Wii U News and Update: Nintendo announces discontinuation of console in Japan

Nintendo Japan has announced on their website that they will no longer be producing the hardware for Wii U. There is no exact date for the end of its production but it is speculated that it will be before the launching of the Nintendo Switch.

Kotaku reports that the halting of Nintendo Wii U production is only limited to Japan. This means that all Wii U hardware "will be made available in North America." However, it is unclear if Nintendo will be producing and selling Wii U consoles in other regions.

The Nintendo Wii U first came out four years ago on November 2012 and had much less success than its predecessor, the Nintendo Wii, in terms of sales.

Nintendo First Denied Wii U Production Halt Rumors

Nintendo first denied the rumors of the end production of the Wii U, reports International Business Times. A representative of the company even said at that time that the company wasn't stopping its Wii U production and that everything is in order. The announcement came just a few weeks after Nintendo revealed their newest console Switch which is scheduled to come out on March 2017.

Learn more about Nintendo’s new home gaming system at the Nintendo Switch Presentation, streamed LIVE on Jan. 12 https://t.co/0c7gOJasA2 pic.twitter.com/5aR7MBH2C5

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) October 27, 2016

The only Wii U console currently available on the Japanese Nintendo website is the white 32 GB "Premium" gaming system. Other consoles that have become unlisted including the black Wii U variation and those with lower capacities have been phased out as well.

The impending discontinuation of the Wii U makes it Nintendo's console with the shortest lifespan. However, the coming of the Switch console will help the company turn around. Nintendo has revealed that more info including release date and price on the highly anticipated console Switch will be unveiled on January 12, 2017.