, but is promised in "just a few months".
It's undoubtedly a high-profile, important title in the hopes of boosting sales and demand for the Wii U, and will ultimately arrive around six weeks or so before the hotly anticipated The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD; that makes Fall a potentially vital time for the system to build momentum.
Some actual footage was shown in the broadcast, too, revealing a rather awesome Winged Pikmin that can follow the player and carry items in the air. With a release date finally pinned down — in North America at least — we can expect a lot more details to filter out in the coming weeks and months.
So, who's setting aside some time in August for this new Wii U title?
Comments 43
Thank you TW, I can STFU now. Finally.
BTW I had been saying Sept. and you were sticking w/ Q2. I'll call it a draw if you will
All I heard in the NA presentation was that it was "coming in a few months."
Wait, what? Are you kidding me? A game that was slated for the launch window is coming out in August, now?
There had been demos playable last year, and it doesn't seem like they would need to put much work into it, anyways. Are they just trying to spread out their releases more? Still going to buy it (and I hate me for that), but this is kind of ridiculous.
What?? I didn't hear them say that anywhere in the video! Oh well, more work on it is better than an unfinished product.
The day after my birthday. Nice!
@Five-seven - They announced it on Twitter.
@rjejr Okay, thanks! FINALLY A RELEASE DATE FOR PIKMIN.
NO EU release date? Shame. Good for the NA. Long launch window eh
O_O AWESOOOOOMEEEE !!!!!!!! Just spread the games out Ninty, I think people will agree with the fact that time is an issue, mainly because Nintendo games are coming out like crazy ! Poor wallet, I'll eat less for the coming months I guess ! Thanks !!!!!
That's a bitter relief, for sure. It's good to have a date pinned down, but I can't even describe how angry I am that it was delayed so far. Like, I'm so freaking upset right now. Do they think Game and Wario is going to sell Wii U's this summer? Because it's not. We needed this, and we needed it a month ago.
Also, I WANT MY FREAKING PIKMIN
@TW - "arrive around six weeks or so before the hotly anticipated The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD"
Sorry to trouble you again, but Google can't find a WW HD date anywhere other than the murky "Fall" and Q3 2013. I'm guessing 10 weeks, Oct. 13., gotta show WiiU some love when Pokemon hits.
Glad we got a Pikmin 3 release date (don't worry guys I'm sure an EU release won't be too soon after US), got 6 weeks off work in August so this is perfect for me. Plenty of titles to tide me over in the meantime. MH3U & eShop titles will keep me busy
I'm glad this game finally received a release date because it looks pretty incredible. I'm looking forward to trying this game out once I get a Wii U.
Yay for us finally getting a release date! :3
Although, I'm a bit disappointed this will be arriving so late. I'm sure the wait will be worth it, nonetheless.
Yessss! Finally!!!
Zavvi list it as 26th July in the UK. I thought that sounded a bit pessimistic but now I see the US date it seems possible.
@rjejr LOL! After so many posts of you demanding a release date for this game, I thought of you when I seen this article posted. You deserved 1st post on this one.
Yay! Finally a release date.
I wish I could stay more excited about this, but it started out as a nice bonus to the only exciting new WiiU game coming? And more than 6 months later? Not to mention the look of it is a tad "rack focus to shield lazy textures", not enough to keep me excited that long. 3DS should be enough until reviews of this and announcements of anything else worthwhile for WiiU.
Great that it's finally confirmed. I've said all along it was never making Q2, considering there's only 2 and a half months left of it and we've seen so little of the game.
@Andyjm
Zavvi do have an unfortunate habit of making up release dates, presumably to get pre-orders - it won't hit Europe in July if the NA release isn't until August!
FINALLY.
It's not the first half of 2013, but at least now I know that I'll be able to get it before I move and getting retail copies of a game becomes impossible.
It's going to be embarrassing at E3 however when their opening title for E3 2012 still isn't out yet.
This won't be too bad if we get something else before it in May/early June (e.g: Wonderful 101).
If not, I may have to take up knitting.
Gonna have to pass on it initially with wind waker so close to it. Im disappointed with this consoles launch and its definately my last day 1 console purchase from nintendo. A first since the snes
Bah, yet another delay. Well, I've got enough games.
a release date? thank god!
So that means I'm getting a Wii U on August 3th?
Sheesh, Nintendo. Finally.
@rjejr I thought I saw a September date for WW, but maybe I went mad and imagined it. I'll double check
did anyone notice what may have been a new onion?
there is a new onion because they were carrying pink pellets
Just bring me Wind Waker HD. Really couldn't care less about Pikmin 3.
Pikmin 3 has a release date. You know, the Gamecube was my only console as a kid and when I was little I remember seeing Pikmin commercials. I sadly missed Pikmin 1, but was able to get Pikmin 2 for my birthday. To this day, it is one of my FAVORITE games, TOP 10, and as a long time Pikmin fan whose waited so long to play this gem, all I have to say is this....
Only about five months too late, Nintendo. And how many years has this been in development? It's going to feel very strange to see this game again at E3 this year, after thinking that we'd be playing it during the launch window. I mean, we're even going to have to wait almost two months after E3 before this comes out. Oh, well. I'm sure it will be fantastic and well worth waiting for.
The good news, we know it's coming out August 4th.
The bad news, it isn't coming out till August 4th...
A bittersweet moment I suppose...
I was ready to throw things after the Direct yesterday, especially with the vague answer of it arriving 'in just a little time'... but then the LttP reveal amongst others placated me. A solid release date for this game has me happy again.
I'm definitely buying this! I can honestly say that Pikmin 3 is THE reason I bought a WiiU. If it wasn't for this game I would still be on the Wii. I was therefore really disappointed to learn it wasn't a launch-window game but who cares... Both my wife and I are psyched for this game!
@ThomasBW84 - "I thought I saw a September date for WW"
It was probably listed with the Pikmin 3 Q2 release date
@ThomasBW84 - "but maybe I went mad and imagined it."
You're not mad, it's just Nintendo's slight of hand, Miyamoto is master of illusion.
BTW - I'm obsessed w/ Pikmin, not so much w/ WW HD, I'm not fixated about that date, won't be an ongoing issue.
@WingedFish - "A bittersweet moment I suppose..."
Funny thing, I was so sure this wouldn't be out until Sept. that I'm happy it's mid-summer. Otherwise I'ld be PO'd w/ the 2nd delay out of launch window and then out of Q2. Had I purchased a WiiU at launch for this TheBlackDragon would be working overtime
@Rod64 - "So that means I'm getting a Wii U on August 3th?"
I'm hoping for a bundle on the 4th myself. If the 3DS XL can have Pokemon, Animal Crossing and Luigi mods the WiiU should get a Pikmin makeover. What else are they going to promote at E3? They can keep their minigame collection, I want this.
It's about time it got a release date, been waiting for anything on it.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
107 days left.....
Since I watched the European one, I didn't know the game had a confirmed American date! About time, Nintendo!
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