Nintendo is pushing back a tad against the notion, reported by Kotaku yesterday, that 8GB Wii U Basic's demise is imminent.
Yesterday we reported that GameStop has issued a "recall" of the $300 white version of the Wii U. Today, Nintendo says that they are simply doing a "rebalance" of the supply of white 8GB and the $350 black 32GB Wii U models.
"There is a current misperception about Wii U hardware," Nintendo of America director of corporate communications Charlie Scibetta told us in a statement today. "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."
Sadly, the clarification clarifies little and seems to still allow for the potential removal of the 8GB Basic on June 18.
GameStop doesn't appear to be "rebalancing" supply but instead intends to remove the lesser 8GB model. We've asked Nintendo for further clarification about whether the 8GB Basic is being discontinued. We'll let you know more, though it appears that the company's current priority is to disabuse anyone of the idea that the 8GB model was recalled, which is the language GameStop used in their notice to their stores—and which could imply malfunction rather than simply a decision not to sell the unit anymore.
Nintendo will be selling a white 32GB version of the Wii U in Japan in July. Perhaps Nintendo is clearing these 8GB units for that one or just opting to go with one size and one price for its young console. We'll surely find out by June 11, the day of Nintendo's E3 address to gamers and exactly one week before GameStop is slated to pull the 8GB models.
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