Wii U Goes on Sale in US ahead of UK launch

The Nintendo Wii U has launched in America without the much-vaunted TVii service, but is still expected to sell out worldwide.

The Wii U, the first major new console since 2006, will go on sale in the UK from 30 November, with analysts predicting Christmas shortages.

The £299 console features a touchscreen remote control and full-HD graphics. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has claimed that "Wii U redefines the structure of home entertainment by fundamentally changing how the TV, the game console and the Internet function and interact together."

Launch titles will include New Super Mario Bros. U, Nintendo Land, ZombiU, Darksiders II, Mass Effect 3, FIFA 13 and Batman: Arkham City.

By the end of December 2012, consumers worldwide are expected to have bought 3.5 million Wii U consoles, compared to the 3.1 million Wii consoles that were bought over a similar sales period at the end of 2006, according to IHS Screen Digest.

“It's highly likely that retailers will experience some Wii U shortages in the run-up to Christmas. Some unlucky shoppers may well miss out," said Piers Harding-Rolls, head of games at IHS.

The flagship US TVii feature will now be available sometime in December, Nintendo claimed. It provides a gateway to streaming and pay-TV services through a homepage and search engine, with results integrated so that a user looking for a specific TV show or film would find options ranging from an online service to a rerun on cable.

The company also delayed the availability of online services including Amazon.com’s Instant Video, Google’s YouTube and Netflix on the Wii U.

“The value of Wii U goes well beyond day one,” Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo’s North America president, said in a statement. “Nintendo will be enhancing the Wii U experience with continuous updates and new services for Wii U owners.”

Five players can compete against each other at once on the Wii U, but the advent of new services including online multiplayer gaming has led analysts to question Nintendo’s strategy.

They argue the company should get out of the business of making expensive hardware and focus on selling popular games based on its iconic Mario and Zelda characters for play on others’ tablets and smartphones. Company executives say they won’t change course.

“By creating software and marrying it to strong hardware, we believe we create ground-breaking experiences,” Fils-Aime said in a September interview.

Pressure is mounting on President Satoru Iwata to repeat the success of the Wii console after the 3DS handheld player failed to meet expectations, prompting the company to cut its profit goal by 70 percent last month.

Nintendo and rival console makers Microsoft and Sony face increased competition in the game market as consumers turn to smartphones and tablets such as Apple’s iPad to play free games.