Rumour: Wii U basic to be pulled from stores

The basic model of the Wii U will be pulled from US retailers this month, claim sources.

“Retail sources” have told Kotaku that all ‘basic’ models of Nintendo’s next gen console will be removed from GameStop shelves a week after the company’s E3 showing.

“Nintendo Wii U Basic Recall – Two Week Preparation On Tuesday, 6/18, all stories will need to return all new/unopened Wii U Basic,” reads the message sent to retailers.

“Stores that have 10 or more in stock will receive shipping cartons from the [distribution center]. .. All other stores will need to save shipping cartons for this recall.”

GameStop has not responded to Kotaku’s request for comment, and Nintendo has said it won’t comment on its dealings with retailers.

The Wii U hasn’t made a huge splash in the months following its release, but it is unknown what exactly would lead to such a recall of unsold inventory.

It could simply be that the 8Gb model is too small for some Wii U games and is thus being replaced by hardware offerings with more storage, or it could be – as some have suggested – a move to make way for a cheaper 32 Gb Wii U.