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The Wii Lives On (Outside Of Japan)
Earlier this week, we reported that Nintendo had ceased production of the Wii. There is good news for fans outside of Japan; the discontinuation only affects Nintendo's home territory.
Gamespot received comment from Nintendo of America clarifying the end of production. "The announcement that the Wii console has been discontinued is specific to Japan," a representative told the publication. "There is no change in the status of Wii in the United States, and it is available for purchase this holiday season."
As of July 2013, the Wii had sold over 100 million units. The console launched in the United States on November 19, 2006.
[Source: Gamespot]
Our Take
I took the original discontinuation as good news for Wii U sales. There hasn't been a concerted effort to clear up confusion about the differences between the Wii and the Wii U. Leaving one console option on the shelf would eliminate any obfuscation and possibly lead to more people walking out of the store with a Wii U. After all, it can play every Wii game at retail.
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