Nintendo Reminds Wii U Owners That It's a New Console
Just in case you were confused.
Nintendo has sent out a notification to owners of its new Wii U console assuring them that the Wii U is a completely new console. It seems Nintendo is worried that owners of the Wii U might think the console they're just bought is an upgrade. As such, Engadget reports that the company sent out a message to internet connected Wii consoles explaining that you can use all your Wii games and controllers with the all new home console from Nintendo.
"Wii U is the all-new home console from Nintendo. It's not just an upgrade -- it's an entirely new system that will change the way you and your family experience games and entertainment," said Nintendo's note.
Nintendo shipped just under 350,000 Wii U units in the first quarter of 2013. The system was released in November of last year, just in time for the holiday season, and costs between $300 and $350, depending on the version you want.
Check out Nintendo's full note to Wii users below:
Play your Wii games and accessories on Wii U
Did you know that you can play nearly all your existing Wii games on Wii U? Your Wii controllers and many Wii accessories can also be used with a new Wii U console -- along with any downloaded games, save data, and other info stored in your existing Wii console.
It's time to discover Wii U
Wii U is the all-new home console from Nintendo. It's not just an upgrade -- it's an entirely new system that will change the way you and your family experience games and entertainment.
The second screen on the included Wii U GamePad controller enables never-before-seen ways to play games and enjoy TV. And for the first time ever, you can see Mario and your favorite Nintendo franchises in glorious HD.

with things like tablets and cheaper computers, consoles are becoming more irrelevant... sony and microsoft have to be bringing a lot to the table or they will suffer the same fate
cause nobody wants one...
Wii U seems like Wii XL or something. Ever notice how there are very few screenshots along with descriptions for Wii U titles?
this big conference u are suggesting, an expo as u will, do u think it would be good to have it in a random city, like i don't know like LA
I don't even know why most of the games would "look better than xbox/ps3" when most of the games for it are just ports from those systems. That's what publishers want these days, easy ports. Publishers aren't trying to make you happy, they're trying to skim every dollar off you they can. It's not a question of "best platform for the game", it's a question of "where do we get best sales?" Madden could be amazing with the second screen doing plays. Nope, last one didn't sell enough no Madden on Wii U this year. I'm sure they're annoyed enough at having to figure out uses for the second screen and actually work for their sales. To say it's not an upgrade from Wii graphically however is to say there is no difference between SD and HD. What are you, blind?
The real problem here is a lack of games on it. Even their own Nintendo Directs are more focused on the budding 3DS and have little to promise for Wii U. They could however be saving up announcements for E3. I'm pretty sure if they announced a new Smash Bros or Zelda for the holidays a lot of voices would be silenced.
"But they aren't going to E3!"
So what? Do you understand what E3 is? You are not going. Journalists go there, take pictures for you, report back, and you read what happened and watch videos. Nintendo just cut out the middle man. They can drop those trailers on the same day over Nintendo Direct instead of a crowded, greasy stage and it will have the same effect. E3 is just a news announcement holiday. Journalists do not report back to you, Nintendo gives it to you, direct. E3 does not benefit me at all, I'd rather they save the money. Publishers in general are questioning E3 this year after how poorly last year went.
Really, so much hatemongering. The reason they're trying so hard to get them in homes is because people that actually own them are satisfied with everything other than a lack of games, which will roll in eventually. Nintendo is in the red and plowing ahead, Sony has been selling off and shutting down assets left and right to get in the black, guess who's actually doing better financially?
Not sure why so many people marked you down, but you are absolutely correct. Tons of people (myself included) purchased the Wii because it was different, fun, and cheap. The only issue with the console was the lack of games. Seriously, the ONLY issue.
The bundled games were fun, but the novelty wore off after a while. Zelda was fun, but there was no followup with other interesting non-grind RPGs. Galaxys and Mario Bros were fun, but one cannot live on mario alone. Outside of that there were very few wii games that interested me, and then of the games that I purchased most of them only held my attention for a day or two. I am not about to shell out more money for a console without cheap fun games for it no matter how 'cool' or 'innovative' the console may be.
Nintendo is in a rough spot. iPhone/iPad has killed the mobile console market. Steam has moved a lot of the cheap and/or indie gaming to the PC (win/mac/linux). MS has started developing xbox for WP into a more serious platform, and there are rumors that the new Xbox will be more of a service with games playable on the console or any capable PC/tablet with the win8 store on it. Steambox and Ouya promise cheap but fun gaming experiences, and cloud gaming (in spite of last year's set backs) is something that a lot of companies are pouring tons of money into which will eventually make consoles useless.
The Wii had lots of promise to be a great console, but lacked support, so no amount of support will make the WiiU sell, and all of these new consoles and gaming sources will make any next gen Nintendo obsolete. It is going to be time to transition from a platform company to a game dev company. They already make some great in-house games, they just need to offer them on other people's platforms and rake in the dough.
I want to be excited for this console and I was interested in buying t close after launch because I thought thered be great games using the tablet interface and tv. but I held off because there were no good exclusives except for mario(which Im tired of). whether I buy this console if up to nintendo and if they get developers(or more inhouse studios) to create exclusives that are great.