Earlier this week, GameStop issued a June 18 "recall" of the 8GB $300 Wii U Basic, the version of the Wii U that smart consumers knew to avoid. (Edit: Okay, okay, see the comments for reasons why some smart people did buy the 8GB version.) Now a tipster sends us an internal flyer from Best Buy that looks like the retail giant is chucking the 8GB next week.
Nintendo had called the GameStop "recall" a "rebalance" of supply. It sure looks closer to a discontinuation from here.
The Best Buy flyer says "stores should pull all new in box units and send them back" on June 10-11. "Stores should expect to see more Wii U deluxe units arriving in the coming weeks."
The black 32 GB Wii U Deluxe, which has sold for $350 and includes a game, doesn't appear to be going anywhere, though a price drop is surely possible. Note that Best Buy is anticipating more Wii U Deluxe units, perhaps a sign that Nintendo is going to start delivering the announced-for-Japan white 32GB unit in North America soon, too.
Expect to find out more on June 11 at 10am ET, 7am PT when Nintendo holds its big online Nintendo Direct to kick off E3. And, remember, Best Buy is partnering with Nintendo next week to let shoppers play Nintendo's E3 Wii U demos at the stores. Surely they're on top of whatever Nintendo's got planned.
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