• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

New

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

TechNintendo

Nintendo Wii U Isn’t Getting Canned—Yet

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 23, 2016, 12:23 PM ET
The Legends Of Gaming Live Festival
A visitor reacts as he plays Super Mario Maker, developed and published by Nintendo Co. for the Wii U, at the Legends of Gaming Live event in London, on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015. Photograph by Bloomberg via Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Are the Nintendo Wii U’s days numbered?

There’s some controversy in Japan over whether the gaming company will stop production on its Wii U. Earlier on Wednesday, Japanese news outlet Nikkei reported that Nintendo (NTDOY) was halting production on the Wii U, implying that it was deciding instead to focus on software and its follow-up hardware platform, the NX. Soon after, a Nintendo spokesperson spoke to another Japanese news outlet, IT Media, saying that the report was inaccurate and that “from the next quarter and thereafter as well” Wii U production would continue.

Gaming-news site Kotaku earlier reported on the claims.

While Nintendo’s reported response seems to have put the issue to bed, it highlights an important issue for the company: Exactly what to do with the Wii U.

Nintendo launched its Wii U console in 2012 after coming off the wildly successful Wii. The console features better graphical capabilities than its predecessor, as well as a controller that delivers dual-screen functionality.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

While the feature seemed appealing to some, the Wii U got off to a slow start that it never overcame. Nintendo revealed earlier this year that it had sold just 12.6 million units worldwide by the end of 2015 and acknowledged that sales were relatively stagnant. Meanwhile, its top two competitors, Sony’s (SNE) PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s (MSFT) Xbox One, which both launched well after the Wii U, have easily surpassed Nintendo’s console in total sales. Sony, for instance, said that it had sold nearly 36 million PlayStation 4 consoles worldwide by the end of 2015. The console’s success puts it on pace to be one of the most popular of all time.

Meanwhile, the Wii U has floundered, forcing Nintendo to perhaps prematurely announce that it was working on new hardware, currently codenamed NX. The company has also moved into mobile apps, though its first attempt in that arena stumbled out of the gate.

Those issues, coupled with Nikkei’s strong, reliable track record in covering the Japanese video game market, lent some credibility to its report. While it would seem odd that Nintendo would stop production before it has another console ready to go, if demand isn’t there, producing more inventory might not make much sense.

For more about Nintendo, watch:

Regardless of Nintendo’s intentions with the Wii U, production is by no means an indicator of its commitment to the console. Even if Nintendo decided to at least slow Wii U production, it would likely support the console with new games for the foreseeable future. In an interview with TIME last year, Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima seemed intent on supporting the Wii U platform and its customers.

“I think our first job right now is to make sure that the customers, those 10 million customers who have a Wii U at home have software to play,” he said. “And we need to make sure that they are satisfied with their purchase and continue to enjoy playing on this platform. So we can’t just abandon them and say ‘Hey, it’s time to move on to the next thing.’”

He added, however, that Nintendo is still “working on NX and looking at the experiences we can bring to that platform.” But at least then (and presumably now), he believed Nintendo’s “job” is to “support the consumers who have purchased Wii U and make sure that they have software experiences available to them.”

Shigeru Miyamoto: Why the Wii U crashed and burned

So, regardless of what the future holds for Wii U production, at least its current owners know they won’t be left behind.

Nintendo did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday’s Wii U production debate.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Tech

Has the AI race shifted from U.S. vs China to open vs closed?
CommentaryOpen Source
Has the AI race shifted from U.S. vs China to open vs closed?
By Grace Shao and Alvin Wang GraylinAugust 4, 2026
2 hours ago
Man laughing in a black hat
Big TechSpaceX
Elon Musk delivers ‘totally nuts’ plans for moon robots and insists $1 trillion revenue target will hit but capex tanks SpaceX on debut earnings
By Amanda GerutAugust 4, 2026
4 hours ago
Elon Musk says SpaceX data centers will crush competitors because its rocket scientists are like the Yankees ‘playing a little league team’
AISpaceX
Elon Musk says SpaceX data centers will crush competitors because its rocket scientists are like the Yankees ‘playing a little league team’
By Tatiana SatauaAugust 4, 2026
6 hours ago
Trump meets AI giants, Senate Dems decry ‘unpredictable’ governance—and cheap Chinese AI looms as giant security risk
AIDonald Trump
Trump meets AI giants, Senate Dems decry ‘unpredictable’ governance—and cheap Chinese AI looms as giant security risk
By Catherina GioinoAugust 4, 2026
8 hours ago
Man in black in front of a blue background.
Big TechSpaceX
SpaceX revenue surges to $7.8 billion, blowing past Wall Street expectations by nearly $1 billion
By Amanda GerutAugust 4, 2026
9 hours ago
OpenAI president Greg Brockman: We ‘contort’ ourselves around computers, clicking and typing is a ‘phase’
NewslettersEye on AI
OpenAI president Greg Brockman: We ‘contort’ ourselves around computers, clicking and typing is a ‘phase’
By Emily ForliniAugust 4, 2026
10 hours ago

Most Popular

How Zohran Mamdani's pied-à-terre tax exposed an epidemic of 'ghost cars' instead
Personal Finance
How Zohran Mamdani's pied-à-terre tax exposed an epidemic of 'ghost cars' instead
By Catherina GioinoAugust 4, 2026
22 hours ago
Bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health
North America
Bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health
By Catherina GioinoAugust 2, 2026
3 days ago
Ray Dalio on the AI bubble nearing 1929, 2000 levels and the lesson people always forget: 'Wealth is not the same as money'
Investing
Ray Dalio on the AI bubble nearing 1929, 2000 levels and the lesson people always forget: 'Wealth is not the same as money'
By Nick LichtenbergAugust 4, 2026
22 hours ago
Forget Gen Z: People in their 70s and 80s are some of the earliest Americans to welcome physical AI into their homes and daily routines
AI
Forget Gen Z: People in their 70s and 80s are some of the earliest Americans to welcome physical AI into their homes and daily routines
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezAugust 3, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of August 4, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of August 4, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerAugust 4, 2026
20 hours ago
Scott Bessent is using moves from his hedge fund days to prop up Japan's yen—and America's $40 trillion national debt
Economy
Scott Bessent is using moves from his hedge fund days to prop up Japan's yen—and America's $40 trillion national debt
By Mia OsmonbekovAugust 4, 2026
11 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.