Skip to main content
If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Production of Wii U has come to an end in Japan

With Nintendo Switch launching in a month, it isn't surprising to hear that Wii U production has ceased in Japan.

wii_u

The news was posted on the Nintendo Japan product page (via reddit), with the message "Production end (in Japan)" under an image of Wii U. .

In March 2016, it was rumored production of the console would cease by the end of the year. Eight months later, it was reported the production line would be shut off during the end of the first week of November.

Nintendo denied the report, stating it “was not true” and Wii U production would continue as planned; however, the following week the company announced production in Japan would end soon.

The company said it would ship 800,000 Wii U hardware units to the global market by the end of its current fiscal year, which means in the future, a new Wii U console may be a be hard to find.

If you want one, you better grab one quickly, or you'll have to go the used or refurbished route - the latter is all that's listed on the Nintendo North America's product page. You can still pick up new models at various physical and online retails though, for now.

Wii U was released in late 2012 and as of December 31, 2016, has sold approximately 13.34 million units during its four years of availability.

Nintendo Switch will launch on March 3.

Read this next