neilmarshalles: Nintendo Wii U gamepad not for sale separately in US until games support multiple controllers

Friday, September 14, 2012

Nintendo Wii U gamepad not for sale separately in US until games support multiple controllers

Nintendo's Wii U gamepad may be the star of the Wii U show, but it won't be available as a standalone at launch. It will, however, be available when games that function with more than one WiiPad become available, according to Nintendo America CEO and prez Reggie Fils-Aime. "Through the launch window, there are no games that leverage a second controller. And so, during the launch window here in NOA [Nintendo of America] territories, we will not be selling at retail a second gamepad," he told investors during a Q&A this afternoon. "But certainly, when the games come out, we'll be making that accessory available," he added. As for when games will take advantage of a second WiiPad is another question altogether, and one that Nintendo isn't willing to answer just yet.

Initially, the Wii U only supported one WiiPad per game, with additional control handled via the Pro controller or Wii remotes. Nintendo changed its tune, though, following public outcry for multiple WiiPad support.

Filed under: Gaming