We’ve already seen large amounts of Xbox rumors the last few days. Of course, it would go with out saying that the next step is some confirmation, or partial news from a manufacturer.
MSNBC’s inGame blog reported today that Satoro Iawata of Nintendo released a statement that the Wii U will be on shelves for this year’s Christmas season and will be sharing the launch with Europe, Australia and, Japan. They haven’t confirmed price, date, or what’s included in the bundle. E3 will be the real time to find exact details, or at least more pieces to the puzzle.
My biggest concerns still lie in the individual touch pad. Shortly after the console announcement it was confirmed that only 1 touch pad per system will be utilized. If it isn’t fixable via a software update, the multiplayer will still be Wii style with better graphics. The touch pad itself will not be cheap to manufacture, and the console will fall into the next gen pricing structure of 300 or so dollars. If at any point additional touch pads are to be sold, the consumer can also expect a higher premium on that as well. This is a risky venture by Nintendo, I did, however, say the same thing about the Wii before launch and it was a blockbuster. A lot of questions remain unanswered by the announcement, but at least we have something to look forward to during Q4.
Thoughts?