Best Buy Wii U E3 Demos Leaked?

Update - 6/11/13 : This was a hoax. Nintendo has revealed the real demos include Mario Kart 8, Super Mario 3D World, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD.

Best Buy recently announced they would have demos of a handful of Wii U games that will be featured at E3 2013 this week. While the retailer hasn't said what titles will be available for consumers to try out, it appears someone has leaked the info.

The image you see above is a photo of an alleged poster sent to a local Best Buy store as part of the promotion. As you can see, the list of demos include New Super Luigi U, Pikmin 3, The Wonderful 101, and the HD version of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.

While many have voiced their skepticism about the authenticity of the poster, gamingvlog.net says that one of their sources has confirmed that it is indeed real. Seeing as how Best Buy's "Nintendo Experience" is scheduled to begin on June 12th, we'll know soon enough.

Source: gamingvlog.net

GameStop to recall Wii U Basic Set in North America

Kotaku recently reported that GameStop is planning to recall all Wii U Basic Sets in North America on June 18th, one week after E3. The gaming blog cited the following message which they had obtained from a source within the company:

“Nintendo Wii U Basic Recall – Two Week Preparation On Tuesday, 6/18, all stores will need to return all new/unopened Wii U Basic (020359). .. Stores that have 10 or more in stock will receive shipping cartons from the [distribution center]. .. All other stores will need to save shipping cartons for this recall.”

CNET has now confirmed that the retail chain is, in fact, requesting that all of its stores return their new and unopened Wii U Basic Sets still on store shelves. The cheaper model of the console has been selling poorly with little demand, while the Deluxe Set has enjoyed a much better reception.

While some have jumped to the conclusion that the Big N themselves are discontinuing sales of the bundle, it appears that is not the case. Nintendo of America director of corporate communications Charlie Scibetta gave the following statement to Kotaku to clarify the situation:

"There is a current misperception about Wii U hardware. To clarify: Nintendo is working with its retail partners to simply rebalance the stock of the White 8GB and the Black 32GB Wii U models in the market. Consumers looking for either model will continue to find them available."

Sources: Kotaku (1), 2, CNET,

New Wii U games will be playable at 110 Best Buy stores

Nintendo and Best Buy have announced they are teaming up to promote upcoming Wii U games that will be featured at this year's Electronics Entertainment Expo. The retail chain will be hosting playable demos on a select list of upcoming titles at 110 Best Buy locations across the country during the E3 event, including 89 in the United States and 21 in Canada. They will be playable from 4-8 p.m. local time on Wednesday, June 12, and 1-5 pm. on Saturday, June 15. The site says the list of demos will be posted on June 11th. You can check out the list of participating stores via the link below.

The Nintendo Experience - bestbuy.com

Target drops price of Wii U Basic Set to $240

Target has dropped the price of the Wii U Basic Set to $239.99, well below the suggested retail price of $299.99. This is possibly the lowest price for the console seen in North America so far.

In addition, many games for the system have been reduced as well, including the following:

• Assassin's Creed 3 for $29.99 (regularly $49.99)
• Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two for $29.99 (regularly $59.99)
• FIFA Soccer 13 for $29.99 (regularly $53.99)
• Madden NFL 13 for $29.99 (regularly $39.99)
• Nintendo Land for $39.99 (regularly $53.99)
• Rabbids Land for $29.99 (regularly $45.19)
• Wii U Sing Party for $39.99 (regularly $59.99)

It's worth noting that the Deluxe Set is still priced at $349.99, as sales of that model have been much stronger. You can check out all of the deals via the source link below.

Source: Wii U - Target

UK retailer Asda drops price of Wii U again

UK supermarket Asda has dropped the price of its Wii U bundles for the second time this year. The Basic Pack now costs just £149, while the Premium can be bought for £199. Nintendo does not specify retail prices in the region, but their "recommended" prices for the two bundles are £250 and £300 respectively. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has stated the company has no plans to lower the price anytime soon.

Source: Asda

Retailers say Wii U version of Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes coming May 21st

Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes was originally released on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC last year, but a Wii U version was recently announced. Retailers Amazon, GameStop and Best Buy have updated their detail pages for the enhanced port, all of which list May 21st, 2013 as the title's release date.

Here's the official description from Amazon:

LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes is an Action-Adventure game set within the Batman universe, and filled with LEGO versions of heroes and villains from the Batman comic series, working together/against those from the Justice League comic series. The game is a standalone follow-up to 2008's Lego Batman, and features a wealth of heroes and villains, an engrossing storyline, in-game dialog, classic LEGO video game play that includes a co-op support, family-friendly action and in-game gadgets, vehicles and super hero abilities. 

A recent press release revealed that the touchscreen can be used as an interactive map, and also allows players to select their characters. In addition, Off-TV Play has been confirmed, meaning gamers can play entirely on the GamePad if they wish.


Sources

Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes - Amazon

Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes - GameStop

Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes - Best Buy

Best Buy selling Wii U Basic Set with free copy of Nintendo Land for $299.99

Retailer Best Buy is currently selling the Wii U Basic Set with a free copy of Nintendo Land included for just $300. The Basic Set is usually priced at $300 with no free game included, which means consumers will save $59.99 by taking advantage of the deal.

There are a few drawbacks, however. For one, the less expensive model of the console has just 8GB of storage space, whereas the Deluxe Set has 32GB. Of course, if you do need additional space, you can simply purchase an external hard drive. However, there is one more thing to keep in mind: the only way to get into the Deluxe Digital Promotion is to buy the Deluxe Set. The DDP allows gamers to earn credit from eShop purchases to use toward future purchases.

You can check out the deal on Best Buy's website via the link below.

Wii U Basic Set and Free Nintendo Land - Best Buy

Australian retailers share views on Wii U sales

The Wii U got off to a great start with stock selling out at retailers throughout the world. However, the console has been struggling since the new year began, and many believe it is due to a lack of new releases. Lately that has changed, thanks to the arrival of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Lego City: Undercover, and Need for Speed: Most Wanted U, which may provide a boost in system sales.

In Australia, Wii U owners have been deprived of a few titles, with publisher Activision announcing that they have no plans to bring three of their games to the country, including 007 Legends, The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct, and The Amazing Spider-Man: Ultimate Edition.

And yet, it appears that Nintendo's latest console is doing as well in the island country as it is elsewhere in the world, with retailers reporting that it had a solid start before sales began to slump. Vooks recently spoke to a few of them and received mixed opinions as to how the system is faring.

We were quite happy with the launch, there were solid pre-sells and general excitement for the release. Wii U is currently facing some headwinds in the market but this is in line with what Nintendo is seeing around the world. We feel that it’s all about educating customers on the great features of this console.

-Kelsey Gamble, community manager at EBGames Australia

Gamble's assessment that Nintendo needs to do a better job educating the public about the system is a view that seems to be widely shared.

Currently Wii U is slow. It needs an injection of great titles both from Nintendo and third parties. Plus some marketing. It may be a console that takes time to get market penetration but we’re hoping it takes off – people love Nintendo and we do too.

-Rob Jenkins, national marketing manager at Gametraders

Vooks had plenty more to say about the status of the console in Australia. You can read the article in its entirety via the source link below.

Source: Vooks.net

HMV drops price of Wii U Premium to £199.99, includes copy of ZombiU with bundle

Image Credit: MCVUK

UK retailer HMV has reduced the price of the Wii U Premium Pack to just £199.99. The store is also including a copy of Ubisoft's survival-horror game ZombiU in the bundle, which means consumers will be saving £140.

This is currently the lowest price for Nintendo's console in the United Kingdom. Other retailers in the region have dropped prices as well, but not to this extent. The lowest price had previously been £249.99. However, as Ben Parfitt of MCVUK has pointed out,  HMV is "in dire straights" with "its gaming aspirations up for question," which means "the price could in part be driven by a desire to empty warehouses of video games stock." This is an important thing to note, something which many gaming sites are failing to report.

HMV had claimed the deal would not go live until Monday, March 25th, but Eurogamer is reporting that customers have already been taking advantage of it, as evidenced by a photo of a customer receipt.

The Big N recently announced that they are planning on meeting with retailers in the region to discuss how they can increase sales of the new system.

Sources: MCVUK, Eurogamer

Wii U Basic Set on sale for $249.99 at Best Buy

Retail chain Best Buy is currently selling the Wii U Basic Set at a price of $249.99, well below the suggested retail price of $299.99. The Deluxe Set is still being sold at $349.99, its normal price. You can check out the deal via the link below.

Wii U Consoles - Best Buy

Amazon UK and Asda drop price of Wii U

In the United Kingdom, retailers have begun discounting the Wii U amidst slowing sales. Amazon UK and Asda have both dropped the price of the Premium and Basic Packs by £50. Asda, which is owned by U.S. retailer Walmart, made the first move, and Amazon UK followed suit shortly afterwards.

A few other UK-based retailers, including ShopTo and Zavvi, had previously lowered prices, but only on a temporary basis. It is unknown if the latest price drops are temporary or not.

Nintendo's guideline figures for the system are £250 for the Basic model and £300 for the Premium. The company has repeatedly said that they they have no plans to officially drop the price themselves.

For those of you in the UK who have been waiting for a discount, here it is.

Source: Nintendo Life

Costco drops price of Wii U by $50

2/1/13 Update - Costco has edited the pages for both models of the console. The Deluxe Set is now listed for $339.99 and the Deluxe Set is listed for $289.99. That's still $10 cheaper than the suggested retail price.

Original Story
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata recently said that there are no plans for a Wii U price drop anytime soon, but it appears at least one retailer has done so. Costco has dropped the prices of both models, selling them at $50 below the suggested retail price. The Basic Set can be picked up for $244.97, while the Deluxe Set can be yours for $299.97. If you would like to check out the offers, you can do so via the links below.

Wii U Deluxe Set - Costco.com

Wii U Basic Set - Costco.com

Best Buy offering free copy of Nintendo Land with each Wii U Basic Set

Retail chain Best Buy is currently offering free copies of Nintendo Land with the Wii U Basic Set. You can check out the deal via the link below.

Wii U Basic Set - Best Buy

GameStop taking orders for Wii U again

The Wii U is back in stock at GameStop, and they are currently taking orders for both models. They are also offering free shipping to customers who purchase the console along with any in-stock game. You can check out the deals and bundles via the link below.

Wii U - GameStop

Retailers list Yoshi's Land for Wii U

Definitely not the finalized box art.

Earlier this month, one NeoGAF user claimed that he accidentally hacked Miiverse and took screenshots of a list of alleged future Wii U games, including one called Soul Hackers and another called Yoshi's Land. Nintendo commented on the incident, saying "It has come to our attention that some people were able to access a mock up menu on Miiverse following the launch of Wii U in the US. Please note that this was only a mock up menu and has now been removed and is not accessible."

While it may have been nothing more than a mock-up menu, it appears one of the games may be real. Best Buy and Future shop have posted listings for Yoshi's Land, which still has not been officially unannounced by Nintendo. Here's the product description from both stores.

Best Buy product description

    Take Yoshi on an epic adventure to remember in Yoshi Land for Nintendo Wii U. Check out Yoshi as you’ve never seen him before: in glorious high definition. Enjoy dual-screen control thanks to the Wii U Touchscreen GamePad, while you’ll also be able to experience full integration with Nintendo’s MiiVerse service.

Future Shop product description
    Join everyone’s favourite dinosaur in his first big starring role on Nintendo Wii U – Yoshi’s Land. Utilise the power of the Wii U Touchscreen GamePad to enjoy dual-screen fun in this epic adventure with stunning HD graphics and connectivity with the MiiVerse.

Sources: Best Buy FutureShop via NeoGAF

GameStop Wii U waiting list full, no new names being added

The Wii U is selling out everywhere, and due to high demand, GameStop opened up a "waiting list" for the console a while back. When new units arrive, those on the list would are contacted by phone or e-mail, after which they would have a limited time to come in and pick up a system before it is offered to the next person on the list.

It was recently reported that 250,000 people were on the waiting list, and rumors began circulating today  that GameStop was "cancelling" the waiting list. It appears those rumors were an exaggeration. Here is what one of the retail chain's representatives told GameTrailers:

We are not cancelling the wait list. We have stopped adding additional customers, though.”

Source: GameTrailers

GameStop taking orders for Wii U Basic Set again

Update 11/27/12 - GameStop is no longer taking orders for the Wii U Basic Set.

Update 12/2/12 - GameStop is now taking orders for both sets again

Original Story
GameStop has started taking orders for the Wii U Basic Set again. They have a disclaimer saying that it's backordered and they can't say for sure when it will actually be delivered. If you would to place an order from GameStop, you can do so via the following link.

Wii U Basic Set - GameStop

GameStop: Wii U software pre-orders double that of Wii launch

GameStop is reporting that pre-orders for Wii U games is double that of the original Wii at launch. Consumers have pre-ordered 1.2 million titles for the console, and the retail chain has revealed that it was given an allocation of 500,000 consoles. The tie ratio is 2.4 games per console, due in no small part to a  strong third-party launch lineup. The company revealed the top 5 games at the moment are ZombiU, Assassin's Creed III, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Scribblenauts Unlimited, and New Super Mario Bros. U, but they did not specify whether said games were listed in any particular order.

Source: Gamasutra

Buy one Wii U game at Toys R Us on Black Friday, get 40% off another

On Black Friday, customers who buy one Wii U game will receive 40% off another. While it's a Black Friday deal, the promotion will actually begin at 8 p.m. on Thursday, November 22nd.

Source: bfads.net

250,000 on GameStop waiting list for Wii U

A lot of people want to get their hands on Nintendo's new console, especially the Deluxe Set.

According to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, there are over 250,000 consumers on GameStop's waiting list for the Wii U. This information was revealed in the financial report that Nintendo released a few days ago. The report also says that the Wii U Deluxe Set "is doing better in terms of pre-order numbers."

Source: Second Quarter Financial Results Briefing - Nintendo