Mr-Paul

Do we even know they're having a digital event/Direct? Maybe they'll just release a Zelda trailer, then let the press play the demo at E3. Seeing they're not showing anything else on the E3 show floor, why show it in a video beforehand? Wouldn't surprise me at all, to be honest!

Really, thank god for Fire Emblem Fates. Without that, I'd probably barely be touching anything new from Nintendo this year apart from a Zelda remake. They may still announce some things that take my fancy for later this year, but today has really drained my hope.

The 3DS and PS3 show the issue of launching at a too high price. You could probably argue that with the Wii U too - it's still too bloody expensive right now! Nintendo really need to get this launch right.

Come on, you're deliberately being obtuse now. The Wii U, for all intents and purposes, is pretty much dead. They expect to sell 800,000 consoles in the next year. That's a tiny amount. Sure, it might not be technically dead, and they might still producing it to cover the little demand there will still be for it, but Blade and mine's point is that it's not exactly in a healthy position and doesn't have a packed out or impressive release calendar planned for it. Of course they're not going to say it's dead. Their share price would drop phenomenally!

The only benefit I see of that is they can get over any stock shortages by Christmas. I think it'd be better to just have a big launch and hit the ground running. As @kav82 says, any signs of weakness at launch could cause developers to drop support straight off the bat.

You also miss out on the likes of FIFA, Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty, Disney Infinity, Skylanders etc. by launching in March. If you can get these yearly franchises on your console they are bankers for some sales and would pad out the launch lineup and make the console an a lot appealing prospect. Launching in March means you have them late, or not at all until 6 months after launch.

You're being way too optimistic about the rest of the year! Even if it does get all you are predicting, it'll be a poor year. So far we've had a Zelda port, a Star Fox game that's divided fans, and a niche Pokémon fighter. Paper Mario Colour Splash isn't really what most fans want. They want a game akin to the first two in the series. Pikmin 4 maybe a possibility but I'm sure it won't really bother most at this late stage in the Wii U's life. Animal Crossing, again possible, but will be wasted on the Wii U unless it's pretty much a port of what we've had before with a bit of new app compatibility. And it's not really a game to release at the end of a console's lifetime, due to the nature of it being something you need to go on every day over an extended period of time. The real wildcard is if we get anything from Retro. Metroid? But surely at this stage it'd be better to hold for NX? And if they do have all of these cards up their sleeve, why aren't they demoing at E3? Zelda was the one last thing people were hoping for this year on Wii U. Whatever is going to fill the gap, if anything, will likely disappoint fans.

I think you're going to be disappointed there then - they will probably both be pretty identical as it's clear that they moved to dual Wii U/NX development for this a while ago. There's no chance of a Wii U version coming sooner, as great as that'd be.

I feel like this will end up disappointing many, such a long development can only build up expectations to an unreasonable level. I'm also tempted to think they should just scrap its Wii U version if it is launching at the same time as a NX version, even though that would be a big middle finger to everyone who has bought a Wii U and has no intention of getting an NX. What a mess they've got themselves into here. And will we get another 3D Zelda before the dying days of NX? Zelda shouldn't be a swansong and even developed to bridge generations. It should have a prime release in the early/middle stages of a console's life.

True, 50,000 million yen is no way near enough for free alcohol at launch events

And it's one that isn't out for another 9 months after the show! Absolute stupidity.

They pretty much haven't got many games coming out this year, and the likes of Fire Emblem and Paper Mario aren't things that tend to get big advertising blowouts anyway. Wouldn't be surprised if most of that budget is towards Zelda/NX. Also exchange rates could effect that figure.

I don't let myself get annoyed by this sort of thing usually, and am usually fine to just let Nintendo get on with what they do, and I'll buy their games if there's one I want. I'm not one to buy every game that's released, so am usually fine with the gaps between releases, although I of course acknowledge it would be much better for everyone to have many more games available on the console. Today's announcements though have really made me question any faith I have in them as a company. They still make some brilliant games, but the decisions they are making are so questionable right now. Zelda is my favourite game series and they're pushing it even further back. Probably to help the NX, but it's a shitty move for the fans. It's unlikely my Wii U will be used much this year. It's only been used so far for Twilight Princess HD this year - a Wii/Gamecube remake. It might get some use soon for those cheap Humble Bundle games I downloaded, but Nintendo have gone and destroyed any goodwill they had in the press last night with the news from this morning. But unless anything good is announced for release this year (which is looking unlikely at E3), it's doubtful I will be using their console much, and unless the NX is something real special and a great price, I can't see myself buying it at launch. A sad state for a company who have provided so much fun for me over the past 18 years or so.

Hyrule Warriors, although I love it and is maybe my favourite Wii U game, wasn't made by Nintendo. A Link Between Worlds was brilliant. Remasters don't count, and now I kind of feel they should've scrapped them altogether and just put more resources towards Zelda Wii U rather than release these to try and satisfy the fans. Almost six years between mainline console Zelda games is just not good enough.

Source Really bizarre. Will there even be an E3 Direct?

Fixed that for you @MindFreak [TWEET]725232136496750594[/TWEET] Very odd.

You don't release a console without showing it at the preceding E3. NX is looking like the first console that won't be shown at the world's biggest gaming event before its launch. Nintendo, you aren't Apple. You need to take E3 seriously.

A Skyward Sword remaster!

[TWEET]725227094507134978[/TWEET] [TWEET]725226766319648768[/TWEET] Staggeringly low numbers. Basically expect to sell one piece of software per Wii U owner.

Skyward Sword - November 2011. Zelda Wii U - 2017. Not good enough Nintendo. Sure, it might be the best game ever. But a six year gap is just too long.

I was always of the belief that Nintendo should ride out the Wii U, support it as much as possible and get a new console out by 2018 so it is nearer to any new generation from Sony/Microsoft rather than being an awkward mid-gen failure. However, the news of PS4K made me feel that they needed to get it out sooner, and possibly go for parity with these new revisions from Sony/Microsoft to get third parties on board and muscle their way back into the public mindshare. Who knows what to think now. We don't even know what NX is, but I have to say I'm not feeling great about the position that Nintendo are in right now. And if it is to launch in March, I think it's a real shame they couldn't get it ready for Christmas and have it possibly become one of the must buy gifts. Not showing NX at E3 is just an awful decision, though.

[TWEET]725224371221106688[/TWEET]

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE - 24/6/2016 Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games TM - 24/6/2016 Paper Mario: Color Splash - 2016 The Legend of Zelda (temp.) - 2017 Project Giant Robot (temp.) - TBD That's the Wii U release schedule. Sure, more might be announced at E3, but is it likely when the Wii U is practically dead and development should have moved to NX? We're not even getting Zelda this year. Basically nothing to look forward to.

Just came to post that last tweet. What the hell Nintendo. It looks like they're trying to make themselves more and more irrelevant in today's gaming market. E3 is where you need to blow out all you've got coming. Sure, have other events too. But E3 is where you get the likes of BBC News on board. Massive mistake if true.

Absolute shambles. RIP Wii U.