After refuting reports that Wii U production was set to be halted, Nintendo Japan has now confirmed that the console will be discontinued soon.
An update on Nintendo Japan's official website - translated by Kotaku - states that production of the 32GB version of the console (and the only version currently available) is "scheduled to end soon."
Wii U launched in 2012. It has sold around 13 million units so far, putting it at the tail of current consoles generation with half the sales number of Xbox One and quarter the sales number of PlayStation 4. For comparison, the original Wii sold more than 101 million units by the end of its life.
Nintendo's next console, the Nintendo Switch is scheduled for release in March 2017. Although the company maintains a position that the Switch is not meant to replace the Wii U, it is hard to see it any other way. It makes sense for Nintendo to halt new units' production and clear up its inventory before the new console launches.
